Is It Ok To Mix Oil Brands? What You Need To Know

Whether you’re a novice car owner or a seasoned mechanic, one important question you may have is: Is it OK to mix oil brands in your car? The answer is yes – but it’s important to know why and how to do it safely. Mixing oil brands is a common practice, as long as you understand the differences between the products and how they will interact with each other. The key is to understand the oil’s viscosity, additives, and quality levels. To help you make the best decision for your car, this article will explain the benefits and drawbacks of mixing oil brands and provide tips for successful mixing. Knowing the basics of mixing oil brands can help you keep your car running smoothly and safely.

Is It Ok To Mix Oil Brands? 

Yes, it is ok to mix oil brands when it comes to the type of engine oil you are using. Different car manufacturers have specific oil recommendations and viscosity ratings, but all of the various oil brands that meet those requirements are interchangeable. When it comes to engine oil, the most important thing is to use the correct viscosity rating for your specific engine. This rating can usually be found in your owner’s manual or on the oil filler cap of your engine. After you’ve identified the right viscosity rating, you can then choose any brand of oil that meets that rating. 

What Is Oil And Why Is It Important?

• Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. It lubricates moving parts inside the engine, removes heat, cleans the engine, and prevents corrosion and rusting. 
• The better the quality of oil you use, the longer it will last, and the better it will protect your engine. While engines have become more efficient, reducing the amount of oil used, the need for high-quality oil is as important as ever. 
• While cheaper oils may be easier on your wallet in the short term, they can end up costing you money in the long run. It’s important to choose the right oil to match your car’s needs. For example, modern engines have different requirements than older models. 
• The type of car you drive and your driving habits also influence what kind of oil you should use. Factors like the weather, how often you drive under extreme conditions, and how many miles you put in the car each year are important considerations as well.

Benefits Of Mixing Oil Brands

1. You can save money. While cheaper oils may be easier on your wallet in the short term, they can end up costing you money in the long run. It’s important to choose the right oil to match your car’s needs.

2. You can improve engine performance. Higher-quality oils have a wider range of viscosities, which allows them to absorb more oil and resist clogging. This improves engine performance and fuel economy.

3. Your engine will last longer. Higher-quality oils resist oxidation, which can cause your engine to wear down faster.

4. Your car will be less likely to break down. Higher-quality oils resist corrosion and rusting, which keeps your car running smoothly and prevents costly repairs later on.

5. You’ll save money on gas bills. Lower-quality oils tend to cause higher emissions, which means you’ll spend more on gas bills over time. Higher-quality oils reduce emissions and save you money on fuel.

6. You’ll have a safer car. Higher-quality oils resist seizing and breaking, which means your car will be less likely to start suddenly or lose power.

7. You’ll be able to maintain your car’s performance over time. Higher-quality oils are less likely to break down and require less maintenance than lower-quality oils.
8. You don’t have to buy a full oil change: If you’ve changed your oil and it’s still good, you can use it for a longer period of time than you normally would. Just make sure that you’re changing the filter regularly, and keep track of the mileage so you know when it’s time to change the oil again. 
9. You don’t have to throw out the old oil: If you use the old oil to top off a new engine, you can save money by reusing it. Just make sure that it’s clean and not contaminated with metal shavings.
10. You can fix a leaking oil line: If you discover a leaky oil line, you can temporarily seal it by putting oil where the line is leaking. When the line is repaired, you can clean the oil off with a solvent and put new oil in the line.

Drawbacks Of Mixing Oil Brands

• You can’t use the oil to determine how often your car needs an oil change: Each oil brand has a recommended change interval. So even though you’re using the same oil, you can’t tell how long it will last by looking at the label. 
• You can’t use the oil to determine how dirty it is: Oil is used to measure how much wear there is on your engine. If you’re mixing oil brands, you can’t tell just from the oil level if the engine is clean and ready for a new oil change.
•  You can’t determine the additives in the oil: Each oil brand has additives designed for its specific engine. When mixing oil brands, the quality of additives may not be as effective as it would be in a single brand.

How To Mix Oil Brands Safely? 

1. Mixing oil brands that are both synthetic: Mixing synthetic oils of different brands is a safe choice. This is because synthetic oil is manufactured rather than derived from crude oil. So even though one brand of synthetic oil may have a different additive mix than another, they both produce synthetic oil. 
2. Mixing conventional and synthetic oils: Mixing two different conventional oils is considered safe. However, if you’re mixing a conventional oil and a synthetic blend, you must change the oil more often than usual. 
3. This is because synthetic blends contain fewer impurities that may cause excessive wear, which can shorten the oil’s life.
4.  Mixing single-grade oils: While it might seem easier to mix single-grade oils, this isn’t always recommended. For example, if you have a car that requires a specific grade of SAE 10W-30 oil and a second car that requires SAE 5W-20, mixing these two grades isn’t recommended.

Understanding Oil Viscosity, Additives, And Quality Levels

•  Different viscosity oils are better for different weather conditions: If you live in a region where weather conditions change during the year, you can use a multi-grade oil that changes viscosity with the seasons. 
• Different additives are best for different engines: For example, an oil that’s good for a car with higher miles may not be the best choice for a car with a low-mileage engine.
• Higher-quality oils are better for your engine: When mixing oil brands, you can use a higher-quality oil as a base. For example, if you have 10W-30 synthetic oil and you want to blend it with a 15W-40 conventional oil, you can use the synthetic oil as the base.

Oil Mixing Tips

1. If you’re mixing oil brands, you don’t have to use the same quantity of each. If you have a low-mileage car with synthetic oil, you might want to use the same proportion of each oil. If you have a car with high miles, you might want to use a higher proportion of conventional oil.
2. You can use a lower viscosity oil to extend the change interval: If you’re using the same oil brands but want to extend the change interval, you can use a lower viscosity oil. For example, if you want to extend the interval by 1000 miles, you can use a lower viscosity grade on the higher mileage engine. 
3. If you’re mixing oil brands, use a new filter: If you’ve got a synthetic oil that’s higher quality than a conventional oil you want to blend with, use the synthetic oil as the base and put the conventional oil in the filter. This will help to keep impurities from getting into the synthetic oil.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking about mixing oil brands, know what to look for in each oil and how they will react with each other. The key is to understand the oils’ viscosity, additives, and quality levels. By making sure each oil you use meets the requirements of your car, you can extend the life of your engine and save money on oil changes.