Does better oil mean better performance?
I need to refill my engine oil for my mercedes SL500. It recommends I use a certain type of approved motor oil, and that a lesser quality will hamper the performance. However, will using a better quality increase performance?
The short answer is, not really. While better lubricants can provide less friction and better additives, horsepower will generally be unaffected. You can use a lighter oil and produce a MAYBE 1-3 more horsepower, will you notice it? no.
5 Answers
First, you should understand what exactly it means when you read that quart of oil that says 10W-30, 5W-30, etc. These are the most common types of oils, called multigrades that have specially formulated polymers that allow the oil to behave differently at different temperatures. The higher the number you see on a bottle of oil, the more viscous the fluid is, that is, the more it will resist flow.
So, say you have a 5W-30, this means that at a cold temp the oil will behave like a 5 weight oil, but at operating temperatures (when the polymers in the oil have expanded) the oil will thin no less than a 30 weight oil would when hot. The idea here is that you have one oil that you can use year round without having worry about 1. hard start ups in winter or cold temps, and 2. oil degradation at operating temps.
Stick with your vehicle's recommended viscosity and keep a full synthetic and you'll be good to go.
The short answer is, not really. While better lubricants can provide less friction and better additives, horsepower will generally be unaffected. You can use a lighter oil and produce a MAYBE 1-3 more horsepower, will you notice it? no.
royal purple is the the best synthetic oil out there, and expect a horsepower gain just by changing your oil.
I disagree with Christopher. The better the oil, the less friction. Less friction equates to less heat, which means better performance.
Less friction translates to faster revs.
Also, the better the oil, the more it protects your engine from premature wear. This helps keep your compression ratio high which directly relates to performance.
Oil is the life blood of your engine. Your SL deserves the best oil possible.
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i'm going to assume your manual calls for a full synthetic oil since that's what my BMW takes.
as far as "lesser quality" goes, your performance should be basically the same as long as you buy a full-synthetic 5W-30. the 'grade' designation doesn't really make a statement about the quality or performance, only the temperature where the oil is viscous. that means if a 5W- designation is sitting in your motor, your engine can fire at temperatures colder than what a 10W- oil could fire at. If you live anywhere other than the extremes (alaska, phoenix, etc) this has relatively little impact on you.