Just completed a 4000-mile round trip to California and back again. At the midpoint of the return trip, I checked the oil to find it 1/2 quart low (I think the guys at the Quickie-Lube didn't fill it all the way). Anyway, I keep a couple of spare quarts in my road toolkit, so no biggie ... except ... I grabbed the wrong bottle and topped off my 2005 Mazda Tribute 3.0 liter's synthetic oil fill with the dino juice (conventional oil) I use in my truck. Then I drove the remaining 1500 miles home before the light bulb went on over my head.

Questions:

1) Did I screw up my motor, and if so, how bad?
2) Should I now change the oil right away?
3) Or should I just relax because it's really no big deal?

I'm really rooting for #3, but any advice at all would be helpful.

 

It is not a big deal.

Change the oil when it's convenient this weekend.

 

#3
I wouldn't worry about that.

 

2X on what Koda said, seems the more you read about mixing oils the more confused you get. I wouldn't worry about it. I'll bet there's an engineer somewhere who probably recommends it.

 

OMG... No as the others said no harm.

 

Castrol VP was on a how to show last week ans specifically said sythn and traditional were no biggie to mix, so I vote #3.
Tim

 

I wouldn't even worry about it till it's next scheduled change.

 

Lord tunderin' geez

4) Roll de' miles back and trade er' in !

 

Here's another vote for your #3. They should mix reasonably well. As a policy I usually don't mix different brands of oil due to the different additives, but I don't think that you damaged anything. But if it will put your mind to rest, after 4K+ miles, you could do an oil & filter change. Then you won't have to have any more nightmares.

 

Here's a suggestion that will solve future trips and worries ............ DON'T go to quickie lube, do your own.

 

You can buy mixed oil right off the shelf....keep on truckin till the next oil change.

 

That's not really very helpful. I was on the road, many miles away from my garage. What would you have me do?

 

Thanks for the input, everybody. The consensus seems to be that #3 is the correct choice, so I'll leave it be and see what happens. I'll report back if I have to pony up for a new engine!

 

If it helps, that's what I am running in my Olds right now. I picked up several quarts of what I figured (api code) as at least 20 year old sealed new of 10w-30 and I mixed 50/50 with a full synthetic 10w-30 at a estate sale. That old of oil should still have a high zinc content.

Pat

 

There are many brands that have semi synthetic oils for sale(some dino oil some synthetic in the same jug.No foul no crime. Happy motoring..... Tedd

 

Number 3, no harm no foul. You just made your own synthetic blend oil.
Like another mentioned, Castrol engineer made the same no harm statement.