It will be fine
Mixing different brands of 0W-20 Full Synthetic
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Originally Posted By: TheBus36
I haven't been on this site in a long time and I hate to ask a question that has been previously answered somewhere on here however a search does not yield any results. Is ti okay to mix different brands of full synthetic of the same viscosity. I've done it over the years many times with conventional and have had no problems. Thanks.
They are all compatible, it's an API requirement.
But what does "COMPATIBLE" mean ?
The ASTM test procedure is to take the finished oil product, and mix it with 7 API reference oils. Each mix is then taken down to it's new gell point (note new gell point, there's no requirement for it to remain the same), then heated to 150C, then frozen again, and thawed.
To be "compatible", the mix of oils can't split like a salad dressing, nor drop out precipitates.
That's it...that's all it promises.
So the strongest likelihood is that your mixes won't split like salad dressing, nor blow chunks.
As to the mix
* meeting 0W
* behaving predictably in any of the online calculators
* being guaranteed to meet the same performance standards (e.g. SN, DEXOS, etc.)
You are on your own, and nothing guarantees that, nor requires that to be the case.
But there's a new BITOG performance standard that I'm amazed the industry hasn't adopted en masse, and it's the "nothing blew up" test, that is quoted daily these days.
I haven't been on this site in a long time and I hate to ask a question that has been previously answered somewhere on here however a search does not yield any results. Is ti okay to mix different brands of full synthetic of the same viscosity. I've done it over the years many times with conventional and have had no problems. Thanks.
They are all compatible, it's an API requirement.
But what does "COMPATIBLE" mean ?
The ASTM test procedure is to take the finished oil product, and mix it with 7 API reference oils. Each mix is then taken down to it's new gell point (note new gell point, there's no requirement for it to remain the same), then heated to 150C, then frozen again, and thawed.
To be "compatible", the mix of oils can't split like a salad dressing, nor drop out precipitates.
That's it...that's all it promises.
So the strongest likelihood is that your mixes won't split like salad dressing, nor blow chunks.
As to the mix
* meeting 0W
* behaving predictably in any of the online calculators
* being guaranteed to meet the same performance standards (e.g. SN, DEXOS, etc.)
You are on your own, and nothing guarantees that, nor requires that to be the case.
But there's a new BITOG performance standard that I'm amazed the industry hasn't adopted en masse, and it's the "nothing blew up" test, that is quoted daily these days.
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Mix away but bear in mind that you have no idea of what the grade of the mix is as well as the API or other spec it might or might not meet.
By the standard of avoiding engine death, a mix will almost always be fine.
By the standard of providing the viscosity grade specified for your engine it probably won't be and the required API or other spec might or might not be met by the mix.
If I have a few odd quarts to get rid of, I'll run a shortish OCI on a mix, but only during the warmer months.
The OPEs also absorb at least some of the leftovers.
There is nothing less picky than an OPE.
I agree with fdcg27.
Quote again.... by Shannow:
"As to the mix
* meeting 0W
* behaving predictably in any of the online calculators
* being guaranteed to meet the same performance standards (e.g. SN, DEXOS, etc.)
You are on your own, and nothing guarantees that, nor requires that to be the case."
I also agree with Shannow.
While any oil is better than no/low oil ....mixing is not an optimal strategy because, for instance, let's say you mix Valvoline 0w20 with M1 0w20...the Valvoline uses Sodium at XXXppm while Mobil1 uses Magnesium at XXppm (the lube formulators have decided that those ppm's create an effective lubricant.) Your mix would have less of both sodium and magnesium than the original VSP or M1 and probably isn't as good as either oil on it's own (I'm talking about a 50/50 mix and not adding a pint for top off).
If I have to mix I try to use oils with a very similar additive package...ie: VSP and Royal Purple.
Mix away but bear in mind that you have no idea of what the grade of the mix is as well as the API or other spec it might or might not meet.
By the standard of avoiding engine death, a mix will almost always be fine.
By the standard of providing the viscosity grade specified for your engine it probably won't be and the required API or other spec might or might not be met by the mix.
If I have a few odd quarts to get rid of, I'll run a shortish OCI on a mix, but only during the warmer months.
The OPEs also absorb at least some of the leftovers.
There is nothing less picky than an OPE.
I agree with fdcg27.
Quote again.... by Shannow:
"As to the mix
* meeting 0W
* behaving predictably in any of the online calculators
* being guaranteed to meet the same performance standards (e.g. SN, DEXOS, etc.)
You are on your own, and nothing guarantees that, nor requires that to be the case."
I also agree with Shannow.
While any oil is better than no/low oil ....mixing is not an optimal strategy because, for instance, let's say you mix Valvoline 0w20 with M1 0w20...the Valvoline uses Sodium at XXXppm while Mobil1 uses Magnesium at XXppm (the lube formulators have decided that those ppm's create an effective lubricant.) Your mix would have less of both sodium and magnesium than the original VSP or M1 and probably isn't as good as either oil on it's own (I'm talking about a 50/50 mix and not adding a pint for top off).
If I have to mix I try to use oils with a very similar additive package...ie: VSP and Royal Purple.
can other oils be mixed with Royal Purple? RP is the only oil that is an odd color, so how does it mix with other synthetics? Same thing, no problems?
Sure you can, but I'd hesitate with it and any other long drain oil. Royal Purple's (and M1's and M1 EP's) mileage guarantees are based upon you using their product, and not some blend thereof.
Originally Posted By: HOG
can other oils be mixed with Royal Purple? RP is the only oil that is an odd color, so how does it mix with other synthetics? Same thing, no problems?
As I said in my post, RP's additive package seems almost identical to Valvoline Synpower (according to PQIA's analysis)....in fact unless the base oil is much better, I don't really see why someone would pay more for the RP.
If I was running RP and had to top off I'd use Synpower if RP wasn't available for the reason cited above.
can other oils be mixed with Royal Purple? RP is the only oil that is an odd color, so how does it mix with other synthetics? Same thing, no problems?
As I said in my post, RP's additive package seems almost identical to Valvoline Synpower (according to PQIA's analysis)....in fact unless the base oil is much better, I don't really see why someone would pay more for the RP.
If I was running RP and had to top off I'd use Synpower if RP wasn't available for the reason cited above.
Originally Posted By: TheBus36
Yeah. I'm talking about mixing synthetics with the same viscosity and API grade such as Castrol, Mobil, Sunoco, etc. My Tundra and my daughters car both use 0W-20. All are dextros approved. If it meets or exceeds the requirements as stated in the owners manual, I would think I'm okay.
I think maybe your choice of words could be better, so some here will understand. Are we talking about just topping off the oil change with a different brand or are we talking about mixing a whole bunch of oils together to get an oil change out of the mix?
1. Is mixing different oils the best practice in the world when changing oil?
Answer = No, simply because different oils use different additive packages to get the same API results.
So if you want the best a particular brand of oil has to offer then it will not help to add different additives that is not part of that brand of oil.
2. Will it, in the real world, matter mixing different oils?
Answer = No, mostly but you are adding some unknown formulas of oil and mixing them together.
Again, is it a best practice? No
3. I would think you are better off just getting the dirt cheapest synthetic oil and buying a few gallons of it at a time so you dont have to mix? Unless just to top off an oil change.
Yeah. I'm talking about mixing synthetics with the same viscosity and API grade such as Castrol, Mobil, Sunoco, etc. My Tundra and my daughters car both use 0W-20. All are dextros approved. If it meets or exceeds the requirements as stated in the owners manual, I would think I'm okay.
I think maybe your choice of words could be better, so some here will understand. Are we talking about just topping off the oil change with a different brand or are we talking about mixing a whole bunch of oils together to get an oil change out of the mix?
1. Is mixing different oils the best practice in the world when changing oil?
Answer = No, simply because different oils use different additive packages to get the same API results.
So if you want the best a particular brand of oil has to offer then it will not help to add different additives that is not part of that brand of oil.
2. Will it, in the real world, matter mixing different oils?
Answer = No, mostly but you are adding some unknown formulas of oil and mixing them together.
Again, is it a best practice? No
3. I would think you are better off just getting the dirt cheapest synthetic oil and buying a few gallons of it at a time so you dont have to mix? Unless just to top off an oil change.
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