5w-30 too thick for modern cars?

[IndyIan]

IMO a 0W30 or 5W30 is going to be fine in anything at any temperature above -30C in any mass production car engine sold in North America. Because a 0W8 oil is going to be more viscous at -40C that the 0W30 at -25C. So as long as you aren't using 5W30 at below -30C in a car specing 0W8, there is no chance of breaking something on very very cold start ups, the engine components need to be designed for a -40C start so they don't get broken in the cold parts of the country.
Interestingly enough, the first 0W8 specs I looked up for Castrol EDGE 0w8 only has a pour point of -45C? The thick "molasses in January" Pennzoil 0W30 euro lx I use in my Outback has a pour point of -51C? The 0W8 does have a slightly lower viscosity at a more important -35C, but not that much really 2800cP compared to 5800 cP.

 

[K2K2]

No, this horse has been beaten to death more times than I can count.

It's no longer a horse, it's a small pile of fur and bone fragments mixed with sand at this point.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I have a 2013 ES350 (2GR-FE).
I have a 2016 RX350 (2GR-FKS).
I had a 2023 ES350 (2GR-FKS).

I have experimented with various lubes in those vehicles, using 0w-20, 5w-20 and 5w-30. I can find no data-driven distinguishable difference in them in terms of wear data. I cannot fathom how such minor differences in viscosity are somehow going to affect bearings, phasers, etc.

Is a 20 grade too thin for most modern gas engines? No.
Is a 30 grade too thick for most modern gas engines? No.

As for the engine sounds, etc ... It's the placebo effect, IMO.


NOTE: I'm excluding extreme performance vehicles, etc from my comments.

I accidently dumped a jug of Mobil 1 5w30 in our '13 GS350 F Sport. Dang thing loved it! That's what I run in it now.

Placebo effect for the win!

 

[demarpaint]

It's no longer a horse, it's a small pile of fur and bone fragments mixed with sand at this point.

LOL that's good. Leave that pile long enough and it might become crude oil again.

 

[edyvw]

IMO a 0W30 or 5W30 is going to be fine in anything at any temperature above -30C in any mass production car engine sold in North America. Because a 0W8 oil is going to be more viscous at -40C that the 0W30 at -25C. So as long as you aren't using 5W30 at below -30C in a car specing 0W8, there is no chance of breaking something on very very cold start ups, the engine components need to be designed for a -40C start so they don't get broken in the cold parts of the country.
Interestingly enough, the first 0W8 specs I looked up for Castrol EDGE 0w8 only has a pour point of -45C? The thick "molasses in January" Pennzoil 0W30 euro lx I use in my Outback has a pour point of -51C? The 0W8 does have a slightly lower viscosity at a more important -35C, but not that much really 2800cP compared to 5800 cP.

What 0W has to do with pour point?

 

[Titan]

I accidently dumped a jug of Mobil 1 5w30 in our '13 GS350 F Sport. Dang thing loved it! That's what I run in it now.

Placebo effect for the win!

At least you recognize it and are honest about it! I run Mobil ESP 0w30 in my 2025 F-sport 3.5 because I like the specs and reports on this oil. I cannot detect a difference in performance or mpg than the dealership 20 weight they use. I'll run the "free" oil change from the dealer for a couple thousand miles before changing back to ESP 0w30 until the free 20,000 mile change. Do the same thing, then either keep running ESP until they change the additives, or perhaps run an HPL oil in it for 10,000 mile intervals until I run out of warranty (I think powertrain on this car is 70,000 miles...I'll have to look that up), at which point I might run longer intervals if I have UOA to watch for the oil condition.

 

[facility1]

yeeee ha Mobil 1 ESP to save the day,,,,maybe I might try it sometime.

 

[GSCJR]

I have a 2GR-FKS Taco that I've been running 5w30 in. Zero issues.

My 2GR-FE has 5w-40 in the sump (0w-20 on the cap), just in time for winter.

 

[IndyIan]

What 0W has to do with pour point?

Well I guess its a rough indicator of how it will do at -40C? The odd time I've started a vehicle in cold down near the engine oils pour point, it definitely showed that a few degrees above this number is the limit for a normal sounding start!
I would've guessed a 0W8 synthetic would have a lower pour point than a 0W30, but also there's conventional 10W30's that "pour" at -42-44C. At a more common -20C all these oils will be fine in a normal car engine that spec'd 0W8.

A plug in hybrid is the special case where the engine oil goes from cold to running at operating rpms and power, and maybe never warming up, so I guess these 0W8's have a place there?

 

[GI_GRIFF]

No.

 

[kschachn]

A plug in hybrid is the special case where the engine oil goes from cold to running at operating rpms and power, and maybe never warming up, so I guess these 0W8's have a place there?

It’s only for fuel economy. A thicker oil would help it to warm up faster.

 

[edyvw]

Well I guess its a rough indicator of how it will do at -40C? The odd time I've started a vehicle in cold down near the engine oils pour point, it definitely showed that a few degrees above this number is the limit for a normal sounding start!
I would've guessed a 0W8 synthetic would have a lower pour point than a 0W30, but also there's conventional 10W30's that "pour" at -42-44C. At a more common -20C all these oils will be fine in a normal car engine that spec'd 0W8.

A plug in hybrid is the special case where the engine oil goes from cold to running at operating rpms and power, and maybe never warming up, so I guess these 0W8's have a place there?

There is no guessing. 0W, 5W etc. are determined using ASTM D5293 standard test method. It is used because pour point is grossly inaccurate method of determining cold cranking performance.

 

[GW.]

Appears the OP is no longer with us…..

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Appears the OP is no longer with us…..

Troll8 g rig struck by the **** taxman, a knowledgeable group who may have individuals with years thinking about many inane details of lubrication.

 

[redhat]

No issues here with GM VVT running a xW-40 for an engine "specified" on 0W-20.

Tough to think it would cause any issues when Corvette's, Camaro's and now the recalled L87 6.2 all call for a Dexos R 0W-40 and have the SAME bearing clearances, VVT systems, AFM or DFM lifters, etc.

 

[IndyIan]

There is no guessing. 0W, 5W etc. are determined using ASTM D5293 standard test method. It is used because pour point is grossly inaccurate method of determining cold cranking performance.

Pour point is what is left if you are using the oil below the ASTM D5293 test temperature though? If I have 20W50 in something, and its -25C, can I start it with no worries?
If I've got redline 20W50, probably, its pour point is -45C, so at least it will think about flowing. If I've got Valvoline in it, I would say no, it has a pour point of -24C...

 

[BeerCan]

Pour point is what is left if you are using the oil below the ASTM D5293 test temperature though? If I have 20W50 in something, and its -25C, can I start it with no worries?
If I've got redline 20W50, probably, its pour point is -45C, so at least it will think about flowing. If I've got Valvoline in it, I would say no, it has a pour point of -24C...

Personally at -25C I would worry about a 20w50 oils pumpability rather than its pour point.

 

[wlk]

Is 5w-30 too thick for modern cars?

No

 

[edyvw]

Pour point is what is left if you are using the oil below the ASTM D5293 test temperature though? If I have 20W50 in something, and its -25C, can I start it with no worries?
If I've got redline 20W50, probably, its pour point is -45C, so at least it will think about flowing. If I've got Valvoline in it, I would say no, it has a pour point of -24C...

I mean yeah. But if -45 is something that happens regularly in area where you live, high chances are you are running block heater etc. I started 10W40 at -37, and 5W40 at -42. If that was temperature I was seeing regularly in the winter I would most definitely run 0W and something like HPL or Redline.

 

[facility1]

as a pour point can be useful I would highly be concerned with the CCS and MRV values when choosing any oil in cold weather and starting protection. operating viscosity should be noted too in any engine.