Switching Oil Brands [The Myth & The Reality]

Switching oil brands! Does changing oil brands matter or have any effects on engines? If you go nuts by thinking about this, you are in the right place. To assure you, switching or going back and forth between oil brands will not damage your engine.

What will affect the engine most is switching to different oil viscosities instead of the oil your car manual recommends. In this guide, we will break down everything related to switching oil brands. Also, we will discuss the myth of switching to synthetic oil. So, stay in tune with us till the end. 

Is Switching Oil Brands Bad?

No, switching oil brands is not bad and they bring no damage to your car engine. Every oil, no matter what brand it comes from, can lubricate every moving part of your engine. What matters most is the oil viscosity and oil specifications. As long as the oil you put into the engine meets the requirement of your vehicle’s manual, your engine will not suffer anymore. 

In short, it doesn’t matter what brand you choose or use, what really matters is the oil specification or the viscosity your car manufacturer recommends. If you switch to different viscosity, your engine will surely suffer from that change. 

We recommend you choose based on viscosity and API rating. If the oil meets your car manual’s requirements, you don’t need to think about the oil brand. 

Can We Switch Engine Oil Brands?

Yes, we can switch engine oil brands and it’s not harmful to the engine. The oils are alike rather than different no matter what brands they come from. So, we don’t think switching engine oil brands matters. However, if you are in confusion, you might see some usage until your car gets used to it. 

Keep in mind, that switching oil brands don’t matter, switching oil grades or viscosity matter. It means you can go for any oil brand but not the viscosity range. The oil brand you want to switch should match the viscosity and API rating your car manual recommends. 

Is It Safe To Switch To Synthetic Oil?

Yes, it’s completely safe to switch to synthetic oil. It provides better engine protection than the traditional engine oil by clearing sludge deposits and lubricating all the moving parts of the engine. 

However, there are some myths about switching to synthetic oil. For example, the well-established myth concerning synthetic oil is- that it damages the engine by wearing down the seals, which causes oil leaks. But this old saying is far from reality. 

What happens, in reality, is- that the synthetic oil clears the sludge deposits that actually work as a seal. Therefore, the delicate molecular structure of this oil has no mercy for cracked or damaged seals.

All of these are actually good because you can easily identify the source of oil leaks and fix them for long-term engine protection. 

Another myth about synthetic oil is- that you can’t put synthetic oil into your engine if you started your vehicle with mineral oil. But the reality is- that changing back and forth between synthetic and mineral oil will not damage your car engine. 

So, forget about those popular synthetic oil myths, and let’s move on to the reality of synthetic oil and what benefits you will enjoy if you switch to synthetic oil. 

Synthetic oils are lab-tested & created an oil that contains additives to keep your engine in its top shape. These oils can easily go to the top of the engine and lubricate every moving part superiorly. So, you don’t need to worry about metal-to-metal frictions. 

If you live in a climate with seasonal changes, you can go with synthetic oil in the winter months. As this oil can easily flow to the top of your engine with ease, you will never suffer from cold starts. However, you can also go back to the mineral oil in the warmer months if you wish as synthetic oil is a bit pricey. 

Indeed, synthetic oil best for your engine, and you can switch from mineral oil to synthetic safely. 

Motor Oil Brands To Avoid

We mentioned above that switching oil brands brings no damage to your engine unless you switch the viscosity grade. However, there are some motor oil brands that you must avoid. Below, we will discuss them and give you a list of alternatives to them. 

Liberty Motor Oil

They always make empty promises and you will get no real benefits by putting the oils from this brand. Your engine can’t bear its too high volatility level. Therefore, they use too low a level of additives. It means you will never expect proper lubrication, protection, and performance from the liberty motor oil. 

As an alternative to Liberty Motor Oil, we recommend the Castrol most. Castrol is one of the leading and reliable brands millions of car owners trust. This brand uses advanced oil formula to ensure the safety & protection of your engine. Its synthetic oil contains artificially made compounds. As a result, you will get superior lubrication and protection even at very high operating temperatures. 

Xpress Lube Pro

Xpress Lube Pro is another oil brand you must say ‘No’. This brand never grades its engine oil according to its viscosity. On top of this, the oils from Xpress Lube Pro contain a lot of impurities and poor functioning. You can’t rely on this type of oil to ensure your engine protection. 

We recommend you go for the AmazonBasics Engine Oil. It uses titanium technology to formulate its motor oil that changes its properties with the temperature change. So, you don’t need to think about what temperature you drive your car. And the best part is- that AmazonBasics offer high-quality engine oil at a cheap price. So, it will save your pocket as it saves your engine by ensuring proper lubrication. 

Petrola Motor Oil

You should also avoid engine oils from Petrola Motor Oil. They always mislead their consumers by providing wrong information. Their oil doesn’t meet the industry standards due to low viscosity. 

Instead of going for Petrola Motor oil, we recommend you use engine oils from Valvoline. Valvoline incorporates MaxLife technology that combines both natural and synthetic oil. As a result, you can go over 10000 miles between oil changes. This engine oil delivers superior engine protection against overheating, sludge, and wear & tear. 

Apart from these oil brands, you should also avoid Quaker State Q, Questron, and Bullseye Motor oil. Instead of them, we recommend you switch to these oil brands- Pennzoil, Liqui Moly, and Mobil 1.  

Conclusion

Changing oil brands will not bring any damage to your engine or engine performance. It means you put any oils from different oil brands until it matches the viscosity and API rating recommended by your car manual. So, be tension-free about all the myths related to switching oil brands or changing to synthetic oil.