Oil Product Differences

Most readers know that synthetic motor oils typically perform better than conventional motor oils in providing protection for your vehicle, but they might not know why.

What’s the real difference between synthetic and conventional oil? Pretty much everything.

Conventional and synthetic oils begin in the ground. But that’s where the similarities end.

Synthetic oil is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down into its basic molecules. This process not only removes more impurities from the crude oil but also enables individual molecules in the oil to be tailored to the demands of modern engines. These customized molecules provide higher levels of protection and performance than conventional oils. But the synthetic base oil is only half the story. The correct blend additives must go into the mix to create the oil.

Our Mobil 1™ brand of advanced full synthetic motor oils has a unique, balanced formulation to keep your engine running like new. So what are the benefits of Mobil 1™ synthetic oil? Synthetics typically outperform conventional motor oils in providing more protection for your vehicle.

Here’s how all that chemistry translates to the real world.

Synthetic motor oil keeps your engine cleaner. As oil circulates through your engine, it can pick up deposits. Over time, conventional oils can sometimes form sludge, which can reduce your engine’s efficiency and, ultimately, reduce the life of your engine.

Mobil 1™ motor oils contain fewer impurities compared to conventional motor oils and can better resist the formation of sludge thereby preventing deposits from forming in your engine.

Synthetic motor oil for engine wear protection Offer greater engine wear protection Engine parts are in constant contact with each other. They’re also moving at high speeds. In the extreme environment of your engine, components can wear and break down. Your motor oil is the protective barrier between these components. As conventional oils break down, their ability to prevent engine wear diminishes. Mobil 1™ motor oils, on the other hand, retain their wear protection properties for a much longer time, increasing engine life.

Mobil 1™ oil in car driving in cold weather with snow on ground and trees flow better in low temperatures. When your car sits for awhile (let’s say overnight) the oil settles.

But, when you fire up the ignition, it begins flowing through critical engine parts to protect against friction. With conventional oils, it takes more time until they are able to flow smoothly through the engine.

During the cold winter months, or if you live in an extremely cold environment, this flow process takes even longer. Mobil 1™ motor oils, however, are engineered to flow quickly even at low temperatures, and they start protecting your engine right after you start your car.

Synthetic oil in your car protects it better in desert high temperatures. When running, engines are hot. Really, really hot. Over time, the high temperatures in your engine can cause conventional motor oils to break down or evaporate exposing your engine to wear. Mobil 1™ motor oils are engineered to resist these high temperatures, which is especially important if you’re driving in hot climates.

Synthetic oil protects turbocharger engine parts. To meet consumer demand, automakers are building cars with smaller engines (for greater fuel efficiency) by adding turbochargers (to boost power). We already mentioned how engines run at high temperatures, which can break down conventional oils faster, but today’s turbocharged engines are even more aggressive. The shaft inside a turbocharger can spin upwards of 200,000 revolutions per minute, so it’s critical that your motor oil can get to that shaft very quickly and lubricate it properly. Conventional oils can break down faster under these conditions and leave deposits on turbocharger components, which can lead to failure. Mobil 1™ motor oils can protect these components much better than conventional oils, keeping them operating at peak performance and boosting your engine’s power.