Can I Mix Brands? (continued)
We do know that different oil brands can lay down deposits in different areas of an engine. If you mix two brands, you may get the worst of both worlds, instead of the best.All this applies to mixing oils in engines. Changing your brand of engine oil altogether is no problem. However, you should flush the existing oil before adding the new oil.
You should also be aware that engines typically go through a period of adjustment when making the transition from one oil to another. Because brands are formulated with different additives, a new brand may act differently than the old one at first. Increased oil consumption and leaking seals are common adjustment problems. Since additives contain metals, those metals may show up in your first oil analysis reports with the new oil.
Copyright Shell Oil Products US, 2003
