Step three: analysing the current situation

Section Choosing oil in 7 steps, article 6 of 10344 words, 2 minutes

In this section: 10 articles
  1. Choosing engine oil in 7 steps
  2. In place of a foreword
  3. How does it usually start?
  4. Step one: finding out the manufacturer's recommendations
  5. Step two: so what was in there before?
  6. Step three: analysing the current situation
  7. Step four: analysing the market
  8. Step five: choosing the grade and viscosity of the oil
  9. Step six: making the choice of oil
  10. Step seven: buying the oil

So, after the first two steps you already have the data on what the engine manufacturer recommends (engine oil approvals), and also, most likely, on what oil is actually in your engine right now. Now we start thinking about whether there's any need to swap horses mid-stream, that is, whether it's worth troubling yourself with choosing an oil, or whether it's better to leave things as they are.

The thing is, every change of engine oil brand poured into the engine is direct harm done to the engine's internal parts, and a noticeably higher cost for you (for more detail, read the article on how engine flushing is properly done when switching to a different oil brand).

First, compare the results of the research you've already done (that is, the car manufacturer's engine oil approval and the specification of the oil that's actually in there). Ideally, the label on the oil should show exactly your approval. But that's only possible in cases where the car manufacturer has tested that exact brand of oil and certified it under the relevant approval. If everything matches up, you absolutely shouldn't change anything — keep pouring in the same oil as before, and you'll extend your engine's life that way.

The only sensible reason in this case to change the oil brand would be noticeably excessive oil consumption — in that case you'd be better off switching to a more viscous oil (for example, from synthetic to semi-synthetic).

If there's no approval to be found, try to find a breakdown of your approval and compare it with the classification data of the oil that's in the engine. If, broadly speaking, everything matches, you're faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, changing the engine oil brand isn't all that good for the engine (let's be honest — it's harmful); on the other hand, regularly using an engine oil not foreseen by the manufacturer can do the engine far more damage. Personally, in that situation I would still switch the engine over to the "correct" oil, however painful and expensive that is.