ABSTRACT

During a recent company meeting, we discussed the benefits of substituting a synthetic based motor oil for the conventional petroleum based oil now used in our new production vehicles.  This report investigates the advantages and feasibility of using synthetic oils.

Several oil maufacturers, as well as top engineers and engine builders, have submitted first hand information on this topic and strongly support the use of synthetic oil.
 
The use of this product will benefit our company in may ways,  Singlehandedly, synthetic oils will boost power and fuloe economy of every one of our vehicles, giving us high marks with prospective buyers of new vehilcles as well as environmental agencies.  This product is economically advantageous, not just to initially implement, but also on a long term basis.  Synthetic oils release less contaminants to the atmosphere, are changed less frequently and protect an engine much better than conventional oils.

I recommend the immediate change to the use of synthetic motor oil for our new vehicles.  The future lies with the best available technology, and synthetic oils are vital in keeping this edge.

                     1

Synthetic oil is a man made motor oil for use in almost every kind of internal combustion engine.  Its material properties enable it to provide better fuel economy, more power and give off less contaminants to the atmosphere.  It is recommended that all of our new vehicles use synthetic oil.  Laboratory tests and scientific fact, as well as testimonials from famous engineers and engine builders, all confirm the superiority of these oils.  In this report I will discuss the capabilities and properties of synthetic oil.  I will also cover their economic and other beneficial advantages over conventional petroleum based oil that is now used.

3.0 BODY

Today, the product undergoing considerable scrutiny is synthetic oil.  After all, your old Chevy went over 100,000 miles on regular old 30 weight oil, so why take a risk on some man-made snake oil that might ruin your engine?  These were probably legitimate concerns when synthetics first hit the market over a decade ago.  But like anything else technical, synthetic oils have advanced and keep advancing all the time.  Would your opinion of synthetics change if you were told you car's engine and drivetrain might last three times as long if you used them?

The backbone of powertrain protection is proper lubrication and minimized heat.  Buying a popular engine oil or gear lube does not guarantee long service or maximum protection.  Here, overwhelming evidence suggests that the only real protection for vital powertrain components is synthetic-based lubricants. . . .

Engine lubricants must contend with heat and friction.  Heat, in the form of hot, expanding gases, moves pistons and rotates the crankshaft.  This heat remains in engine parts.  Upper piston rings reach 500 degrees Fahrenheit, while turbocharger bearings are regularly subjected to scorching 600 F temperatures and may reach as high as 650 F after shutdown (Andrews 96).

                                                2

The savings in our test vehicle over 50,000 miles with synthetic oil computes to $162.27.  This dollar figure is significant but not as important as the care being given to the engine with synthetic oil.  This engine will have les wear, more pwoer and will release significantly less pollutants to the atmosphere making it environmentally sound.  Future costly engine repais will be less likely with the synthetically equipped engine.

I recommend we change over to a synthetic oil like Mobil 1 for our 1998 model vehicles.  We will see fewer vehicles come back to the company for warranty powertrain repair and will be able to boast technological superiority over our competitors.  This change is extremely economically feasible with returns in reliability as well as customer satisfaction.  Our vehicles and customers deserve the best quality and protection available.

                                                3

6.0     WORKS CITED

Andrews, Michael.  Turbochargers.  Los Angeles:  Breham Publishers, 1988.

ASLE Proceedings.  3rd International Conference on Solid Lubrication.  Denver:
      ASLE Publishing Company, 1984.

Hedley, W.H.  Potential Pollutants from Petrochemical Processes.  Westport, Conn.:
      Technomic Publishing Company, 1975.

Mobil Oil Company.  "Mobil 1 Test Data."  Mobil Laboratory Test Data.  May,
      1992.

                                                4

(This, along with the other student formal reports, is an excerpt of the entire report.  Therefore, the page numbers listed in the TOC may be different from the page numbers listed in this report.)

Return to the Course Materials Page