It’s very important to choose the right motor oil for your vehicle to get the best possible performance out of your engine and to keep it running smoothly. Motor oil performs three major functions: it reduces friction (lubricates), it cools the engine and cleans the engine internally.
“Feed” it the wrong oil, and your engine won’t get the lubrication, cooling and cleaning it needs so desperately. Chances are it will consume more fuel, burn more oil and need costly repairs over time. Worst case, your engine might even overheat and seize.
That’s why it’s so crucial to get the right type of motor oil that is designed to perform these three tasks optimally for your type of engine. The correct type of motor oil will keep your engine well lubricated, cool and clean to get the best mileage and last the longest.
These are the 5 types of motor oil we recommend depending on your type of engine, its age and use:
Different Types of Motor Oil
Your engine needs a specific kind of motor oil, specified by the car manufacturer. You can find these specifications in your car owner manual under “fluids”.
First of all, you need to know if your engine needs a “full synthetic oil”, a “conventional oil”, also known as “mineral oil” or a hybrid mix of both called a “synthetic blend”.
This refers to the “base oil”, the main ingredient in the motor oil. The base oil accounts for about 80% of the motor oil. The remaining 20% of the motor oil recipe consists of a complex cocktail of additives to improve the chemical properties of the motor oil.
Generally, most modern vehicles will need a full synthetic or a synthetic blend. Most classic, vintage and antique cars will require conventional (mineral) motor oil. Always follow the car owner manual specifications.
Let’s take a closer look at those 3 types of motor oil:
1. Conventional Motor Oil
Conventional (aka mineral) motor oil can be naturally found in the earth’s crust. It can be refined for use in combustion engines. This type of oil was the first to be used for automotive applications. It is still used today for classic, vintage or antique vehicles that were designed to use this kind of oil.
Because conventional oil is more affordable than synthetic oil, many people use it in their modern cars too. However, conventional oil has to be changed more often because it breaks down more quickly.
For an average car, conventional oil will last about 3,000 miles, while high quality full synthetic oil can last between 7,500 and 15,000 miles between oil changes. You want to always follow the recommendations in your car owners manual on oil change intervals, of course.
While conventional motor oil can be a budget-friendly choice for a car that doesn’t do a lot of miles, this type of oil does not cope well with extreme engine temperatures and is not suited for high performance use.
2. Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Full synthetic motor oil consists solely of man-made polymers. Because this oil is made from scratch in a laboratory, it can be designed to a car manufacturer’s exact needs and specifications.
It allows for greater oil change intervals compared to conventional motor oil too. Most high end full synthetic motor oils allow for oil changes between 7,500 and 15,000 miles. Again, always follow the recommendations in your car owners manual on oil change intervals.
A high quality full synthetic motor oil outperforms any mineral motor oil both in lubrication properties and endurance. This type of oil is your best choice for high performance engines. It provides superior performance and protection for your engine. It is more refined and performs better in extreme cold and heat.
However, most classic, vintage and antique car engines require mineral motor oil by design.
3. Synthetic Blend Motor Oil
Often, conventional and synthetic oil are mixed to reduce the price because conventional oil is less expensive than quality synthetic oil. This mix is called “synthetic blend”.
A synthetic blend motor oil is basically a compromise between price and performance. It’s less expensive than a full synthetic motor oil and has improved properties compared to “old school” mineral oil.
Motor Oil Weight or Viscosity
Motor oil comes in different “weights”, also called “viscosities”. Weight or viscosity is clearly advertised on the motor oil container by a series of letters and numbers like “SAE 5W-30” for a multigrade oil or “SAE 40” for a monograde oil. It’s important to respect the car manufacturer’s recommendations on which viscosity to use.
What does monograde and multigrade mean?
Simply put, a monograde motor oil has the same thickness (viscosity/weight) regardless of its temperature.
A multigrade motor oil on the other hand, is designed to vary in thickness (viscosity/weight) according to its temperature.
What do those letters and numbers mean?
As an example let’s break down “SAE 5W-30”, a multigrade oil:
- “SAE” is the abbreviation of “Society of Automotive Engineers”, which is the worldwide measuring standard for modern oils.
- “5W” means that the oil has a viscosity (thickness) of 5 in winter (W) or when cold. A low number oil is less thick than a high number oil.
- “30” means the viscosity (thickness) at normal operating temperatures (100°C). Again: a higher number means the oil is thicker.
In the old days monograde oils were used as motor oil too, but they have mostly been replaced by superior multigrade oils.
Monograde oils are still widely used in hot climates though, or for applications like transmissions, transaxles and differentials. In its pure form, mineral oil is single grade (e.g. SAE 30). More often than not, polymer additives are added to make it a multigrade oil (e.g. 5W-30).
Although it is advised to strictly follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, depending on specific conditions and outside temperature, some cars can benefit from thicker (higher viscosity) or thinner (lower viscosity) motor oil than recommended by the manufacturer.
Motor oil additive package
While about 80% of the motor oil is made up of base oils, about 20% of additives are added to the base oil(s) to improve the oil properties. Because this is a very complex chemical cocktail and a well-kept industrial secret, we won’t discuss this in detail.
Generally, the main additives are polymers to alter viscosity and anti-foaming and detergent agents to clean and neutralize the engine’s internal soot and acid build-up. To improve wear resistance of the engine’s moving parts, often ingredients like titanium (or zinc for cars without catalytic converter) are added.
Which type of vehicle?
You want to use a different type of motor oil for your modern car than for your classic car or your high performance HEMI. Here are some dos and don’ts:
Modern Car
Most modern cars are designed to run on all kinds of synthetic blends and full synthetic motor oils. Some modern cars run fine on conventional motor oil too. Consult your car owner manual and always follow the car manufacturer’s recommendations.
Never use high zinc motor oil for modern vehicles though. Zinc “saturates” a modern car’s catalytic converter, rendering it useless. The damage would be irreversible and the only option would be to replace the catalytic converter.
Don’t know if your car has one? Consult your car owner manual or check your exhaust underneath your car: A catalytic converter filters and cleans exhaust gasses and looks like a bulge or a second muffler in between the manifold (the pipes directly attached to your engine) and the muffler (the boxy bulge situated near the end exhaust pipe(s).
High Performance
For modern High Performance engines or Heavy Duty vehicles it’s important to get the best full synthetic motor oil to keep the engine performing well and keep engine wear to an absolute minimum in the most demanding conditions.
Again: Never use high zinc motor oil for modern vehicles with a catalytic converter.
Classic Car
While modern engines run on multigrade synthetic motor oil or a synthetic motor oil blend, most classic cars require specific conventional (mineral) motor oil with high zinc content. This type of high-zinc motor oil provides rust and corrosion protection while in storage for longer periods and also gives maximum wear protection when they are driven.
Modern, synthetic oils may even have an adverse effect on classics. Their more aggressive detergents can deteriorate old oil seals and gaskets and remove carbon deposits that sometimes prevent oil leaks by clogging them. Removing too much carbon deposits in old engines may even lower their compression, making them perform worse. This can really open a can of worms…
To prevent oil leaks, costly repairs or even an engine rebuild, we advise to only use oil that is specifically formulated for classic car use, and within the specifications of the engine manufacturer.
For a valuable classic car it is highly recommended to use a “high zinc” motor oil, which gives an extra anti-wear protection layer. The zinc particles (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, ZDDP) are small enough to travel through the oil filter but the soft zinc gets squashed between the moving parts, creating an extra protective film.
How we did our review
Over the years we’ve tried and tested a lot of different motor oils for our cars, because not all cars are the same (older daily drivers, new High Performance sports car, classic cars…)
For this review we also dove deep in the manufacturer specifications and looked at customer reviews to see what their experience was. We spent hours sorting through customer reviews to learn how the motor oil performed on other types of vehicles and in different conditions and only recommend motor oil that did an excellent job for us as well as and the vast majority of other car enthusiasts.
We’ve only selected motor oils from quality brands that have been tested and certified by reputable organizations such as API (American Petroleum Institute) to ensure a high quality selection. We also considered availability and pricing.
Our aim is to make it easy for you to select a motor oil according to your specific type of car, budget and needs.
Check out our favorite motor oils:
Top 5 Best Motor Oils
Best Overall Motor Oil
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Best Overall
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Specs:
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- Type: Full synthetic
- Viscosity: Different viscosities available
- Vehicle type: Modern, High Performance, Heavy Duty
- Packaging/ available sizes: 1 Quart / 5 Quart / 32 Fl Oz / 6 Gallon
Castrol Edge with Fluid Titanium Technology, is Castrol’s toughest motor oil and the natural choice for drivers who want the best combination of sludge protection and wear protection. It unlocks maximum performance with every drive.
Today’s engines are smaller, more powerful and under more pressure than ever before. Castrol Edge has been engineered to withstand the stress of modern engines and provides 10X better high temperature performance than the latest industry standard.
Did you know that friction can waste up to 10% of an engine’s performance?
Increased demands placed on the engine to deliver power and fuel efficiency create intense friction between critical engine parts. This motor oil transforms its structure under pressure to keep metal apart and reduce friction for maximum engine performance. It delivers 6X better wear protection than required by the latest Sequence IVA test limits.
Tens of thousands reviewers rate this oil very high. With an incredibly high satisfaction percentage of 97%, this motor oil arguably beats all of its competitors.
A satisfied user states that he’s used this motor oil exclusively for a 364k miles car with no engine issues at all. Another customer says he’s switched back and forth between oils but his 3.4L engine in his 1999 4Runner with 233k+ miles on it runs remarkably smoother with this oil.
We think this definitely is the best overall motor oil because it is a high quality full synthetic motor oil with the bonus of liquid titanium technology as an added wear protection.
Castrol Edge performs 3X stronger against viscosity breakdown than leading full synthetic competitors too, based on the independent Kurt Orbahn test. This highly regarded test measures polymer breakdown or “shear” under extreme pressure.
PROS:
- It’s Castrol’s toughest premium oil
- Enhanced wear protection because of Fluid Titanium Technology
- 10X better high temperature performance
- 6X better wear protection
- Improves oil film strength by 30% and reduces power-robbing friction
- Improves fuel economy (0W grades)
- Advanced full synthetic oil
CONS:
- Not suited for most classic cars
- Not optimized for high mileage cars: check out Castrol GTX High Mileage
- Not suited for classic, vintage and antique cars; check out Lucas Oil High Zinc Mineral Oil
Best High-Mileage Motor Oil
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Best High-Mileage
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Specs:
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- Type: Synthetic blend
- Viscosity: Different viscosities available
- Vehicle type: Modern
- Packaging/ available sizes: 5 Quart
Castrol Edge High Mileage is an advanced blended synthetic motor oil that is specifically designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles. It’s the natural choice for drivers who demand maximum performance from their high mileage car.
As your car ages, it loses performance and efficiency and is also more prone to catalytic converter failure. This motor oil is liquid engineered with Phosphorus Replacement Technology that reduces harmful phosphorus to protect the catalytic converter and preserve the life of your emissions system.
This high mileage oil is designed to fight sludge build-up and provide exceptional oil burn-off protection while reducing oil leaks with added seal conditioners. It also contains advanced additives that minimize engine wear.
Castrol Edge High Mileage helps your car defy its miles and extend maximum performance.
Customers agree that this motor oil is the best choice for high mileage cars. One customer said that it’s good for his old truck with 180k on it, and that it’s good oil that doesn’t sludge-up. Many reviewers like the fact that it also has an additive that refreshes/expands older engine seals and stops them leaking.
Another customer states that this has been his go-to oil for his truck with 225k miles on it and it still runs like a top. A young lady driver with a 03 Toyota Camry with over 370,000 miles on the counter thinks this is the best value for her oil burning car too.
If you’re looking for the best high mileage motor oil, look no further: in our opinion this motor oil is the best you can get and it’s budget-friendly too!
PROS:
- Specifically designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles
- 6X stronger against wear
- 10X better high temperature performance
- Phosphorus Replacement Technology to help extend the life of the emission system and to prevent that dreaded ‘check engine’ light to come on
- Improves oil film strength by 30% and reduces power robbing friction
- Reduces leaks, oil-burnoff and power-robbing deposits
- Improves fuel economy (0W grades)
CONS:
- Not suited for classic cars
- Not optimized for low mileage cars; check out Castrol Edge
- Not suited for classic, vintage and antique cars; check out Lucas Oil High Zinc Mineral Oil
Best Premium Motor Oil
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Best Premium
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Specs:
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- Type: Full synthetic for gasoline and diesel engines
- Viscosity: Different viscosities available
- Vehicle type: Modern, High Performance, Heavy Duty
- Packaging/ available sizes: 1 Liter / 5 Liters
This premium motor oil is suited for gasoline as well as diesel engines. Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 is a high-tech low-friction motor oil based on synthetic technology. It ensures excellent engine cleanliness and exceeds even the strictest test requirements of well-known vehicle manufacturers.
By reducing the build-up of troublesome deposits in direct-injection gasoline and diesel engines (FSI, TDI, common rail, etc.), it keeps oil consumption low.
This high performance motor oil assures reliable operation and maximizes the operating life of the diesel particulate filter (DPF), specifically for vehicles with extremely long oil change intervals (WIV, etc.).
It’s a high-tech, low-friction motor oil based on synthetic technology with outstanding protection against wear. It reduces oil and fuel consumption and ensures fast oil penetration in the engine.
Depending on the manufacturer’s specifications, oil change intervals of up to 20,000 or 30,000 miles or every 2 years for low mileage drivers are therefore possible.
It was easy finding positive reviews on this high quality motor oil. About 97% of all reviews are satisfied customers, which says a lot. This stuff is simply AMAZING, wrote one reviewer who claims he has had a 3 mpg increase since he began using Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200.
Another customer who always used good quality oil in his cars states that this motor oil retains viscosity the best, hands down. He says his engine runs quieter and burns through a lot less oil too and that he can see the difference when he drains the oil after a year and it still feels fresh.
A Mini Cooper owner says that like other high power small turbo engines, his car burns through around a quart of oil every 1,000 miles or so, but not with Liqui Moly. The extra $5-$10 is well worth it, he claims.
Our verdict: It’s not the cheapest motor oil by far, but we do think that if price is no issue, this is the best high performance oil for modern gasoline and diesel vehicles out there.
PROS:
- Suited for gasoline as well as diesel engines
- Reduces oil and fuel consumption
- Premium high-tech, low-friction motor oil
- Maximizes the operating life of the catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter
- Full synthetic motor oil
CONS:
- Premium quality means premium price
- Not suited for classic, vintage and antique cars
Best Motor Oil for Classic Cars
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Best for Classic Cars
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Specs:
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- Type: Conventional
- Viscosity: Different viscosities available
- Vehicle type: Classic, Antique, Vintage
- Packaging/ available size: 5 Quart
Lucas Hot Rod & Classic Car Motor Oil SAE 20W-50 is manufactured with the highest quality paraffinic base oils and is fortified with a unique additive package containing high levels of zinc, molybdenum and phosphorus.
This provides a tougher, thicker additive film for maximum protection even under the most severe conditions.
These additives lower oil temperatures, extend oil life and minimize metal fatigue. They improve the film strength between the cylinder wall and piston rings and slow oil burning. This results in improved oil pressure in worn engines.
This motor oil has good cold temperature properties and stands up to high operating temperatures. It is compatible with methanol and all racing fuels, as well as with synthetic and non-synthetic oils.
Lucas Hot Rod & Classic Car Motor Oil is for classic, muscle, showroom and trophy cars without catalytic converters. It can be used in racing applications. Not recommended for modern car use.
Available in convenient 5 quart containers, the formulation is perfect for the Hot Rod and Classic Car crowd with an increased zinc value of 2100 PPM.
Many of these very special cars often spend long periods (winter for example in some parts of the country) off the roads. Therefore a number of the components of the additive package used in Lucas’ Marine oils to provide rust and corrosion protection have been included in its unique formula.
Classic car and bike owners unanimously say that this is the oil to buy for your classic, custom, antique or vintage car.
One customer says that he was having trouble getting Pennzoil so he made the switch to Lucas Oil after 47 years. Now he has 5 more pounds of oil pressure on his small block 400, he says. Another user states that all of the other oils he has tried in his vintage muscle car engine make it “chatter”. Everything is smooth and quiet with this Lucas oil, he claims.
We’ve been using high zinc motor oil for many years and can confirm that pre-1976 cars with no catalytic converter run best on Lucas Oil High Zinc Mineral Oil.
PROS:
- Provides a tougher, thicker additive film for maximum protection
- High zinc (ZDDP) content reduces wear
- Prevents internal engine corrosion during storage
- Lowers oil temperature
- Extended oil life
- Minimizes metal fatigue
- Improves pressure in worn engines
- Compatible with methanol and all racing fuels, as well as synthetic and non-synthetic oils
CONS:
- Not suited for modern cars with catalytic converters
- Not suited for diesel engines
Best Diesel Engine Motor Oil
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Best for Diesel Engine
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Specs:
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- Type: Full synthetic for diesel and gasoline engines
- Viscosity: Different viscosities available
- Vehicle type: Modern, High Performance, Heavy Duty
- Packaging/ available sizes: 1 Gallon / 5 Gallons
Valvoline Premium Blue Heavy Duty Full Synthetic motor oil delivers extreme protection for both diesel and gasoline engines. This motor oil formula is specially designed for hard-working trucks and equipment in both on-road and off-road applications.
This is the only diesel engine motor oil endorsed and recommended by Cummins. 25 years of close collaboration with Cummins has resulted in a superior oil that is performant and protects engines fueled by diesel, natural gas or gasoline.
Extensively tested, it offers exceptional oxidation resistance, outstanding wear protection with superior deposit protection compared to industry requirements.
Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme has been the oil of choice for Cummins Inc. for over 25 years. Guess that says a lot, doesn’t it? A near perfect customer satisfaction rating means Valvoline must be doing something right…
Highly recommended!
PROS:
- Suited for diesel and gasoline engines
- Delivers extreme protection
- For on-road and off-road use
- Endorsed and recommended by Cummins
- Full synthetic
CONS:
- Not suited for classic, vintage and antique cars
Final Thoughts
The importance of using the right motor oil is often underestimated. Motor oil provides lubrication, cooling and keeps your engine’s internals clean. It’s essential to use the right motor oil if you want optimal performance, maximum fuel economy and make your engine last longer with lower maintenance costs.
Here’s a quick recap of the motor oils we recommend depending on your needs:
For modern gasoline engines with less than 75,000 miles, we chose Castrol Edge as our best overall because it’s the premium quality motor oil that gives you the most bang for your buck.
When price is no issue, you might want to consider Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 for your low mileage gasoline or diesel vehicle. It’s the best motor oil even under the most demanding circumstances. It’s the go-to oil for car fanatics that want maximum performance.
If you own a high mileage gasoline powered car, Castrol GTX High Mileage is the motor oil you need. It counters age-related oil burning, oil leaks, makes your engine run noticeably smoother and improves gas mileage.
For hard working diesel engines, Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme really excels. It is specially designed to withstand the extreme pressure in a performance diesel engine. It’s also a good choice for gasoline engines.
Classic, vintage, or antique cars run best on Lucas Oil High Zinc Mineral Oil that is specially formulated with old school engines in mind.
If you choose wisely between these motor oils, you can’t go wrong.
Happy cruising!
FAQ’s:
How Often Should I Change My Motor Oil?
You want to change your engine oil according to your car manufacturer’s specifications. You can find them in your car owner manual.
For a modern streetcar, that’s usually every 5,000 to 7,500 miles or every year, whichever comes first.
However, sooner is better when it comes to oil changes. Many experienced mechanics change their motor oil every 3,000 miles no matter what, to reduce wear and optimize engine performance.
Do you have to change a car’s motor oil every year if you only drive it a couple of hundred miles per season?
Yes, you do.
A general misconception is that when a car is only driven for several hundreds of miles per season, it is just fine to check the motor oil color: If it is still a light honey to medium brown color, it need not be replaced.
You should know that the motor oil color only indicates the amount of carbon that is in the oil, which is the least of your worries. It does not indicate acidity or deterioration of the lubricating properties, which are the most harmful factors.
Motor oil, particularly mineral based oil, starts to deteriorate and lose its properties from the moment you pour it in the engine. The combustion process forms carbon and acid, which are “absorbed” and neutralized by the fresh motor oil. As oil ages (over months, not years!) it gradually loses its chemical neutralizing properties, turning more acidic, even when “sitting” inactive in the engine sump.
You can compare it with dishwater: it does a great job for only so long and then it has to be replaced. It’s the acid in the oil that is the silent killer when a car is in storage. It corrodes the engine internals. Changing the motor oil and filter every year or before storage is just common sense. If you don’t, it will come back and bite you in the xxx.
I drive a high mileage car with excessive motor oil consumption. Which oil should I use to lower oil consumption?
It may help to use thicker high mileage motor oil like SAE 10W-40 instead of SAE 10W-30.
A thicker oil will pass the cylinder rings and oil seals with less ease resulting in less oil consumption and less pronounced blue smoke. It will also increase oil pressure. As a bonus it may also reduce engine knock.
If the engine is really worn out, with a rebuild in the near future and nothing to lose anyway, you could even try SAE 20W-50 motor oil instead of SAE 10W-30. If oil pressure and water temperature stay within normal range, you should be OK.
It may make a world of difference!
I live in a cold climate and park my car outside all year round. Which motor oil should I use?
Especially when you experience starting problems in winter, your car may benefit from a thinner cold starting oil that has less friction in extreme cold.
The first part of the oil viscosity number on an oil jug represents the cold-start viscosity.
This W-value is the number that says how thin your motor oil is at cold startup. The lower the number, the thinner the oil is.
You could try using SAE 5W-30 motor oil or even SAE 0W-30 instead of SAE 10W-30 for example, depending on how extreme the cold weather conditions are.
Thinner viscosity motor oil will reduce internal friction and get cold oil much faster to all moving engine parts, reducing engine wear. It will also make it easier for your engine to turn over. This will put less strain on your starter engine which in turn will need much less battery power to start your car. If less battery power is needed, this also means your car battery will get less stressed, which can prolong its life dramatically.
When your car is parked in your driveway with temperatures dropping below -10°C (14°F) it may be a good idea to heat your motor oil with an engine oil pan heater.
It’s self adhesive: just clean the bottom of your oil sump with brake cleaner and stick it on.
If you plug it into a power outlet, it will keep your motor oil lukewarm. The thermostat-controlled heater guarantees an easy winter morning startup.
My car is only used to drive a few miles to town and back maybe twice a week. It hardly ever reaches full operating temperature.
Which motor oil would you recommend? My car manual says to use 5W-30.
In this case we’d focus on lowering startup viscosity slightly by using SAE 0W-30 motor oil instead of SAE 5W-30, to pump the oil faster to all moving parts to reduce wear at startup, which in your case is of major concern.
Tests conclude that most engines get no lubrication in the top end for several seconds after starting, in cold conditions even much longer. This causes extreme wear because of oil starvation.
Research has shown that because of this, by far the most engine wear (up to 75%!!) occurs immediately after starting a cold engine. That’s why a “short distance engine” relatively wears and ages much faster compared to a “long distance car engine”.
The only way to minimize wear at startup is to use thinner cold-start motor oil, because it takes thinner oil much less time to reach lubrication points, especially at the top end of the engine.
However, you want to make sure the viscosity number at operating temperatures stays the same! (e.g.: 30)
Because thinner motor oil will reach the top end of the engine much faster, this will greatly reduce wear at startup. Thinner oil will now circulate much more freely while below operating oil temperature (the most part of a short drive).
Once normal operating temperature has been reached, the oil will have normal viscosity. You will also notice that the engine cranks easier and faster at startup, reducing battery and starter motor wear.
My ‘59 classic is only driven a few times a year. Which motor oil should I use?
We recommend using Lucas Oil with high ZDDP content for better wear protection and high cling properties to protect your engine internals from corrosion during storage.
Though high zinc (ZDDP) mineral motor oil is your best choice for classic cars, it is not suited for cars with catalytic converters (+-1975-on).
Lucas’ mineral high-zinc motor oil is especially formulated for classic cars that are not frequently used and mostly cover short distances.
This classic car motor oil is manufactured with the highest quality paraffinic base oils and is fortified with a unique additive package containing high levels of zinc (ZDDP), molybdenum and phosphorus. It provides a tougher, thicker additive film for maximum protection even under the most severe conditions. Its protective film sticks to the engine parts while not in use, preventing rust and pitting.
Can I Use High Zinc Motor Oil for my modern car?
No, absolutely not.
While high zinc motor oil is your best choice for classic, vintage or antique cars without catalytic converters, you should not use it in cars equipped with a catalytic converter!
Zinc “saturates” a catalytic converter, rendering it useless. The damage would be irreversible and the only option would be to replace it.
It’s easy to check if your car has a catalytic converter: Check your exhaust underneath your car. It looks like a bulge or a second muffler in between the manifold (the pipes directly attached to your engine) and the muffler (the boxy bulge situated near the end exhaust pipe(s).
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