M1 0w-30

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Triton_330

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So, I've read many threads about M1 and it's plethora of grades... but what I can't seem to understand is why M1 0w-30 doesn't get as much love as M1 0w-20 and M1 0w-40...

Is there something about M1 0w-30 that makes it subpar in some way?

I've even heard that some folks use a 50/50 mix of M1 0w-20 and 0w-40 to make their own 0w-30. I've also heard that some say M1 5w-30 has better cold flow specs than the 0w-30, which, I just don't understand.

What's so bad about M1 0w-30?

---

The reason I ask is because I've used only 5w-30 in my truck ever since I've had it, and have been thinking about using 0w-30 because IL winters get really cold. A few years ago in the winter, when I had 5w-30 in my truck (IIRC, it was full-syn Mag 1 5w-30), the windchill as -17*F (-27*C), and I went to start my truck. It started, but it whined and groaned and made all sorts of painful noises for a while.

I figured that I might a 0w-30 this coming winter to see if it starts easier.

---

So, anyway, I guess my question is, would not M1 0w-30 help make starting easier in cold winters?

~ Triton
 
Nothing at all sub-par about the product. 0W30 is not as popular as 5W30 that's all. I've been using Mobil 1 0W30 for a few years in an old Ford van that was originally spec'ed for 10W30. I think the oil is great, and read many good things about the product before making the move to it. I think it will serve you well, and offer better cold weather start ups if your temperature gets low enough.
 
Your engine doesn't care about wind chill. You are being dramatic with your example in an attempt to convince yourself you need the 0W. You don't. M1 5W-30 will pump and protect in any temperature you will ever experience in Illinois.

Average winter temperature in Illinois is 28.3F, ranking the state as 19th.

Coldest ever recorded in the state is -36F. That's only one day. You should stay home in weather like that. What about your axle, PS and transmission fluids in that extreme? We won't even discuss the grease in your chassis.

M1 5W-30 has a PP of -42, 0W is -50. What's your manual say?
 
Originally Posted By: Triton_330
So, I've read many threads about M1 and it's plethora of grades... but what I can't seem to understand is why M1 0w-30 doesn't get as much love as M1 0w-20 and M1 0w-40...

Is there something about M1 0w-30 that makes it subpar in some way?


I've been told that 0W30 isn't specified in any new cars in the US, and have to take that as fact.

0W20 is specified in new cars, and 0W40 also, but to a lesser extent, and more specialised applications.

So if those two ARE a common grade, and the 0W30 isn't then I can see the 0W30 being the oddball.


Originally Posted By: Triton_330
I've even heard that some folks use a 50/50 mix of M1 0w-20 and 0w-40 to make their own 0w-30.


Practice originated in Canada, because the 0W30 M1 "wasn't available".

Then gained momentum, and when it WAS available in Canada got no respect as the blend has mystical properties.

Originally Posted By: Triton_330
I've also heard that some say M1 5w-30 has better cold flow specs than the 0w-30, which, I just don't understand.


All of the "advantages" that the 0W30 has are shared by the 5W30 at any sort of reasonable starting temperature...obviously the 0W is better at -35C and below, but between freezing temperatures and a hot summers day, the viscosities of the two are all but identical.

At -40C...you need all the "0W" you can get.

Originally Posted By: Triton_330
I figured that I might a 0w-30 this coming winter to see if it starts easier.

---

So, anyway, I guess my question is, would not M1 0w-30 help make starting easier in cold winters?

~ Triton


At the limits of pumpability, yep, the 0W30 will do a lot better.

At 10-20 below freezing, there's nearly nothing different.
 
There isn't a single engine sold here for which 0W-30 is the recommended grade while there are many that call for 0W-20 and quite a few that require the certs that M1 0W-40 carries.
M1 0W-30 AFE is intended as an alternative oil for those engines for which a 5W-30 or 10W-30 is recommended by the engine manufacturer.
It also must be thinner than a 5W-30 at very low temperatures since it meets the requirements of the 0W-30 grade.
AFE appears to have more Grp IV in its basestock blend than does M1 5W-30, for what that's worth.
This oil might lead to easier starts on the below zero mornings we've seen so many of over the past couple of winters.
For the same bucks as M1 5W-30, there's no reason not to use it.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
There isn't a single engine sold here for which 0W-30 is the recommended grade while there are many that call for 0W-20 and quite a few that require the certs that M1 0W-40 carries.
M1 0W-30 AFE is intended as an alternative oil for those engines for which a 5W-30 or 10W-30 is recommended by the engine manufacturer.

Not entirely true.

GM in the past has had a recommendation in the owners manual that if the vehicle sees extremely cold temps a 0w-30 is recommended. My '02 Trailblazer and '04 Rainier had this statement.

Now that GM has gone to their DEXOS standard, M1 AFE is licensed so it would be a recommended grade.
 
I ran across a Castrol/Volvo recommended oil chart that specified 0w30 as the preferred oil for all Volvos from 90's thru 2005. This differs from the oils specified in owners' manuals, but oil technology has changed. We will be switching to 0w30 in a couple of our cars. I don't see how an oil can be too thin at engine start up.
 
Originally Posted By: LotI
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
There isn't a single engine sold here for which 0W-30 is the recommended grade while there are many that call for 0W-20 and quite a few that require the certs that M1 0W-40 carries.
M1 0W-30 AFE is intended as an alternative oil for those engines for which a 5W-30 or 10W-30 is recommended by the engine manufacturer.

Not entirely true.

GM in the past has had a recommendation in the owners manual that if the vehicle sees extremely cold temps a 0w-30 is recommended. My '02 Trailblazer and '04 Rainier had this statement.

Now that GM has gone to their DEXOS standard, M1 AFE is licensed so it would be a recommended grade.




My 08 Silverado owners manual says to use 0w30 if you expect to see temperatures of -20F or lower
 
You both have a point, but IIRC, 0W-30 is allowed where temperatures below -20F are expected, not required.
5W-30 remains the recommended oil.
I don't have a recent GM OM in front of me, but I do recall that 0W-30 was allowed for an '08 GM product for which I recommended that the owner use AFE as did the M1 product selection function.
 
I switched to M1 0W-30 a couple years ago. My youngest daughter was driving the Cirrus to college in Grand Forks, ND. She said it started much easier with the 0W-30 vs M1 5W-30 when temps went below zero. At home, I noticed the same thing. The difference seems to be more apparent at temps 0 and below.
 
I've used M1 AFE 0w-30 extensively in the Expedition and it has the lowest consumption of any 30-weight I've ever used, which is no movement on the dipstick between 10-12,000Km changes.

Now, we actually DO get -30C up here on occasion, and at those temperatures, when I had PU 5w-30 in the truck, I wished I had the AFE 0w-30 in there as unaided, it providers a quicker cranking speed at that temperature. Keep in mind though, that's the CCS limit for a 5w, LOL!
 
Per my sig, I'm running m1 0w/30 in everything right now. All's well and I only have to keep one oil in my stash.

Somehow I believe there's additional anti friction additives to get the AFE label. Just a guess though.
 
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Originally Posted By: suspiciousmind
Per my sig, I'm running m1 0w/30 in everything right now. All's well and I only have to keep one oil in my stash.

Somehow I believe there's additional anti friction additives to get the AFE label. Just a guess though.


That or maybe the fuel saved on start up/warm up gives them a fraction of a mpg claim.
 
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Mobil I 5w-30 is a very good oil for wear protection. Take a look at 540ratblog.wordpress.com for a good discussion about motor oil wear protection. Mobil I 5w-30 is rated 11 out of 159. Mobil I 0w-30 AFE is rated 83/159. Not a definitive treatise on motor oil but very well written. I myself have used Mobil I 0w-30 AFE in my Camry V6 since it became easy to find about eight or nine years ago. I tried Mobil I 0w-20 last winter just to see if start-up in very cold weather was easier using the lighter oil. I know, I know, 0w is 0w is 0w not matter what digits come next. Bottom line is it didn't get cold enough last winter in Nebraska to determine anything about the 0w-20 oil. I can tell you this, Lower viscosity oils did make a big difference starting a vehicle that had cold soaked all day in a parking lot near Craig,Colorado.
 
That that 540rats blog maybe well written but that's about it. Everything else is all opinionated and not credible at all. I did like all the vast VOAs of different oils though.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow

I've been told that 0W30 isn't specified in any new cars in the US, and have to take that as fact.


Some GM manuals state that one should use 0W-30 (or synthetic 5W-30) in temps below -20F....
 
Originally Posted By: Triton_330
So, I've read many threads about M1 and it's plethora of grades... but what I can't seem to understand is why M1 0w-30 doesn't get as much love as M1 0w-20 and M1 0w-40...

Is there something about M1 0w-30 that makes it subpar in some way?

I've even heard that some folks use a 50/50 mix of M1 0w-20 and 0w-40 to make their own 0w-30. I've also heard that some say M1 5w-30 has better cold flow specs than the 0w-30, which, I just don't understand.

The weather in So Cal is very mild all year, we don't need anything below 10W for winter months, because we almost never have anything below 30F, even below 40F is very rare about 3-5 nights a year at most.

With this in mind, I mixed M1 EP 0W20 with 0W40 (and Castrol 0-5W20 with 0W40) to get HTHS slightly above 3.0-3.1 at around 3.3-3.4 to use in my S2000 and E430. Both M1 EP 0W20 and 0W40 are long drain oils and both have higher percentage PAO, so that the mixed is shear stable to use in high rev engine of my S2000. The E430 recommended grade is M1 0W40(and others in MB list 229.5), but the car is rarely see rev above 3500-4000 RPM so I thin it down a little at around 3.2-3.3 HTHS.

I think it is safer to mix same brand and type, Mobil1 with Mobil1 and Castrol with Castrol.
 
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