Why, then, was synthetic oil developed?
The answer lies in the desire to meet the needs of more specialized engine designs and operating environments. Since synthetic oils are artificially created, manufacturers are able to be quite specific about the characteristics of each grade of lubricant they produce. Thanks in part to uniform molecule size and carefully controlled manufacturing conditions, synthetic oil is better able to resist heat, which makes it far less likely to break down when pulling extreme duty. Some synthetic oil also flows and protects better at very low temperatures. In addition to these characteristics, synthetic oil is packed with a number of additives that differ from those found in regular oil. These additives can help to keep some types of engines cleaner inside, as they fight against the build-up of deposits and varnish that can occur in certain driving situations. Finally, since synthetic oil is more resistant to heat breakdown, it usually has a longer life inside an engine than regular oil, which c
