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Why Motor Oil
Deteriorates
It is common knowledge that, at some point, engine oil
must be changed. It’s something that is preached relentlessly to vehicle
owners by vehicle manufacturers, quick lubes and oil companies. But
consumers are widely unaware of what exactly makes oil changes
necessary.
Many factors contribute to a motor oil’s demise, but it
is essentially the accumulation of contaminants in the oil and chemical
changes in the oil itself that make a motor oil unfit for further
service. With time, it is inevitable that the oil will be contaminated
by dirt or sludge, or succumb to the extreme pressures or temperatures
found inside an engine. AMSOIL
Motor Oils are formulated with the industry’s most advanced synthetic
base stocks and additive packages to combat the forces that deteriorate
conventional oils.
Extreme Heat
Today’s engines are running hotter than ever. More
horsepower, turbo chargers and aerodynamic styling have created
extremely hot environments that receive less cooling from outside air.
High heat leads to oil oxidation, deposits and thickening in
conventional oils. Because they are made from impure, irregular
molecules, conventional motor oils are more susceptible to the effects
of heat. The small, light molecules in conventional oil tend to
evaporate as the oil is heated, leaving large, heavy molecules behind
and leading to oil consumption and an increase in the oil’s viscosity.
If those large, heavy molecules are chemically unstable, they may also
break-down and form deposits on component surfaces, further inhibiting
the release of heat into the oil stream.
Even in relatively mild temperatures, oxygen works to
break down some of the chemicals in conventional lubricants. The extreme
heat in engines actually promotes oxidation. When conventional oil
contaminants break down, they coat components with varnish, deposits and
sludge and leave the lubricant thick, hard to pump and with very poor
heat transfer ability.
Extreme Cold
Cold temperatures cause oil to thicken. Conventional
lubricants contain paraffins which cause them to thicken in cold
temperatures as the paraffin gels. At startup, this can leave working
parts unprotected for as long as five minutes while the oil warms to a
temperature that allows it to flow.
Common Contaminants
Dust and dirt from the air enter the engine through
faulty air cleaners, some oil fill caps and crankcase ventilation
systems. Normal engine wear produces small metal particles that are
picked up and circulated by the oil. The abrasive particles of road dust
and dirt increase the rate of wear and generate larger metal particles.
Those particles are equally abrasive and the rate of wear accelerates
with a snowball effect. While filtration removes most of these
contaminants, some remain and are left to circulate with the oil.
Combustion Byproducts
Combustion produces several byproducts that also act as
contaminants. Water and acids lead to sludge, rust and corrosion. Soot
and carbon create sludge and varnish and can clog filters. Unburned fuel
in liquid form is deposited on cylinder walls where it leaks past the
rings into the crankcase. Sludge deposits collect on oil pump screens,
limiting the flow of oil to vital engine parts and resulting in rapid
and destructive wear. When oil becomes contaminated, its viscosity
changes. With soot, dirt, oxidation or sludge, viscosity increases; with
fuel dilution it decreases.
Internal Forces
Engines create a great deal of internal pressure.
Extreme pressure can result in boundary lubrication which breaks the oil
film between moving parts. Movement inside the engine agitates the
fluid, trapping air and forming bubbles or foam. Because air is
compressible, the ability of the fluid film to prevent contact is
reduced. And because the mixed air contains oxygen, it promotes oil
oxidation.
Additives
Careful research and experimentation led lubricant
manufacturers to specific chemicals that combat various problems faced
by motor oils. These chemical additives are added to base oils as a
package. Typical additive packages can include rust and corrosion
inhibitors, detergents, dispersants, antifoaming agents, oxidation
inhibitors, extreme pressure additives and viscosity index improvers.
Each additive is designed to aid the base oil in the protection of
components, but additives have their limitations.
While these additives are created to perform specific
tasks, they are also subjected to the same extreme environment
experienced by the base oil, and each additive is affected by different
variables in different ways. For example, viscosity index improvers are
used to reduce the thinning effects caused by operation at elevated
temperatures. They are the key components that allow for the production
of multigrade oils. However, the long molecules in viscosity index
improvers are subject to shearing in service, which reduces their
ability to minimize fluid viscosity loss. Permanent shearing of
viscosity index improvers can result in piston ring sticking due to
deposit formation, increased oil consumption and accelerated equipment
wear.
High quality additives perform best and last longer when
paired with high quality synthetic base oils.
It’s All in the Molecules
Conventional lubricants are made from refined petroleum,
a naturally occurring and impure substance. The varied and non-uniform
size and shape of the molecules that make up conventional oils lend
themselves to contamination. They cannot withstand extreme heat or cold,
and they burn off and succumb to oxidation, leading to the development
of deposits and component wear.
AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils are Superior
AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils provide extended equipment life, reduced
maintenance costs, better performance, improved fuel economy and
extended drain intervals through the use of high-quality synthetic base
stocks and superior additive packages.
Because they are derived from pure chemicals, synthetic
lubricants contain no unnecessary molecules. Their smooth lubricating
molecules slip easily across one another, improving the lube’s ability
to reduce friction, which in turn improves wear control, heat control
and fuel efficiency. In addition, uniformly sized synthetic lubricant
molecules resist thinning in heat and thickening in cold, decreasing the
need for viscosity index improvers and increasing the lube’s ability to
maintain its viscosity.
Because AMSOIL
synthetic lubricants contain only strong, uniform molecules, they are
much more resistant to thermal and oxidative breakdown.
AMSOIL
synthetics are virtually impervious to breakdown at normal operating
temperatures and can be used in higher temperatures than conventional
oils without breaking down. AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils keep components free of varnish,
deposits and sludge.
Extended Drain Intervals
Not only do AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils provide protection that is superior to conventional
oils, but they remain fit for service many times longer as well. Heat
and oxidation are the main enemies of lubricant base stocks. The
excellent resistance of synthetic lubricants to thermal and oxidative
breakdown allows them to be safely used for much longer drain intervals
than conventional lubricants. Their uniform and smooth molecular
structure allows AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils to operate with less friction and better heat
control than conventional lubricants.
The Choice is Clear
When AMSOIL
motor oil was introduced in 1972 it was ahead of its time. Today, engine
designers have goals of increased fuel economy, reduced exhaust
emissions, more performance out of smaller engines and greater
durability, increasing the demands placed on motor oils and requiring
continuous upgrades. AMSOIL
remains at the forefront of the engine oil market by
continuing to provide oils that are ahead of their time. No other motor
oil is guaranteed for 25,000 miles or one year in normal service, and no
other motor oil can match the performance and protection provided by
AMSOIL
Synthetic Motor Oils.
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