Can You Mix Pag and Poe Oil | Things You Should Know

You must hear of the Pag and Poe oil. They both are synthetic oil, but they have some distinctions. Mainly, the Poe oil is used in the refrigeration system of your vehicle. You can also use this oil in any automotive AC system. Notably, the Poe oil is mainly made for the r-134a motor engine.

On the other hand, the Pag oil is mainly a lubricant for the compressor. You cannot use it for other engine oil. Since these two oils are different, you may ask, “Can you mix Pag and Poe oil?”. You will get the answer to your query from this write-up on Poe Oil vs. Pag oil.

Can you Mix Pag & Poe Oil?

You cannot mix PAG & POE oil. Polyester, also known as POE, is the synthetic oil most commonly used in refrigeration systems that use HFC refrigerants. It is also appropriate for refrigeration systems that use CFC and HCFC refrigerants, and it is currently being tested for use in CO2 refrigeration systems.

Polyalkylene Glycol, also known as PAG, is a type of synthetic oil utilized most frequently in R-134a-based automotive air conditioning systems. Even though it is more hygroscopic than POE oil, it does not hydrolyze when exposed to water.

Because the two oils do not combine entirely and cannot produce a stable homogeneous mixture over time, the mechanical parts of the compressor cannot receive the adequate lubrication they require. At first glance, oils that have been mixed will appear to be thoroughly combined.

However, after a brief period in which the compressor is turned off, the two oils will begin to separate back into their original states. When the compressor is started from a cold state, separated oil with a higher density and viscosity will lead to restricted lubrication of precisely fixed moving elements within the AC compressor.

Why can you not mix Pag & Poe Oil?

You cannot mix these two oils for three reasons. They are:

Compatibility

POE and PAG are incompatible with one another. You are only allowed to use a single kind of oil in the system, and that oil must be either all PAG or all POE. Although PAG is the oil recommended for use in automobiles, technically speaking, POE is a superior oil and can be used instead if you so choose.

System Clog

Both of these oils, especially POE oil, contain much debris. When mixed, they can cause significant damage to the system, which is popularly known as system clogging. 

Hygroscopicity & Viscosity

Another reason you cannot mix PAG 46 oil & POE Oil is that they are hygroscopic by nature, which means they can take in moisture from their surrounding environment. The ability of an oil to absorb moisture and turn into a saturated state is referred to as hygroscopicity.

The refrigerant oils known as PAGs and POEs are the ones that contain the most moisture. Typically, PAG oil has a higher amount of hygroscopicity than POE oil. As a result, mixing these two oils becomes a real tough job. If you have the Poe oil list, you can try everything, but the result will be the same.

Is it safe to mix Pag & Poe Oil?

It is not safe to mix Pag & Poe oil. These two are different types of oil. In terms of Pag, the page 46/100/150 are mainly used, Where Poe/ easter oil is much better and synthetic oil.

These two do not match each other. MIxing Pag with Poe oil can cause less heat transfer but will be minor. A small amount is ok, but in the long term, it will be harmful. So only one kind of oil should be used, either Pag or Poe.

Closing Words

Can you mix Pag and Poe oil? The direct answer is no; you cannot mix these two different oils. They are not compatible with each other. It’s better to avoid mixing them to get a safe automotive engine.