can I use 10-30 oil during summer in 5-30 car?
- Thread starter PaulH
- Start date
- Status
For the first couple of years of my Subaru's life, I used 5W/30 in the summer, and 0W/30 in the winter (It does get cold here....I have seen -25F)......Only because I noticed that it consumed a small quantity of the 0W/30 (Up to 8oz in 5k miles) while it used none of the 5W/30 that was in it in the summer.
This winter, it did not use any measurable amount, so I am going to use the 0W/30 through the summer. I guess at 84k miles, it is finally run in.
Anal, you say? I would prefer meticulous, but have it your way......
This winter, it did not use any measurable amount, so I am going to use the 0W/30 through the summer. I guess at 84k miles, it is finally run in.
Anal, you say? I would prefer meticulous, but have it your way......
Last edited:
To my understanding, there are less VI improvers in 10w30 synthetic vs. 5w30 and some have no improvers in it at all thanks to is original synthetic characteristics, which can mean less shearing, less burn off and oil staying in grade longer. Does it really matter? In a lot of cases no, but not all vehicles are created equal. If you have an engine that is less prone to shearing, 5w30 year round is the choice. If you have one that is prone to it, a 10w30 during summer and 5w30 during winter would be a great combo, even HDEO oils (5w30 and 10w30) would serve great like Shell T5. Not all 10w30's are going to differ much in gas mileage at the synthetic level (group III or above) vs a 5w30 synthetic, but they might at the group II level. HDEO's are a different bird, highest end of the viscosity so you would probably see a little gas mileage drop off. If real heat etc is a concern at some point, even a 0w-40 would be a great option, Castrol and Mobil both make great oils in that weight, especially if you want to stay in the SN classification.
I bought about 2 cases of Napa synthetic not long ago, I made it up as 75% 5w30 and 25% 10w30, plan to run the 10w30 during the summer heat.
I bought about 2 cases of Napa synthetic not long ago, I made it up as 75% 5w30 and 25% 10w30, plan to run the 10w30 during the summer heat.
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Use it if you got it or can find it for cheap, but don't go out of your way to pay the same or close to the same for a 10w30 over a 5w30.
If I could score 10w30 on clearance for less than $2 per quart I would certainly use it.
+1. I got some Castrol Syntec 10W-30 for $12/5 quart jug and less than $3 for a quart bottle. I used these 6 quarts in my wife's 4.6 V-8 Explorer last year from May through mid November, about 8,000 miles. It usually gets synthetic 5W-20. There was no really noticeable decrease in the mpg and started and ran the same as with the 5W-20. Would I put the 10W-30 in without it being a great buy or in the winter, NO.
Whimsey
Use it if you got it or can find it for cheap, but don't go out of your way to pay the same or close to the same for a 10w30 over a 5w30.
If I could score 10w30 on clearance for less than $2 per quart I would certainly use it.
+1. I got some Castrol Syntec 10W-30 for $12/5 quart jug and less than $3 for a quart bottle. I used these 6 quarts in my wife's 4.6 V-8 Explorer last year from May through mid November, about 8,000 miles. It usually gets synthetic 5W-20. There was no really noticeable decrease in the mpg and started and ran the same as with the 5W-20. Would I put the 10W-30 in without it being a great buy or in the winter, NO.
Whimsey
Last edited:
I'll buy or use just about anything on closeout. I passed up some Pennzoil Platinum 5w50 awhile back at AZ, I couldn't find a use four it with my 5w30 applications.
the book for the car says 5-30. I have 10-30 in my garage to use,and feel a bit better with the thinner oil at -5 degrees...
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2006
- Messages
- 2,326
A synthetic 10W-30 will flow just fine at -5F. Go to M1's site and compare the properties of their 5 and 10W-30 oils. They both have pour points greater than -40. Read SAE J300.
Originally Posted By: PaulH
the book for the car says 5-30. I have 10-30 in my garage to use,and feel a bit better with the thinner oil at -5 degrees...
Originally Posted By: PaulH
the book for the car says 5-30. I have 10-30 in my garage to use,and feel a bit better with the thinner oil at -5 degrees...
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
More shear stable than 5W-30.
That was supposed to be a trolling post. You guys asleep?
More shear stable than 5W-30.
That was supposed to be a trolling post. You guys asleep?
5W30 is all you need. Heck, I believe most of us have had this discussion on this forum a hundred times.
Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
Why chase around 5w vs 10w? They're both 30 weight at operating temp. Use up what you have left but IMO just pick a weight and stick to it in the future
Shoot I use 0w-30 year round
Its a popular misconception that 10w-30 is just as thick as 5w-30 "hot".
"advanced, thinner synthetic base oils to help cooling and polymer viscosity boosters (which kick-in at higher temperatures) to thicken the oil." quoted from http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140128-mercedes.html
We know the oil gets up around the rings and cylinder walls, where the temperatures are way above 100 degrees C, more like 200 degrees C, and the VII continue to prevent thinning out.
Something to consider anyway. In a passenger vehicle there won't be that much of a difference. There is a case to just use a 0w-30 or 5w-30 in the summer too, no 10w-30 needed.
Why chase around 5w vs 10w? They're both 30 weight at operating temp. Use up what you have left but IMO just pick a weight and stick to it in the future
Shoot I use 0w-30 year round
Its a popular misconception that 10w-30 is just as thick as 5w-30 "hot".
"advanced, thinner synthetic base oils to help cooling and polymer viscosity boosters (which kick-in at higher temperatures) to thicken the oil." quoted from http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140128-mercedes.html
We know the oil gets up around the rings and cylinder walls, where the temperatures are way above 100 degrees C, more like 200 degrees C, and the VII continue to prevent thinning out.
Something to consider anyway. In a passenger vehicle there won't be that much of a difference. There is a case to just use a 0w-30 or 5w-30 in the summer too, no 10w-30 needed.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: fredfactory
Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
Why chase around 5w vs 10w? They're both 30 weight at operating temp. Use up what you have left but IMO just pick a weight and stick to it in the future
Shoot I use 0w-30 year round
Its a popular misconception that 10w-30 is just as thick as 5w-30 "hot".
"advanced, thinner synthetic base oils to help cooling and polymer viscosity boosters (which kick-in at higher temperatures) to thicken the oil." quoted from http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140128-mercedes.html
We know the oil gets up around the rings and cylinder walls, where the temperatures are way above 100 degrees C, more like 200 degrees C, and the VII continue to prevent thinning out.
Something to consider anyway. In a passenger vehicle there won't be that much of a difference. There is a case to just use a 0w-30 or 5w-30 in the summer too, no 10w-30 needed.
You have to consider that quote in context.
A base oil blend, particularly for a conventional lubricant, is not going to hit both your hot and cold target viscs except for some pretty specific examples (which are synthetic) like Redline's 5w-30 and AMSOIL's 10w-30.
Usually the base oil blend will be somewhere in the middle and PPD's and VII's are used to make the spread. PPD's improving the cold temperature performance and VII's building the top end up so that the lubricant can hit the "hot" target. In that context, the VII's are kicking in at "high temperatures" (100C) to thicken the oil and make it in grade.
This is also why oils shear out of grade. Once those polymer chains are broken (assuming we don't have oxidative thickening) the product ends up closer to the actual viscosity of the base oil blend.
This happens on the other side of the spectrum as well, as PPD's degrade and cold temperature performance also suffers.
This is why Honda recommended 10w-30 (and 5w-40) for the S2000. A 5w-30 conventional oil would shear out of grade, whilst the 10w-30, which contains far less VII would not. It would retain the necessary viscosity characteristics to protect the engine at elevated oil temperatures.
Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
Why chase around 5w vs 10w? They're both 30 weight at operating temp. Use up what you have left but IMO just pick a weight and stick to it in the future
Shoot I use 0w-30 year round
Its a popular misconception that 10w-30 is just as thick as 5w-30 "hot".
"advanced, thinner synthetic base oils to help cooling and polymer viscosity boosters (which kick-in at higher temperatures) to thicken the oil." quoted from http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140128-mercedes.html
We know the oil gets up around the rings and cylinder walls, where the temperatures are way above 100 degrees C, more like 200 degrees C, and the VII continue to prevent thinning out.
Something to consider anyway. In a passenger vehicle there won't be that much of a difference. There is a case to just use a 0w-30 or 5w-30 in the summer too, no 10w-30 needed.
You have to consider that quote in context.
A base oil blend, particularly for a conventional lubricant, is not going to hit both your hot and cold target viscs except for some pretty specific examples (which are synthetic) like Redline's 5w-30 and AMSOIL's 10w-30.
Usually the base oil blend will be somewhere in the middle and PPD's and VII's are used to make the spread. PPD's improving the cold temperature performance and VII's building the top end up so that the lubricant can hit the "hot" target. In that context, the VII's are kicking in at "high temperatures" (100C) to thicken the oil and make it in grade.
This is also why oils shear out of grade. Once those polymer chains are broken (assuming we don't have oxidative thickening) the product ends up closer to the actual viscosity of the base oil blend.
This happens on the other side of the spectrum as well, as PPD's degrade and cold temperature performance also suffers.
This is why Honda recommended 10w-30 (and 5w-40) for the S2000. A 5w-30 conventional oil would shear out of grade, whilst the 10w-30, which contains far less VII would not. It would retain the necessary viscosity characteristics to protect the engine at elevated oil temperatures.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Some of you guys need to put some 10W-30 in a glass jar and keep it next to your computer.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
More shear stable than 5W-30.
That was supposed to be a trolling post. You guys asleep?
LOL.
Some of you guys need to put some 10W-30 in a glass jar and keep it next to your computer.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
More shear stable than 5W-30.
That was supposed to be a trolling post. You guys asleep?
LOL.
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Perfectly 100% good to go. Run it with complete confidence. You'll be without issue. You won't even notice a difference from the 5W.
This is what I'd say.
The best reason to use a 10W-30 is either that you have some on hand or you were able to buy some dirt cheap.
In either case, I'd use it without question, much the same as you might use a 5W-20 in an application for which 0W-20 is the recommended grade.
During warmer weather, there won't be any practical difference.
Perfectly 100% good to go. Run it with complete confidence. You'll be without issue. You won't even notice a difference from the 5W.
This is what I'd say.
The best reason to use a 10W-30 is either that you have some on hand or you were able to buy some dirt cheap.
In either case, I'd use it without question, much the same as you might use a 5W-20 in an application for which 0W-20 is the recommended grade.
During warmer weather, there won't be any practical difference.
Originally Posted By: PaulH
I have 10-30 in my garage to use,and feel a bit better with the thinner oil at -5 degrees...
Yea, if you already have the stuff, go ahead and use it. There really is no difference...
How cold does it get there? If I lived in Iowa, I'd consider 0w-30 in the winter, particularly if the car doesn't have a garage. Not that it would make that much difference, but the 0W should flow a bit better on those extra-chilly mornings.
I have 10-30 in my garage to use,and feel a bit better with the thinner oil at -5 degrees...
Yea, if you already have the stuff, go ahead and use it. There really is no difference...
How cold does it get there? If I lived in Iowa, I'd consider 0w-30 in the winter, particularly if the car doesn't have a garage. Not that it would make that much difference, but the 0W should flow a bit better on those extra-chilly mornings.
So, 5w30 is such a great fits all conditions oil grade, and virtually ZERO engines made in the last 10 years spec a 10w30 grade oil...
Why do oil makers bother selling 10w30 anymore... ? Do enough people still buy it to make it worthwhile to blend and sell...?
98% of people just use what their engine specs...
Why do oil makers bother selling 10w30 anymore... ? Do enough people still buy it to make it worthwhile to blend and sell...?
98% of people just use what their engine specs...
I still buy 10w-30 as it is what GM specified for the Firebird. There are still plenty of 3800 series II engines on the road today.
Originally Posted By: PaulH
have 05 lexus es 330 that calls for 5-30 oil. last summer I used a 10-30 syn. and want to change to that again now as I have it in the garage. I figure it should be fine and long as it stays above 30 degrees. What do you think?
Yes, ur Lexus won't know the difference, 10w30 and call it a day
have 05 lexus es 330 that calls for 5-30 oil. last summer I used a 10-30 syn. and want to change to that again now as I have it in the garage. I figure it should be fine and long as it stays above 30 degrees. What do you think?
Yes, ur Lexus won't know the difference, 10w30 and call it a day
Originally Posted By: geeman789
So, 5w30 is such a great fits all conditions oil grade, and virtually ZERO engines made in the last 10 years spec a 10w30 grade oil...
Why do oil makers bother selling 10w30 anymore... ? Do enough people still buy it to make it worthwhile to blend and sell...?
98% of people just use what their engine specs...
The last year Honda made S2000 was 2009, the oil specs was conventional 10W30 for 0F or higher temperature, 5W40 for colder climate below 0F.
So, 5w30 is such a great fits all conditions oil grade, and virtually ZERO engines made in the last 10 years spec a 10w30 grade oil...
Why do oil makers bother selling 10w30 anymore... ? Do enough people still buy it to make it worthwhile to blend and sell...?
98% of people just use what their engine specs...
The last year Honda made S2000 was 2009, the oil specs was conventional 10W30 for 0F or higher temperature, 5W40 for colder climate below 0F.
- Status
Similar threads
