I put the wrong kind of oil in my car..

[Igz]

My car was a few notches below full for oil (not sure where it went, no noticeable leaks or anything). But I'm low on funds so I pick up some $1.50 oil I got from Big Lots and fill the oil up. It only required 1/4 quart of oil.

When I got done, I looked at the back of the oil container, and I noticed it said:
"This oil is rated API SA. It contains no additives. It is not suitable for use in most gasoline-powered engines built after 1930. Use in modern engines may cause unsatisfactory engine performance or equipment harm.".

Since I only added a little bit of oil, should I be concerned? I can't afford to do a full oil change for at least a week, and wanted to know if it was safe to drive it with this oil in it for awhile.

For reference, it's a 1996 Subaru Impreza, V4 1.8L, 284,000 miles on it. I love this car, it's held up beautifully so I don't want to end up screwing it up.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You're fine.

 

[Igz]

Good enough. Any thoughts on where the 1/4qt of oil went? I've been told it may have just burnt off a bit. I checked everywhere for leaks and couldn't find any.

 

[Vette73]

Subaru motors are known to use some oil, let alone after 280k.

Most cars use a little oil, that is normal.

 

[DVad3r]

You are good. My dad has a 1992 Camry wagon with the I-4 engine and about 473,000 km. His burns oil also, not sure why, old engines I guess do that...

But I think he fixed it, he was told by a mechanic to buy some Lucusoil additive to mix in with the oil and it sealed stuff up, so far he's been happy. There is a lot of controversy though about the Lucusoil additive, generally from one source, bob the oil guy. I've used it in my car with synthetic oil, and my dad in his, and nothing happened, so to each and his own.

 

[exdeath]

Any oil >>> no oil. Just as long as you aren't using garage door or bicycle wheel oil or gun oil or something like that.

But you do need to use automotive engine oil when you get around to changing it. Part of the additives are metallic lubricants like moly and zinc that coat the engine parts with a boundary layer of wear metals to protect them at the times when the oil is squeezed out, eg: a cam lobe pushing down on it's lift surface. It's also formulated for heat, shear, has detergents, etc.

 

[StageLeft]

You bought your oil from Big Lots? Funny, my surgeon who's performing open-heart on me tomorrow said he bought his tools from the bargain bin at Walmart and the heart monitor on ebay.

 

[evident]

kiss it goodbye!

you'll be fine...... :twisted:

 

[brblx]

200k+?

you probably could've put a half a quart of pee in there and been fine. a little lawnmower oil (i guess that's what you used?) isn't going to hurt anything, seeing as the rest of the oil has plenty of additives in it.

 

[alfa147x]

V4 != I4 != H4 (what you have)

 

[alfa147x]

double post

 

[alfa147x]

Tripple Post

 

[CRXican]

read then pour lol

 

[brainhulk]

at least you didn't pour NOS energy drink in you fuel tank

 

[amdhunter]

V4 != I4 != H4 (what you have)

H4?

 

[Zargon]

You bought your oil from Big Lots? Funny, my surgeon who's performing open-heart on me tomorrow said he bought his tools from the bargain bin at Walmart and the heart monitor on ebay.

its just a rebrand from a major oil manufcaturer, its not like big lots makes their own oil

at least you didn't pour NOS energy drink in you fuel tank

LOL

its a scooby not a GSXR!

 

[Zargon]

H4?

horizontally opposed 4 cyl

flat 5

a boxer....

 

[Eli]

You'll be OK, but it's certainly not ideal. You aren't going to notice anything, especially with that many miles on the clock.

What it means is that the oil has no detergents or additives in it. It merely raised the level of your oil, and improved its viscosity a bit. It didn't "refresh" the oil by adding new detergents, ZDDP, calcium, etc. Just plan on doing your regularly scheduled oil change, no harm done.

 

[XZeroII]

Quick! Trade it in before it blows!

 

[alphatarget1]

Which SAE rating is it? I'm sure if it's just a little bit it'll be fine.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

H4?

Flat 4 or Boxter 4...

You could be an arse and argue that it is a 180 degree V4...

 

[Igz]

Quick! Trade it in before it blows!

My car? I've had it looked over by more than one mechanic and they both said that they've never seen a car with so many miles in such great shape. I've be told it would easily last to 400k miles, if I maintain good care of it.

I know the man who had this car before me, and he treats his cars like babies. I'd trust this car more than I would a car with 100k miles on it from someone who doesn't know how to care for a car.

Flat 4 or Boxter 4...

Yeah, you're right. I had a 1996 Chevy Beretta before this (T'was a horrible car) and I have a habit of saying V6 because of it.

Interestingly enough, this car's Flat 4 smokes the Beretta's V6.

 

[ElFenix]

Yeah, you're right. I had a 1996 Chevy Beretta before this (T'was a horrible car) and I have a habit of saying V6 because of it.

Interestingly enough, this car's Flat 4 smokes the Beretta's V6.

you might be a redneck if...

 

[LTC8K6]

The Beretta actually had considerably more power, though.