Synthetic Oil | Jiffy Lube (2024)

FAQs

Is synthetic oil a lubricant? ›

Synthetic oil is a man-made lubricant that consists of artificially made chemical compounds. Synthetic oils are typically created from chemically modified materials such as petroleum components, but the base material is almost always distilled crude oil.

Synthetics may be more prone to additives precipitation during cold storage conditions. This stratifies certain additives which can potentially lead to their complete separation from the oil. Multi-grade motor oils using synthetics may exhibit slightly less fuel economy at highway speeds compared to mineral oil.

Better For Older Engines

This being said, however, it is still not recommended to use synthetic oil in engines that have experienced significant actions – specifically, those that have reached around 75,000 miles on the odometer.

Due to the additives and uniform molecular structure, synthetic oil lubricates better, flows better, is less prone to oxidation, and is more stable than conventional oil. 2. Engine Wear: Regular oil can have tiny unwanted bits that can accumulate over time and create deposits in the engine if you don't change it often.

Disadvantages of synthetic oil

Multi-grade motor oils using synthetics may exhibit slightly less fuel economy at highway speeds compared to mineral oil. The oil could leak out of old engines with loose seals and gaskets. This is due to lower pour pont and flowing characteristics even at low temperatures.

Myth: Once you switch to synthetic oil, you can never switch back. This is one of the most persistent myths about synthetic oil—and completely untrue. You can switch back and forth at any time. In fact, synthetic blends are simply a mixture of synthetic and conventional oils.

Can You Mix Conventional Oil With Synthetic? The short answer is yes. There is no danger or risk of combustion, and mixing the two types of oil won't harm your engine. However, it's important to note that if you do mix the two, the conventional oil can keep the synthetic from performing to its fullest potential.

Synthetics have some advantages over conventional motor oil. They're designed to be more effective at: Resisting oil breakdown, which makes it last longer than conventional oil. Withstanding higher temperatures than conventional oil, which helps keep engines running longer.

5. Is synthetic oil better for my engine than conventional oil? Yes, synthetic oil is better for your engine than conventional oil. Although conventional oil (i.e., mineral oil) can provide adequate lubrication performance, it can't compete with the overall engine performance and protection provided by synthetics.

Use Ester-Free Synthetic Oil

Since esters cause issues for the engines of older vehicles, choose a synthetic oil product that doesn't use these harmful chemicals. Today's synthetic oil products are ester-free. They use different compounds that don't attack the engine seals.

At what mileage I should stop using synthetic oil? ›

Most new cars use synthetic oil. That means you typically only need to change it at the 7,500-mile mark, or even wait until 10,000 miles. Some cars are even rated at 15,000 miles between changes.

Those who decide to switch to high-mileage synthetic oil may face leakage problems due to the potential incompatibility of the synthetic used in certain oils with the engine's seal types.

It's recommended that you change synthetic oil every 7,500 – 15,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and the brand of synthetic oil used. To ensure you're changing your oil at the proper intervals, always check your owners manual for more information.

AMSOIL synthetic motor oil uses naturally shear-resistant base oils combined with top-tier, shear-stable viscosity improvers that withstand extreme heat and shearing forces. Not only does AMSOIL exceed industry standards and outperform competing brands, it fights viscosity breakdown 46% better than Mobil 1.

You will want to check with your vehicle's manufacturer to make sure, but typically any automotive filters that are made for modern vehicles can be used with any type of oil. Every major motor oil manufacturer says you do not need a special or different oil filter when using synthetic oil.

There are two basic categories of lubricating oil: mineral and synthetic. Mineral oils are lubricating oils refined from naturally occurring crude oil. Synthetic oils are lubricating oils that are manufactured.

Lubricating oils are composed of 80–90% petroleum hydrocarbon distillate with 10–20% additives to impart specific properties to the oil. The petroleum hydrocarbon distillate generally consists of paraffinic or naphthenic compounds, whose properties are listed in Table 1. Measure of stability/chemical breakdown.

Synthetic oil is used as a substitute for lubricant refined from petroleum when operating in extreme temperatures because, generally speaking, it provides superior mechanical and chemical properties to those found in traditional mineral oils.