Hydrocracked engine oils: good or bad?

Lately, car owners have increasingly been arguing and debating over whether it's possible, good, or correct to use hydrocracked oils in their beloved four-wheeled steeds. I think this topic deserves to have the dots put over the "i"s once and for all.

So below I'll try to explain, in language a car owner can easily understand, what this actually is, where it comes from, and how hydrocracked oil differs from synthetic or mineral oil. But before that, I think it's worth reminding you of this site's motto: engine oils fall into just two categories: those that suit your engine, and those that don't. And for how to choose the right engine oil, read this article.

That said, believe me, the base oil's production technology is a deeply secondary factor and is merely one of the parameters for correctly choosing the length of the service interval. I can say with full confidence that if an engine oil has the quality classes, approvals and endorsements your engine needs, and, on top of that, isn't a counterfeit — you can confidently pour it into your engine, regardless of whether it's synthetic, hydrocracked or mineral.