Synthetic Oil | Jiffy Lube (2024)

FAQs

Is a synthetic blend good enough? ›

On the positive side, synthetic blend oil provides better performance and protection than conventional oil, particularly in extreme temperatures and heavy loads. It also contains fewer impurities, which can help improve longevity and reduce engine wear.

Myth: Once you switch to synthetic oil, you can never switch back. This is one of the most persistent myths about synthetic oil—and completely untrue. You can switch back and forth at any time. In fact, synthetic blends are simply a mixture of synthetic and conventional oils.

Synthetics may be more prone to additives precipitation during cold storage conditions. This stratifies certain additives which can potentially lead to their complete separation from the oil. Multi-grade motor oils using synthetics may exhibit slightly less fuel economy at highway speeds compared to mineral oil.

If you own a car that runs on synthetic oil, you're probably wondering, “How often do you change synthetic oil?” Depending on the type of car you have, most synthetic oils last between 7,500 miles and 15,000 miles. However, you'll need to check your owner's manual for more specific figures.

Synthetic blend oil is more affordable but will not provide the same great performance that comes with full synthetic. No matter what vehicle you drive, it is almost always compatible with full synthetic or synthetic blend oils. Some exceptions do exist, mostly with older cars. So be sure to check your owners manual.

Some pundits also claim that synthetics are so slippery that in brand-new engines, the lubricants prevent proper break-in of motor components. And then there's the indisputable fact that synthetics cost at least twice as much as conventional mineral oil.

The bottom line is that there are no hard and fast rules as to whether using synthetic oil in your older car will be harmful or helpful. You'll need to speak to a trustworthy, knowledgeable mechanic about your specific vehicle to determine whether synthetic oil could be the right choice for you.

USING HIGH-MILEAGE SYNTHETIC OIL IN HIGH-MILEAGE ENGINES

Aside from seal incompatibility, leakage may be caused by the cleaning of a residue buildup from engine areas where it was previously sealing a leak. This is quite rare today, as modern synthetic oils have evolved over the years to prevent this issue.

Can You Mix Conventional Oil With Synthetic? The short answer is yes. There is no danger or risk of combustion, and mixing the two types of oil won't harm your engine. However, it's important to note that if you do mix the two, the conventional oil can keep the synthetic from performing to its fullest potential.

While synthetic oil generally protects better over a longer time, it flows more smoothly than conventional mineral oils – and for an older engine, this can mean a greater chance of grinding gears.

Do cars run better with synthetic oil? ›

At both low and high temperatures, synthetic oils enjoy better viscosity and stability than conventional oil or synthetic blends. Full synthetic oils are designed to flow quickly in winter temperatures and resist extreme heat, allowing your engine to run smoothly year-round. Turbocharger protection.

Synthetics have some advantages over conventional motor oil. They're designed to be more effective at: Resisting oil breakdown, which makes it last longer than conventional oil. Withstanding higher temperatures than conventional oil, which helps keep engines running longer.

“On a full-synthetic oil change, some manufacturers say that those can go up to 7,500 miles or six months without an oil change. At Joplin Transmission and Auto Center, we always recommend doing them between 5,000 and 10,000 miles, or every six-to-twelve months,” said Ruhl.

In general, though, modern cars can manage 5,000 to 7,500 miles between oil changes. If your vehicle calls for a blended or full synthetic oil, you can push that to 10,000 miles.

How Often Should You Change Your Oil? Even if you don't drive very often and you're not hitting the recommended mileage interval, it's bestto get your oil changed twice a year.

Synthetic blend oil is a mixture of conventional, synthetic base oils, and some additives. This mixture provides exceptional low-temperature properties and extra resistance to oxidation. Synthetic blend oil has a better oil life than traditional motor oil and can go for approximately 5,000 to 7,500 miles on average.

The type of motor oil used determines how often oil changes are needed. Changing your oil and filter every 3,000 miles is an old-school habit for conventional motor oil. Synthetic blends and fully synthetic varieties can last 5,000 miles and up to 10,000 miles between oil changes.

Synthetic Blend oil is kind of like a hybrid of conventional oil and full synthetic oil. The two oils are basically mixed together so that you'll have oil that is a little bit better than conventional oil. Most blend oils will have a synthetic oil content varying from 10% to as much as 25%.

If you do use semi-synthetic engine oil instead of fully synthetic oil then it is unlikely to cause any drastic or immediate problems. However semi-synthetic oil will not offer your engine the same levels of protection to your engine that fully synthetic oil does and may result in reduced engine performance.