Is it OK to mix different brands of motor oil?
Yes, you can safely mix one brand of oil (e.g. Mobil 1) with a different brand (e.g. AMSOIL) or conventional oil with synthetic oil (in fact, that’s what a synthetic blend is). Most synthetics today are fully compatible with conventional oils and can safely be mixed.
Can you mix different brands of 5w30 oil?
No. Switching brands is not harmful to your engine as long as you choose an oil marked with the API donut of the same level, e.g., API SN. Motor oil manufacturers must meet minimum industry standards for performance and compatibility of the API mark.
What happens if you put 5w20 instead of 5w30?
Can you put 5w20 oil in a 5w30 engine? No, your engine will be fine with the 5w-20. 5w20 oil is fairly light oil and is generally designed to work with newer engines. Motor oil has become part of a manufacturers program to allow engines to get higher fuel mileage.
What happens if you mix 5w20 with 5W30?
You can’t mix between regular/synthetic blend/full synthetic but mixing weights, especially if they’re by the same manufacturer, is no problem.
Can I mix 5W30 with 0w20?
Yes, just that. Pennzoil Platinum is a thin 30 or Valvoline Advanced also in 5w-30. Both syn oils. If you are in that part of NorCal where it’s truly -10 or more, consider M1 AFE 0w-30.
What happens if you put the wrong oil in your car?
Using the wrong fluid can cause poor lubrication, overheating, and possibly transmission failure. A mechanic might not be able to reverse the damage, even by flushing the transmission. Mistakenly adding motor oil or brake fluid can also destroy your transmission.
Should I use 5w20 or 5w30?
The thicker 5W-30 should see a slight advantage when operating at higher temperatures, while the thinner 5W-20 oil should provide better engine protection at lower temperature levels and has the added benefit of slightly improving fuel efficiency.
What is the highest rated synthetic motor oil?
In this article:
- Our Review Standards.
- #1 Best Overall: Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil.
- #2 Best Budget Oil: Castrol GTX Magnatec Full Synthetic Motor Oil.
- #3 Best For Diesel Engines: Shell Rotella T6 Full Synthetic Diesel Engine Oil.
- #4 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oil.
Will it hurt to put 5w30 in a 5w20 engine?
5W-30 and 5W-20 motor oil both feature the same winter rating. This means that both grades exhibit the same viscosity under cold conditions. You also risk engine damage when using 5W-30 instead of 5W-20, as the internal engine components are specifically designed to be used with 5W-20 motor oil.
Is it bad to put 5w20 instead of 5w30?
No, changing the oil type for your engine is not recommended because 5w30 has a higher viscosity than 5w20. 5w20 oil is pretty light oil and is generally designed to work with newer engines.
