I grew up in a big V8 family My dad would use nothing but Castrol oil 20w 50 in these engines. These was Chevy 400SB built up and Ford 390's and Ford 455 and several more. I had a 1986 Ford Rander 2.9 V6 in the early 90's . I grew up in Ga. I moved to Washington St. One winter it got down close to 0 . I went out to start my truck and it would barely turn over. It took along while to crank up. A Volvo mechanic lived next door and came over to help. He told me to get the heavy oil out for the winter and run something lighter. I change it that day and never had an issue in the winter time ever again with starting . Liveing in Ga we didn't hardley have winters. Just thought I'd share....... WarDawg
Lets talk old school. 20w 50
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You want to run the lightest oil that doesnt lead to excessive engine noise or drop below the recommended viscosity. If you drive hard you may want to go up 1 grade above recommended, Never 2 grades. If you got to pput in 50 wt You got a race motor or you have an engine problem.
When I lived in South Dakota for a time a friend had a Ford Falcon and it would not start one cold morning. I asked him what weight oil he had in it and he said 30 weight. I told him in a nice way that it would be better to get a muti weight like 10-30. It was in 1969 so I don't believe there were any 5-30's or 5 or 0 anything back then.
I used to use Castrol Syntec 5-50 in everything before I joined BITOG.
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
You want to run the lightest oil that doesnt lead to excessive engine noise or drop below the recommended viscosity. If you drive hard you may want to go up 1 grade above recommended, Never 2 grades. If you got to pput in 50 wt You got a race motor or you have an engine problem.
Well said.
I only run 20W-50 from May through Early September even in my '69 VW van to keep oil pressure within spec.
And that has relatively loose-by-nature oil clearances as the little hard working air-cooled engine heats up and everthing expands a lot. It gets 10W-40 the rest of the year.
I used to use 20W-50 in a worn out Chevy Luv pickup I had years ago, because the oil light would flicker at idle when the engine was at full temperature if I didn't. Never made noises though with whatever I used in it.
IIRC, I did change the OP warning light sender and it made no difference.
That said, FrankN4 (sp?) runs synthetic 15W-50, I think it is, in everything and has great results with it.
I live in Iowa, and I think that's a bit thick for my peace of mind for a tight water-cooled engine.
You want to run the lightest oil that doesnt lead to excessive engine noise or drop below the recommended viscosity. If you drive hard you may want to go up 1 grade above recommended, Never 2 grades. If you got to pput in 50 wt You got a race motor or you have an engine problem.
Well said.
I only run 20W-50 from May through Early September even in my '69 VW van to keep oil pressure within spec.
And that has relatively loose-by-nature oil clearances as the little hard working air-cooled engine heats up and everthing expands a lot. It gets 10W-40 the rest of the year.
I used to use 20W-50 in a worn out Chevy Luv pickup I had years ago, because the oil light would flicker at idle when the engine was at full temperature if I didn't. Never made noises though with whatever I used in it.
IIRC, I did change the OP warning light sender and it made no difference.
That said, FrankN4 (sp?) runs synthetic 15W-50, I think it is, in everything and has great results with it.
I live in Iowa, and I think that's a bit thick for my peace of mind for a tight water-cooled engine.
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I`ve run 20W50 even during winters when it would be in the lower 30s. My engines would always turn over just as fast with that oil as when I`d have a 10W30.
BUT,I`m moving to lighter oils. I`m running 10W40 now and will be going down to 10W30 next oci.
BUT,I`m moving to lighter oils. I`m running 10W40 now and will be going down to 10W30 next oci.
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I`ve run 20W50 even during winters when it would be in the lower 30s. My engines would always turn over just as fast with that oil as when I`d have a 10W30.
BUT,I`m moving to lighter oils. I`m running 10W40 now and will be going down to 10W30 next oci.
They should ban 20w50 LOL...I just saw an episode of TRUCKS! today and they were putting Castrol 20w50 in a race motor on the engine dyno. I was wondering how come in some race motors on that show they use RP 10w30 and then randomly use 20w50 dino oil in others???
Anyway, I too have a "similar" climate as you and I have always just used 10w30 year-round. I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD RUN 5W30 in winter time??? I gues not, if 10w30 has always worked.
I`ve run 20W50 even during winters when it would be in the lower 30s. My engines would always turn over just as fast with that oil as when I`d have a 10W30.
BUT,I`m moving to lighter oils. I`m running 10W40 now and will be going down to 10W30 next oci.
They should ban 20w50 LOL...I just saw an episode of TRUCKS! today and they were putting Castrol 20w50 in a race motor on the engine dyno. I was wondering how come in some race motors on that show they use RP 10w30 and then randomly use 20w50 dino oil in others???
Anyway, I too have a "similar" climate as you and I have always just used 10w30 year-round. I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD RUN 5W30 in winter time??? I gues not, if 10w30 has always worked.
When you have great oils like Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 you have no need for a higher grade unless you vehicle specifically calls for a higher grade which is hardly ever the situation.
Originally Posted By: callbay
When I lived in South Dakota for a time a friend had a Ford Falcon and it would not start one cold morning. I asked him what weight oil he had in it and he said 30 weight. I told him in a nice way that it would be better to get a muti weight like 10-30. It was in 1969 so I don't believe there were any 5-30's or 5 or 0 anything back then.
There was no 0W-X back in the late 60's but 5W-30 was around although not yet popular. In fact my father used 5W-40 in his Olds Toronado. I tried it in my Honda CB77 Super Hawk and it sheared almost instantly to the point that I couldn't shift gears. Went back to a 30 wt which solved the problem.
That was the beginning of my interest in Motor oils.
20W-50 dino is an obsolete oil for obsolete engines.
When I lived in South Dakota for a time a friend had a Ford Falcon and it would not start one cold morning. I asked him what weight oil he had in it and he said 30 weight. I told him in a nice way that it would be better to get a muti weight like 10-30. It was in 1969 so I don't believe there were any 5-30's or 5 or 0 anything back then.
There was no 0W-X back in the late 60's but 5W-30 was around although not yet popular. In fact my father used 5W-40 in his Olds Toronado. I tried it in my Honda CB77 Super Hawk and it sheared almost instantly to the point that I couldn't shift gears. Went back to a 30 wt which solved the problem.
That was the beginning of my interest in Motor oils.
20W-50 dino is an obsolete oil for obsolete engines.
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Originally Posted By: callbay
When I lived in South Dakota for a time a friend had a Ford Falcon and it would not start one cold morning. I asked him what weight oil he had in it and he said 30 weight. I told him in a nice way that it would be better to get a muti weight like 10-30. It was in 1969 so I don't believe there were any 5-30's or 5 or 0 anything back then.
There was no 0W-X back in the late 60's but 5W-30 was around although not yet popular. In fact my father used 5W-40 in his Olds Toronado. I tried it in my Honda CB77 Super Hawk and it sheared almost instantly to the point that I couldn't shift gears. Went back to a 30 wt which solved the problem.
That was the beginning of my interest in Motor oils.
20W-50 dino is an obsolete oil for obsolete engines.
Well I guess my 700hp V6 is "obsolete" and uses an obsolete oil too. If this is obsolete, give me some more. Sure is fun.
Originally Posted By: callbay
When I lived in South Dakota for a time a friend had a Ford Falcon and it would not start one cold morning. I asked him what weight oil he had in it and he said 30 weight. I told him in a nice way that it would be better to get a muti weight like 10-30. It was in 1969 so I don't believe there were any 5-30's or 5 or 0 anything back then.
There was no 0W-X back in the late 60's but 5W-30 was around although not yet popular. In fact my father used 5W-40 in his Olds Toronado. I tried it in my Honda CB77 Super Hawk and it sheared almost instantly to the point that I couldn't shift gears. Went back to a 30 wt which solved the problem.
That was the beginning of my interest in Motor oils.
20W-50 dino is an obsolete oil for obsolete engines.
Well I guess my 700hp V6 is "obsolete" and uses an obsolete oil too. If this is obsolete, give me some more. Sure is fun.
My *legitimately* absolute 350 is speced for 10w-30. But I nurse it through bad valve seals with the thick stuff. Doesn't look like it will ever be fixed so...
I use it in my Lotus Europa because it consumes so much oil, otherwise I would a use a superior oil like a Red Line 40wt.
my owners manual specs it as an option for an LS1 engined HOLDEN ( AUSTRALIAN G.M.)
please stop spreading dis-information
please stop spreading dis-information
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: bonnie john
my owners manual specs it as an option for an LS1 engined HOLDEN ( AUSTRALIAN G.M.)
please stop spreading dis-information
Originally Posted By: bonnie john
my owners manual specs it as an option for an LS1 engined HOLDEN ( AUSTRALIAN G.M.)
please stop spreading dis-information
CATERHAM 20W-50 dino is an obsolete oil for obsolete engines. maybe in the Australian desert temps said:
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I`m VERY tempted to try an oci of either Valvoline 5W30 (dino) or Mobil 1 0W40 :^) Some twin turbo Z32 guys on one of the Nissan boards swear by those two oils,and mine being an n/a,it should be even better,you think??????
After running the 10W40 for awhile now and seeing the power difference,I`m wanting to *ween* my engine off the 20W50 I`d been running. Wish Walmart carried M1 0W40 so I could trade in my jug of 15W50 for it :^(
After running the 10W40 for awhile now and seeing the power difference,I`m wanting to *ween* my engine off the 20W50 I`d been running. Wish Walmart carried M1 0W40 so I could trade in my jug of 15W50 for it :^(
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
20W-50 is actually anything but old school here. I'd say at least 80% of engines here run on it.
But that's exactly what it is "old school thinking".
It hasn't been the preferred fill in any modern engine for years.
I do appreciate how expensive motor oil is outside of North America; typically 2 to 3 times what we pay. GP I and II dino 20W-50 is relatively cheap and commonly available compared to even GP III synthetics. While 10W-30 has been the "standard" grade here in N/A since the 60's (and later sub-planted by 5W-30 and now the trend to XW-20), in the mild and hot climates in the rest of the world 20W-50 has been the "standard" grade.
But old habits die hard particularly when supported by economics.
20W-50 is actually anything but old school here. I'd say at least 80% of engines here run on it.
But that's exactly what it is "old school thinking".
It hasn't been the preferred fill in any modern engine for years.
I do appreciate how expensive motor oil is outside of North America; typically 2 to 3 times what we pay. GP I and II dino 20W-50 is relatively cheap and commonly available compared to even GP III synthetics. While 10W-30 has been the "standard" grade here in N/A since the 60's (and later sub-planted by 5W-30 and now the trend to XW-20), in the mild and hot climates in the rest of the world 20W-50 has been the "standard" grade.
But old habits die hard particularly when supported by economics.
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
20W-50 is actually anything but old school here. I'd say at least 80% of engines here run on it.
But that's exactly what it is "old school thinking".
It hasn't been the preferred fill in any modern engine for years.
I do appreciate how expensive motor oil is outside of North America; typically 2 to 3 times what we pay. GP I and II dino 20W-50 is relatively cheap and commonly available compared to even GP III synthetics. While 10W-30 has been the "standard" grade here in N/A since the 60's (and later sub-planted by 5W-30 and now the trend to XW-20), in the mild and hot climates in the rest of the world 20W-50 has been the "standard" grade.
But old habits die hard particularly when supported by economics.
Again, blanket statements. Some engines do require 20w-50 and are far from obsolete. I especially liked that comment though, after looking through your list of cars.
You assume 20w-50 is used due to "old habits" when in reality some engines need it to survive.
20w-50 might not be the preferred fill in any modern engine in NA but it is in fact listed in the owner's manual for several modern engines outside of the US where CAFE does not have a role.
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
20W-50 is actually anything but old school here. I'd say at least 80% of engines here run on it.
But that's exactly what it is "old school thinking".
It hasn't been the preferred fill in any modern engine for years.
I do appreciate how expensive motor oil is outside of North America; typically 2 to 3 times what we pay. GP I and II dino 20W-50 is relatively cheap and commonly available compared to even GP III synthetics. While 10W-30 has been the "standard" grade here in N/A since the 60's (and later sub-planted by 5W-30 and now the trend to XW-20), in the mild and hot climates in the rest of the world 20W-50 has been the "standard" grade.
But old habits die hard particularly when supported by economics.
Again, blanket statements. Some engines do require 20w-50 and are far from obsolete. I especially liked that comment though, after looking through your list of cars.
You assume 20w-50 is used due to "old habits" when in reality some engines need it to survive.
20w-50 might not be the preferred fill in any modern engine in NA but it is in fact listed in the owner's manual for several modern engines outside of the US where CAFE does not have a role.
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