Changing from 5W-30 to 0W-30

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: ACoupe09
Well, I'm convinced... this forum and my internet researching SKILLZZZZ have led me to believe that 0W-30 is the only way to go in my car.


Skills is spells with one S, not 4 Zs

Oil should be fine

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Ironic humor here, dont take it wrong Pete:

Post an opinion - discount the opinion, no facts
Post with facts - discount facts as inaccurate or incorrect

Haha.

The only facts in this scenario are Visc at 40C and at 100C. Everything else on that graph is extrapolation that may or may not be accurate. That's all I'm saying.

As for the OP's original question, my gut feeling would be that he won't see a whole lot of difference between 5w-30 and 0w-30, but of course it depends on the specific products, as was already noted by you.

Got it! So..Sacrificing quality/brand due to availability of 0w30's matters more than the difference between the two around here IMO. The climate has changed fast few years. This was the 2nd warmest winter on record, with an avg temp of 40F. Single digits a couple of times, only snowed twice.

Good discussion.

 

[mechtech2]

A thinner oil for start up is not primarily for the debatable 'start up wear' thing.
It is for better and more consistent flow when cold, and economy.

 

[bourne]

Here's an option, PP 5W30 . one of the thinner oils in that weight at start up and still have a nice ht/hs rating of approx 3.1 afaik. Easily and widely available and keeps you within your manufacturer recommended oil spec.

 

[Trav]

Quote:
most start up wear is not caused by a lack of oil flow if you're using an appropriate oil for your temp

Tens of thousands of MB 123 Diesels hit over a million Km on 15w40 with ease in normal drive cycles in NE like temps.
Someone explain that.

 

[Geonerd]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
As was noted in the past, this tools in not very reliable for very low ambient temps (say 32F and below). Using just two data points (Visc at 40C and at 100C) cannot account for different oil chemistries and things like pour point depressants that may be present in various amounts in different oils.


Indeed. As the temperature falls, you'll eventually reach a point at which some component of the oil starts to behave in a non-newtonian manner. It might be wax crystals starting to form, maybe a viscosity improving polymer starts to stick to itself, etc. Whatever the cause, the oil's viscosity will abruptly increase as it is cooled through this critical temperature. Further, there may be several of these steps, each occurring at a given component's critical temperature.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: bourne
Here's an option, PP 5W30 . one of the thinner oils in that weight at start up and still have a nice ht/hs rating of approx 3.1 afaik. Easily and widely available and keeps you within your manufacturer recommended oil spec.

Good idea! PP is the "Toyota 0w20" of 5w30's.

 

[Brons2]

This is one of the craziest threads I've seen on BITOG. Opinions all over the place. Well, except for Trav maybe.

M1 0w30 in a Nissan VQ? NOT RECOMMENDED. Look at the UOAs that have been posted over the years. The VQ likes an oil on the thicker side, like 12+ cSt. Use an A3 rated Xw30, or M1 0w40. $0.02

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: bourne
Here's an option, PP 5W30 . one of the thinner oils in that weight at start up and still have a nice ht/hs rating of approx 3.1 afaik. Easily and widely available and keeps you within your manufacturer recommended oil spec.

Yes PP SN 5W-30 (VI 177, HTHSV 3.0cP) is the lightest oil currently available in the States at temp's down at least to 0C. Lighter than M1 0W-30 (VI 166, HTHSV 3.0cP) due to it's significantly lower VI and much lighter than GC 0W-30 (VI 167, HTHSV 3.5cP) due to it's lower HTHSV.
0W oils will be lighter at -40C but for most of us that is a purely academic spec'.

As you can see, if you want to compare the viscosity characteristics of any oils you must look to their underlying spec's and the most important of those are HTHSV and VI.

 

[bourne]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
This is one of the craziest threads I've seen on BITOG. Opinions all over the place. Well, except for Trav maybe.

M1 0w30 in a Nissan VQ? NOT RECOMMENDED. Look at the UOAs that have been posted over the years. The VQ likes an oil on the thicker side, like 12+ cSt. Use an A3 rated Xw30, or M1 0w40. $0.02


I would never run M1 AFE 0w30 in my VQ if/when i ever get another one. When 0w30 is mentioned, it refers more to oils like GC 0w30 , Amsoil 0w30 and so forth. My vote still goes for PP 5w30.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: Brons2

M1 0w30 in a Nissan VQ? NOT RECOMMENDED. Look at the UOAs that have been posted over the years. The VQ likes an oil on the thicker side, like 12+ cSt. Use an A3 rated Xw30, or M1 0w40. $0.02

And I've seen UOA of PP 5W-30 in VQs that are excellent.
Additionally, Nissan doesn't spec' an A3 rated 30wt oil for the car in NA and I think they know something.
Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German? Probabilty not, but for typical NA usage a light 30wt is likely ideal.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German? Probabilty not, but for typical NA usage a light 30wt is likely ideal.

Heavier oils offer more protection in extreme conditions but less in moderate condition?

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German? Probabilty not, but for typical NA usage a light 30wt is likely ideal.

Heavier oils offer more protection in extreme conditions but less in moderate condition?

The only reason to use a heavier oil is to commensate for higher oil temperatures which reduce the oils viscosity. If you're not subjecting you're car to some extreme behaviour that could result in high oil temp's, then running a heavier than specified oil is counter-productive.

 

[Indydriver]

To the OP:

Last fall, I switched my two Mopar 3.5L from conventional 5W-30 to M1 0W-30 AFE because they sit outside all winter and I want to change the oil once per year. I don't have any data for you but, the subjective results are positive with no downside. 0F starts seemed easier and I'm happy with the switch.

 

[Trav]

Quote:
Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German?

I have this car here. The car i have in Germany takes a different weight. 0w40 produces great results in these VQ engines.

Did you not see the guys UOA of 0w40 in the VQ? Better than any of the lighter oils he tried.
I just put 0w40 in a 20w spec Honda and its smoother with no noticeable loss of fuel economy or performance, the ivtec and cam phasers work properly which dispels another myth.

Chrysler is finally recommending 5w30 and 0w40 for many of the new cars. In your words "I think they know something".

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Quote:
Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German?

I have this car here. The car i have in Germany takes a different weight. 0w40 produces great results in these VQ engines.

Did you not see the guys UOA of 0w40 in the VQ? Better than any of the lighter oils he tried.
I just put 0w40 in a 20w spec Honda and its smoother with no noticeable loss of fuel economy or performance, the ivtec and cam phasers work properly which dispels another myth.

Chrysler is finally recommending 5w30 and 0w40 for many of the new cars. In your words "I think they know something".

Whats the myth with cam phasers/actuators/controllers?

 

[MBS500]

Hmm, none recommended GC 0w-30 yet? Weird. I had that engine in Altima in pre bitog times. And it did like additives that thicken up your oil.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I have this car here. The car i have in Germany takes a different weight. 0w40 produces great results in these VQ engines.


Quit tempting me.

Synthetics are expensive. Well, at least I don't drive my G hard.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Originally Posted By: Brons2

M1 0w30 in a Nissan VQ? NOT RECOMMENDED. Look at the UOAs that have been posted over the years. The VQ likes an oil on the thicker side, like 12+ cSt. Use an A3 rated Xw30, or M1 0w40. $0.02

And I've seen UOA of PP 5W-30 in VQs that are excellent.
Additionally, Nissan doesn't spec' an A3 rated 30wt oil for the car in NA and I think they know something.
Wouls I use a light 30wt oil for crusing at 150 mph in Trav's German? Probabilty not, but for typical NA usage a light 30wt is likely ideal.


Interestingly, the German Mobil 1 site recommends either 0W-30 or 5W-30 for my Mazda-source 24v 2.5L whereas the UK site just stated the typical Ford-spec 5W-30.

And Trav can say better than I, but I was under the impression that the German Autobahn is no longer the speed-limitless free-for-all it once was with many choke points & traffic jams resulting in some speed limits near urban areas...

 

[1999nick]

My 2005 Nissan Pathfinder with the 4.0 engine specs 5W30,10W30, and 10W40 oils, with a stated preference for 5W30. I have decided that M1 0W40 is what I will use, and have did so successfully for the last two years. I do a one year OCI at about 9,000 miles. Engine uses maybe a sixteenth of an inch of oil off the dipstick in 9,000 miles.