Oil?

[Elias1552]

Does anyone else run 10w 30, or anything else instead if 5w 30!

[GnatGoSplat]

Sure. I always use 10W30 if I do an oil change in the Spring or Summer. It's good down to 20F. I prefer it because it has less viscosity index improvers. I run 5W30 in the winter because it flows better below 20F.

If I lived in a milder climate, I'd run 10W30 all year.

[RobertISaar]

5W-30, year-round. i'd run 0W-30 if i could get it for the same price.

[Heartbeat1991]

I use 10W30. But that's what the TGP calls for. LOL. I generally use whatever the car calls for.

[Schurkey]

Does anyone else run 10w 30, or anything else instead if 5w 30!

What is wrong with 5W-30? Are you having some sort of problem with it?

[Elias1552]

It's just that I started using castrol syntec 10w 30, and it seems to be running smoother. I was wondering if I should know of any side effects to doing this.

[Imp558]

I run 10w 30

 

If you're confused about oil selection I'd suggest reading up on viscosity and molecule chain formation, that'll put a bullet in most people's head.

[l67ss]

Ive been running white bottle castrol 10w30 for two yrs, ima satisfied consumer

It's just that I started using castrol syntec 10w 30, and it seems to be running smoother. I was wondering if I should know of any side effects to doing this.

[Elias1552]

I'm aware of the viscosity aspects of oil. My question was with the engine, and it's tolerance to the thicker oil

[Imp558]

Ive been running white bottle castrol 10w30 for two yrs, ima satisfied consumer

 

I used to run Castrol and honestly noticed after a couple of years things just didn't sound as healthy. I started the Regal L36 on Mobil Clean 5000 when I bought it. After a couple of years with the clean 5000 "seal conditioner" it started just raining oil from everywhere, it wasn't even possible to isolate where it was leaking. The L67 is my Valvoline engine, not the fancy synthetic, just the classic white bottle. Have to see how it goes.

 

I'm aware of the viscosity aspects of oil. My question was with the engine, and it's tolerance to the thicker oil

 

That's a contradiction, if you were truly aware of viscosity you would know that 5w30 is thicker than 10w30, I know what they look like, and also what the science says.

[GnatGoSplat]

I'm aware of the viscosity aspects of oil. My question was with the engine, and it's tolerance to the thicker oil

 

It's fine, the manual says 10W30 can be used.

 

I just use the cheap blue bottles from Wal-Mart.

[Elias1552]

I wasn't finished typing, I got a message and it send the response by itself when I switched over. But my question still about anything I should be looking for when switching from the recommended oil

[Elias1552]

Cool then, and I'm a DIY mechanic so don't mind the wrong things I say. And of corse thank you for your help.

[Imp558]

I wasn't trying to offend and I'm sorry if I did. But in short, no, the change in viscosity isn't a problem and technically you've switched to a thinner oil not a thicker one.

[RobertISaar]

I wasn't trying to offend and I'm sorry if I did. But in short, no, the change in viscosity isn't a problem and technically you've switched to a thinner oil not a thicker one.

 

uhh...... you have that reversed.

 

at operating temp, 5W-30 and 10W-30 are of the same viscosity grade, which means they're not exact, but they're close.

it's when things are colder than that is where the differences lie. a 10W-30 will be thicker than a 5W-30 at temps lower than the 212*F that oils get their base rating at.

 

http://www.pqiamerica.com/chevronsupreme.htm

http://www.pqiamerica.com/November%202011%20samples/Chevron%20Supreme.htm

 

chevron supreme, 5W-30 vs 10W-30.

 

5W - 10W

100*C viscosity =10.28 vs 10.22

40*C viscosity =60.08 vs 65.86

cold viscosity(-30*C for the 5W vs -25*C for the 10W) = 5,990 vs 6,063

 

the 5W is thinner at all temps except for the 100*C test, where it is about .6% thicker than the 10W.

the 5W even manages to stay thinner at -30*C than the 10W at -25*C.

[Imp558]

Oh yeah, the OP is right, I had to read it again, he said thicker oil in regards to 10w vs 5w, so used to people getting it backwards because of it's physical appearance:

:

I'm aware of the viscosity aspects of oil. My question was with the engine, and it's tolerance to the thicker oil

 

It's a strange concept but the lower number is the cold viscosity, the second higher number is at 100 degrees C. To us it's thicker when cold but on a molecular level the molecule chains lengthen to make the oil actually thicker at higher temps. So while it flows more easily to pour at temperature the formation of the molecules are actually thicker than the cold rating. With that said, 5w30 is actually a thicker oil than 10w40. This is strange like the concept of infinate space but I accepted it long ago, I had to study oil ang grease and their different ratings in depth for work.

[Turbocharged400sbc]

id say alot depends on how worn your aluminum front cover is at the pump scroll and engine age/useage

 

gm upped pressure and ran thinner oil to increase mpg/decrease emissions....remember these are the same folks that accepted the low zinc modern oils...just to keep the cat happy they sacrifice engine life....but hey as long as they dont have any fed emissions warranties thats all they want.

 

on the TR i run 10-40 t6 diesel oil from the elevated temps. the 442 will see 530 with the low mile covers and tight pumps and the oiling mods, should be worth a couple horses

 

more important is the cars overall condition, i do extended oil change intervals with just cheapo dino juice..but i change the filter every 3k esp on cars with the oil filter bypass deleted.

 

dont blow tons on your oil when that $ can go towards regasketing or other repairs.

 

my dodge has lived the last 4 years of its life getting used oil from dozens of cars that only have 1-3k on it.

it pays us to drive it with how cheap i am

 

never buy a mechanics beater

[rich_e777]

GTX High Mileage in the green bottle 5W-30 for years, wont use anything else. I had thought to go to 10W-30 to see if my old oil pump likes it better but I think I`d rather replace it with a larger capacity new one instead of changing oil weights.

 

Also will not hurt to seafoam your crankcase once in awhile before an oil change. I ran seafoam in mine for about 20-30 hard driving miles before changing it out and man it took away most of the engine/ valve train noises. Even weeks afterwards there is ZERO lifter tick when starting it up on a cold morning. I was so impressed Im going to start a yearly seafoam regiment to keep all the built-up crap out of this old engine. Heres to another 20 years on the road.

[Elias1552]

This sea foam is an interesting idea, I'm gonna have to try it. And many websites contradict each other on the viscosity topic. I've tried different kinds of synthetics. and switching to a higher number seams to run smoother. I'm gonna have to check in a month to see how it likes it.

[carkhz316]

Oh look, an oil thread

[pitzel]

0W-30 here, and haven't changed it in nearly 40k miles/6 years at this point ever since I re-did the LIM and flushed it out. 3.1L MPFI. Car doesn't burn any oil, all "consumption" can be accounted for in terms of oil leaked onto the ground due to a not-so-great oil pan seal (ie: a quart every 6-8k) And I consistently get 30mpg+ on the highway.

 

I had done the same prior to the LIM failing as well, and no sludge or any oil-related contamination to speak of , other than the goolant gunk, when everything was opened up. Obviously there's no causal relationship between LIM failure and motor oil, BTW.

 

Everyone I've talked to swears up and down that I'm lying, that this is impossible, that I should have one big sludge-bucket on my hands, but they're more than welcome to come and inspect my engine, take a sample, etc., if they want. IMHO, for many engines, 5K oil changes, even 10-20k oil changes, are a giant unnecessary waste. And the 3.1 MPFI is one of those engines.

Edited May 16, 2014 by pitzel

[Booba]

0W-30 here, and haven't changed it in nearly 40k miles/6 years at this point ever since I re-did the LIM and flushed it out. 3.1L MPFI. Car doesn't burn any oil, all "consumption" can be accounted for in terms of oil leaked onto the ground due to a not-so-great oil pan seal (ie: a quart every 6-8k) And I consistently get 30mpg+ on the highway.

 

I had done the same prior to the LIM failing as well, and no sludge or any oil-related contamination to speak of , other than the goolant gunk, when everything was opened up. Obviously there's no causal relationship between LIM failure and motor oil, BTW.

 

Everyone I've talked to swears up and down that I'm lying, that this is impossible, that I should have one big sludge-bucket on my hands, but they're more than welcome to come and inspect my engine, take a sample, etc., if they want. IMHO, for many engines, 5K oil changes, even 10-20k oil changes, are a giant unnecessary waste. And the 3.1 MPFI is one of those engines.

 

[RobertISaar]

i will gladly contribute exactly $1 towards a UOA of a LH0 running on any oil for 40K miles.

 

however, i would want irrefutable proof that it is actually that 40K mile oil getting sent to the lab.

 

i've heard of an engine or two that has done 60K miles without an oil change, they just kept adding oil when a low oil light came on, but they were in absolute shit shape by the end of it.

[94 olds vert]

My aunt does 20k mileage oil changes. Witch is double what is reccomend for her car.

[Psych0matt]

I didn't change the oil in the monte for probably the last year I drove it, but I was adding enough to account for more than 5qts in 3mo/30000 miles