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It is usually when you are traveling and suddenly realize your engine oil level’s low, and you have no other option than to use conventional motor oils, that you wonder if it is okay to mix synthetic oil and conventional motor oil.
Well, when you look at things upfront, there is actually no danger in mixing the two. Nothing bad or untoward happens like a gel-forming because of chemical interactions. The problem, however, lies in the fact that conventional oil will only end up affecting and reducing or diluting the benefits of synthetic oil.
While both types of oils are a combination of base oils and additives, the synthetic versions have higher-quality additives and don’t contain the impurities found in conventional base oils. Both conventional and synthetic oils are made from petroleum and circulate the engine to keep it cool and prevent wear by acting as a lubricant. However synthetic oil is tailored to work well in high temperatures and pressure.
There’s another reason to not routinely mix oils. The additive in the different oils may interact and get destabilized. This ends up reducing the additives’ properties, which will be a waste of money after spending so much on expensive synthetic oil. If you have no option but to mix oils, it is better to change the oil sooner than expected. Though it may not damage your engine, the mixing of conventional and synthetic oils can reduce your vehicle’s performance.
So in a nutshell, it is advisable to mix oils only if in an emergency. If not, it’s not a great idea. It’s better to stick to using only synthetic motor oils which constitute better quality components. After all, when you are using the best oil available why compensate or add anything to it?
If You Want To Get Out of a Jam
Check Our Top Synthetic Oil Picks
And Heres Our Top Conventional Oils
Can you mix synthetic brake fluid with regular brake fluid?
It is usually when you have to top off brake fluids, or have been using regular brake fluid for a long time and are considering switching to synthetic brake fluid, that you wonder if you can mix synthetic brake fluid with regular brake fluid.
Well, it’s better to first get the question right. This is because most vehicles use brake fluid, and not oils to activate brakes. Brake fluid doesn’t have any lubricating properties and is not compatible with oils.
Most cars use DOT (Department of Transportation) 3, 4 or 5.1 fluids, which are all glycol based, and sometimes considered synthetic brake fluids. DOT5 brake fluid is the odd one out, as it is silicone based and should not be mixed with any other DOT fluid. The difference in the fluids lies mainly in their boiling points. So the worst that may happen if DOT 3,4 and 5.1 brake fluids are mixed is a reduction in the fluid’s boiling point.
However, DOT 5 or silicon-based brake fluid is not compatible with anything and should not be mixed at all. And neither should you mix any type of brake fluid with oil. As usual, to be on the safer side, you could consider sucking out all the fluid from the reservoir and then refilling with fresh, new fluid instead of mixing fluids for better performance.
Can you mix synthetic transmission fluid with regular transmission fluid?
There is a chance that you may not know if your tranny has conventional or synthetic fluid in it. It is while topping it up that you wonder if you can mix synthetic transmission fluid with regular transmission fluid.
Well, it was considered risky mixing both fluids about 15 years ago. However, it is not that big an issue today because technological advancements have to lead to better synthetic fluids which can be mixed with regular fluids.
But it’s better to do this only in emergencies when there are no other options. This is because there is a chance of your voiding your transmission’s warranty if you mix fluids in some vehicles. There are some car brands which are particular about using a specific synthetic transmission fluid for their cars, sometimes only suggest using fluids blended by their own company.
This is because they want to ensure the fluid has the required lubricants and additives that ensure the proper functioning of the transmission. They at the same time mention that there is the risk of violating the warranty if fluids are mixed. So to be on the safer side, it is better to do a full flush if you do not know what fluid to use and if you mix fluids when you have no other option.
Last update on 2023-11-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
