# Paraffin-base or mineral-based oil

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 7, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313 "2003-06-07T18:07:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![olefin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@olefin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olefin)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313/1 "2003-06-07T18:07:35Z")

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What is the difference?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313/2 "2003-06-07T21:08:05Z")

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What sort of product are you talking about?

Paraffin means wax over there, doesn’t it?

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313/3 "2003-06-07T21:38:34Z")

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Same thing. Paraffin oil is mineral oil. The difference between oils is “weight” (density and viscosity, actually), which is determined by the length and branching of the carbon chains. Some oil weights are more likely to be labeled as paraffin oil, some are more likely to be labeled as mineral oil, but it’s mostly up to the vendor.

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**Author:** ![olefin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@olefin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olefin)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paraffin-base-or-mineral-based-oil/180313/4 "2003-06-08T00:45:31Z")

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\*\* Nametag \*\*

OK, Thanks, that is what I was thinking.

I was reading the specs for ATV oil and it called for a mineral based oil. But that would apply to all engine oil sold at parts stores that met the ATV specified API requirement.