Why can you go longer without an oil change with synthetic oil?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Egg Crate, Oct 5, 2014.

  1. Egg Crate

    Egg Crate Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2014
    11
    0
    0
    Location:
    Northern Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I've tried to find a good answer on the internet, but I haven't found a good explanation about why you can go longer without an oil change with synthetic oil. I think I understand the general idea of synthetic oil having oil molecules that are more uniform in shape, which leads to various desirable properties that could allow you to go go longer without an oil change. However, one of the reasons oil needs to be changes is because contaminants get in the oil and engine. And it seems to me the amount of dirt and debris that gets into the engine should be the same whether you use synthetic or non-synthetic oil. So assuming the same amount of contaminants enter the engine, why can you go longer without an oil change with synthetic oil? Thanks for your help.
     
    #1 Egg Crate, Oct 5, 2014
  2. MonkMonkey

    MonkMonkey Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2014
    15
    0
    0
    Location:
    43551
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Synthetic oil breaks down much slower than conventional oil.
     
    #2 MonkMonkey, Oct 5, 2014
  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,600
    8,478
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The oil needs to be changed if it's dirty, regardless of it's synthetic or dino. But if the oil is not dirty, then the synthetic oil would go the extra mile.
     
    #3 JC91006, Oct 5, 2014
  4. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2009
    2,214
    904
    0
    Location:
    Torrance, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Internet searched "synthetic vs conventional oil longevity." Of all places, Angie's List had a decent article explaining this.
    In a nutshell, synthetic oil is thinner, resists temperature extremes better and generally lasts longer. You likely won’t notice any difference in how your car performs, but the durability characteristic is the most important from a car owner’s perspective, as it translates to less frequent oil changes compared to conventional motor oil. “The fundamental difference is that synthetic oil can go longer before it starts to break down when compared to conventional oil,” Hochhalter says. ​
     
    #4 exstudent, Oct 5, 2014
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)