Synthetic motor oils can provide a variety of benefits that help keep your engine running at optimal performance for years to come.

To understand synthetic motor oils, let’s look first at the origins of all motor oils.

Conventional oils come from crude oil that is pumped from the ground. Crude oil is made up of a complex mixture of molecules that form chains and rings of different sizes and shapes. Long chains of carbon atoms produce a thick, viscous fluid that flows slowly. Shorter chains produce fluid that flows more readily.

In an oil refinery, crude oil is separated into various fractions. These become the basis for lubricating oils and fuels. Thick tangled masses of carbon chains become asphaltic materials used in roofing tar and road work. Very short chains and ring compounds of carbon are volatile and can be refined to produce gasoline and other products.

While petroleum refining is an advanced science, small amounts of contaminants, such as sulfur and reactive hydrocarbons, cannot be completely removed from petroleum, and may end up in motor oil base stocks.

All motor oils are made up of base oils and additives. In general, fully synthetic motor oils contain non-conventional, high-performance fluids. Synthetic blends usually use some non-conventional, high-performance fluids in combination with conventional oil.

To meet the demanding requirements of today's specifications (and our customers' expectations), Mobil 1® uses high-performance fluids, including polyalphaolefins (PAOs), along with a proprietary system of additives. Each Mobil 1 viscosity grade uses a unique combination of synthetic fluids and selected additives in order to tailor the viscosity grade to its specific application (http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Why_Synthetics.aspx).

Amsoil was the first in Synthetics and to this day leads the world as the performance leader!  Amsoil prides itself on using the industry's best high-perfomance base fluids to develop Amsoil synthetic lubricants. The list of benefits below are proven with data by Amsoil. This is what makes Amsoil the leader in synthetics!

Superior Overall Economy - Amsoil synthetic motor oils are formulated so well, they can be used for 25,000 miles, even more with oil analysis. Amsoil motor oils can significantly increase miles per gallon (MPG) and reduce maintenance costs. (Amsoil 3/06, G-1053)

Superior Oxidation and Sludge Formation Resistance - Amsoil Synthetic motor oils resist oxidation and sludge formation so they keep engines clean and working right. They also resist thickening, maintaining their superior wear protection. (Amsoil 3/06, G-1053)

Superior Wear Protection - Amsoil synthetic motor oils provide a thick oil film every time your engine operates in high temperatures, high speeds or high load conditions, protecting your hard working engine from heat and wear. (Amsoil 3/06, G-1053) The Four Ball Wear Analysis validates superior wear protection is the ASTM D-4172 (11 Samples: Amsoil, Mobil 1 Ext Perf, Pennzoil Platinum, Quaker State Adv For Syn, Castrol GTX, Trop Artic Syn Blend, Formula Shell, Motorcraft Syn Blend, Havoline, Chevron Supreme, Pennzoil)
Results: Amsoil Best at 0.45 (Min: 0.45, Average 0.90, Max 1.8) Data referenced from 3/06 G-1053

Environmental Benefits - Each year nearly 600 million gallons of motor oil are burned and exit through the tailpipes of cars and trucks, creating emissions pollution. Petroleum oils volatize (burn off) more readily than Amsoil synthetic oils and create more emissions pollution. Amsoil synthetic motor oils reduce emissions and increase engine life, reducing pollution. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pollution Prevention Requirement’s, the first step in revitalizing a cleaner nation is pollutant source reduction. Amsoil accomplishes this by extending the interval between motor oil changes which can reduce the source of motor oil pollution more than eleven times. (Amsoil 3/06, G-1053)

Overall Benefits - The benefits of Amsoil synthetic lubes are many. Superior wear protection, increased horsepower, cooler running engines, reduced deposits, reduced oil consumption, resistance to oxidation and breakdown, easier winter starts - they all add up to less repairs and a better running, longer lasting engine. More importantly to most drivers today, synthetic oils can help improve fuel economy by reducing friction. Synthetic oils are the right choice for any motorist with a mechanically sound engine.

Are synthetic oils a good value? Absolutely. They are indeed superior to conventional petroleum in protection, performance, power, engine cleanliness, and better mileage. The manner in which synthetics add value is not magic or an opinion; the value is proven through scientific results and supported with data.