Q: I accidentally got synthetic oil instead of regular motor oil and only put in quart and a half. Will it mess up my engine?

asked by on November 04, 2016

I accidentally put synthetic oil in my truck instead of regular. I was about a quart and half in before I noticed. Will it damage my truck if I put the rest in?

My car has 158000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi there. Today’s synthetic oils are much different than in years past, so accidental mixing like you’ve described is not as damaging to the engine as in years past. However, I would recommend having the oil changed sooner rather than later so that the oil is consistent and your internal engine components are properly lubricated. Since you’ve added a quart and a half, that raises a red flag to me that you may have some type of oiling issues that should be checked out soon. With winter coming soon, it’s probably a good idea to change your oil anyways to the recommended blend and weight.

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