A Crude Tea Party

So, here I am, wearing an ill-fitting lab coat and looking like a chemistry-class whiz.

Where I am is at Valvoline’s headquarters getting the 411 on engine oil, that precious substance that keeps the world’s internal combustion engines functioning.

As part of the learning process, Valvoline’s chemists invited the Wheelbase staff to try our hand at mixing small batches of engine oil with a variety of colorful ingredients. In short order, it becomes obvious just how complicated this task really is, which is the point of the exercise.

Motor oil, we quickly learn, is a highly technical concoction that keeps our vehicles running in top form. We’re also told that engine oil has had to evolve to match the increasing demands placed on engines, as well as the change in their physical makeup. In short, the oil has to be better today because today’s engines need it to be better.

We also learn a bit about the ingredients that make up the slippery stuff.

Conventional motor oil is comprised of about 80 percent base stock that virtually every refinery produces from crude oil. The remaining 20 percent is additives developed by individual oil companies, such as Valvoline, according to their own unique formulas, and blended for specific uses.

Additives include detergents, wear and corrosion inhibitors, anti-oxidants plus other chemicals that help keep moving parts clean and functioning at cooler temperatures.

They also reduce friction, stop dirt and foreign deposits from coming into contact with metal surfaces, seal gaps between the piston rings and cylinder walls and prevent water and acids (a by-product of combustion) from causing engine damage.

According to Valvoline, additives only function for a specific time (depending on how hard they are expected to work) before they are depleted and engine wear and tear begins. That’s why it’s important to have the oil and oil filter replaced at the proper interval. The owner’s manual will indicate the recommended frequency, but 3,000-5,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. The lower number is limit for frequent stop-and-go driving, towing, operating a vehicle in dusty and/or sandy conditions, or driving during extreme hot or cold temperatures. Talk to most finicky drivers and they’ll usually tell you they religiously stick to the 3,000-mile-limit between changes.

Engine oil is graded according to its viscosity, or its ability to flow. Most passenger-car engines are rated for using multi-grade oil, which means they’ll work well in both hot and cold conditions. Again, your owner’s manual or service technician can advise as to which grade of motor oil is correct for your vehicle.

There are plenty of myths surrounding motor oil. While some are true, according to Valvoline, a number are simply incorrect:

• You can wait for the red “check oil” light to come on before adding oil.

False: If your oil light goes on, it could already be too late and damage to your engine might have already occurred. You should always check your vehicle’s oil level every time you fill up. And never under- or over-fill the engine since either condition can result in engine damage.

• Oil that has turned black should be changed.

False: Most modern oils will get darker fairly early after they’ve entered the engine. It’s only when their active service life has been exhausted and begin to thicken that they need to be replaced.

• You should never mix regular oil and synthetic motor oil.

False: Currently, synthetic oils are completely compatible with conventional motor oil.

• Motor oil designed for higher-mileage vehicles is the same as conventional motor oil.

False: High-mileage oil has been specifically formulated to reduce oil consumption by swelling the seals within the engine to prevent leaks.

• Putting synthetic oil in your engine will help reduce crude oil consumption.

False: Synthetic oil is principally derived from highly refined crude oil and/or natural gas, although vegetable and animal by-products can be found in some brands. It’s better at preventing wear, but if the damage is already done . . .

• Putting an inexpensive synthetic oil in your engine is as good, or better, than a top-quality conventional oil.

False: According to Valvoline, a conventional motor oil that has been fortified with an array of additives will usually outperform and outprotect a bargain-priced synthetic.

• Extending oil change intervals helps the environment since there’s less dirty oil around to create pollution.

False: According to Valvoline, beyond hurting your engine, dirty engine oil increases harmful emissions and hurts fuel economy.

• You can pour used motor oil down the sewer since it will likely be captured and removed by sewage treatment facilities.

You’re kidding right?: Motor oil — a chemical — that’s dumped into storm drains, your back yard and even your driveway (that includes oil leaking out of your vehicle) contaminates clean water sources such as lakes and oceans. The only safe way to deal with used oil is to place it in a clean container and take it to an approved collection or recycling facility. And since, according to Valvoline, used oil can contain known cancer-causing agents, avoid direct skin contact whenever possible.

Malcolm Gunn is a feature writer with Wheelbase Communications. He can be reached on the Web at: www.wheelbase.ws/mailbag.html. Wheelbase Communications supplies automotive news and features to newspapers across North America.