The Rise of SAE 0W Lubricants

[OVERKILL]

I ran 0W-30 in my C6 Corvette and it would make top end noises until the oil got to the top of the engine. This was only when the engine was cold and sitting for a week or more without being run. I switched to 10W-30 and the noise was gone. It had no top end noise when starting with a cold engine. It makes me believe the 0 may make the oil too thin for the Corvette C6 engine.

Did you keep the same filter on it? Typically start-up clatter is most affected by ADBV function, not oil grade.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Did you keep the same filter on it? Typically start-up clatter is most affected by ADBV function, not oil grade.

Yes I did keep the same filter on the Corvette. I had that start up rattle with other filters too and thought it was just from the filter too. The car recommends 5W-30 and I should not have used 0W-30 but thought it would not matter but in fact it did matter. No more top end noise with 10W30.

 

[OVERKILL]

Yes I did keep the same filter on the Corvette. I had that start up rattle with other filters too and thought it was just from the filter too. The car recommends 5W-30 and I should not have used 0W-30 but thought it would not matter but in fact it did matter. No more top end noise with 10W30.

Interesting. What kind of startup temps are we talking about?

 

[joekingcorvette]

I used 0

Interesting. What kind of startup temps are we talking about?

The engine would make startup noise at any temperature. The garage is heated in the winter to 55 degrees however even in the summertime it would make noises on startup. I didn't put that many miles on it last year and kept the Fram Ultra filter on the car. As in the picture I was supposed to use 5W-30 instead of 0W-30. Anyway, I am very happy the engine is not rattling on startup.

 

[OVERKILL]

I used 0

The engine would make startup noise at any temperature. The garage is heated in the winter to 55 degrees however even in the summertime it would make noises on startup. I didn't put that many miles on it last year and kept the Fram Ultra filter on the car. As in the picture I was supposed to use 5W-30 instead of 0W-30. Anyway, I am very happy the engine is not rattling on startup.

I'm just curious, hence the questions, not trying to pester. The 0W-30 would have a higher VI than the 10W-30, so while still quite thick, would be thinner than the 10W-30. I assume we are talking like HLA/lifter bleed-down clatter? I assume it's possible that the 0W-30 may drain out of the lifters more readily when sitting than the 10W-30.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I'm just curious, hence the questions, not trying to pester. The 0W-30 would have a higher VI than the 10W-30, so while still quite thick, would be thinner than the 10W-30. I assume we are talking like HLA/lifter bleed-down clatter? I assume it's possible that the 0W-30 may drain out of the lifters more readily when sitting than the 10W-30.

Yes that's exactly correct. The thinner oil must have drained out of the lifters. The car had been doing this for a couple years and I thought maybe a thicker oil would help and it did. I was very surprised because on the Mobil 1 website it clearly states that 0W can be used in anything without causing a problem therefore Mobil 1 was incorrect. Mobile 1 also stated I could use their ATF in my Honda Civic and later on that proved to be incorrect also. You cannot use Mobil ATF in a Honda. My next experiment will be to use the correct 5W-30 in this engine and see if it still works properly.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I keep it very clean and change the oil very frequently therefore the engine shouldn't have many problems yet at under 80,000 babied miles (most of the time) hahahaha.

 

[OVERKILL]

Yes that's exactly correct. The thinner oil must have drained out of the lifters. The car had been doing this for a couple years and I thought maybe a thicker oil would help and it did. I was very surprised because on the Mobil 1 website it clearly states that 0W can be used in anything without causing a problem therefore Mobil 1 was incorrect. Mobile 1 also stated I could use their ATF in my Honda Civic and later on that proved to be incorrect also. You cannot use Mobil ATF in a Honda. My next experiment will be to use the correct 5W-30 in this engine and see if it still works properly.

Yes, I mean, technically, it's still a 30-grade and the noise, if it is just lifter clatter, isn't anything other than a nuisance, so in that respect, Mobil's recommendation is probably fine, but I certainly appreciate your perspective that it shouldn't be doing it if it doesn't do it with an oil that has a different Winter rating.

I'll float the theory that with the 0W-30 having probably lighter base oils, or at least a higher VI base oil, that it not thickening as much as it cools as the 10W-30 is what is allowing it to get pushed out of the lifters on cylinders with open valves (pressure on the pushrod) which creates the noise.

I'm definitely interested to see if a 5W-30 also does it, or if it is quiet.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Yes, I mean, technically, it's still a 30-grade and the noise, if it is just lifter clatter, isn't anything other than a nuisance, so in that respect, Mobil's recommendation is probably fine, but I certainly appreciate your perspective that it shouldn't be doing it if it doesn't do it with an oil that has a different Winter rating.

I'll float the theory that with the 0W-30 having probably lighter base oils, or at least a higher VI base oil, that it not thickening as much as it cools as the 10W-30 is what is allowing it to get pushed out of the lifters on cylinders with open valves (pressure on the pushrod) which creates the noise.

I'm definitely interested to see if a 5W-30 also does it, or if it is quiet.

I agree with everything you stated. I am going to try Mobil 1 5W-30 next time. Thank you for your input OVERKILL.

 

[kschachn]

You could also plot out the viscosity charts for the oils and see just how different they are at your starting temperature.

 

[The Critic]

Yes that's exactly correct. The thinner oil must have drained out of the lifters. The car had been doing this for a couple years and I thought maybe a thicker oil would help and it did. I was very surprised because on the Mobil 1 website it clearly states that 0W can be used in anything without causing a problem therefore Mobil 1 was incorrect. Mobile 1 also stated I could use their ATF in my Honda Civic and later on that proved to be incorrect also. You cannot use Mobil ATF in a Honda. My next experiment will be to use the correct 5W-30 in this engine and see if it still works properly.

I believe GM only recommends 0W-30 for temps under 0F. For temps above 0F, they advise using 5W30.