Supercharger Oil Substitute. What is a Better Alternative?
One of the things that need attention after a while is an oil change for a vehicle with a supercharger.
Sometimes the dealer-recommended supercharger oils are not always available. Can you tell me if there are any supercharger oil substitutes on the market that you can use?
This is the purpose of the article. We are going to look at the subject a bit more and see if there are any substitute products on the market.
The Inner Workings of a Supercharger
You need to understand the inner workings of the supercharger to get a good idea of the need for the right type of oil.
At high speeds, the two gears of the supercharger spin. What you find in ordinary car engines is not as fast as these speeds.
The proper lubrication of the gears is necessary to maintain proper function and avoid the blowing of the supercharger.
Most engine oils are too thick and can not do the job since they are made for engine parts with slower rates of rotation. The thickness of the oil is comparable to that of cooking grease.
That is how thick it is. Most engine oils are a lot thinner than that. Is this the case for all motor oils, or are there alternatives?
There is more to be learned later. If you buy a supercharger as an add-on or replacement, you’ll get it loaded with oil.
Depending on the type of oil, a supercharger needs between 4oz and 6oz of it. The earlier generations mostly worked with 6oz and the newer generations at around 4oz.
A tenth of the way from the bottom of the gears is where the oil level sits. Excellent levels of lubrication can be provided by this.
Failure will be caused by filling it higher than that or overfilling. The recommended levels must be kept.
What is Supercharger Oil?
Synthetic oil with lower viscosity is called supercharger oil. The thinness, odor, and similarity to cooking grease have led many to believe that it is organic.
This is not the truth. The synthetic oil is mixed with other compounds to lubricate the supercharger under extreme conditions.
The supercharger oil that GM recommends being used with is their own. This can be purchased in different outlets and online.
Most of the time, stocks at physical locations run out because not many cars with superchargers have them.
There is a lot of debate about whether other brands will work because of the emphasis by GM on their brand. This leads us to the next point:
Are there Alternatives to Supercharger Oil?
There are many other synthetics on the market since it is synthetic oil. Is it possible to replace supercharger oil with synthetic?
Most people don’t understand what synthetic oil is and ask that question on forums. To appreciate the nature of synthetics you need to understand what they are.
Most of the ones on the market have a synthetic base and a mix of organic and inorganic substances.
Even under the same brand, the ratio of these substances varies from one type to the other. The result is that different versions are used for different applications.
There are alternatives on the market that can be used if you can’t find the oil you are looking for.
Supercharger Oil Substitutes
There are several alternatives to supercharger oil.
You need to be careful about cross-checking with an experienced mechanic who has a history with superchargers because you can use these.
- 0w20 or 30 synthetic
- Mobil 1 full synthetic
- Intense Racing Supercharger Oil
When there is a need for these products, they are readily available.
It is recommended that they be used as stop-gap measures when you can’t find the recommended product. It is a good idea to replace the actual oil once you have found it.
HomeMade Supercharger
I want to look at a homemade alternative to oil which you can make by mixing a few ingredients. This is a risky option that needs to be taken with care.
It has been popularized by people on the internet. If you want to make your oil, mix the following ingredients.
- 5W20 Royal Purple Synthetic Oil
- Lucas Pure Synthetic
- Ester AC Oil
The ingredients are mixed in the following ratios:
- 1 Part 5W20 Royal Purple Synthetic Oil
- 3 Parts Lucas Pure Synthetic Oil
- 7 Parts Ester Air-conditioning Oil
It is advisable to take this with a grain of salt and at your own risk. If you want to try it out, you need to research the experiences of those who have already used it.
Truck driver by profession, automotive lover by heart. Ricky is the main publisher and editor at Truckile.com sharing his life-long knowledge and experience in the auto industry and truck driving!