Since Jan 2005 How Many Have Gone Thinner or Thicker

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In the last year and a half how many people here have changed the oil viscosity they use to a thinner or a thicker grade? I do not mean just going to a 20 wt. oil for example. If you were a believer of 15W-50 or 20W-50 and moved to a 40 wt. oil now, that is going thinner.

What made you change to the thinner or thicker oil?

aehaas
 
Except for a couple of fills of 0w40 a few years ago, I've been using 10w30 and 5w30 oils in both cars. But just yesterday I bought some Havoline 5w20 on sale, & plan to use it in Mom's '94 Mercury Grand Marquis 4.6 V-8 come November*. I may even try some 5w20 in the Neon about that time*. Does that count?
*: with a little LC, of course.
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My big shift in oil weights was back in late '94 when I bought a new Dakota pickup. After using 20w50 in the ancient Volvo for so many years, it was hard to make myself believe that that 10w30 could keep an engine alive at all! But I gritted my teeth, poured that water-thin oil in- and everything worked just fine! I suspect the exact same thing will happen with the 5w20.
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[ May 21, 2006, 05:00 PM: Message edited by: Stuart Hughes ]
 
I go with the thinner of the oils recommended in my manuals...that includes not using GC 0-30 in my Subaru's, instead use PP 5-30. As I get to the point I am about to be out of warranty, I'll get a couple of UOA's for a baseline, then thin down the PP 5-30 with PP 5-20 (or even 0-20, if they make it!), and keep doing UOA's and using thinner and thinner until I see some reason not to use a 0-20 in either of these engines.
 
I previously used GC when most people though ANY 0w-30 was too thin for a Euro car. Now I own zero Euros and 2 Hondas, but a lot of GC! I feel the GC is a bit thick for the Hondas but will use it in the older 100k one. I used some 5w-20 in my RSX for break-in, but have a lot of Mobil 1 0w-30, my thinnest oil, that I will use in it. I wish I hung onto more of the M1 when I bought it. Bottom line is yeah, I'm using thinner oils, but in cars that call for them. After the M1 is gone, the question will be, do I use the GC or 5w-20, but I would use the dino 5w-20 over synth if I was buying it now.
 
Been using Esso 0W-40 XD-3 in both my Jeeps' engine for a year and a half( more or less..mainly more) ...can't remember when I switched exactly.Was using 5W-40 Delvac 1 before that,and Mobil 1 10W-30 before that.Why did I switch to a thicker synthetic...this site and reading over some of the UOA's in various engines using above said oils.
 
I always used 10W30 in my Jeep. Last year I went to the thicker high mileage kind for a year, right now I'm back to regular 10W30. I won't go thinner than that, in fact, I'm thinking about going to some kind of 5W40 synth, just for kicks and comparisons.
Maybe try Delo 15W40 for the summer.
But the Havoline 10W30 seems to be working quite well....
 
quote:

In the last year and a half how many people here have changed the oil viscosity they use to a thinner or a thicker grade? I do not mean just going to a 20 wt. oil for example. If you were a believer of 15W-50 or 20W-50 and moved to a 40 wt. oil now, that is going thinner.

What made you change to the thinner or thicker oil?

You lot won't believe this but as a resident of Manhattan for many years, I had no need of a car and therefore no interest in cars. My transportation needs were met by subway, taxi or rental car when out of the city.

Then early last year I moved here and suddenly found myself in need of private transportation. I finally found my present car and the rest is history.

Not knowing much of cars or maintenance of them, I found some tire store that would quickly change out the filthy oil in the 2001 Taurus for less than $20. I believe they put some type of Valvoline oil in it. Maybe 10W-40
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Then a few weeks later I discovered BITOG. What a revelation that was!!

After much reading of this site, I decided on Mobil 1 as the default oil. Because a lot of posts indicated it was generally a thin oil and would turn your otherwise pristine engine into a leaky, gooey mess, I decided on 5W-30 for initial OCI. It later turned out to be a rather thick oil and didn't cause leaks.

Then I finally decided to read the owners manual. It indicated I should be running 5W-20. That's what's currently in sump for this and all subsequent OCI. Much better now.
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I liked what your articles had to say and now I run 5W-30 instead of 10W-30 - its as thin as my manual allows and it's certainly thin enough for my all iron pushrod motor. If I owned a more modern motor I might try xW20.

I changed to this for a decrease in startup wear with all my cold starts.
 
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Originally posted by Dark Jedi:
same here the same. whatever the manual says I put in it. havent had a problem yet.

Took me a while. I was guilty of subjecting my 71 Valiant to valvoline 10W-40. (OK, I was working for Ashland Chemical at the time) When my 92 Grand Am was new, I couldn't bear to use the recommended 5W-30 and continued using the Pennzoil 10W-30 that I switched to after Ashland fired me. In a couple of years, I finally broke down and switched not only it, but my 77 truck to the Pennzoil 5W-30 too. My thinking is that if the modern 5W-30's were available in 77, they would have recommended using them in it. I think I have gained better cold starts without increased noise at any temperature. Note, the truck doesn't have hydraulic lifters.
 
I've definately gone thinner in the last couple years. I was a 15w-40_HDEO_in_everything kind of guy. I now use 20wt in both of my vehicles ('02 Suburban and '05 Dodge Caravan) and also in a couple that I maintain for others ('03 Acura and '02 Lexus).

What made me change you ask? Very simple...

1) UOAs of 20wt oils here on BITOG

2) Ever figure out the real viscosity at *operating temperature* of your oil in the cool/ winter months? Ever use an IR thermometer to see just how *hot* your oil really runs in the winter? I did both of these and realized that most of the cool months I was running around with 60 or 70wt oil in the sump. How you ask? Well I very rarely ever see sump temps over 160F in the winter. It just doesn't matter if you're sitting in traffic or cruising down that interstate, oil just doesn't get hot in the wintertime. Now if you run a 40wt oil at 160F with a VI of 145 you end up pumping 33 (~70wt) cSt oil around your engine and that's AFTER it's warmed to 160F!!!!

Wayne
 
after joining BITOG, I firmly shifted into the 40 camp (from 50s predominantly, but also 60s and 70s).

Currently running a 10W-30 for the first time ever in my 4Runner
 
10W30, 10W40, 20W50 in my 92 depending on season, per the book. The 2005 I replaced it with is strictly 5W20 with an option of 5W30 Summer, but they prefer 5W20 all seasons. 10W30 only in a region where 5WXX is unavailable. Hyundai, both vehicles. I run M1 5W20, all seasons with a dose of VSOT for 7500-10K OCI. Except for the VSOT and the slightly extended OCI, I'm following the manufacturer's spec.

It will have to do. The filter is a MISERY to get to, Fumoto drain valve notwithstanding. But there is good news..

I saved a bundle on Amsoil SDF036's!
 
1989 VW Jetta 21 miles to 225,000 miles, Valvoline AC 20w50 year-round. No oil related problems at all. Car sold.

2001 Mazda 626-V6, 20 miles to 20,000 miles, mostly Havoline and Shell dino 10w30, 20,000 miles to present at 46,000 miles, mostly motorcraft semi-syn 5w30.

I'm stubborn but i'm slowly getting thinner
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Ford chose not to back-spec this particular mazda made engine to 5w20, but they do now recommend 5w30 year-round regardless of climate. However my Mercury/Mazda dealer seems to put 5w20 in everything unless customers request otherwise.

Interestingly, as of my conversation last week with a MazdaUSA engineer at their corporate office, Mazda has not changed their recommendation of 5w30 from -22*F up to 98*F and 10w30 from -13*F on up. Other countries allow up to xxW-50 to be used in the engine, and recommend 5w30 not to be used about 60*F.

I'm confused!
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5W-30 as always in my 1998 Mustang GT. I keep nagging my Dad to stop putting 10W-30 and using FRAM oil filters in his 2003 Chevy S-10 and instead use 5W-30 and an AC Delco oil filter.
 
Car specs 5w-20, after comparing forign requirments, and reviewing several cam failures while tracking, I have since started running 5w-30 year round, and a 40wt if I ever track the car.

With the temp my oil runs at, it is basically a 20wt anyways. If I ever add an oil cooler, I will probobly switch back to a 20wt.
 
In the ZZR250 I went from Mobil 1 15W50 to Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40, does that count ? A change from approximately 18cSt down to 14 cSt @ 100ºC.

I figure when it gets warmer I'll switch back to either the M1 15W50 or try out the M1 5W50, the bike only takes 1.9L of oil so it's not like I'm breaking the bank on an oil change trying out different types.
 
I've gone from 30's to mostly 40's except the redline 5W30 in my sump now, but that's special.

I really had no idea about the sludge issues until my latest saab. Prior to that I just threw in M1 10W30 and was happy. GC or Syntec 5W40 may be good choices but we'll have to see.
 
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