Re: Engine Longevity
The most significant change in technology was the mandates that required fuel injection with computer control for modern automobiles. This was part of EPA clean air regs to reduce emissions. It costs folks more when purchasing a new car but it is way more efficient than any carburetor could ever be. The oil stays cleaner in your new cars because there are less contaminants getting by the rings.
Oil technology has changed so that folks can run the catalytic converters more reliable and efficiently (removal of a good portion of anti wear additives like ZDDP). I can't say that there was any improvement at all. It was mandated changes also part of the Clean Air Act and its revisions. The catalysts help burn off what ever left overs from combustion there are which are a lot less now than there was back when carburetors were still in use.
Ester based synthetics last for hundreds of ours in turbine engines but turbines don't have blow by and combustion contaminants to be concerned with like piston engines do. They just have high speed bearings to lubricate.
If synthetics could be thoroughly cleaned of contaminants, they would last as long as the engine but the stuff also has viscosity index polymers in there that break down so that stuff has to be cleaned out as well. Basically the only way to do that is to re-refine the oils. No filters work well enough to do that job.
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