Synthetic or mineral oil: what is the difference and impacts on the engine?
The engine lubricant is essential for the durability of its parts, its best performance, and smooth operation - according to the factory parameters. But it is necessary to use the most suitable product for each car model. To do this, you need to decide on synthetic or mineral oil. For more references, check out: Can you mix synthetic oil with regular oil
Although both are produced by the same manufacturers and have some characteristics in common, they differ in essential points that make them more convenient and recommended for certain types of engines and vehicle use.
What does it mean for an oil to be mineral or synthetic?It is no secret that each vehicle model has different specifications for the lubricant that should be used in your engine. Just go to an automotive supply store to see the range of oils available.
Even the same engines may have to use different oils. This is because each car project has its performance parameters. Thus, issues such as aerodynamics, wheelbase, wheel size, characteristics of the electrical, exhaust and cooling systems, and components such as pumps, filters, spark plugs and cables, influence their operation.
Mineral lubricating oil
Mineral or mineral-based lubricants are composed of petroleum-derived oils. Because they are natural, their molecular structure is irregular, due to the very formation of the raw material, which is uneven.
Thus, these oils have different properties and differ in quality, viscosity, durability, and ignition temperature, for example. Therefore, for a mineral lubricant to be viable and achieve the desired characteristics, a mixture of these oils is made with additives, which make its structure more uniform.
The big problem is that these additives have a reduced useful life, losing their properties, which makes the mineral lubricant less durable. However, because it is derived from oil and has a more straightforward manufacturing process, its price is lower.
Although both are produced by the same manufacturers and have some characteristics in common, they differ in essential points that make them more convenient and recommended for certain types of engines and vehicle use.
What does it mean for an oil to be mineral or synthetic?It is no secret that each vehicle model has different specifications for the lubricant that should be used in your engine. Just go to an automotive supply store to see the range of oils available.
Even the same engines may have to use different oils. This is because each car project has its performance parameters. Thus, issues such as aerodynamics, wheelbase, wheel size, characteristics of the electrical, exhaust and cooling systems, and components such as pumps, filters, spark plugs and cables, influence their operation.
Mineral lubricating oil
Mineral or mineral-based lubricants are composed of petroleum-derived oils. Because they are natural, their molecular structure is irregular, due to the very formation of the raw material, which is uneven.
Thus, these oils have different properties and differ in quality, viscosity, durability, and ignition temperature, for example. Therefore, for a mineral lubricant to be viable and achieve the desired characteristics, a mixture of these oils is made with additives, which make its structure more uniform.
The big problem is that these additives have a reduced useful life, losing their properties, which makes the mineral lubricant less durable. However, because it is derived from oil and has a more straightforward manufacturing process, its price is lower.
Synthetic lubricating oil
Synthetic lubricants are products created through chemical reactions that shape them until they reach the desired characteristics. Because they are produced by formulas and in controlled environments, they have a homogeneous molecular structure and, because of that, they are more stable and have more excellent durability.
However, due to its more complex industrialization process, it is a more expensive product. Additives are also added to synthetic oils, which help to clean the engine and maintain its specifications, regardless of the conditions of use.
There is also a third type of lubricant, intermediate, that mixes synthetic and mineral base oils, plus additives, to achieve a product with good durability and stability, but which is not very expensive. They are called semi-synthetic.
Which is better: synthetic or mineral oil? At first, we could say that synthetic oils, because they are more homogeneous and have greater control in their manufacture, are better. This statement could be confirmed, also, by the fact that they are the most used in more modern cars and with higher performance engines, in addition to having a longer useful life.
However, the truth is that the best can only be pointed out about a specific case. That is, several factors need to be analyzed to say which is the most suitable for lubricating an engine.
After all, it is not unusual to indicate to a driver a quality oil below what your car needs. However, it is also not appropriate to recommend a more expensive lubricant, with characteristics above those that will be used.
So, in order to be able to tell if the best oil for a given vehicle is mineral, synthetic or semi-synthetic, it is necessary to know if it is used in severe conditions (such as constant traffic, pollution, dirt roads or little road), if age and mileage are already high and what types were used in the last lubricant changes .
Synthetic lubricants are products created through chemical reactions that shape them until they reach the desired characteristics. Because they are produced by formulas and in controlled environments, they have a homogeneous molecular structure and, because of that, they are more stable and have more excellent durability.
However, due to its more complex industrialization process, it is a more expensive product. Additives are also added to synthetic oils, which help to clean the engine and maintain its specifications, regardless of the conditions of use.
There is also a third type of lubricant, intermediate, that mixes synthetic and mineral base oils, plus additives, to achieve a product with good durability and stability, but which is not very expensive. They are called semi-synthetic.
Which is better: synthetic or mineral oil? At first, we could say that synthetic oils, because they are more homogeneous and have greater control in their manufacture, are better. This statement could be confirmed, also, by the fact that they are the most used in more modern cars and with higher performance engines, in addition to having a longer useful life.
However, the truth is that the best can only be pointed out about a specific case. That is, several factors need to be analyzed to say which is the most suitable for lubricating an engine.
After all, it is not unusual to indicate to a driver a quality oil below what your car needs. However, it is also not appropriate to recommend a more expensive lubricant, with characteristics above those that will be used.
So, in order to be able to tell if the best oil for a given vehicle is mineral, synthetic or semi-synthetic, it is necessary to know if it is used in severe conditions (such as constant traffic, pollution, dirt roads or little road), if age and mileage are already high and what types were used in the last lubricant changes .
