Motor oil is the lifeblood of the engine. Its primary role is to lubricate an engine’s moving parts.
Using the wrong motor oil brand could cause catastrophic consequences. The wrong engine oil causes engine damage because it doesn’t lubricate its components. As a result, there’s metal-on-metal contact since there’s no lubrication of the moving parts. Friction follows, which causes the engine parts to wear.
Some motor oil brands to avoid include Petrola, Liberty Oil, Questron, Xpress lube pro, and Bullseye. Others are Everclear, Quaker State Q, Q10-40 Motor Oil, and Xcel Motor Oil.
Some of the best motor oil brands include Mobil, Liqui Moly, Amazon Basics, Castrol, and Pennzoil.
(Bonus: my favorite oil for dirt bikes and other small engines is Amsoil. It can be run in cars or the best hybrid trucks, too, but I mainly run it in my dirt bikes.)
9 Motor Oil Brands To Avoid
Petrola Motor Oil
Petrola motor oil tops the list of motor oil brands to avoid. It is compatible with cars made before 1930, which is one of the significant indicators of how bad the brand is for your modern engine.
The oil’s labeling and packaging aren’t FPLA-compliant.
Because it has few additives, the oil can’t hold up well against temperature changes. Using it will not only increase your fuel consumption but is also harmful to the environment.
Liberty Motor Oil
A striking negative attribute of Liberty motor oil is that its viscosity is 70% lower than desired standards. Under high temperatures, the oil not only becomes too thin but also does an awful job of keeping the engine lubricated. Because of its high volatility rate, it’ll evaporate quickly, further causing severe harm to the engine.
Questron Motor Oil
Questron motor oil’s deceptive packaging lies that the product has passed API SN/GF-5 standards which isn’t the case. The level of additives and viscosity levels are too low. On top of that, the oil doesn’t have appropriate levels of phosphorus, zinc, and calcium.
Bullseye Motor Oil
Unfortunately, Bullseye motor oil is not only thin but also of meager resistance, a combination that does not offer proper lubrication for your engine. Its low viscosity is also notable.
Using it causes sludge accumulation and corrosion in your engine. The low number of additives and its inability to hold well against standard test oil parameters are other reasons Bullseye motor oil is among the motor oil brands to avoid.
Everclear Motor Oil
If there’s one thing that Everclear motor oil has mastered it is deceptive packaging, which doesn’t match the oil’s quality. The label states 5-30, which misleads unsuspecting customers to take the oil to 5w30 viscosity. The sad reality is that it isn’t a multigrade oil.
The Everclear motor oil features a high level of organometallic additives, which isn’t suitable for many engines. Additionally, it uses oil which could severely harm your engine.
The oil’s temperature of cranking viscosity is 260% higher than SAE recommended for this grade.
Quaker State Q Motor Oil
The sad reality of the Quaker State Q motor oil is that it is not only of poor quality, but its price is higher than other motor oil brands. It claims that it’s a multigrade oil which is not the case.
As with other poor-quality motor oil brands, this one is also highly volatile and dissolves quickly, which can harm your engine.
Q10-40 Motor Oil
If you love or care about your car engine’s longevity, it is prudent to avoid this motor oil brand. In addition to lacking an API rating, the oil does not pass many oil certifications in the country. It is poor when it comes to lubrication. So, all the ugly cars with this oil are just a deadly combination (seriously!)
Another reason this is on the motor oil brands to avoid list is that it has high amounts of phosphorus that’ll damage your engine. Its viscosity is 13% lower than it should be. In high temperatures, the oil gets dirty due to its low viscosity index.
The Q10-40 motor oil lacks enough additives to protect your engine from corrosion and sludge.
Xpress Lube Pro Motor Oil
One of the red flags of the Xpress Lube Pro motor oil is that it is chock-full of impurities. Additionally, the level of additives in the oil can glob up in the engine.
Xcel Motor Oil
Finally, on our list of motor oil brands to avoid is Xcel motor oil. Unfortunately, it does not meet the modern car’s innovative requirements. The product’s standard does not include even within the moderate range, which can seriously affect your engine.
The fact that it lacks some essential additives makes it a poor-quality lubricant. Its low viscosity proportion doesn’t offer much resistance to friction.
Now you’ve learned about the motor oil brand to avoid. However, a different topic, if you want to learn about the Ugly cars in the world you can check the article.
Frequently Asked Questions about Motor Oil Brands to Avoid
What constitutes bad motor oil?
Some of the parameters that constitute bad motor oil include:
- Viscosity index
- Quality of additives
- API rating
- Driving conditions
- ILSAC standards
What happens if I use bad motor oil?
In addition to lubrication problems, some of the other devastating effects of using the wrong engine oil brand include reduced fuel economy, engine overheating, engine oil leaks, and, ultimately, shorter engine life.
Which is the best brand of motor oil?
Mobil, Liqui Moly, Amazon Basics, Castrol, and Pennzoil are top of the list of the best motor oil brands in the market today.
Castrol
Castrol motor oil is among the leading oil brands in the market. Its standard goes with innovation and covers every requirement of a modern car. The oil is highly resistant to friction, which enhances consumption and guarantees a smooth ride overall.
Mobil
Mobil is a reliable motor oil brand boasting a solid reputation over the years. The oil’s viscosity index and quality of additives ensure your engine runs optimally for a long time.
Pennzoil
With an array of top qualities, Pennzoil will meet your engine’s needs. From thermal protection and impressive compatibility with cold temperatures to an incredible synthetic formula to make your engine run fast and smooth, there’s no doubt that this oil serves the best performance.
Amazon Basics
From extended protection to high mileage, there’s everything good to write home about this motor oil. In addition to reducing friction and engine wear, this oil prevents thermal breakdown and corrosion, thus keeping your engine rust-proof.
Liqui Moly
Finally, there’s the Liqui Moly motor oil. For starters, it is compatible with different engine types and enriched with extensive drain intervals. The oil comes in an array of flavors. Lastly, it is effective at successfully reducing engine damage.
What are the different types of motor oils?
Five main types of motor oils exist, each being best suited for a particular case.
For instance, some are better at preserving older engines, while others perform exceptionally well in low temperatures.
The five different motor oils are:
- High-mileage motor oil
- Mineral-based motor oil
- Synthetic blend motor oil
- Synthetic motor oil
- Conventional motor oil
Is mixing engine oil brands Ok?
Yes, at least in the short term! You can mix engine oil brands, provided they’re of the same viscosity or weight recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
If you’re in a bind and your engine is running low on oil, mixing is no harm, as some oil is better than no oil.
However, mixing oils should be a short-term fix, not a habit. Always remember to change the ”concoction” immediately you get the chance because your engine’s efficiency and performance won’t be at its intended optimum level as per the manufacturer.
Motor oil plays a crucial role in how your car engine runs. Bad oil causes extra strain on the engine making it more susceptible to an array of issues.
Good oil, however, makes your engine run smoothly for years, provided you change it frequently.
With this guide, choosing the best motor oil brand is now a breeze, and now you know which motor oil brands to avoid.
Always choose a motor oil that meets the latest IPA and ILSAC regulations.
