What Are the Different Types of Motor Oil?

The most important thing that is used in a car service is the engine oil. The main function of motor oil is to lubricate your engine. The oil protects the moving parts of your engine by reducing friction, cooling and cleaning the engine, and also preventing corrosion. If components within your engine and its oil passages are contaminated, your vehicle performance, efficiency, and fuel economy may suffer. These stubborn deposits also trap heat inside the engine which is inefficient as it adds an extra load on your engine. When your car needs an oil change, it’s important to know which one is the right one for your car. With a large amount of oil to choose from, having to choose the correct one may seem overwhelming. There are different brands, different quantities, different weights, and different types of oil. Determining the best motor oil for your vehicle depends on several factors. Some external factors include the climate you live in, your driving habits, and the age of your engine. Other factors are fixed based on your vehicle’s engine type and the manufacturer’s specifications. 

Conventional oil is your age-old standard motor oil. It’s manufactured from crude oil that is pulled from the ground and then refined in a factory. Different additives and processes are done to improve its viscosity and engine protective properties, and it’s then bottled and sold for use in your engine. The greatest advantage to using conventional oil is the cost as conventional oil is the cheapest, costing up to 10% less than synthetic oil. Not all types of vehicles are designed for synthetic oils and older cars are built with conventional oil service in mind because that was the only oil available at the time. Many automakers still specify conventional engine oils so long as they comply with the latest industry standards.

Conventional motor oil is available in a broad range of viscosity grades and quality levels. It’s appropriate for cars with simple engine designs and for drivers with conservative driving styles. Since conventional motor oil flows slower than synthetic oil, it offers more protection to older engines. These vehicle types can start to consider conventional oil over synthetic options as it provides better lubrication for older engines. However, conventional oils are more susceptible to wear and chemical degradation in tough conditions like lower temperatures. These thicker fluids reduce proper circulation and can become clogged in small areas on machinery. This is mostly true when the oil does not have an additive package designed specifically for it. Many automakers still specify conventional engine oils as long as they comply with the latest industry standards. While conventional motor oil is closer to natural oil than synthetic or semi-synthetic oil, they still contain important additives to help reduce engine wear and improve their performance.

Mineral Oil

Mineral oils are directly derived from refined crude petroleum oil. During the process, natural contaminants and underwater hydrocarbons are removed. However, mineral oils are thicker and flow through the engine circuit slowly which results in increased fuel consumption. Mineral oils are ideal for older vehicles and require frequent oil changes. Mineral-based oil is simply a heavily refined version of oil sourced from the ground. Mineral oils are formulated in a variety of viscosity grades and quality levels. They are recommended for drivers with simple engine designs and regular driving styles. Drivers with a heavy foot or varied driving styles are highly recommended to go for synthetic oils as they have a longer service life and oil drain interval. Mineral oil has excellent properties that allow it to provide lubrication at high temperatures as well as maintain its stability over long periods of time. In reality, synthetic oil begins its life as conventional oil and is then modified to improve its protective and lubricant properties.

Synthetic Oil

Synthetic oil is a man-made lubricant that consists of artificially made compounds. Synthetic oils are chemically engineered and their oil molecules are therefore more uniform in shape with fewer impurities and better properties than mineral oils. Synthetic motor oil is manufactured entirely in a factory or lab and because of this, they tend to be far more consistent and the manufacturing process is easier to control as all materials are held to much more stringent standards. Synthetic oil is more refined and overall better for your engine. As synthetic oils are formulated with higher-performing additives, they tend to perform better at extreme ends of the temperature spectrum, be it high or low.

Fully-synthetic motor oil is more expensive than conventional oil. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from an extra $20 to $40 for your oil change if you use fully-synthetic oil, depending on how much your car takes. Synthetic oils also tend to last longer, going for longer periods of time and further distances than conventional oils do before needing to be changed. Synthetic motor oil is chemically engineered to create higher performing oil purer than conventional oil and it works better in high and low-temperature extremes. Fully-synthetic oil is ideal for vehicles that demand peak level performance and high levels of lubrication. Fully synthetic oil provides higher viscosity levels, resistance to oxidation and thermal breakdown, and helps fight against oil sludge. 

Semi-Synthetic Oil

Semi-synthetic blend oils are a kind of hybrid oil manufactured from both synthetic and natural materials. Synthetic blend offers the best of both worlds. It has many of the characteristics of fully-synthetic oil but at a much lower price. They are a blend of both conventional and synthetic oils for added resistance to oxidation in comparison to mineral oil and at the same time provide excellent low-temperature properties for your beloved engine. Synthetic blends make it easy for drivers to make the switch from conventional to synthetic oil, which is why this type of oil is becoming increasingly popular among drivers recently. Synthetic blend motor oil is the popular choice with drivers of pickup trucks and SUVs because it provides additional protection for cars carrying heavier loads. This type of oil provides better protection and performance than conventional oil but is not quite as good as fully-synthetic oil. They’re overall a good middle ground for those looking to keep the costs down but want to give their car a little more help.

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