Originally Posted by Govtman
Heard it put this way by Auto Mech instructor. Dino has uneven different shaped molecules like gravel, synthetic is even and smoth, like ball bearings. If you has to push something like a deep freeze across a concrete floor, would you rather have ball bearings under it or gravel? You can get it done with gravel but i prefer ball bearings.
All i know is i had a 97 dodge Laramie CC 4×4 with 5.9/auto that i changed to synthetic in engine, transfer case and differentials and my average mileage increased from 15.5 to 16.7 calculated at the pump.
The example is a dramatic oversimplification. It would also only apply when comparing a group I, II, or III base oil against a group IV PAO. Group III, which is what makes up the vast majority of API rated synthetics, is still like the gravel in your example, just more like consistently sized pea gravel. Guess what both the pea gravel and ball bearings both do in your example? Keep the deep freezer off the floor. That separation is your closest relevant lubrication example to an engine. Guess which one is more likely to squeeze out from under the deep freeze and cause it to touch the floor again? The ball bearings. The higher friction with the floor and freezer with the gravel helps keep them separated. This is how pressure-viscosity coefficient works and why you can't make a blanket statement that synthetics are better at everything.
Heard it put this way by Auto Mech instructor. Dino has uneven different shaped molecules like gravel, synthetic is even and smoth, like ball bearings. If you has to push something like a deep freeze across a concrete floor, would you rather have ball bearings under it or gravel? You can get it done with gravel but i prefer ball bearings.
All i know is i had a 97 dodge Laramie CC 4×4 with 5.9/auto that i changed to synthetic in engine, transfer case and differentials and my average mileage increased from 15.5 to 16.7 calculated at the pump.
The example is a dramatic oversimplification. It would also only apply when comparing a group I, II, or III base oil against a group IV PAO. Group III, which is what makes up the vast majority of API rated synthetics, is still like the gravel in your example, just more like consistently sized pea gravel. Guess what both the pea gravel and ball bearings both do in your example? Keep the deep freezer off the floor. That separation is your closest relevant lubrication example to an engine. Guess which one is more likely to squeeze out from under the deep freeze and cause it to touch the floor again? The ball bearings. The higher friction with the floor and freezer with the gravel helps keep them separated. This is how pressure-viscosity coefficient works and why you can't make a blanket statement that synthetics are better at everything.