I was at a car forum having a discussion about oil when someone posted this.. any truth to it.
"If you are running a 5w30 versus a 0W-30, those 2 oils start from different base stocks of different weights. Multi-weight oils are basically oils that have polymers attached to them.
I believe in race applications, most of the time they don't use multi-weight oil because they don't want polymer in the engine (I could be wrong about this though...) for example, race motors might use a 30W oil (non-multiweight).
When COLD the polymers are coiled and the oil will behave basically like its base oil (first "W" number).
When HOT the polymers uncoil, making the oil thicker and it protects SIMILARLY to an oil of weight noted after the dash.
So a 0w30 protects like a 0W (non-multiweight oil) when cold, and protects like a 30W oil when hot.
In order to make a bigger spread between the first "W" number and the second number (after the dash), they need to add more polymer.
So basically... IMO it is better to use an oil that has a tighter spread. No engine benefits from having more polymer in the oil, so you should pick an oil that is closest to the weight you need. Since polymers can shear off their oil molecules, there's a possibility for them to burn up and make deposits in the engine...
That is why I'd rather put a 5w30 in the car (less spread between the numbers) than a 0W-30...
This is just what I choose to believe, not that I think you're going to be {poof-gone!} if you use a 0W- but I'd rather have a little more protection when cold.
I know they should theoretically protect the same, but the 5w30 will have less polymer in it, and will also be a bit heavier when cold, preventing some of that burn off when the engine is cold.
You can have your opinions about the weight of the oil you choose. But my research has led me to believe that you should pick a multi-weight oil with the minimum spread that fits your application."
ADMIN COMMENT: Folks, please use caution in cutting and pasting from other sources. Ultimately, you're responsible for what you bring in here. It's OK Derek, we'll save the Cat-o-nine-tails for next time. . .
"If you are running a 5w30 versus a 0W-30, those 2 oils start from different base stocks of different weights. Multi-weight oils are basically oils that have polymers attached to them.
I believe in race applications, most of the time they don't use multi-weight oil because they don't want polymer in the engine (I could be wrong about this though...) for example, race motors might use a 30W oil (non-multiweight).
When COLD the polymers are coiled and the oil will behave basically like its base oil (first "W" number).
When HOT the polymers uncoil, making the oil thicker and it protects SIMILARLY to an oil of weight noted after the dash.
So a 0w30 protects like a 0W (non-multiweight oil) when cold, and protects like a 30W oil when hot.
In order to make a bigger spread between the first "W" number and the second number (after the dash), they need to add more polymer.
So basically... IMO it is better to use an oil that has a tighter spread. No engine benefits from having more polymer in the oil, so you should pick an oil that is closest to the weight you need. Since polymers can shear off their oil molecules, there's a possibility for them to burn up and make deposits in the engine...
That is why I'd rather put a 5w30 in the car (less spread between the numbers) than a 0W-30...
This is just what I choose to believe, not that I think you're going to be {poof-gone!} if you use a 0W- but I'd rather have a little more protection when cold.
I know they should theoretically protect the same, but the 5w30 will have less polymer in it, and will also be a bit heavier when cold, preventing some of that burn off when the engine is cold.
You can have your opinions about the weight of the oil you choose. But my research has led me to believe that you should pick a multi-weight oil with the minimum spread that fits your application."
ADMIN COMMENT: Folks, please use caution in cutting and pasting from other sources. Ultimately, you're responsible for what you bring in here. It's OK Derek, we'll save the Cat-o-nine-tails for next time. . .
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