{"id":2132,"date":"2020-05-06T21:44:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T21:44:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dealerfireblog.com\/thirdcoastautos\/?p=2132"},"modified":"2026-01-14T10:27:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:27:59","slug":"can-i-switch-to-synthetic-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/can-i-switch-to-synthetic-oil\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I switch to synthetic oil?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Safely Changing Your Vehicle from Mineral to Synthetic Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh no! I put synthetic oil in my engine and now my car exploded,\u201d are words the average driver does not want to be in a position to utter. As a result, many drivers staunchly swear by using standard mineral oil in their rides, believing that a switch to synthetic could have some detrimental effect (though perhaps not one so dramatic as an explosion). Some have heard that switching from mineral to synthetic oil could cause an unpleasant shock to their vehicle\u2019s system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are the fears of these drivers justified? Is it safe to\nstart using synthetic oil in your vehicle if you haven\u2019t done so before?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Yes, it\u2019s perfectly fine to switch from mineral oil to synthetic oil (and back again) in your vehicle; there won\u2019t be any detrimental effects on your engine.<\/strong> In fact, experts say that even mixing and matching different oils is acceptable, as is using blended oil or multiple oils from different manufacturers, provided the oils are of the same weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you drive a modern car, the rule to follow is that mineral oil is acceptable, blended oils are preferable, and synthetic oil is the best choice. If you\u2019re driving a 30-year-old machine, using a better oil isn\u2019t going to hurt, but it\u2019s not going to cause much (or any) improvement either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Synthetic Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Synthetic oil is produced in a lab with the goal of making a lubricant that\u2019s better optimized than standard mineral oil. To this end, it also contains a variety of additives<\/a> that help keep the mechanical labyrinths of your vehicle clean and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Synthetic oil maintains a more stable molecular structure, which allows it to withstand fluctuations in temperature, resulting in a longer interval between necessary oil changes. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fears Associated with Synthetic Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Various concerns about the potential drawbacks of synthetic oil have been circulating in the minds of average drivers since the first synthetics were introduced in the early 1970s. A common issue at that time was that synthetic oil could wear down the engine’s seals, causing leaks. While this was a real problem at the advent of synthetic oil, modern engineering has improved to the point that it will not harm your engine seals as long as they\u2019re in decent health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your engine seals are not in decent shape, however, it is possible that synthetic oil could cause problems. If your engine is already relying on accumulated mineral deposits to block leaks, additives in synthetic oils that clean these deposits would likely result in the leaks reopening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detriments of Synthetic Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The only major detriment of synthetic oil is that it\u2019s more\nexpensive than mineral oil; sometimes substantially so. This is due to the\ncomplex lab-based creation process, along with the array of special additives\nwith which synth oil is infused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way to save money is to use mineral oil when the weather\nis pleasant, such as during the summer. If the outside temperature is staying more\nstable, the mineral oil won\u2019t be as adversely affected. Synthetic oil can then\nbe splurged on only when outside conditions make its premium properties most\nuseful. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Safely Changing Your Vehicle from Mineral to Synthetic Oil \u201cOh no! I put synthetic oil in my engine and now my car exploded,\u201d are words the average driver does not want to be in a position to utter. As a result, many drivers staunchly swear by using standard mineral oil in their rides, believing that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n