Getting Your Oil Changed

Synthetic Oil Changes

Oil changes are a ubiquitous part of vehicle maintenance. Regular oil changes can help extend the life of your engine while neglecting to change your oil can damage your vehicle and lead to engine failure.

Conventional Versus Synthetic Oil

Conventional motor oil is drilled and extracted from the ground and then refined much the way any other petroleum product is. This oil is liquid at room temperature.

Synthetic motor oil is made from chemical compounds in a base oil and carrier oil.

Benefits of Synthetic Motor Oil

There are many benefits of using synthetic motor oil in your vehicle. First, synthetic oil has a consistent viscosity. Viscosity refers to the ease of flow of a liquid. Your engine oil needs to have a viscosity high enough to protect the moving parts in your engine yet low enough to flow through the spaces meant to allow the oil in and out of the pistons. Every engine has a recommended viscosity for oil. Conventional oil is more susceptible to changes in viscosity due to temperature and engine conditions than synthetic oil, making synthetic oil a great choice for anyone who drives in a state with extreme temperature and weather conditions.

Synthetic oil is more resilient and less prone to boil off at higher temperatures. Where conventional oil can lose up to 30 percent of its volume due to boil-off, quality synthetic oil is unlikely to lose more than four percent.

Synthetic motor oil lasts longer than conventional motor oil. Because synthetic oil offers reduced friction in your engine and higher shear strength–the ability to withstand physical stress inside the engine, you’ll find it to be more effective in protecting your engine longer than conventional oil.

Synthetic oil does cost more than conventional motor oil, but its higher quality and lower loss in extreme temperatures make it last longer and protect your engine more fully. Many drivers find the cost difference at the time of an oil change to be a fair trade-off.

When your odometer says it’s time for your next oil change, consider switching to synthetic motor oil to reap the benefits. We hope you’ll bring your vehicle to High Tech Automotive and let our qualified technicians make the switch for you and help you keep your vehicle well-lubed and working great.