Differences between Conventional vs Synthetic Oil for Car Engine Lubrication

You want to know about the differences between synthetic oil vs conventional oil. You want to know which one is better for engine lubrication. After doing your research, you are confused about which one is better.

if you want to get a clear picture of the differences between the synthetic and convention oil and what each one of these oil type mean, then keep reading!

What is Synthetic Oil?

A synthetic oil is formulated with a series of complex chemical processes. To be specific, they are derived from petrochemicals. They have significantly higher molecular qualities and can be used for most lubrication purposes.

Once the oil is separated from petrochemical, it then undergoes another series of processes in order to remove unwanted impurities from the crude oil. The oil that is accrued after the removal of impurities is called synthetic oil.

The synthetic oil molecules are tailored according to the compatibility and the modern day lubrication requirements in the final stage. The best thing with synthetic oils is that they have customized molecules and therefore, they are able to provide consistent protection and performance at a higher level.

What is Conventional oil?

Conventional oil is also accrued from crude oil. It provides significant lubrication even on a slightly high temperature thanks to its good properties. What’s more Important is that the lubrication can stay for a longer duration of time.

In the following section, we’ll look at the differences between conventional oil and synthetic oil.

Related: 10 Best Oil Filter for Synthetic Oil

Differences between Conventional Oil and Synthetic Oil

Why you need to know about the differences of the synthetic oil and conventional oil? Well, engine is the heart of any vehicle and cars are no exception.

Maintaining your car engine must be your top priority. When you look at both these oils from an outsider’s perspective, they may look similar. After all, synthetic and conventional oils are just oils, they are used for the same purpose of lubricating the engine, reducing the friction between the engine parts and protecting your car engine from emitting excess carbon.

But they have considerable amount of differences between them.

• At the time of the production of synthetic oils, artificial components are included to enhance its performance and protection for the car engine. And on the other hand, there is no inclusion of artificial compounds while extracting the conventional oil from the crude oil.
• The production of synthetic oil is so much advanced that the size of molecules are specifically tailored towards suiting the requirements of a particular engine. Whereas, the extraction of conventional oil follows an older pattern and hence, cannot change the size of the molecules present. So it isn’t recommended for all types of car engines.
• Synthetic engine oil doesn’t let the formation of sludge. Sludge is a term used by car mechanics to denote the mixture of liquid and solid impurities. When left unnoticed, sludge will seriously impact the performance of the lubricant and ultimately, your car. While synthetic oils eliminate it effectively, conventional oils fail to address this problem after some time.
• Synthetic oil flows better even while the car is in low temperature-based area. When your car stays in a particular place for a long time or your area is situated in a low temperature-based climate, your engine lubricant settles down. And when you start the car, the engine oil should circulate normally and you must not face any difficulty. Synthetic oils are particularly engineered towards providing smooth circulation even after a long break in driving the car. But when you use a conventional oil for your vehicle and you don’t use it for a long time, it will take its time before starting to circulate and provide engine protection.
• Synthetic oils provide great protection at higher temperatures. When conventional oils are exposed to extreme temperature, its molecules break up and it evaporates quickly and leaves your car engine vulnerable to damage. Synthetic oils ensure that the binding between the molecules remains the same even during the high temperature and therefore, it offers the expected protection for your car engine.

Conclusion

We hope that our guide on the differences between conventional oil and the synthetic oil would have provided answers for all your questions. Although both these oils are accrued from refining the crude oil, conventional oil cannot match the superior quality engine performance you get with the synthetic oil. Also, synthetic oil provides much higher engine protection than a conventional oil would do.

Even though synthetic oil offers supreme protection and increases the performance of your car engine, it is bit pricier. So keep your needs and budget in mind before you go for purchasing a car engine oil for fulfilling the lubrication purposes of your engine.

Want to include your thoughts about this guide? Share them in the comments section below!

Related: 10 Best Synthetic Engine Oil Review

FAQs about Conventional vs Synthetic Oil

How is the Use of Synthetic Oil Benefits Your Vehicle?

Here’s a list of benefits you’ll receive if you use synthetic oil in your vehicle.

• Less frequency in engine oil change.
• The overall service cost for your engine gets reduced significantly.
• Synthetic engine oil provides better lubrication.
• Keeps your engine clean.

How Often should You Change Your Vehicle’s Engine Oil?

Generally, you should change your vehicle’s engine oil twice a year or every 5000 to 7000 KM. This is subject to change according to the type of vehicle you own, how often you drive it and what type of engine oil you use in your vehicle.