Lots More Information

Related HowStuffWorks Articles

• How Oil Refining Works
• How Gasoline Works
  
• ­How Car Engines Work
• How Diesel Engines Work
• What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
• What is the difference between gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.?
• What's oil shale?

More Great Links

• Royal Purple
• Mobil Oil
• Castrol Syntec
• Popular Mechanics: Synthetic or Mineral Oil?

Sources

• Allen, Mike. "Motor Oil: Synthetic vs. Non-Synthetic." Popular Mechanics. April 2007. (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4213451.html
• Allen, Mike. "Synthetic or Mineral Oil? Setting the Record Straight (Finally)." PopularMechanics.com. November 21, 2007. (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4232672.html
• Canitz, David. Tech Services Manager, Royal Purple. Telephone interview. February 6, 2009.
• Chin, Kevin. ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties, Global Flagship PVL Technical Advisor. Telephone interview. February 11, 2009.
• Driving Today. "Synthetic Oil Saves Gas." April 18, 2008. (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.drivingtoday.com/kpix/news_this_week/2008-04-18-3933-driving/index.html
• Engine Mechanics, Integrated Publishing. "Viscosity Index." (February 9, 2009)
  http://www.tpub.com/content/engine/14105/css/14105_37.htm
• Mobil 1. "Mobil1 EP Field Testing." (February 13, 2009)
  http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Videos/TV.aspx?videoID=007
• Mobil1. "Myths Debunked." (February 13, 2009)
  http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Videos/TV.aspx?videoID=007
• MobilOil.com. "Why Synthetics." (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Why_Synthetics.aspx
• Modified Mag, via RoyalPurple.com. "The Truth about Synthetic Oil." (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.royalpurple.com/modified-mag.html
• Murphy, Debbie. "Synthetic or Conventional Oil?" autoMedia.com. (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.automedia.com/Synthetic_or_Conventional_Oil/ccr20050201so/1
• Newman, Ed. "Ten Myths about Synthetic Lubrication." National Oil and Lube News, via SmartSynthetics.com. (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.smartsynthetics.com­/articles/­ten_myths_about_synthetic_lubrication.htm
• RedLineOil.com. "Synthetic Motor Oils." (February 5, 2009)
  http://www.redlineoil.com/pdf/4.pdf
• Schubert, Paul, et al. "Fischer-Tropsch fuels and lubricants I: Germany 1923-1939." Fischer-Tropsch.org. (February 9, 2009)
  http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/