We are not going to bore you with ester this or ester that or any other convoluted, esoteric definitions. It doesn’t have to be complicated; after all, the role of an oil is to lubricate, cool, clean and protect, and the best synthetic motor oils have one quality that makes them stand out from all other kinds of oil: they satisfy these four criteria very well. They can also withstand higher operating temperatures without breaking down whilst still remaining effective at lower operating temperatures.

So you are looking for the best synthetic motor oil? Well, it kind of doesn’t exist. What might be suitable for one engine may very well not be suitable for another, but we are talking about extremes here. Also, there are a lot of similarities when you compare the highest quality synthetic blends. There are many great brands such as Pennzoil, Amsoil, Motul, Red Line, the list goes on. However, it is more important that you trust the brand/supplier and then ensure that you choose the correct viscosity for your engine, whether it be standard or modified.

Does a shear point difference of 180 versus 185 degrees really matter when the oil temperature never exceeds 110 degrees, even during the most spirited driving? The very best engine oils far exceed the recognized standards anyway. Our advice is if you want the best then gain trust in a brand and then choose the very best that brand has to offer for your particular engine.

Why this approach? Being in the trade we know what goes on behind the scenes first hand. The consumer is really oblivious but we are going to reveal some truths because it’s really one big con. This may upset a few but what is, is and we would be remiss if we told it to you any other way.

1. A £50 or $50 gallon of oil probably contains around £5 or $5 worth of ingredients.
2. Most oil companies purchase additives packs from one of the two main formulation companies to their own specification, of course. That’s right, they sub contract the procurement of ingredients and its formulation to the SAME companies.
3. It’s just one big marketing competition.

See, there is another reason why the very best synthetic motor oil doesn’t exist. It hasn’t been made it yet! The oil companies have little interest in outdoing each other with the quality of their oils as it does not pay them to do so. It’s a marketing competition not a product performance one. The best engine oil technology is reserved to specialist applications such as motor sport.

Again, if you are looking for the best motor oil then our advice is to research, gain the trust of a reputable brand and ensure that you purchase from a legitimate vendor that will provide you with honest and accurate advice. Advice that includes recommending the best oil for your particular engine needs.

With increasing use in cars, the damage to the environment is clear. Emissions mainly comprise of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. The problems created by these emissions are numerous. They cause smog, acid rains, health problems and worst of all, they “allegedly” deplete the layer in the atmosphere that keeps us protected from the direct rays of the sun.

Trace elements in fossil fuels have harmful effects too. Sulphur and heavy metals such as lead cannot be completely eliminated during refining. When fuel is not fully combusted, these car emissions become a danger to your health.

There are steps you can take as an individual to make sure that your contribution of these emissions is minimized. You can, for instance, use regular fuel treatments to ensure the catalytic converter and for those vehicles that have them, diesel particulate filters, are clean and free of deposits. This will help ensure car emissions emitted into the atmosphere are kept to a minimum. Obviously, avoid using older vehicles on a regular basis. We are all for preserving the classics but they are not a viable option for regular transport if you are serious about reducing car emissions.

There are cars available in the market today that are designed to be more environmentally friendly, particularly the hybrids. If you are serious about reducing car emissions then these cannot be ignored.

A tough bullet to chew but have you ever considered driving less? Why should you drive everywhere if you can walk or cycle there? Seriously, don’t make unnecessary car trips.

You should also make sure that your car is kept in prime working order; the more well maintained it is, the better the economy will be and the fewer car emissions it will emit.

What do you do when you are caught in traffic? Most people will simply idle their engines. They are still consuming fuel, so the best thing to do is switch it off altogether. In fact, car emissions peak at rush hour so if more people turned off their engines, there would definitely be considerably less pollution. Of course BMW are one step ahead on this with their efficient dynamics.

For us fuel system and engine deposits considerably increase car emissions. As the flow pattern deteriorates on fuel injectors the efficiency of the engine is reduced. More hydrocarbons are produced as a result, depositing carbon in the combustion and post combustion areas such as the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system. This is turn reduces efficiency further and resulting in even more car emissions. It’s a dwindling spiral.

The fact is there is insufficient cleaning and fuel catalyst chemistry in fuels to prevent this from occurring, even with the latest fuel efficient engines. The answer is to use professional treatments on a regular basis to keep the fuel system and engine free of deposits. It is not realistic to ask everyone to give up their cars but there are things you can do to minimize car emissions.

E85 is known to be less efficient than regular gasoline – you get less mileage per gallon. The ethanol component does not produce as much heat as gasoline when it burns – i.e. it has a lower heating value or calorific value. It is preferred is because of the low emission levels. However, it is also more costly depending on the source of the ethanol, and if your engine is not fuel flexible, it will not take it.

The main reasons why governments want to incorporate this as a source of fuel are several. As already mentioned, e85 is purported to produce lower exhaust emissions and a tangible way to reduce global warming. It’s important to understand though that it does not eliminate emissions entirely but merely reduces them.

An unstable supply of fossil fuels from the Middle Eastern countries is also another reason – if supply were to cut for any reason, economies would quickly collapse.

Although there are clear advantages to e85, there are still countries that don’t support it, especially those that worry about the source of ethanol. The primary concern is that agricultural land will be used to grow crops for ethanol rather than food for people. Oil producing companies and countries are also opposed to e85 production as they see it as a potential threat to their chief source of income.

Either way, if you decide or are forced to purchase e85 then make sure that it is safe for your vehicle to use it.

To know which would be the best motor oil for your car, you need to know different kinds of oils and what they can do for or to your engine. Quality of oil will mean different things to different people, but the better you know your engine and how it works, the easier it is for you to be able to identify the best motor oil for your engine.

There are synthetic motor oils, synthetic blended motor oils as well as regular motor oils. You need to know the difference and the attributes of all three.
Let’s have a look at synthetic motor oils. They can withstand a large temperatures range and still remain stable at both very high and very low heat conditions. They are actually the best motor oils with regards to protection and lubricity capability. They are great at decreasing resistance to friction. They have one weakness though – they can penetrate and leak easily, but only on much older vehicles. They are also expensive, but on the up side and depending on the quality of the additive pack, they have a longer change cycle. You can usually keep the oil in your engine for a longer period before it needs changing. Being the best, they are widely used in performance vehicles where the demands on oil are far greater.

Blended synthetic motor oils are blends of synthetic and regular mineral oils. This means that they have picked the best qualities of both oil types. They are usually a good compromise and the best motor oil for mid-range vehicles as they offer a good compromise between protection and cost. They can endure the tougher driving conditions whilst not costing the earth. The fact that they are blended also brings down their price. Because of the mix with mineral based oil, the risk of leakage that you would get with synthetic motor oil is significantly reduced, but again, this really only applies to older vehicles.

Lastly, we have regular mineral oil which. This is considered the most inferior kind of engine oil on the market. They are, of course, the cheapest and are generally more suited for the much older or specialized vehicle. They are more susceptible to leave sludge behind in the crankcase. This is because they break down much easier than their synthetic counterparts.

When it comes to choosing the best motor oil, you’ll find lots of brands in the market. There are the obvious stand-out brands as well as the lesser known ones. The key is ensuring that they satisfy the relevant SAE, API tests etc and are suitable for your vehicle. Check with the owner manual and choose a suitable oil based on its suitability (specification wise), how often you change the oil (synthetic for longer changes) and the type of driving you do.

Biodiesel is a kind of fuel that’s made from plant and animal oils. Plants are preferred as their production is easier and cheaper than that of animals. On a commercial scale, most used are soybeans, sunflower seeds, canola and other recycled vegetable oils.

Biodiesel production seems to be gaining popularity because it’s a cheap and efficient way of powering up, and also because its environment friendly and doesn’t leave pollutants and emissions in the air. Tests show that its emissions are clear.

It also has a positive effect on reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Fossil fuel emissions produce plenty of these and they are “allegedly” responsible for a lot of the climate damage that is present today.

Producing biodiesel is an easy enough process so long as you get the right reactor and the necessary materials. As an individual, it wouldn’t be unwise for you to start to think about how you can make this a part of the way you power your life; the more fossil fuels deplete, the more expensive they will become.
Biodiesel on the other hand is relatively cheap to produce. The only thing that might cost you is the initial capital to buy the processor, but after that, the materials that you will use are cheap and easily obtainable. Commercial biodiesel cost is usually dictated by the supplier, usually based on where and for how much he sources his raw materials for.

You will not need to change your engine if you plan to start using biodiesel providing it is fortified with the correct additives. Most engines today are compliant, although you should get a warranty that covers biodiesel use. There are advantages to your engine for using biodiesel; it is a great lubricant, and it cleans the engine during combustion.

Biodiesel Production Process

The process involves chemically altering the molecular structure of organic oils. It requires a catalyst and alcohol. The organic oil is heated to a certain temperature to initiate the chemical reaction, and then the catalyst and the alcohol are added.

They are then mixed for a while and left to settle. The resulting oil will be in several layers. The topmost is the biodiesel, at this stage called an ester.
The lower layers contain soap and glycerine. This layering facilitates easy separation. The soap and glycerine are drained off and then the biodiesel is purified with mint or bubble wash and dried. It’s filtered to remove any particulate matter and then it’s ready to use.

Equipment for making biodiesel has come on a long way; it is now highly automated and you can make better quality biofuel faster and more efficiently. Beginners can start small, using even a 2 litre soda bottle. Larger scale production requires a biodiesel processor however. They usually come with tanks for holding all the different components, for washing and for siphoning.

You can have your equipment custom made depending on your needs, or you can DIY using kits that are downloadable from the net for free. It’s best to start small so that you can understand the process fully. If you’re going to buy a processor, estimate your needs. It will determine the size of processor that you will buy. They range from $500 to several thousand dollars. You will pay around $200 for a DIY kit but kits for more complex systems will cost you more.
Microwave technology has now been incorporated into processors to make the process faster and improve the quality of the final product. It also makes it more energy efficient than the older kind of biodiesel production because the chemical process is shorter.

It happens that at the same time, biodiesel was the hot new thing in the go-green movement. Biodiesel plants that had eaten up millions of research dollars in various parts of the world and were ready to compete with the high prices of gas suddenly found themselves without a ready market. We all want to leave a smaller carbon footprint, but could they win in the face of such challenges? Biodiesel production really hit the headlines in 2008 and one has to wonder whether the price decrease of gas was a carefully calculated retaliation?

Today, the average price is $3 to the gallon. Still not a very good place to be in if you’re looking at biodiesel as a way to go green and go cheap at the same time. There are a lot of theories as to why these slumps occur. Oil money is big money, and big money does whatever it wants. It’s easy for oil cartels to dump oil just when they figure that enough money has been spent trying to produce a mass biodiesel alternative so that they frustrate the market as well as researchers and governments that are keen on cleaner, more sustainable forms of fuel.

If someone has spent every available dime on trying to develop something that could be cheaper and then you bring down the price of whatever they are trying to replace, the market is torn and most people will go with the lower price option. In fact, the global economic slump didn’t help at all with everyone watching how the spent their shillings and cents.

Considering that it’s rumored that these cartels have big enough reserves to continue to manipulate the price of oil, where does that leave you as a consumer and is biodiesel production still viable?

You can opt to stay with the fossil fuels of course, maybe looking for alternatives that are said to have fewer emissions than the traditional ones we have always known. If you take this route though, it’s a catch 22 –you’re strengthening the very same oil cartels that we wish weren’t so powerful by adding to their coffers while at the same time reducing emissions – well, only just.

There is a bolder and more ingenious bunch of people who have decided that they don’t have to buy biodiesel at the pump though. Since its made from organic oils with fatty acid chains and mixed with a little methanol, and will cost them less than $1 a gallon. These home brewers are determined to create their own biodiesel production facility.

Can you become a home brewer yourself? Indeed you can because all the materials that you need are locally available and the process does not require expensive specialized equipment or skill. However, you must ensure its done correctly and that you fortify the biodiesel with appropriate additives.

There are websites that guide you through the how-to of creating your small biodiesel plant, but whatever you do, make sure that you take the following basic precautions:

1. The area where you make your biodiesel, especially if you are making substantial amounts, should be away from other property so that in the risk of fire, the damage is minimal. An abandoned old building or garage is a good place.
2. Make sure to check your county laws about such a home-made plant; you may find that you’re not allowed to store flammable substances. This particularly applies to the storage of methanol.
3. Fire safety is a must. A fire extinguisher should be at hand all the time.
4. You’re dealing with pretty caustic chemicals (especially methanol) so get the necessary gear to protect yourself. The biodiesel itself, the final product is non-caustic and that’s why it’s really good for cleaning your engine.
5. Make sure you never work in enclosed areas. Ventilation is a must.
6. Finally and this is where the majority fall short, biodiesel production must include the addition of anti-gelling, anti waxing and lubricity agents.

We see time and time again, diesel fuel systems that are clogged up as a result of poor biodiesel production. Please ensure that if you are purchasing biodiesel or producing it yourself that is has the necessary additives. Cold weather will cause gelling and block fuel filters. The cold will also change the viscosity of the biodiesel and affect the running of the engine.

It frustrates us when we see automotive programs taking a 20 year old vehicle and running it on used filtered frying oil and concluding that it works great. Yes, this may well work on an old diesel engine but try it on a modern common rail diesel engine and we guarantee that you will become one of the 100’s of consumers we hear from each month asking for us to recommend and fuel injector and engine cleaner!

The diesel pumps on the latest engines run pressures of well over 100 bar. That’s over 14,000 psi. Such systems are very sensitive to the fuel they use. Just a small change in viscosity will affect the way the engine runs.

A good quality biofuel additive will ensure that your biodiesel is fortified with the correct additives to protect the fuel, the fuel system and the diesel pump.

You should also be ready to void your manufacturer’s warranty if you decide to go this route; some manufacturers will not be willing to replace any parts of a car that has used anything but fossil fuels. If you think you’re going into biodiesel production for the long term though, you might want to have a look around for manufacturers who make cars that are biodiesel compatible.