Re: Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oils were found to be excellent for turbine type engines due to their very high flash point (the point where they will actually combust). Turbines operate at extremes that would cause mineral based oils to vaporize and this could lead to combustion. Synthetics vaporize at a higher temperature and they don't combust as easily.
The advent of viscosity building polymer plastics is what allowed the synthetics to be used in a much wider variety of applications. Eventually the synthetics may be the only thing going for automotive use. There is still mineral base oil around now but it's hard to say how much longer it will be available. It's already getting harder to find certain mineral based lubricants due to low demand. I'll keep using it as long as I can anyway.
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