Synthetic Automotive Engine Oils From a Consultant's Experience

This paper reviews complete performance results of a 100,000 mile field test with a diester synthetic oil run for five years under “no drain” conditions in a Lincoln Continental. Thus the author considers it a lifetime engine oil. The paper also describes two additional candidate synthetic oils under testing. Performance Correlation Curves between extended Sequence Engine Oil Tests and field results are compiled. The need for meaningful pre-performance engine tests for lifetime engine oils is stressed, which now require some five years in field evaluation. Other benefits of successful pre-performance tested synthetic engine oils are excellent deposit suppression, low wear, low temperature fluidity, easy low temperature starting and warmup, octane requirement reduction, and probable antifreeze tolerance.