0w vs 5w in a typical winter.... Does it matter?

[Ignatius]

Right now M1 0/40 beats the snot out of any 5/30 in every season, doesn't cost any more, works well in all motors so IMO if the potential for -30F exists why not?

I have tried M1 0w40 in my Hyundai GDI and the engine does not run anywhere near as well in the winter as compared to when I use a light 5w30 like Valvoline Modern Engine. My other vehicles like the 1998 Ford Exploder and 2005 Dodge Sprinter absolutely love 0w40 oils like Castrol, Valvoline, and M1 year round.

 

[kschachn]

Just wondering if there is necessarily any advantage in normal winter Temps compared to very cold winters.
If they actually flow similar at say 0 degrees I am content using 5w.

Did you get your answer here? Yes they are similar at 0F, but flow is irrelevant.

 

[ZZman]

Did you get your answer here? Yes they are similar at 0F, but flow is irrelevant.

Yes. But I am a little confused. I would think flow and pump ability would be similar.

 

[InspectoRob]

I use M1 AFE in my subaru year round. My previous subaru would be noisy all the time but mostly at startup (initially loud but would quiet some over few min. of warmup), when I bought it used with 60K miles. Switching to 0w30 from 5w30 it was almost as quiet at startup as at normal operating temp. In coldest Connecticut temps (worst is -10 deg.f.) it was painful to listen to with 5w30 but not bad with the 0w30.
The 0w30 circulates better at startup all year, so the peace of mind is worth it. I don't know why you would want a more visc oil at startup since it takes more to circulate and get to "dry" parts and must be more load on the oil pump.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Maybe in the worst ice-road truckers winter, I'd want that 0w. I purposely avoid Alaska and expeditions to the poles.

Some of us don't care for SAE/API/ILSAC.. As such, the grade ranges are horrible and test protocol needs to be addressed. Do your own testing by leaving out a bottle of 0w30 and 5w30 and pour them to see if its that much of a difference during your cold winter night.

BTW if it gets cold enough to worry, one should consider pan/block heaters or a garage. And, hopefully all are using synthetic oil regardless of the grade.

Oops, it got too cold out and you used the 5w30 instead of 0w30. Would you want a synthetic or a conventional?


The flow is important. If the oil doesn't return to the pan, or flow back to the pan, what does your oil pump pump?

And, one should also question the engine. Does the engine family have a deficiency in which case I would want the best pumping/returning oil for those startups.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Opinions are great, but the only way to be sure is to test it out for yourself.

From my experience -- going from the positive teens down you'll notice a difference using a 0w vs a 5w.

I agree with this. The armchair cold weather experts need to go and start their car at 0 F with a 5W and then a 0 W. The amount of difference depends how much attention you give it. Chevy says -20 F is enough of a difference to act. Note this is nowhere CCS and MRV temps. Many Bitoggers are sensitive to it, and want the 0w at higher temps. The truth is the difference between a 0w and a 5W at 15 F is a few hundred cSt. Can you feel that? Some can. In the positive teens, I’d say you can notice the difference, but I won’t necessarily say it will add miles to your car’s life. I plug my car in at 0 F if I can. Also, I am absolutely not interested in doing starts down at the CCS and MRV temps without being plugged in.

 

[PimTac]

It’s a moot point. Millions of car owners are running 0w-xx oils in regions where winter temperatures don’t even get close to freezing. Is it really a concern? No.

 

[BISCUT]

I was using M1 0-20 in my F150 and figured out moving to ST would be just fine for my 5-6k OCI and moving to 5-30 in the climate I most often operate in is a ok. Coldest at my home was a -10F with a few days before and after that date of 0F up to that -10F. That's the worst I see. Jan/Feb at my home is usually teens to 20's overnight and about 25F to 30F average daily temp. A few times a winter I may find myself in northern NH, VT, or ME and much colder temps. -30F Being coldest I've ever started a vehicle in (Crawford Noth, NH).

I feel like my bases are covered with ST 5-30 synthetic in the F150 in the environment I am in. When I finish my stash of M1 5-30 for the Subaru I may also move that to the 5-30 ST synthetic.

 

[pbm]

I'd run Mobil 1 0w30 over 5w30 in Michigan winters simply because it probably contains more PAO and is just as protective as temps rise. OTOH an 0w30 like German Castrol is thicker at the temps you mentioned than M1 5w30 so the M1 5w30 would be a better choice. Having said this, in your climate the difference between most 0w30's and 5w30's (syns) is probably insignificant.

 

[ZZman]

Seems like most are saying running a 0w won't hurt anything and might help.

Much like most of our oil choices, personal preferences.

I may try one as my 2005 Avalon is due for an oil change. I also always use Syn oil in my vehicles.

 

[kschachn]

Maybe in the worst ice-road truckers winter, I'd want that 0w. I purposely avoid Alaska and expeditions to the poles.

Some of us don't care for SAE/API/ILSAC.. As such, the grade ranges are horrible and test protocol needs to be addressed. Do your own testing by leaving out a bottle of 0w30 and 5w30 and pour them to see if its that much of a difference during your cold winter night.

BTW if it gets cold enough to worry, one should consider pan/block heaters or a garage. And, hopefully all are using synthetic oil regardless of the grade.

Oops, it got too cold out and you used the 5w30 instead of 0w30. Would you want a synthetic or a conventional?


The flow is important. If the oil doesn't return to the pan, or flow back to the pan, what does your oil pump pump?

And, one should also question the engine. Does the engine family have a deficiency in which case I would want the best pumping/returning oil for those startups.

Yes the usual nonsense video whether it is produced by Amsoil or another entity. The comparison is invalid since the 5W rated oil is below the minimum temperature, at that temperature it wouldn't matter if that is conventional nor mineral oil. If a 5W rated oil is "as good as" a 0W rated oil at -40F then it must be labeled as one.

Just a marketing video to wow the uninformed. The only "flow" that matters in an engine is the flow in the immediate area of the pickup tube from the sump. That is tested by SAE J300 and is part of the winter rating. This test does not illustrate that, in fact it is exactly why a revision to J300 was made.

Again, use an oil that has a winter rating that is appropriate for your expected starting conditions. At -40F it isn't one with a 5W rating.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

The problem with your question is that in places like Michigan the weather can turn very cold quickly.

So if you are running a thick oil and suddenly the temps drop to below zero you have to run out and change it?

For most people no matter where they live, it’s the actual grade that matters, not the W rating. Nobody has a problem running 0wxx in mild temperatures.

All my life I've lived in Washington on the wetside. Well with the exception of 6 years off for good behavior. I've never seen a winter where 5w-30 wouldn't have severed you well. But getting into my latter years I'm sure wondering if I'm going to get some more time off for good behavior?

 

[edyvw]

I live 1 1/2hrs from coldest basin in lower 48. Mostly run 5W, and I am visiting that area at least once a week.
Anywhere in lower 48 5WXX is more than sifficient.

 

[manicrodder]

Any 0W rated oil will only be guaranteed to be thinner than the comparable 5W rated oil below around -35F or so. Are you starting unaided at that temperature?

I lived/worked in Great Falls MT from 2010 to 2016. Moved from LV with 5w30 January 2010. The first winter was warm only dropping to -22 or so occasionally. I changed to M1 0w30 at next change from then on. 3rd year was -38 for the low and cold start seemed comparable to 5w. Hummer was always exposed. Good battery was essential. The City shop used 15w40 in everything even in my 2015 F-150 work truck! Some engine noise with that!

 

[PimTac]

All my life I've lived in Washington on the wetside. Well with the exception of 6 years off for good behavior. I've never seen a winter where 5w-30 wouldn't have severed you well. But getting into my latter years I'm sure wondering if I'm going to get some more time off for good behavior?

I believe it really doesn’t matter unless you run a really thick oil in very cold temperatures. The story I’ve told before was about my dad starting up the car in -30f temps in Eastern Oregon running SAE 30. That motor clicked and clacked for a bit but it ran for many years afterwards.

Now I’m running 0w20 and it could be way below zero or way above 100 and I’m not going to worry.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Did you not read the line before the video link?

And, just because a 5w pours at -40 doesn't mean it passed or can pass SAE grade for 0w. So, it has nothing to do with labelling it a SAE J300 0w.

Nothing nonsense about the video. Much nonsense about your comments and your assumptions and jumping to conclusions.

Like API/ILSAC, I don't care for SAE either. Tests/requirements/specs constantly being revised in a leisurely vote/political fashion for the masses who think it means something. Look at GF6/SP and now oil protects timing chains in the year 2020+.... like we didn't use timing chains for 100 years.

I use synthetic oil and recommend it. If I use a 5w30 here in Death Valley, and decide to visit family during an Alaskan/Canadian winter, I am content that my 5w30 synthetic will do well enough and not bother with a 0w30. If you use a conventional, and you get caught in some cold weather, remember the nonsense Amsoil marketing video link I posted above.

 

[edyvw]

I lived/worked in Great Falls MT from 2010 to 2016. Moved from LV with 5w30 January 2010. The first winter was warm only dropping to -22 or so occasionally. I changed to M1 0w30 at next change from then on. 3rd year was -38 for the low and cold start seemed comparable to 5w. Hummer was always exposed. Good battery was essential. The City shop used 15w40 in everything even in my 2015 F-150 work truck! Some engine noise with that!

I started 10W40 in -42 in Bosnia after skiing. Camshafts complaint a bit, but other than that, good battery is essential.

 

[ssspencerjr]

I'm just curious if anybody chimes in that has a 2017-2018 malibu that calls for 5w-30 that has used 0w-20 specced in the new malibu's.

 

[OVERKILL]

Maybe in the worst ice-road truckers winter, I'd want that 0w. I purposely avoid Alaska and expeditions to the poles.

Some of us don't care for SAE/API/ILSAC.. As such, the grade ranges are horrible and test protocol needs to be addressed. Do your own testing by leaving out a bottle of 0w30 and 5w30 and pour them to see if its that much of a difference during your cold winter night.

BTW if it gets cold enough to worry, one should consider pan/block heaters or a garage. And, hopefully all are using synthetic oil regardless of the grade.

Oops, it got too cold out and you used the 5w30 instead of 0w30. Would you want a synthetic or a conventional?


The flow is important. If the oil doesn't return to the pan, or flow back to the pan, what does your oil pump pump?

And, one should also question the engine. Does the engine family have a deficiency in which case I would want the best pumping/returning oil for those startups.

You realize Pour Point was replaced with CCS and MRV specifically because it does NOT properly gauge the performance of a lubricant at extreme cold temperatures, right?

Sure, let's replace controlled scientific tests with Backyard Bill trying to pour two oils at whatever temperature he managed to experience one night and assume that properly reflects the performance at a pump pick-up and impact on cranking speed rather than actually measuring it

 

[JT20]

Why are we asking?

I've asked the same.

I keep coming to the conclusion that a 0W is probably a "better" oil, because it can achieve a 0W rating, vs a 5W.. similar to what Davejam said.

I think what is being said is the difference is so small that the answer to the question is no.