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Reply to "Engine Break-In"

The lubricity of synthetic oils is higher than petroleum. There is quite a difference between the two.

Natural oils are composed of hydrocarbon molecules that are of various sizes. Synthetic oils contain single size molecules, small ones. This accounts for it being "slicker" than petroleum oil.

Sythetics are made from esters, or in some cases, specially refined petroleum products, just depends on the method used.

As mentioned before, modern metallurgy and manufacturing processes have changed the methodology of break-in, but not the reason why.

The goal is not to wear the roughness of a new cylinder completely down, you need voids or pores to hold oil on the cylinder wall, or there won't be any lubrication happening.

As to why car manufacturers send out new vehicles with synthetic oil is a good question. It's not a good practice. Then again, all of them also recommend that you baby the engine for break-in. Probably any number of conspiracy theories there.

Think of it this way as well, we've had the technology for years to use alternative fuels and/or to get much better mileage than we get now, so why isn't it made and sold?

It's all about money.
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