One of the fundamental activities involved in maintaining a car is to monitor oil. Oils play a significant role in your can and are among the factors that determine your car’s lifespan. Motor oil is what keeps the car’s engine lubricated so it can run smoothly.

There are two types of oil: regular oil and synthetic oil. Many car owners are wondering whether they can mix these two types of oil. You might also be having the same confusion. Let’s dig deeper and find out whether it is good to mix these two oil types and any adverse effects that can result from doing this.

Mixing regular with synthetic oil

Let’s go straight into answering the question of whether you can mix synthetic oil with regular oil. Yes, you can mix these two oil types, but you should do so only as a stop-gap measure. If your engine has run out of oil and you can’t get regular oil, you can go ahead and top up using synthetic oil, but just enough to help you reach where you can get regular oil. If you have to use a mixture of synthetic and standard oil, go for the professionally mixed blends.

All motor oils have similar ingredients (additives added to the base oil), explaining why the two oil types are compatible when mixed. The only difference between these oil types is their refinery process.

Regular oil isn’t as expensive as synthetic oil, but it leads to engine gunk and sludge build-up because it is not well refined. On the other hand, synthetic oil is more refined and, therefore, has fewer impurities. That’s why it is more expensive. It lubricates for longer and keeps the engine cleaner than when you use conventional oil.

Remember that mixing conventional and synthetic oils lower the quality of synthetic oil. Not only that, if you like using mixed oil, you may end up changing oil more frequently than necessary. This has an effect of increasing your expenditure on oil. This is because your engine might not have been manufactured to run on mixed oil.

Difference Between Synthetic and Regular Oil

Even though synthetic and regular oils contain the same base ingredients, they aren’t 100% similar. They have different detergents and additives, leading to different chemical properties. When you mix oils, your motor oil will get destabilized, thereby compromising its efficiency, affecting your engine’s performance.

Both synthetic and regular motor oils are derivatives of petroleum. Regular oil is a derivative of crude oil. As it circulates through your engine, it will lubricate it and protect it from wear and tear. At the same time, it will ensure the engine doesn’t overheat. It acts as an engine sealant, keeps it clean, and prevent it from rusting. Synthetic oil performs the same functions as regular oil, but it works better under high pressure and temperature conditions.

Even though synthetic oil also undergoes refinery, it is further purified and distilled to reduce impurities. It also contains some additives that help it protect the engine from damage and ensure it remains clean.

These two types of oils undergo thermal degradation at different temperatures. Synthetic oil works well in vehicles that run very hot because they get thermally degraded at high temperatures than conventional oil.

Can You Top Up Your Oil?

For your engine to remain in top shape, it’s imperative to keep the oil clean and at safe levels. You may decide to top up the oil between the changes to maintain safe levels, but you need to maintain the oil’s cleanliness. It is this process of toping up that leads to the mixing of oils.

While there’s no harm when you top up occasionally, getting your oil changed is better than having these top-ups. A complete oil change ensures your engine works optimally and runs smoothly.

If you have to top up, it is advisable to use the same type of oil in the engine to maintain its quality and derive maximum benefits from it.

Always top up or change oil or top up according to the directions given by your car’s manufacturer. If you can’t reach your manufacturer, you can talk to an expert to give you the way forward. The best thing is to stick to your car manufacturer’s recommendations on the performance and viscosity grade of the oil your car is supposed to use.

Are there any negative effects?

It is strongly recommended that you don’t mix oils. As stated earlier, doing so once in a while maybe okay, but if you make it a habit, your engine will eventually suffer. These oils have different ingredients, and their mixture will have totally different chemical properties that may not be compatible with your engine. If you have a high-end car that’s a little more sensitive, it will prevent synthetic oil from working as expected. The engine may not get damaged, but it will not perform the way it is supposed to.

Can Your Switch Engine Oils?

Yes, it is possible to switch oils. So if you are thinking of switching your engine oil, visit a certified oil changer to help you. If the oil switch is done by an unqualified mechanic, your car engine may get damaged.

Even though synthetic oil is a little more expensive, it lasts longer and protects the engine better than conventional ones.

This means that if you rely fully on synthetic oil, you’ll reduce your frequency of oil changes, which will benefit you in terms of oil change costs. Your engine will also last longer because of their better engine protection.

Final Words

There has been a need to reduce reliance on natural resources, including fossil fuels. This is why synthetic oil is increasing in popularity. The high cost of crude oil importation and the detrimental effect on the environment has made many experts look elsewhere. Synthetic oil is safe, and today, many car manufacturers are considering producing car engines that can run fully on synthetic oil.