Which Oil Weight To Use?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Say your engine needs 30-weight oil when it is running at operating temperature. Well, 30-weight oil will work perfectly well when your engine is warmed up. But when you go to start it on a cold winter morning, that 30-weight oil is considerably thicker and has a hard time moving when you turn the key.

Should I use 5W-30 or 10W30?

5W-30 multi grade oil is ideal for private vehicles and light-duty petrol and diesel engines . It also provides a better cold temperature start than 10W-30 oil. On the other hand, the slightly thicker oil,10W-30, provides better lubrication for commercial vehicles and heavy-load engine cars.

Is 5W-30 or 10W30 better for winter?

10w30, the thinner 5w30 will circulate quicker, and flow through bearing tolerances better during an engine startup in the winter or colder climates . The “w” behind the five and the 10 indicates that those are the viscosities in colder or winter temperatures.

What viscosity of oil should I use?

Weather Conditions

For very cold weather, a viscosity rating of 5W-30 provides maximum protection. When driving in temperatures running from 0 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, a rating of 10W-30 offers excellent all around protection. For driving in extremely hot conditions, 20W-50 oil offers the best protection.

Which oil is thicker 5W-30 or 10w30?

10w30 is more viscous than 5w30 and is also the thicker fuel amongst the two. This changes the efficiency of the two oils as well. 5w30 is less viscous and therefore can reach even the difficult parts of the engine for lubrication. But this is not possible with 10w30 since they are thicker.

What is 30 weight oil used for?

SAE 30 is typically a non detergent motor oil used in small engines . Detergent oils contain special additives designed to trap and suspend dirt and dissolve engine oil sludge in the oil until it's changed. A non detergent oil doesn't have these additives. A non detergent motor oil will usually be marked as such.

What happens if I use 5W-30 oil instead of 10w30?

Synthetic oils will mix perfectly, as long as they have the same chemical composition. As a result, mixing 10w30 and 5w30 is not a problem since one will be topping up . It is not harmful to mix because 5w30 and 10w30 engine oils have close viscosity, so mixing them is not harmful.

Can I replace 10w30 with 5W-30?

Can you use 5W-30 instead of 10W-30? Absolutely yes for car engines , 5W-30 is usually synthetic and superior to 10W-30. Both have the same viscosity at the operating temperature of an average car engine. 5W has lower viscosity when cool and is considered better for the car engine during engine start.

Can I mix 10w30 with 5W-30?

Adding 10W30 to your current mix is safe, and will not cause your engine to run any worse. But keep in mind that 10W30 has more density than 5W30. These two motor oils are very similar in viscosity; hence, they might mix perfectly in your engine. Therefore, you can mix 5W30 with 10W30 with no ill effects whatsoever .

What is a heavier weight oil than 5W-30?

10w30 is thicker than 5w30 because it has a higher viscosity in low temperatures. The engine oil will flow slower than 5w30 during the cold season. Thicker or higher viscosity metal oil has a better seal compared to low viscosity oil. Thicker oil offers better lubrication of motor and engine parts.

What cars use 10w30 oil?

In addition to high-performance turbocharged, supercharged, multi-valve fuel injected engines found in passenger cars, SUVs, light vans, and light trucks , Mobil 1 10W-30 is recommended by ExxonMobil for all types of modern gasoline-powered vehicles.

Can I use 5W 20 instead of 5W-30?

It is not safe to use 5w20 instead of 5w30 . 5W20 is thinner and made for colder temperature. If you use 5w20 in warmer temperature instead of 5w30, you may have to deal with more friction and faster engine wear. Eventually your engine performance and longevity will be affected.

Can I use 10W30 instead of 15w40?

Since 10W-30 is thinner than 15W-40, its film strength can be weaker and it can be more prone to oxidation . Therefore, high quality additives are needed to compensate for those weaknesses in order for 10W-30 to protect as well and last as long as 15W-40.

What is 10W-40 oil used for?

This oil weight is commonly used in diesel engines or in a smaller motorcycle engine too . The 10W-40 oil viscosity also often serves as an alternative for older engines with burning or oil leaking issues. Why is that? The 10W-40 engine oil has a thicker viscosity than, say, 10W-30 oil when the car engine is hot.

What happens if I use 10w40 instead of 10W30?

10W40 oil has a higher viscosity, retaining more thickness than 10W30 as the temperature rises. In that case, 10W-40 motor oil would technically provide better protection against engine wear contact in higher temperatures .

Is Thicker oil better for older engines?

Older engines use more oil, but it gives them a better fuel economy . Older engines with more than 75,000 miles on them require a thicker oil that will lubricate their critical engine parts and prevent oil leaks, sludge, and deposits from forming.

Is 10W 40 thicker than 5W-30?

Main Differences Between 5w30 and 10w40

The 5w30 oil is much thinner than the 10w40 oil and on the other hand, the 10w40 oil is much thicker than the 5w30 oil . The viscosity of 5w30 at low temperatures is 5 whereas the viscosity of 10w40 at low temperatures is 10.

Can you put 30 weight oil?

Because oil gets thinner as it heats up. Or you could say it gets thicker when it cools down. Say your engine needs 30-weight oil when it is running at operating temperature. Well, 30-weight oil will work perfectly well when your engine is warmed up .

What does 10W 30 stand for?

The 10W30 designation on engine oil means that the viscosity of the oil is rated at 10W when an engine is cold and 30 when the engine is hot . This is different than an oil labelled 5W30, which has a thinner viscosity when the engine is cold at 5W.

Can I use 10W40 instead of SAE 30?

As the temperature rises, 10W40 oil retains more thickness than 10W30, which is why it is more viscous. It would technically be better to use 10W-40 motor oil in higher temperatures to prevent engine wear .

What oil is thicker than 10w30?

The quick answer is 10W40 is a thicker engine oil than 10W30 at higher temperatures. Both have almost the same characteristics, and the only difference is the oil viscosity.

Can you put 10W40 in a 10w30 engine?

Mixing 10W30 with 10W40

Some say that mixing them is fine as long as you don't live in freezing weather . Even if you put together synthetic and conventional blends of these motor oils, they show no harm to your vehicle.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.