Mixing SEVERAL grades oil and weights

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FirstNissan

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Hey guys, hope sunday is going well. My neighbor (Know-it-all) is currently in the driveway doing an oil change on his 2006 nissan sentra. He does a very very infrequent oil change (15K-20K OCI on dino), so its always an interesting time.
Anyways, he is out there, using several quarts of different 5W30 oil, syn and dino, and a 10W30 quart as well. Im pretty sure his car calls for 5W30 like my nissan. I asked him why he's mixing, says that he got some clearance quarts on sale. Just out of curiosity, any harm in mixing syn with dino with 5W30 and 10W30?
 
It won't cause any harm, although it probably won't be especially good either.
If I ran 15-20K on an OCI, I'd use something a little better than a random mix of clearance oils.
OTOH, I'd have no problem using a random mix on a shortish interval in a beater, although oils of known quality are so inexpensive with the various deals offered that there is little need to do so.
You can always use the odds and ends in the lawnmower.
What did he use as an oil filter, or did that not merit changing?
 
I wouldn't worry about what my neighbor is doing.

He might have some build up with going that long on dino, but mixing is just not a big deal. I wouldn't go crazy mixing 20W-50 with 0W-20, but I have mixed 10W-30 with 5W-20 and no problem at all. I wouldn't do it with a new or collectible car. It's not the best thing in the world either. Unlikely that some hack will randomly come up with the best motor oil on the planet.

NO I AM NOT TELLING PEOPLE TO DO THIS, AND I AM NOT SPEAKING FOR OR ABOUT AMSOIL - PLEASE DO NOT PM ME OR EMAIL AMSOIL TELLING THEM THAT PABLO IS TELLING PEOPLE TO MIX OILS. I AM NOT. I AM SIMPLY SAYING MOST ALL OILS WILL MIX OK

Thanks.
 
No problem....mix away. One of the requirements for API-SM and SN oils was that they had to be compatible with each other. IMO....As long as the oils are all SM or SN there should be no problem with mixing or blending of oils.

I just blended up some Rotella, Triple Protection, 10w30 Dino Diesel, API SM, CJ-4 with Formula Shell 5w30, SM, Dino Oil for my current run. I've got 3 quarts of each blended and in my T4R sump right now.
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Hey guys, hope sunday is going well. My neighbor (Know-it-all) is currently in the driveway doing an oil change on his 2006 nissan sentra. He does a very very infrequent oil change (15K-20K OCI on dino), so its always an interesting time.
Anyways, he is out there, using several quarts of different 5W30 oil, syn and dino, and a 10W30 quart as well. Im pretty sure his car calls for 5W30 like my nissan. I asked him why he's mixing, says that he got some clearance quarts on sale. Just out of curiosity, any harm in mixing syn with dino with 5W30 and 10W30?



thats some funny stuff!!! my neighbor lady (old widow) was like that until i finally took over the maintenance of her car. shes a good lady but just a little forgetful when it comes to car stuff lol
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Hey guys, hope sunday is going well. My neighbor (Know-it-all) is currently in the driveway doing an oil change on his 2006 nissan sentra. He does a very very infrequent oil change (15K-20K OCI on dino), so its always an interesting time.
Anyways, he is out there, using several quarts of different 5W30 oil, syn and dino, and a 10W30 quart as well. Im pretty sure his car calls for 5W30 like my nissan. I asked him why he's mixing, says that he got some clearance quarts on sale. Just out of curiosity, any harm in mixing syn with dino with 5W30 and 10W30?


Let us know if his car seizes/quits ... sounds like we have a beta tester for grade mixing.
35.gif
 
Haha, dont know about his car seizing, hes got 2 cars, a sentra and a 93 cadillac that he inherited from his father. When he did an oil change last year, it was the first oil change on the sentra in 3.5 years and 25K miles (dino). Oil was thicker than clay! The cadillac was several quarts low, flowed/clumped like mud, and a nasty smell. His sentra has a horrible ticking noise when idle, sounds very rough, but somehow still manages to run. Oil filters he uses are usually a Fram/puro classic. Crazy stuff.
To top it off, I helped him with an oil change once last year, after we were done, he tells me that he only runs the good stuff, not the cheap (PP!) junk that I run. I ask him how much he paid for castrol dino, says he bought it from a mom-and-pop auto shop downtown NJ for $30 a gallon!
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Haha, dont know about his car seizing, hes got 2 cars, a sentra and a 93 cadillac that he inherited from his father. When he did an oil change last year, it was the first oil change on the sentra in 3.5 years and 25K miles (dino). Oil was thicker than clay! The cadillac was several quarts low, flowed/clumped like mud, and a nasty smell. His sentra has a horrible ticking noise when idle, sounds very rough, but somehow still manages to run. Oil filters he uses are usually a Fram/puro classic. Crazy stuff.
To top it off, I helped him with an oil change once last year, after we were done, he tells me that he only runs the good stuff, not the cheap (PP!) junk that I run. I ask him how much he paid for castrol dino, says he bought it from a mom-and-pop auto shop downtown NJ for $30 a gallon!


Funny...He'll likely sell his car, or trade it in some day with a perfectly running engine. The rest of us here will have done over-frequent changes with high priced oils and filters, and our UOA. So who's the crazy one...
lol.gif
 
I mix oil all the time, and switch brands depending on what's on sale. As far as I'm concerned, if it has a recent API rating, it's all the same.
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Haha, dont know about his car seizing, hes got 2 cars, a sentra and a 93 cadillac that he inherited from his father. When he did an oil change last year, it was the first oil change on the sentra in 3.5 years and 25K miles (dino). Oil was thicker than clay! The cadillac was several quarts low, flowed/clumped like mud, and a nasty smell. His sentra has a horrible ticking noise when idle, sounds very rough, but somehow still manages to run. Oil filters he uses are usually a Fram/puro classic. Crazy stuff.
To top it off, I helped him with an oil change once last year, after we were done, he tells me that he only runs the good stuff, not the cheap (PP!) junk that I run. I ask him how much he paid for castrol dino, says he bought it from a mom-and-pop auto shop downtown NJ for $30 a gallon!



wow!!! i think i would stay in the house next time i seen him changing his own oil
smile.gif

you cant argue with ignorance can you, but you might suggest he join the site and maybe something will sink in....MAYBE


it kinda breaks my heart to hear or see people neglecting cars like that, hes running them into the ground and when they are used up he will just get another one. THERE SHOULD BE A Car Protective Service to rescue abused cars from neglectful owners
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Haha, dont know about his car seizing, hes got 2 cars, a sentra and a 93 cadillac that he inherited from his father. When he did an oil change last year, it was the first oil change on the sentra in 3.5 years and 25K miles (dino). Oil was thicker than clay! The cadillac was several quarts low, flowed/clumped like mud, and a nasty smell. His sentra has a horrible ticking noise when idle, sounds very rough, but somehow still manages to run. Oil filters he uses are usually a Fram/puro classic. Crazy stuff.
To top it off, I helped him with an oil change once last year, after we were done, he tells me that he only runs the good stuff, not the cheap (PP!) junk that I run. I ask him how much he paid for castrol dino, says he bought it from a mom-and-pop auto shop downtown NJ for $30 a gallon!


Er.. what? It's been noted that his oil is thick, a bad smell, engine idle ticking, and he still does these very long OCIs? I would ask you to point him to BITOG, but perhaps such things are left alone.
crazy2.gif
 
Yep, ive learnt from experience with my neighbor, I do not help with any car work that he does. He had some strut work done last month on his caddy (that has an idle ticking) and then blamed the mechanic for the engine tick and raised all sorts of trouble at the workshop.
I wouldnt reccomend him to BITOG at all!
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Hey guys, hope sunday is going well. My neighbor (Know-it-all) is currently in the driveway doing an oil change on his 2006 nissan sentra. He does a very very infrequent oil change (15K-20K OCI on dino), so its always an interesting time.
Anyways, he is out there, using several quarts of different 5W30 oil, syn and dino, and a 10W30 quart as well. Im pretty sure his car calls for 5W30 like my nissan. I asked him why he's mixing, says that he got some clearance quarts on sale. Just out of curiosity, any harm in mixing syn with dino with 5W30 and 10W30?


if he has the 1.8L in that sentra, he should be more worried about the headgasket blowing up.
thankyou2.gif
 
We had a guy at work with a 95 cutlass and it was making terrible death rattles. When I mentioned it to him, he said that's because it was real low on oil. We had some 10w-40 in the shop but he wouldn't take any because it said 5w-30 only on his engine. Any oil is better than no oil. He blew the engine that night.
 
Ya ever think that certain people should be listed on carfax as having owned cars? I mean, accidents are one thing but clay engine lubrication to me could be worse.
 
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