Can Synthetic Oil Really Improve Fuel Economy?

Conventional motor oil or synthetic motor oil? That is the question when getting an oil change, and it's an important one. Both are designed to help keep your engine and its various components lubricated to avoid premature wear and tear. However, both are not designed equally, and it may pose the question, "Can synthetic oil improve fuel economy?"

It's a good question. Although conventional oil does the same job as synthetic oil — lubricating engine components — it can't really compete with synthetic oil. Some of us like to change our own oil, and you may be wondering what would happen if you mix synthetic and regular oil. Honestly, nothing bad will happen. In fact, some sources say it's perfectly acceptable to switch from conventional oil to synthetic if you want the benefits the latter brings. So, when it comes to whether synthetic oil is better for your engine and your fuel economy, the answer is "yes".

Yes, a resounding yes. Why? A lot of it comes down to oil viscosity. Think of it like pouring some milk into your morning tea. Fast, easy. Now, think of pouring some honey to that tea. It takes a lot longer, doesn't it? That's because the honey has a higher viscosity than milk. That's what we're talking about when it comes to the viscosity of oil, and wouldn't you know, synthetic oil is less viscous than conventional oil. Both oils keep engine components lubricated, but the less viscous oil has better flow, taking some of the stress off of the engine. As we all know, the less stress on the engine, the more fuel efficient it is.

Synthetic oil is also made for handling extreme temperatures. Is it hot? Is it cold? It doesn't really matter when it comes to synthetic oil. Made for handling either type of weather, synthetic oil flows readily through your engine, even from a cold start. This is because they don't thicken overnight, forcing your engine to work harder to get it moving. Synthetic oil can also withstand scorching heat, and is less prone to evaporating or breaking down, which will make your engine work harder. Again, synthetic oil leads to better fuel economy.

So, if synthetic oil performs so much better than conventional oil, you may be wondering about how often you should change it and how long does synthetic oil last? When it comes to conventional, it needs more oil changes about once every 5,000 miles. As we've learned, synthetic oil is better, and the frequency for switching it out is 7,500-10,000 miles.