What Are the Benefits of Royal Purple Synthetic Oil?
by Richard Rowe
Of all the upgrades available for modern cars, one of the simplest and most effective simply pours into your engine from the top. Using synthetic oils like those offered by Royal Purple are a quick way to gain some horsepower, torque and fuel economy not just in the engine but through the vehicle as a whole.
Description
Normal oils are refined from petroleum, meaning that their manufacturers simply remove the unwanted parts of the crude oil to leave behind a quality lubricant. Synthetics like Royal Purple are also made from petroleum, but are far purer. Royal Purple takes pure base stocks of molecular compounds derived from crude oil and recombines them, eliminating the possibility of contaminant inclusion.
Friction
Whether it be in the engine or in the gear-meshing action of transmissions and rear-ends, metal rubbing on metal creates heat. The more resistance to movement those metal parts encounter, the more heat they will generate and the quicker they'll wear out. Royal Purple's formula is specifically designed to increase "film strength," or the the oil's ability to keep moving parts from touching in the first place.
Engine Performance
Royal Purple is one of the most expensive, purest and most performance oriented of all synthetics on the market. While most synthetics are geared more toward promoting longevity than performance, Royal Purple is specifically formulated to reduce friction in the engine and drivetrain. While it does enhance longevity over conventional oils, Royal Purple is usually used more for applications that require lots of power in short bursts, like drag and sprint car racing.
Drivetrain Performance
No matter how much power your engine makes, your car will only be able to use the power that actually reaches the ground. Transmissions, transfer cases and rear-ends can suck up as much as 20 percent of the engine's power before it ever reaches the tires. Royal Purple makes a number of synthetic gear and transmission oils that help to reduce friction and (subsequently) horsepower loss in these areas. According to one test performed by Hot Rod Magazine, substituting Royal Purple synthetics for the conventional oils in one Mustang's engine, transmission and rear end resulted in a horsepower increase of 408.3 to 418.4 when measured at the wheels.
Fuel Economy
Every horsepower lost to friction is one less available to push your car down the road. While the horsepower gains from using Royal Purple may seem marginal, bear in mind that most full-sized cars only require about 60 horsepower or less to cruise at 65 mph. Given that, even a minimal gain of 5 horsepower through friction reduction can have a significant impact on fuel economy.
References
Writer Bio
Richard Rowe has been writing professionally since 2007, specializing in automotive topics. He has worked as a tractor-trailer driver and mechanic, a rigger at a fire engine factory and as a race-car driver and builder. Rowe studied engineering, philosophy and American literature at Central Florida Community College.
