# Will using a synthetic oil reduce engine oil burning?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/will-using-a-synthetic-oil-reduce-engine-oil-burning/185654>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** corolla, engines, toyota, oil\
**Created:** [August 5, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/will-using-a-synthetic-oil-reduce-engine-oil-burning/185654 "2022-08-05T14:50:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/will-using-a-synthetic-oil-reduce-engine-oil-burning/185654/41 "2022-08-10T12:38:13Z")

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> [@cwatkin](#):
>
> Mobil 1 5W30 and Rotella T6 5W40 in the cold, it is really obvious that the Rotella is thicker when pouring.

It surely shouldn’t be. The base stock weight in both those oils is 5. The only difference are the additives. They stay coiled up and have zero effect on thickness until the oil gets hot.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/will-using-a-synthetic-oil-reduce-engine-oil-burning/185654/42 "2022-08-10T14:13:41Z")

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> [@MikeInNH](#):
>
> They stay coiled up and have zero effect on thickness until the oil gets hot.

Yes, they’re coiled, and uncoil with increasing temperature. But what I can find indicates this happens gradually, not an ‘on/off’ effect. That’s why you can notice the difference, even at room temperature. Also, the ‘base oil’ is different between Mobil1 and Rotella, so their basic behavior with temperature will be different, aside from how the viscosity index improvers behave.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/will-using-a-synthetic-oil-reduce-engine-oil-burning/185654/43 "2022-08-17T13:25:32Z")

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> [@texases](#):
>
> But what I can find indicates this happens gradually, not an ‘on/off’ effect. That’s why you can notice the difference, even at room temperature.

True…never said anything different.

> [@texases](#):
>
> That’s why you can notice the difference, even at room temperature.

There should not be noticeable difference at room temps. Both have a viscosity rating index of 5.

> [@texases](#):
>
> Mobil1 and Rotella, so their basic behavior with temperature will be different,

Who says? They should flow the same.

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