0w/5w/10w-30 Redline in Toyota 4AGE

[DaCookieMonster]

Hello BITOG users. This is my first post so I'll try not to sound like a complete idiot. I don't know a lot about oil, but I have been reading a lot here and annoying my friends with little bits of knowledge.

I recently bought a 1987 Toyota MR2 with 4AGE engine. 138k miles.
I immediately changed the oil with 0w40 German Castrol because A.Z. was having a good deal on it.
I am starting to think that a 30 grade oil would be better suited to the engine, and I'd like to try redline based on previous success with it.
Looking at Redline's website, I am a little confused about the differences between the different 30 grade options. For example, the 10w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 70, where the 5w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 71. This is a very small difference, but it is backwards from what I expected. The 0w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 69, which makes more sense but is a very small difference.

I think 5w30 is my best bet, since my local store doesn't sell 0w30, but now I'm confused as to why 10w30 has a lower Vis @ 40°C.

It doesn't really get very cold or hot where I live, but I may drive into colder or hotter regions at some point.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Clevy]

Euro spec 0w-40 if you really beat on it. If you drive normal I'd use a conventional 30 grade with 5000 mile intervals

 

[DaCookieMonster]

Thanks for the suggestion.

But I'm really trying to understand the differences between Redline 0w30, Redline 5w30, and Redline 10w30 in practice. I will probably just opt for 5w30 since I can get it locally. I would like it to be reasonably thin at startup because the car has a 2krpm cold idle.
At any rate thanks.

 

[Bandito440]

In California, the cold weather performance of the oils won't matter. That's where the "w" numbers come in. It's measured at very cold temperatures, not 40c.

I'd be using Mobil 1 5w-30 High Mileage if it were me, as I don't see any benefit to paying twice the money for Red Line in this case. The M1 HM has all the additives you'll need.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

40c is 100 degrees. 5 w and 0w is 30-35 below zero.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
In California, the cold weather performance of the oils won't matter. That's where the "w" numbers come in. It's measured at very cold temperatures, not 40c.

I'd be using Mobil 1 5w-30 High Mileage if it were me, as I don't see any benefit to paying twice the money for Red Line in this case. The M1 HM has all the additives you'll need.


Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
40c is 100 degrees. 5 w and 0w is 30-35 below zero.


Got it. Thanks for the clarification

.
I know that redline is seriously overkill for my application but I just want to try it. If the engine ends up consuming a lot, I'll try something else. If it doesn't, I'll run a few oci's, then run a UOA and see how it's working.

 

[priler]

Red Line would do fine and protect against wear exceptionally well.

I wouldn't worry too much about start-up protection,not only because of where you live but because Red Line oils have plenty on moly,which doesn't require heat to do it's job and because of the properties of POE that it contains.

you can use the application guide on Red Line's site. you can also call and talk to Dave and ask him questions.

 

[OneEyeJack]

+1 Call Dave.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

I checked the application guide. It recommends 10w30, but it also recommends using ATF in the power steering. Mk1 MR2's don't have power steering haha. Dave @ redline?

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: DaCookieMonster

Looking at Redline's website, I am a little confused about the differences between the different 30 grade options. For example, the 10w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 70, where the 5w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 71. This is a very small difference, but it is backwards from what I expected. The 0w30 shows Vis @ 40°C, cSt 69, which makes more sense but is a very small difference.



In an ideal world, there would be no difference WHATSOEVER in their 40C vis, or their 100C either. That's because all 3 are functionally 30-weight engine oils at engine operating temperature.

There would be a drastic difference in their viscosities when measured at about -40C, however, because that's where the number before the "w" is sorta-kinda derived from.

People always think that a 0w40 is going to be "thinner" than a 10w40, but that's ONLY true at extreme cold. Depending on the formulation and shear behavior, a 0w40 could actually be thicker at 100C than another hypothetical 10w40 at 100C. You should really think of the 2nd number (after the "w") as the working grade of the oil, and the number before the "w" as a general indicator of how much the oil thickens up as it cools down to extreme cold temps. The lower the first number, the less it thickens.

 

[A_Harman]

Of the three oils, the 10w30 actually has the lowest viscosity at operating temperature, 11.4 vs 11.7 for 0w30 and 11.9 for 5w30. Plus, it's cheaper than the 0w30.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

I think I will probably just go for 5w30 because it seems like the best compromise of price, specifications and availability of the three. Thanks for the information

 

[dave123]

Better NOACK with 5w and 10w30

 

[userfriendly]

Well, you started out on the right foot. Why the 2nd doubts on a 30 year old vehicle in a hot climate?
I would use Wal-Mart 15W40 and spend the savings on important things. Like women and beer, but not necessarily in that order.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: DaCookieMonster
Thanks for the suggestion.

But I'm really trying to understand the differences between Redline 0w30, Redline 5w30, and Redline 10w30 in practice.

Look at the HTHS values of the three oils. If I recall correctly, the Red Line 0w-30 has an HTHS close to the ILSAC range, whereas the 5w-30 and 10w-30 are closer to the A3/B3 A3/B4 range. I tend to ignore KV. As for cold weather performance, all three are completely suitable for your climate.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

Originally Posted By: used_0il
Well, you started out on the right foot. Why the 2nd doubts on a 30 year old vehicle in a hot climate?
I would use Wal-Mart 15W40 and spend the savings on important things. Like women and beer, but not necessarily in that order.


I'm sure Wal-Mart is even better than Redline, but I don't have a Wal-Mart in my area. I guess I'll have to settle for RL.
Joking aside, I think a thinner oil would do my engine better, not a thicker one.

 

[userfriendly]

Wal-Mart 15W40 meets CJ-4/SM.
Moving down one grade brings up 15W30 Delo 400 and several major brands of 10W30 CJ-4/SM HD engine oils.
If red-line was the same price as the others and met CJ-4/SM, then there would be no excuse not to use it.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

That's a good point, but I hear they (Wal-Mart) put lead in all their products. I wouldn't want that to interfere with UOA's.

 

[userfriendly]

Your going to do UOAs on a 28 year old Toyota using ten dollar a quart red-line?
Yeah, Wal-Mart opens the oil pails and put #6 bird shot from all the shotgun shells they can't sell in them.
That is why the oil is kept next to the hunting department.

 

[barkingspider]

I would use RL 10w30 just because that's what the manufacturer recommends. Plus it's hot in CA. I wouldn't dump the 0w40 until after 5000 miles at the least