a, le hl a Nl emes -— Choosing A Motor Oil: Facts OverFriction (NAPSA)—Selecting the right motor oil is often a quick and inexpensive way to improve your car’s performanceandreliability. However, finding the typeofoil that’s best for your particular car can sometimes be a challenge. Here are sometips: Two components determine how well motor oil will perform in your car. Onefactor is the base oil and the other is the combination of chemicals—or additives—that are addedto the baseoil. The two primary types of base oil used are mineral and synthetic. Mineral oils are by-products of refined crude oil. Synthetic oils are man-made compounds whose molecules are all the same size and shape; consequently, syn- thetic oil has less friction and performs significantly better than mineraloils. Chemicals must be added to give motor oil the characteristics needed to do its job. Typical additives include detergents to reduce the formation of residue, defoam- ants to deter absorption of air, anti-wear agents, antioxidants andothers. Someof the biggest technological advancesin lubrication are to be found in chemical additives. Most of these breakthroughs have been developed by companies that specialize in high-performance lubricants, as opposed to major oil companies whose primaryfocusis refining andselling crude oil by-products, such as gasoline. For example, a company called Royal Purple has developed lubricants that are said to outperform both leading mineral oils and other synthetics. Their oil is designed to reduce engine wear, ee. Chemicals must be added to motoroil so it can do its job. Typical additives include detergents and antioxidants. increase horsepower and torque, and save gas and emissions. For many, the easiest way to select motor oil is to follow the good, better, best model: Goon: Mineral-based, or regular, motor oils are the cheapest and most widely available oils. They typically use standard additive packages that provide minimal levels of performance and protection. BETTER: Synthetic, or man- made, motor oils are more expensive, tend to have a longer service life and offer some improvements in protection. They typically use the same additive packages found in mineral-basedoils. Best: High-performance synthetic motor oils are the most technologically advanced oils. Although they often outperform mineral-based or synthetic motor oils, they are about the same price as standard synthetic motor oil. Usually, they are only available through auto parts stores and select oil change centers. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.royalpurpleinfo.com.
