Should I be using a thicker oil?

Chris142 · Jul 30, 2011

Ran across the owners manual for my mom's Kia today. I've always used 5w30 and 10w30 in it. lately it's been Formula Shell.

Since it's summer time and temps are 100* and up to 115* it looks like Kia wants 10w40, 20w40,20w50 or Straight 30 or 40 in it and not 10w30.

Whats up with this?

bmwtechguy · Jul 30, 2011

I would use a good HDEO 15w40 during the summer. I'm sure you have some of that laying around.

sm00thpapa · Jul 30, 2011

Stay with 10w30 or maybe the 10W-40. I never seen a 10w30 recommended only to 90 degrees F.

spasm3 · Jul 30, 2011

Is it out of warranty? I'd be tempted to run rotella t-6 5w 40 in it.

SuperDave456 · Jul 30, 2011

I'd bet that it is fine with a 30 weight oil unless you are towing with it.

Those charts in the owners manual are probably shipped all over the world. 40 and 50 weight oils are more common overseas than the 20 and 30 weights we have here.

If you are really concerned I would go to a 30 weight synthetic before I put a 4 cylinder engine on a 40 weight.

What kia are we talking about anyway?

qdeezie · Jul 30, 2011

If it was me, I wouldn't really sweat it. I think highly of FS (Number 1 sleeper oil in my opinion) and as long as OCIs are on time (which I'm sure they are), I think FS is up to the task.

However, other options would be going to a synthetic Xw-30 oil or maybe even an 0w-40/5w-40 oil.

Chris142 · Jul 30, 2011

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456

What kia are we talking about anyway?
99 Sportage

Gene K · Jul 30, 2011

Shell Rotella T6 5W40 every 10,000 miles is what I would do.

crazyoildude · Jul 30, 2011

what year and engine???

Chris142 · Jul 30, 2011

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
what year and engine???
99 Sportage 2.0.

d00df00d · Jul 30, 2011

Are you trying to stick with dino? If so, go for an xw-40 for sure.

If you're willing to switch to synthetic, I'd be willing to bet that any xw-30 -- including 0w30 -- would do just fine.

Rotella T6 5w-40 should be another fine option, and I would bet you could run it year-round.

mechtech2 · Jul 30, 2011

Those charts won't die.
They are dated , even though they are in new manuals.

A X-30 should be just fine.

crazyoildude · Jul 30, 2011

i would not use a 20w50 how many miles?

Torrid · Jul 30, 2011

Wow, US bound cars usually don't have those charts in my experience. My cars both spec 5w30 and I use 0w40 in one of them. Living in the desert I'd use 15w50 without a concern, but I like the 0w40 for a true year round weight.

hate2work · Jul 30, 2011

Boy, that's a pretty weird viscosity chart Chris. If I'm reading it correctly, it shows 5W-20 only good up til 0F, and 5w30 good up til about 35F.

What's the grade of oil to the right of the 5W-20? Is that 20W-20???

I think something got lost in the translation

BTW, you know that many people use 20 weight oils in Texas summers, right? I think you're fine and would not go to a thicker oil myself.

Thermo1223 · Jul 30, 2011

any 5w30 will be fine...

Use synthetic if you want but dino won't sweat it.

Chris142 · Jul 30, 2011

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Is that 20W-20???

Ya. I have not seen that weight in atleast 20 years.

zyxelenator · Jul 30, 2011

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: hate2work

Is that 20W-20???

Ya. I have not seen that weight in atleast 20 years.

Is straight 20?

d00df00d · Jul 31, 2011

Originally Posted By: zyxelenator
Is straight 20?

Not necessarily.

20w-20 = 20w cold pumpability; SAE 20 hot viscosity.

"Straight 20" = cold pumpability unspecified; SAE 20 hot viscosity.

They might be the same, or the might not. Heck, the straight-20 could theoretically be equivalent to a 5w-20 or 0w-20. There's no way to tell just from the labeling.

dparm · Jul 31, 2011

Any name brand synthetic 5w30 would be fine year round.

Should I be using a thicker oil?

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