All,
I'm trying to understand the difference between oxidation, thermal breakdown, and flash point.
First, is "oxidation" and "thermal breakdown" the same thing?
Does a higher flash point mean that the oil will resist oxidation better than an oil with a lower flash point? I've also noticed that some of the best petro oils out there have a higher flash point than some of the synthetics (example below). Does that mean that some of the best petro oils are more resistant to thermal breakdown than some synthetics? I have always been convinced that synthetics stand heat much better than petro oils, am I wrong?
The below information is taken directly from the Mobil's website - I didn't make the numbers up!
Mobil 1 Delvac (synthetic) flash: 226c
Mobile Delvac 1300 super (non-synthetic) flash: 230c
Thanks,
Wayne