Engine oil is more than just a tedious task on your maintenance list. It is the lifeblood of an internal combustion engine. Modern engines have many moving metal parts. They rub against each other constantly. Without lubrication, tremendous heat and friction can occur. This friction can damage parts. It grinds metal against metal.
Oil prevents that grinding. It keeps parts properly lubricated to prevent excessive wear. Friction produces heat. Excessive heat can destroy the integrity of the engine. Internal combustion engines are notoriously inefficient anyway. Only about 20% of the fuel energy actually moves the car. Friction takes even more away from limited efficiency.
Using old or low oil will result in poor lubrication. Friction spikes. Your engine works harder. Fuel efficiency deteriorates. It takes more fuel to do the same work. Regular oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles can solve this problem. They restore efficiency.
Synthetic Oil vs Petroleum
Using premium engine oil can improve fuel economy by more than 5%. Ordinary oil with additives will help. Synthetic motor oil is better. Made in a lab and not from petroleum based crude oil. Check your owner’s manual. Some cars require synthetic oil.
Synthetic oil reduces friction. They last longer. They cost more. However, the change time is longer than that of petroleum-based oil.
Reduce friction with nanotechnology
One researcher reduced engine friction by more than half. Dr. Guojun Liu, professor of chemistry at Queen’s University, used nanotechnology. He developed a motor oil that contains polymer particles. These particles reduce friction by 55%. Imagine how efficient engines would be with such oil. Fuel consumption improves considerably.
