If you ever find yourself in a situation where your engine oil brand is unavailable or you want to mix brands, don’t worry. Here’s what you need to know if you have to mix oil brands.
We’ve all been there. You’re driving along and hit the bottom of your oil level, so you stop at the gas station. You go to the gas station counter and ask an attendant for five liters of engine oil (2 quarts or 2 gallons). But then they tell you your brand isn’t available. What do you do?
1. Is it okay to mix oil brands?
We’ve already told you what happens when you mix synthetic and semi-synthetic oil and mix different viscosity grades, such as mixing 5w20 and 5w30, using 10w30 instead of 5w30, and mixing 5w30 with 5w40. Now, you might be wondering if you can mix oil brands.
We don’t want to bore you with unnecessary technical jargon, so here’s the short answer: Yes, you can mix oil brands. But it’s not a good idea because different brands have proprietary or special additives. These additives are tested only to work on that particular brand and not if mixed with other brands. In emergency cases where your oil level is low, it’s okay if they have similar weights.
2. What happens if you mix different oil brands?
When you mix different oil brands in your car, the additives in each brand may react differently. The chemical additives work with a specific oil formula, so that mixing brands can cause problems.
Each brand has its formula. Engine oil manufacturers know that consumers are looking for specific features and want their products to stand out from the crowd. So they add different ingredients that make their oil unique and better than others on the market. In 2021, ExxonMobil’s secret cosmetics chemical helped Red Bull’s F1 charge.
This means that even if you’re buying two oils from the same company, they may not be compatible because they have different formulas made with other chemicals.
3. Top 10 engine oil brands in the world
Now that we have answered the question of mixing oil brands let’s look at some of the top brands that produce lubricants for cars and trucks. The following list includes some of the most-known brands and their high-performance products. This list is not exhaustive, and we encourage you to research before choosing the best engine oil brand that will fit your needs.
- Castrol Edge – Castrol EDGE
- Valvoline – Valvoline™ Advanced Full Synthetic Oil
- Mobil 1 – Mobil™ Full Synthetic
- Motul – Motul Eco-nergy
- Pennzoil – Pennzoil Ultra Platinum
- Royal Purple – Royal Purple High-Performance Motor Oil
- Liqui Moly – Liqui-Moly Synthoil High Tech
- PETRONAS – PETRONAS Syntium 7000
- Amsoil – AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil
- ACDelco – ACDelco GM OE dexos1 Full Synthetic
4. Do oil brands make a difference?
Engine oil is one of the most important parts of your car. It protects the engine from overheating, seals metal parts, and improves horsepower. But do engine oil brands make a difference?
Yes, engine oil brands matter. The best engine oil is a high-quality synthetic blend that meets or exceeds the manufacturer’s specifications for your specific vehicle. It would be best to always go with a recognized brand when choosing engine oil.
5. Why do engine oil brands matter?
Choosing cheaper brands isn’t bad for the engine as long as it meets your engine’s requirements. However, engine oils are formulated to meet the manufacturer’s specifications for your vehicle. The brand and type of engine oil you use can affect your car’s performance, fuel economy, and engine life. Using an inferior brand of low-quality oil could result in poor lubrication. This can cause premature wear on parts that may damage your vehicle’s performance or cause costly repairs later.
There’s a reason high-performance engines demand the best oil and top-tier performance oil additives — they work better! Some cheap engine oils have low-quality chemical makeup, and some have harmful fillers that may cause harm to the engine.
6. Should I always use the same brand of oil?
You don’t always have to use the same brand of oil. They’re all interchangeable as long as they meet your vehicle’s oil weight and certifications. The only time you should be concerned about using a different brand is when it’s a synthetic or semi-synthetic oil that’s not recommended for your vehicle.
You can use Castrol now and Pennzoil on the following oil change. Many other oils meet all of your requirements, too. Follow the owner’s manual recommendations to determine which suits your vehicle.
There are many different quality grades for engine oil, but always make sure that it meets American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications listed in your owner’s manual.
Conclusion
Mixing oil brands isn’t necessarily bad, but brand manufacturers do not recommend it. Each brand has proprietary additives to its formula and will interact with other brands differently.
Mixing engine oil is always better than driving a car with depleted oil or dirty engine oil. And it turns out that, unless you have a high-performance race car engine, mixing different brands won’t cause any adverse side effects.
Elevate your car maintenance game by reading our comprehensive guide on engine oil. Learn everything from the basics of oil types, to how to properly maintain and change it. Keep your vehicle running at its best, read our guide now!
