If you want more horsepower and fuel economy then just change your oil. For numerous reasons different oils produce different engine performance. You have to be careful that you don’t damage your engine with the wrong oil type.
You have probably been to the Royal Purple website where they have a nice video of some dyno testing to prove their motor oil enhances horsepower at the wheels.
How does it do that? Surf the web and you’ll find a bunch of AMSOIL dealers saying that because the oil is synthesized it has more “uniform” molecules and molecular length that makes the oil more slippery! That sounds like horse shit to me.
Tribology is much more complicated than that and multiple factors including the additive package and viscosity play into whether the oil allows more horsepower.
I do agree oils can be formulated to provide the best lubricity but I don’t think it is as easy as the explanation of uniform molecule length.
That said, the easiest way to get more horsepower is to run a lighter weight oil in the engine and through the entire drive train (differentials etc). I am not recommending this! I just want to point it out because the automotive companies had to get creative to improve gas mileage.
When you know that a 5W 30 viscosity rating means the motor oil viscosity falls into a specific range then you could see that maybe some oil companies place the viscosity at the lower end of the range making the oil as light as it can be and still be called 5w 30.
Why do you think so many auto companies have switched to 5W 20 oil over the last 5 years? If you guessed CAFE standards in the US then you are probably right. The fastest way to get better gas mileage is tweak the engine design for a lighter weight oil and reduce engine losses with less oil resistance in the engine.
I guess the question really is can motor oil improve engine output and engine performance. The answer is yes. Are the reasons for this simple no. Does somebody have some proof? Yes. Check out the motor oil testing report here.
Here is another article you might like:
- Climate for Action: Reducing your Carbon Footprint on the Road – You should also change air filters regularly and use the recommended motor oil. Having a well tuned engine can reduce fuel consumption. Regularly checking the amount of air in your tires can also decrease your fuel consumption, …
