Every day, car owners have to face a nasty and dangerous issue – the overall oil level in the engine drastically dips. So, a question arises what should we do when there’s an urgent need to replenish the level of lubrication with a bitter lack of a suitable oil product at hand. Can car owners utilize a similar product, but produced under a different brand?

Mixing engine oils – does it works or not

Today’s market of lubricants is definitely oversaturated. Many people are wondering whether it is possible to mix lubricants supplied by different producers. This question is crucial for all car enthusiasts and not only newcomers, but also experienced drivers.

There’s no clear answer to this question. Some experts think that one should stick to one class of oil, while others totally exclude such mixing.

Motor oil producers actually don‘t recommend changing oils, referring to the fact that the engine was initially designed for a certain viscosity of a poured liquid. It’s also confirmed by representatives of car manufacturers.

Different types of motor oils

Auto oils made of mineral raw materials don’t boast the qualities required for modern engines. Therefore, producers of lubricants have to improve the composition of motor oils by simply adding to them components, which change their properties. In general, four types of auto lubricants are currently produced. They differ in composition, have different additives and demonstrate different viscosity.

Types of auto oils:

• Synthetic;
• Semisynthetic;
• Hydrocracking;
• Mineral.

The core of motor oils

The composition of motor oils includes the following components: a filler and a set of additives, which affect the properties of the lubricant, changing its characteristics. Depending on the method of processing of petroleum products, one gets the required type of oils.

By means of chemical synthesis light hydrocarbons are converted into synthetics. This method is expensive enough, therefore the resulting outcome isn’t cheap.

Semisynthetic oils are produced by mixing synthetic and mineral components.

Types of oils

Oils obtained by the method of cleaning, deep hydrocracking, can be regarded as mineral. However, as for their properties, they’re no way inferior to synthetics.

Mineral motor oils are produced from crude oil using selective treatment.

Mixing lubricants from different producers: potential possibility

Most experts agree that the use of oils of different brands should be avoided as each lubricant differs in viscosity and comes with a different set of additives, and it might provoke irreversible consequences, absolutely fatal to the powerplant. One can add oil of another brand only in rare cases, and it should be carried out done carefully. You can’t mix two different types of motor oil, such as synthetic and mineral products.