What happens if you mix different gear oils? This question worries many motorists, and in our article we will talk in detail about the properties and features of gear oils, as well as the likely consequences of mixing lubricants from different manufacturers.
1 Classification of gear oils - what are they?
As with motor oils, gear oils are based on a synthetic, semi-synthetic or mineral base. Therefore, they are usually distinguished by the viscosity coefficient and by the number of additives in the composition. To date, there are two generally accepted classifications of gear lubricants - API and SAE.
SAE-classification divides oils according to the degree of viscosity. Distinguish:
- winter oils, viscosity index from 70 to 85 W;
- summer oils, viscosity index from 80 to 250 W;
- all-weather, 80-150 W according to the SAE index.
The second indicator by which all gear lubricants are classified is the API index, which divides them into 7 possible subgroups, based on the maximum allowable load factor. Symbols GL 1 to 6 or MT-1. Other characteristics of the oil, the amount of additives, additional properties, as a rule, are indicated on the packaging with the product, while each manufacturer tries to draw the attention of the buyer to the features of his lubricant to the maximum.
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Synthetic, semi-synthetic or mineral oils of the same subgroup with practically similar indices, for example 5W30 and 5w40, differ significantly from each other in the package of additional additives. That is, the amount of chemical impurities in synthetics is much higher than that of mineral water, respectively, mixing these two materials will lead to unknown and unverified chemical reactions, which can provoke various consequences for transmission parts.
2 Can formulations from different manufacturers be mixed?
As you know, the transmission of a car does not carry as much load as the engine does. Based on this, some motorists conclude that it is possible to mix gear oils with different components and from different manufacturers, since the requirements for the performance of this oil are much lower and more loyal than for motor lubricants. However, this opinion is wrong!
In case of an urgent and urgent need to add oil to the box to the recommended level (for example, to get to a car service), you can do this without any special consequences for the car.
The absence of a normal oil level in the box is much more detrimental to its parts than the temporary mixing of lubricating fluids of different composition, therefore, in emergency cases, it is possible to fill in instead of one another. But over a longer distance, as practice shows, when using such a mixture, serious problems can arise in the system.
The most dangerous factor in mixing different oils for gearbox assemblies is a negative chemical reaction, as a result of which a white precipitate forms and falls. Over time, it clogs the most vulnerable transmission nodes, especially when it comes to CVT boxes. In addition, the oil filter becomes clogged very quickly, which also slows down the normal operation of the gearbox.
It is also impossible to mix oil with different characteristics from the same manufacturer. For example, some car owners save money by adding some synthetics to the mineral, thereby wanting to get a mixed semi-synthetic material. But due to the difference in additives and the different requirements for the operation of the two types of oil, a gradual thickening occurs, it turns into a “slurry”, with the same dangerous white precipitate falling out. As a result, the rubbing parts of the box wear out and the oil seals and filter fail, which leads to inevitable repairs.
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3 What if I had to mix different oils?
In the event of an emergency, such as a sharp drop in the oil level on the road, did you still have to top up the box with what is available? Or was there an unsuccessful experiment to create homemade semi-synthetics? We recommend that you perform a comprehensive hardware cleaning of the system as soon as possible. You can do this at any car service that has specialists in automatic transmissions.
It is possible to flush the systems yourself with the help of special cleaners, it all depends on the type and access to the gearbox, but this still does not guarantee complete washing out of the previous lubricant, the remnants of which can subsequently spoil the freshly filled composition. There are special devices at the services that wash even the most hard-to-reach parts of the system several times, thereby completely washing out the remnants of the old material.
In this case, we do not recommend using special additives that “harden” or improve the operation of parts in the system, as in the case of engine flushing. It is better to fill in high-quality gear oil from a trusted manufacturer immediately after flushing. Additives in detergents are chemicals, some of which remains on the rubbing parts of the box and creates an additional protective film. However, this film does not last long, and chemical elements enter and mix with the new product without improving its properties.
Use only oils recommended by the car manufacturer, or high-quality, universal options from trusted and well-known companies. You should not save on transmission lubricants, remember that its repair is a very expensive task that not everyone can afford.
If the question arises whether it is possible to mix gear oils, you should be aware of what can happen if the motorist for some reason does not follow or deliberately mixes different types or types of gearbox lubricants. To avoid misunderstandings, consider the possible consequences.
Do not mix gear oils from different manufacturers.
Why You Shouldn't Mix Transmission Lubricants
The fact is that transmission lubricants differ from each other, which is why experts recommend not to mix them in any case. Even those lubricating fluids that have almost identical characteristics and properties can be strikingly different from each other in their basis. In addition, substances, as a rule, have a different component composition, from which their additives and technological impurities are created. It should be noted that oils differ in reaction, which will depend on how the substance reacts to the weather, the nature of the loads and temperature. Even if the technical characteristics of substances have much in common, they cannot be mixed.
Criteria for the difference between gear oils
The inability to mix different lubricants for gearboxes is affected by the characteristics of the compositions. If the car owner is still thinking about whether it is possible to mix gear oils, he must know the basis of the fluids at his disposal. In particular, the oil may have a synthetic, semi-synthetic or mineral base, which differ from each other in terms of viscosity and loading. Accordingly, instead of impossible.
To learn about the characteristics, properties and other distinctive features of the liquid, just read the instructions drawn up by the manufacturer. Mixing oils on different bases will not lead to anything good, synthetic and mineral substances differ from each other in the level of stability of properties that appear in different temperature ranges, as well as depending on the life of the car.
Mixing oils from different manufacturers cannot be carried out even when synthetics and mineral water have similar indicators with respect to the viscosity index. Often, motorists notice that fluids that are different in base have completely identical limits, like 80 - 140W. Any liquid has differences characteristic only for it, which determines the presence or absence of certain chemical impurities.
You should not even guess about whether it is possible to mix gear oil from different manufacturers, because the ones that companies use determine the difference between fluids. Even in the case when the viscosity of different brands of oils is identical, it always differs in the components of technical impurities. Manufacturers independently develop additive formulations, keeping them secret. If a motorist decides to still try to mix different substances, he must be prepared for the consequences. As practice shows, only in critical situations should gear oils be mixed, for example, with a sharp loss of the required amount of lubricant.
In fact, the critical level of lubrication in the gearbox is much more dangerous than mixed fluids. In a situation where the lubricant reaches a critical level, it happens that motorists, at their own peril and risk, add liquid from any other manufacturer. However, such action should be resorted to extremely rarely, such a measure is considered to be temporary, which is why the transmission should be replaced whenever possible.
What can happen?
If the car owner does not know whether it is possible to mix gear oils of the same manufacturer or different ones, he must guess about the likelihood of subsequent problems. Initially, a significant deposit will appear in the gearbox. Due to the difference in the components in the CPR, completely unforeseen chemical reactions can occur. Due to the fact that many motorists do not consider it necessary at all with a checkpoint, in the event of an emergency they try to save as much as possible by purchasing the most budgetary substance.
Even though the transmission is not subjected to such enormous loads as the power unit, its components and components need high-quality lubricating fluid, and due to the fact that the chemical additives in the oils are different from each other, you should buy only the same substance (with ). If you pour different brands of oil into the transmission, whitish flakes will appear as a result of chemical reactions occurring inside the device.
If there are few such flakes at once, then subsequently, in the absence of due attention from the motorist, the amount of sediment formed will negatively affect the system, it cannot be ruled out that severe clogging of the device may occur. Only automatic transmissions and CVTs are prone to such problems. Due to the presence of the filter, the operation of the entire system may stall. Often a careless attitude leads to the output of the transmission from working condition.
Mixing oils of different viscosities, according to service center workers, often leads to serious violations. This happens especially often if a motorist, through negligence or inattention, bought a substance from one manufacturer without looking at its basis, in particular, filling synthetics with mineral water.
If the car owner naively believes that it is possible to mix gear oils from the same manufacturer, he should know that after 400 km. liquids in the device will begin to foam, a whitish precipitate will appear. If you do not contact the service center specialists in time, the oil mixture will become thicker, the elements of the system will begin to wear out many times faster, and the pressure on the oil seals will also increase. Often it was necessary to observe how the seals were simply pushed out of their place.
What to do if the lubricants in the transmission are already mixed
So, if the dangerous consequences of mixing oils are already known to the motorist, but he can no longer do anything, and the presence of a malfunction has become noticeable due to the uncharacteristic operation of the gearbox, you should resort to a hardware lubricant change as soon as possible. Only a complete drain of the liquid and flushing of the unit can return the device to working condition. The necessary actions in case of possible mixing of gear oil can be carried out by any experienced employee of the service center. The fact is that changing the oil in the transmission is much more difficult, it will not be able to come out on its own like lubricant from the engine. Even with all sorts of manipulations, only a third of the oil will come out of the gearbox in one drain.
Conclusion
If the motorist uses a lubricant from another manufacturer or a lubricant with a different base, a complete replacement should be made immediately, otherwise in the near future you may be faced with the need to clean the entire device from plaque and whitish sediment. The gearbox should only be topped up with gear lubricant recommended by the manufacturer.
Although many transmission fluids have similar characteristics, their bases differ, as does the set of active chemical additives and process impurities. Different transmission fluids also react differently to changing weather and temperature conditions. That is why service stations do not recommend mixing transmission oil fluids even with similar technical characteristics.
What are transmission oils?
All gear oils are made on three modern types of bases: synthetic, mineral and semi-synthetic. Oils differ in the degree of viscosity, which is divided into 3 subgroups defined by the SAE classification:
- indexes 70-85W are typical for winter use
- for summer use - indices 80-250W
- all-weather (universal) indices - 75-90W and 80-140W
There is also an API classification system that divides oils into 7 subgroups from GL1 to PD-6, as well as MT-1, depending on the degree of permissible load on the gear lubricant.
Although gear lubricants may have similar viscosity index or load index values, there are still significant differences between them in terms of the chemical additives they contain. It is these additives that do not allow mixing gear oils, because. each manufacturer independently develops their composition and set, which are a trade secret of each brand.
The only situation that allows mixing gear oils is an emergency loss of oil fluid volume, because. severe lack of oil level in the transmission is much worse than possible mixing. It should be borne in mind that this is a temporary measure and at the first opportunity it is necessary to replace the transmission mixture.
What does mixing gear oils do?
There are no aggressive modes in the transmission units, as, for example, in the engine, so some car owners resort to mixing transmission oils when it becomes necessary to normalize the fluid level in the box. However, due to their different composition, when mixing transmission fluids, a negative chemical reaction can occur, which leads to the appearance of white flakes of sediment that clogs the entire transmission system. This problem is especially relevant for owners of cars with automatic transmissions and CVTs. As a result, the gearbox can completely fail, and the components and parts of the transmission will receive significant damage.
What to do with a possible mixture of gear oils?
If for some reason a mixture of gear oils has occurred, and you notice the appearance of failures in the operation of the gearbox, it is necessary to carry out a complete oil change as soon as possible using special flushing agents. Since it is necessary to carry out a complete fluid change, it is better to contact a car service, because. it is difficult to perform this procedure on your own. After that, fill in the gear lubricant recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.
It is necessary to choose gear oil strictly according to the recommendations of the automaker. In addition, we recommend that you purchase only products from well-known, experienced manufacturers of motorists. In the IXORA store you will find a wide range of original quality gear oils for any make and model of car.
| Manufacturer | Detail number | Part Name |
|---|---|---|
| FEBI | 21829 | Transmission oil Febi SAE EU, 75W, synthetic, 1L |
| HYUNDAI | 0430000140 | Transmission oil Hyundai KR, 75W-85, semi-synthetic, 1 |
| TOTAL | 166277 | Transmission oil Total Total Transmission Bv Gl-4, 75W-80, transmission, 1L |
| VAG | G052171A2 | Transmission fluid VW G052 171 EU, synthetic, 1L |
| TOYOTA | 0888581001 | Transmission fluid Toyota LV MT Gear Oil UAE, 75W, mineral, 1L |
| HONDA | 0826199964 | Transmission oil Honda Ultra KR-III JP, KR-III, mineral, 4L |
| HYUNDAI | 0430000110 | Transmission oil Hyundai KR, 75W-85, semi-synthetic, 1L |
| CASTROL | 4671920060 | Transmission oil Castrol Syntrax Universal Semi-Synthetic EU, 75W-90, semi-synthetic, 1L |
| MOBIL | 142123 | Gear oil Mobil Gl-45 Mobilube SHC, 75W-90, synthetic, 1L |
| CASTROL | 4671880060 | Transmission oil Castrol syntrans Transaxle Gl-45 Synthetic, 75W-90, synthetic, 1L |
| ENEOS | OIL1300 | Transmission fluid Eneos ATF Dexron ii JP, Dexron-II, mineral, 1L |
| TOYOTA | 0888680506 | Transmission fluid Toyota ATF Mineral EU, Dexron-III, mineral, 1L |
| MITSUBISHI | ACH1ZC1X05 | Transmission fluid Mitsubishi Diaqueen ATF SP-III US A, mineral, 1L |
| ENEOS | OIL1304 | Transmission fluid Eneos ATF Dexron ii JP, Dexron-II, mineral, 4L |
| HYUNDAI | 0450000400 |
Today we’ll talk with you about whether it is possible to mix gear oils from different manufacturers, and what will happen if they are accidentally or deliberately mixed? In many ways, the situation with transmission lubricant is the same as with engine oils.
Both that, and another to the full is not the unified product. That is, roughly speaking, according to the rules, despite similar characteristics, transmission lubricants differ and experts do not recommend mixing them (or doing this in the most extreme cases).
Is it possible to mix gear oils from different manufacturers, an analysis of the components of these lubricants themselves will tell. So, what is gear oil made of?
What is known about the composition?
Any modern transmission oil, as a rule, consists of the basic base on which this type of oil is based: synthetics, semi-synthetics, minerals. So the base of oils from different manufacturers may be the same (well, or almost the same). The other part of the lubricants is made up of certain additives and additives characteristic of a given manufacturer. It is they who betray their own, unique difference to the transmission oil.
They are different for different companies - they differ and constitute, for example, a source of pride for the developer. Formulas of additives and additives are sometimes kept in the deepest secret and protected by trade secret laws (I immediately remember what industrial espionage is)! Like engine oils, transmission oils have different tolerances, temperature conditions for successful operation, additives and additives. So, the driver who is going to add some oil to the transmission needs to remember this, first of all.
What happens if you mix?
Of course, in the transmission unit such temperature regimes as in the engine itself are not observed, you say. Therefore, why not add an analogue from another company, because there is nothing military in this? And you will be absolutely wrong. When mixed, precipitation in the form of whitish flakes is possible.
What is the risk? They can clog the entire transmission system (especially suffer in this case). Filters can also be clogged, and then the entire system will fail rather quickly. And who needs such a risk? Of course, there are options that will carry over, and the sediment may not form. But is it worth playing such a lottery, where the health and normal functioning of such an important unit as the transmission unit is at stake?
One of the popular misconceptions
Lubricant for transmission, as well as motor, is divided into three varieties: mineral water, synthetics and semi-synthetics. Even among experienced drivers, there is a certain misconception that if synthetics are added to a mineral water, a semi-synthetic mix will come out (regardless of production). And that in this way it is possible to mix almost any oil. But this is far from true. Better and we will not check on personal experience, but listen to experts.
With such mixing, the formation of foam is observed, and after about 500-700 km. precipitation appears in the form of the same whitish flakes. And then, somewhere in the 1000 kilometers traveled, the slurry also begins to thicken, clogging all possible holes and the entire system.
In addition, seals can be squeezed out from this. Well, if you find flaws in time. Then you need to completely drain the resulting unpresentable composition and. And then fill in regular oil, the one recommended by the car manufacturer (as a rule, this information is in the service book or on the official website of the company). So, no initiative.
Results
So, based on the foregoing, I want to draw a line: no matter who and whatever tells you whether it is possible to mix gear oils from different manufacturers, it is still not advisable to do such experiments, as this may affect the further functioning of your car transmission.
Yes, there are no such high temperatures in the box as in the engine. But on the other hand, there is high-precision mechanics and electronics, which (especially in automatic transmissions - on the machine) can be screwed up as easy as shelling pears with the help of such topping up. And mixing is possible only in emergency cases, when, for example, you are on a long journey, and the system is leaking - in order to reach the nearest service station or garage. And then - make sure that at least the labeling of the oils matches. Arriving safely at the place, you will have to completely drain the mixture and rinse the box. Then - fill in the oil required for your car.
It is no secret that in the process of using a personal car, many owners resort to mixing several technical fluids designed to simplify the operation of one of the vehicle's structural mechanisms. There are many reasons for such actions. However, the most common is the desire of the car owner to save money. Therefore, it happens that grease from a new package and residues from the old one are added to the system. Very often, the car owner even mixes liquids under different brands. So is it possible to mix gear oils from different manufacturers will be discussed further.
Can engine and transmission oil be mixed?
There are many common components in the composition of engine oils and transmission lubricants. However, this does not apply precisely to the identical composition of both liquids. It's just that each of these oils cannot be called a unified product. In other words, according to existing rules and recommendations, even without taking into account very similar characteristics, the answer to the question of whether engine and transmission oil can be mixed is negative. In the most extreme cases, this action is allowed. But as soon as the “native” liquid is found, the gearbox system will need to be cleaned of the mixture.
Danger of mixing lubricants
Careless mixing of several types of gearbox oils can cause very serious consequences. But the main ones will be related to the design features of the box.
The work of lubrication in gearboxes and gearboxes occurs at low temperatures, relative to the operating conditions of engine oil. However, liquids under different brands can have many differences in chemical composition, and certainly in terms of additives. This circumstance can have an impact on the appearance of an unpredictable reaction during the mixing process, causing the appearance of sediment, which will simply create a blockage in the system. This is true for variators and automatic machines. The fact is that the design of the gearbox provides for the presence of a filter. This part is very quickly clogged with reaction products, and the box itself breaks because its internal elements are poorly lubricated. Things are a little different with the manual transmission. However, the consequences of mixing the oil will not be any easier.
Even experienced motorists sometimes believe that by mixing synthetics and mineral oil, you can get a liquid that resembles semi-synthetics in composition. And this is a very big misconception. First of all, when these liquids are mixed, foam will form, and after a couple of days of driving, sediment will appear. It was talked about before. After the car has traveled thousands of kilometers, the oil in the gearbox will become thick and clog oil channels and other openings. Further, the extrusion of the seals may occur.
Conclusion
Whatever information sounds from different sources, it is important to remember that when mixing gear oils from several manufacturers, you can get extremely negative consequences for the operation of the box, up to its complete failure.
But, after all, there is no high operating temperature in the box, which is when the motor is running. But the gearbox is stuffed with high-precision electronics (especially on the machine) and such a mixture of different oils will easily disable it. The only option when you can mix several lubricants under different names is in an emergency on the road. And even if such a case occurs, it is imperative to fill in liquids with the same marking. And, as soon as the car successfully arrives at its destination, you will have to drain the mixed lubricants, flush the box, and fill in a new fluid recommended for use by the vehicle manufacturer.
