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New Study Supports Notion of Using Fully Synthetic Oil for Cars at an Audi Service Adelaide
A recent American study found out that full synthetic oil has many advantages over conventional oil.
Full synthetic oil is designed to reduce engine wear and protect critical components. Conventional oil contains natural additives, but the synthetic variety uses additives made in a lab to ensure superior protection at elevated temperatures while preventing deposits from forming inside an engine.
The AAA study was undertaken to determine if there’s a difference in engine wear between synthetic and conventional oil after 150,000 miles. The answer is yes — but it depends on which type of full synthetic oil you choose.
AAA used two leading brands of fully synthetic oil for its study. Castrol GTX Magnatec (a 5W-40 viscosity oil) was used in half of the test fleet, while the other half’s engines were filled with Mobil 1 (0W-30 viscosity). There was a significant difference in engine wear after 150,000 miles of simulated driving on an engine dyno at steady speeds and varying loads.
The average number of cam follower passes (wear on the upper part of the engine) was 1,028 for the Castrol GTX Magnatec group and 1,602 for Mobil’s group. That’s a difference of more than 55 percent! The study also revealed that oil degradation (evaporation and oxidation) is much higher in conventional oil than in synthetic.
Audi service Adelaide says that the results are consistent with previous studies it has conducted on this subject but believes its latest study presents some of the best evidence to date “because of the extended testing duration and the large sample size.” It also believes they have isolated what factors might contribute to engine wear to guide consumers.
Up to 75 percent of the engine wear that occurred in both brands of full synthetic oil was caused by poor oil drain-back (emptying used oil back into the pan). This is why it’s essential to change your engine oil more often, even if you’re using the best possible viscosity, according to your car’s manufacturer.
The study also revealed that driving conditions are a significant factor since the engine was in service for more than double the time on the dyno (150 hours vs. 60 hours) under load in AAA’s latest tests when compared to previous studies done by other organizations over shorter periods with no steady-speed or load simulation.
The study says that if you drive your car hard or for longer distances, then a full synthetic oil will provide superior engine protection and significantly reduce the chances of breakdowns. According to Audi service Adelaide, this is particularly true if you’re driving under high temperatures and/or extreme conditions.
The AAA study concludes by saying that “many automobile manufacturers now recommend the use of synthetic motor oil, and this report provides new evidence to support that recommendation.” We couldn’t agree more. Remember that fully synthetic oils were designed for modern high-performance engines with tighter tolerances than older cars. These newer engines run hotter and under higher loads than ever before.