April 2009

In February we experienced one of those dreaded ice storms which create so much havoc here in the Northland from time to time. What typically happens is this. A warm front from the south pushes north where pouring rain turns to ice on the already frozen terrain. In really bad storms, power lines get so coated with ice that they snap from the weight. In a really bad storm several years ago, a television tower on Signal Hill became so thickly crusted with ice that it snapped the cables that held it erect. The newspapers said that the ice was six inches thick, and with the high winds coming off the lake it is a wonder that more of those towers were not mangled.

As you can imagine, the roads become quite treacherous. The freezing rain adheres to road surfaces, transforming your driving adventure into a white knuckle experience. Even our driveways and walkways become hazardous. In order to reduce the danger of slipping, falling and breaking an arm we keep sand and gravel to scatter across these icy surfaces. The purpose here is to generate friction so the soles of our shoes, and our feet, don’t slide out from under us. Friction has a very positive benefit.

In other words, friction is not always a bad thing. In cars, friction is good when it comes to tires gripping pavement. Friction is also useful in your brake pads. When you press down on the brake pedal you want resistance there.

But, friction in an engine has two consequences that are not so good for your vehicle. The first is wear. The second is heat. For the purposes of this article we’ll primarily be focusing on the issue of heat.

Synthetics and Heat
Engines get hot for a variety of reasons, of course, and not just from friction. The continuous combustion of gasoline is generating a lot of heat. Electrical systems also generate heat. In the summer there’s quite a bit of heat being transferred through the hood via sunlight, as well as radiation coming up from road surfaces.

The foremost function of a lubricant is to minimize or, if possible, eliminate friction. Lubricants reduce friction by creating a film between two surfaces. Many parts don’t need much separation, but that separation counts. Even the thinnest film cuts down contact. In most cases it eliminates it.

Another function of motor oil is to absorb the heat that is generated from the engine combustion process. The flowing oil then carries the heat back to the oil sump where it releases this heat and cools off. From there, it is circulated back through the engine. This process, in addition to the radiator cooling system, helps keep the engine in the correct operating zone.

Premium synthetic oils much more readily absorb and yield up heat due to the uniform molecular structure. Just like synthetic oils flow much more readily to critical engine parts, true synthetic oils also absorb and carry away heat to the oil sump where it can be dissipated. Once in the sump, the oil also gives up heat more quickly which allows engines or gearboxes to operate more effectively, and efficiently, at cooler temperatures.

Viscosity and Heat
Oil viscosity is a very important factor when determining oil's ability to absorb and transfer heat away from critical engine components. First, given two different viscosity levels, it takes more energy to pump the oil around the lubrication system with a thicker oil because it provides more resistance to flow and will build up heat faster than a thin oil being pumped through a restricted area.

If oil is too viscous and difficult to pump through the system, the ability for the oil to get to the critical engine components may be compromised creating more friction and heat build-up. The opposite can also take place if the oil is too thin for the application. In this case there may be an insufficient layer of lubricant to protect the metal components and the result is more friction and heat build-up. The bottom line is to make sure to use the correct viscosity for the application. We recommend a premium synthetic motor oil due to its high film strength and resistance to breakdown.

Conclusions
Synthetics outperform refined lubricants because they reduce friction. Less friction means less engine wear, better heat control and fuel efficiency. With premium synthetics, due to less drag in the engine (reduced friction), you get more power from the same discharge of energy.

At the end of the day, it should be self-evident that a properly priced synthetic oil change is the ideal solution for optimal performance and longer lasting vehicles, at a time when motorists care about these benefits more than ever.