Mobil 1 5w-30 vs Mobil 1 10w-30

[ncirish]

I like the M1 in my 2000 Trooper BUT the question is what weight? Here in NC it gets into the 20's some in the winter but nothing very cold nor very often. My wife does drive the car about 2 1/2 miles to work and home so the oil gets no warm-up on a daily basis except when we drive to Charlotte or Pittsburgh when it gets really warmed up

hence the idea about the 5w for better start-up protection. I have heard on here that the 10w is a stronger oil, anyway which one is considered "better" within most normal parameters?

Thanks!

 

[Geoff]

I used M1 5w-30, particularly in winter, for wife's Trooper for same reason. Lots of short trips. I think start up is the most important worry point for that pattern. I am trying Shell Rotella T-Syn 5w-40 after 75K of M1. We tow a lot in the warmer months.

So far the heavier weight is noticeable, but the engine seems to run well. MPG about 0 to 1 mpg lower.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

Go with the 10w30.

 

[Patman]

To be completely honest, Mobil 1's 10w30 is an obsolete oil (IMHO) That's because it doesn't do anything that the 5w30 version of it can't do. The 5w30 holds it's viscosity just as well, and yet offers better cold temperature properties. What's not to like?

 

[427Z06]

IMHO, the M1 5w30 will work well in your situation. My only concern would be how often do you get the oil hot with all those short trips, especially in the winter? You might want to change your oil/filter based on time opposed to basing it on milage.

 

[ncirish]

427, I do change it based on a 3k OCI. This is not because of the 3k mile sickness some have but because of the short trips and the crappy ring design of the Isuzu 3.5 engine (otherwise a steel crank and 6 bolt mains are alllllright). I thought about the 0w-30 but it is hard to come by around here.

 

[jsharp]

I'm not sure why Mobil still makes the 10W-30 other than people's hesitance to use the 5W-30. It looks like the two oils are interchangeable other than the better cold weather characteristics of the 5W variety...

 

[427Z06]

ncirish, sounds like you have a good plan. 5w30 should suffice for your climate. 0w30 might be a tad better during the colder months, but I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[ncirish]

427 it is a lot easier to get 10w in case lots such as at Sam's than it is 5w. But the 5w is in jugs at Wallyworld so that is easy enough i guess. Again the wisdom of the board winds out!

 

[tpi]

quote:

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Originally posted by ncirish:
My wife does drive the car about 2 1/2 miles to work and home so the oil gets no warm-up on a daily

Thanks!

---

5W-30

 

[Hankrr]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
To be completely honest, Mobil 1's 10w30 is an obsolete oil (IMHO) That's because it doesn't do anything that the 5w30 version of it can't do. The 5w30 holds it's viscosity just as well, and yet offers better cold temperature properties. What's not to like?

---

The 10W30 is by no means an obsolete oil. For hot weather it would be a better choice than the 5W30 being as it doesn't require any VI index improvers which are prone to shearing. I think the 10W30, 5W40 and 15W50 are M1's best oils for that reason.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hankrr:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
To be completely honest, Mobil 1's 10w30 is an obsolete oil (IMHO) That's because it doesn't do anything that the 5w30 version of it can't do. The 5w30 holds it's viscosity just as well, and yet offers better cold temperature properties. What's not to like?

---

The 10W30 is by no means an obsolete oil. For hot weather it would be a better choice than the 5W30 being as it doesn't require any VI index improvers which are prone to shearing. I think the 10W30, 5W40 and 15W50 are M1's best oils for that reason.

---

Do we really know the VI index improvers ( if any ) are prone to shear in the 5W-30. Most all of the UOA's show it holds it's viscosity well even with drain intervals past 10K miles...

 

[JohnBrowning]

I doubt you would see any difference dureing winter between the two. 20F is not even cold. When you consuder that I ran a thick 5W40 in -18F temps the idea of needing a 5W30 for 20F temps really seems silly. My Father runs M1 10W30 in his 1995 daily driver Tacoma as his winter oil in Michigan. My Mothers Tundra gets M1 10W30 as it's winter oil as well. The wifes Buick Lasber is geting MotorCraft CI-4/SL "Super Premium" 10W30 for winter use and my Camry is getting M1R 0W30 as a test oil not because it is needed.

So if you want to run 5W30 that is fine but it is by no means needed in your climate. The M1 10W30 is not obslete and can still best 5W30 in vechiles that are hard on oil.

 

[tpi]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JohnBrowning:

So if you want to run 5W30 that is fine but it is by no means needed in your climate. The M1 10W30 is not obslete and can still best 5W30 in vechiles that are hard on oil. [/QB]

---

Don't think the 5W30 is needed in his climate but with a cold start per 2.5 miles, you're seeing 40 cold starts per 100 miles. The 5W30 will flow incrementally better in the first few seconds after the start. This will be beneficial to the valve train and upper cylinder walls. This vehicle is a poster child for the lighter grades.

IMO nice to see a post include the operating conditions as part of the request for advice.

 

[Jakebrake]

I would go with the 10W-30...20 degrees is not very cold...I doubt that you would see any difference in flow between to two oils at that temperature. I use the 10W-30 here in Nevada and it hovers around 10 to 15 degrees here in winter....it pumps up quickly and I think it is a slightly better oil than the 5W-30. The HT/HS is slightly higher with the 10W-30.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hankrr:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
To be completely honest, Mobil 1's 10w30 is an obsolete oil (IMHO) That's because it doesn't do anything that the 5w30 version of it can't do. The 5w30 holds it's viscosity just as well, and yet offers better cold temperature properties. What's not to like?

---

The 10W30 is by no means an obsolete oil. For hot weather it would be a better choice than the 5W30 being as it doesn't require any VI index improvers which are prone to shearing. I think the 10W30, 5W40 and 15W50 are M1's best oils for that reason.

---

But my point is that we don't see 5w30 M1 shearing! I doubt it has much, if any VII in it.

 

[Ugly3]

No downside - 5w30 all the way.

 

[zoomzoom]

this table will show you difference in viscosity at these given temperatures. 5W and 0W will flow quite a bit faster then M1 10W...

What surprizes me is that M1 5W will flow better then GC and M1 0W-40???

TEMP * M1 0W-40 * GC 0W-30 * M1 0W-30 * M1 5W-30 * M1 10W-30 * M1 0W-20 * RL 5W-20
-20 * 2661.5 * 2609.0 * 1994.8 * 2225.1 * 3424.8 * 1712.7 * 2995.8
-10 * 1197.8 * 1127.1 * 872.4 * 944.7 * 1332.9 * 730.8 * 1165.3
0 * 599.3 * 546.6 * 428.3 * 452.9 * 595.7 * 352.8 * 521.4
10 * 327.6 * 291.8 * 231.3 * 240.1 * 298.3 * 188.5 * 261.8
20 * 192.9 * 168.8 * 135.3 * 138.3 * 164.1 * 109.5 * 144.5
30 * 121.0 * 104.4 * 84.6 * 85.5 * 97.6 * 68.3 * 86.3
40 * 80.0 * 68.4 * 56.0 * 56.0 * 62.0 * 45.1 * 55.0
50 * 55.4 * 47.0 * 38.8 * 38.5 * 41.6 * 31.3 * 37.0
60 * 39.8 * 33.7 * 28.1 * 27.7 * 29.2 * 22.6 * 26.1
70 * 29.7 * 25.0 * 21.0 * 20.6 * 21.4 * 17.0 * 19.2
80 * 22.7 * 19.1 * 16.2 * 15.8 * 16.1 * 13.1 * 14.5
90 * 17.8 * 15.0 * 12.8 * 12.4 * 12.5 * 10.4 * 11.3
100 * 14.3 * 12.0 * 10.3 * 10.0 * 10.0 * 8.4 * 9.1
110 * 11.7 * 9.8 * 8.5 * 8.2 * 8.1 * 6.9 * 7.4
120 * 9.8 * 8.2 * 7.1 * 6.9 * 6.7 * 5.8 * 6.1
130 * 8.2 * 6.9 * 6.0 * 5.8 * 5.7 * 5.0 * 5.2
140 * 7.0 * 5.9 * 5.2 * 5.0 * 4.9 * 4.3 * 4.4
150 * 6.1 * 5.1 * 4.5 * 4.3 * 4.2 * 3.7 * 3.9

 

[Scott_in_WI]

So Patman,

In an application like mine (12-1500 miles/week, almost all highway), would you suggest M1 5w-30 over M1 10w-30? I've always been of the opinion, "the narrower the viscosity spread, the better". I have a "brand spankin" new car and want it to tun "forever" (or at least until I have it paid off

)....

Thanks in advance.

 

[jbas]

Mobil 1's and Amsoil's 10W-30s are not obsolete. The 5W-30s are redundant, and no doubt created because of the manufacturers' dino requirements.

Maybe I missed it, but I haven't seen the 10W-30s show any more wear than the 5W-30s, given any normal climate, in recent UOAs.