What are the disadvantages of synthetic oil

There are many advantages and disadvantages of synthetic oil.

As a matter of fact, synthetic oil lubricates better, cleans and protects the engine better, and lasts longer than any regular oil.

To make synthetic oil more effective, manufacturing companies are coming up with advanced chemical additives that are only pushing modern synthetic oil forward.

However, there are some major drawbacks too. In this guide, we will walk you through some advantages and disadvantages of synthetic oil.

• What are the Advantages of Synthetic Oil?
  • Friction and Heat Resistance
  • Buildup Resistance
  • Better Lubrication and Flow Capabilities
  • Long Lifespan
• What are the Disadvantages of Synthetic Oils?
  • Cost
  • Unsuitable for some older cars
• Is it Better to Use Synthetic Oil?
• Conclusion

What are the Advantages of Synthetic Oil?

As years go by, synthetic oil is gaining more and more popularity. There should be something that is attracting people toward synthetic oil.

That’s true, synthetic oil has some significant advantages over regular oil. Here are some of the advantages of synthetic oil.  

Friction and Heat Resistance

Synthetic oil is highly resistant when exposed to hot temperatures.

It maintains a higher level of viscosity and remains thick enough to lubricate engine parts, resulting in less friction and less metal to metal contacts.

Less friction means less wear occurs in the engines.

Buildup Resistance

As synthetic oil tends to remain stable in extreme heat and doesn’t break down easily, there will hardly ever be sludge formation inside the engine.

Moreover, synthetic oil contains special cleaning agents that are very much capable of removing previously accumulated sludge and gunks.

So it does not only prevent the deposit and sludge from forming, but It can eliminate the contaminants which were already there in the engine.

Better Lubrication and Flow Capabilities

Synthetic engine oil is very well known for its lubricating properties.

Synthetic engine fluids provide adequate lubrication to the engine in both cold and hot temperatures.

At cold temperatures, any regular oil is much more likely to become thick and remains unable to circulate immediately.

Whereas synthetic oil doesn’t get thick much at low temperatures and quickly circulates through the critical components of the engine.

So this quick circulation of synthetic oil during cold prevents the engine from oil starvation which is one of the key reasons for causing engine wear. 

Long Lifespan

Synthetic oil has a significantly longer lifespan than any regular oil.

This is the reason why synthetic oil is so popular and most people choose synthetic oil over mineral oil.

In general, vehicles can run from 5000 to 10000 miles on synthetic oil.

Some lubricant brands even can proliferate those oil change intervals up to 25,000 miles with advanced synthesis and additives technology.

In general, synthetic oil can last twice or thrice as much as conventional oil.

The reason synthetic oil can last that long is because it can fight off oil contamination and keeps the engine clean, helping the engine function for a longer period of time. 

What are the Disadvantages of Synthetic Oils?

We have already seen that there are plenty of advantages to synthetic oil.

However, there are a handful of disadvantages that too can not be ignored. Here are some of them. 

Cost

One of the most notable downsides of synthetic engine oil is its cost. Synthetic oil costs even 4 times as much as cheaper conventional oil.

That’s why a lot of people show lack of interest in purchasing synthetic oil and they instead would like to go for a more budget-friendly synthetic blend or conventional oil. 

Unsuitable for some older cars

Synthetic oil is not compatible with some older cars, especially the ones that are made before the 1990s.

Those older cars especially require thicker oil.

The problem is synthetic oil is quite thinner in weight which causes oil leaks and burning in older vehicles. 

Moreover, some synthetic oil contains an organic compound called ester that can damage the seals and cause oil leaks. 

However, most modern synthetic oils do not carry ester anymore – so synthetic causing oil is considered an old man’s tale by many experts.

Is it Better to Use Synthetic Oil?

Synthetic oil has all sorts of advantages over conventional oil to be better.

It provides better overall performance and protection all year round than regular oil– holds up better for more miles as well.

So clearly, synthetic oil is a cut above the rest ( conventional and synthetic blend)l – the only snag is that synthetic oil costs two and four times more than conventional oil.

So if your owner’s manual doesn’t specify synthetic oil for your vehicles, it is quite unnecessary to spend extra money on synthetic oil. 

Conclusion

Modern synthetic oil is unequivocally an industry benchmark for engine oil.

Synthetic oil provides everything better that a modern engine needs.

However, that should not trick you into believing that you should only go only for any synthetic oil that comes before your eyes.

Synthetic oil comes in different quality and weights, and lubricant companies follow different manufacturing processes as well while producing synthetic oil.

You must remember that the only right oil for your engine is that one recommended by your owner’s manual– no matter if that one is synthetic, semi-synthetic, or conventional oil.

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