Using a single weight SAE50 in a modern engine?

[twigdog]

These are all valvoline oils.
5w-20 @ 32F = 430 cst
5w-20 @ 32F = 530 cst
10W-30 @ 32F = 720 cst

straight 50 @ 84F = 430 cst
@ 78F = 530 cst
@ 84F = 720 cst

So, through the summer, and probably most of the year as you are in florida, you will be on par or a little better than 3/4 of this country for half of the year.

 

[d00df00d]

That's only on a cold start.

And to make that a valid comparison, you'd need to use more viscosities that would be usable in the engine in question (i.e. more xw-30s and xw-40s, and no xw-20s).

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Recuring topic; check the search...
So he replies to a said "relevant" topic found in the search results, and gets bashed for searching - because he "bumped" an old thread

Yea, I've been on forums forever, I know how the regulars get

Bashed for posting a question that's already been asked.
Bashed if you search, and post a reply in an old thread.

But the world still turns

 

[fdcg27]

The fifty may slow the leak, and will certainly cause no harm at the ambient temps the engine will see.
Also, given that it has at least some viscosity index, a straight fifty is probably really a 20-50.
Now, you could try Maxlife 20W-50, which might help condition the seals and reduce or even fix the leak, or you could try AutoRX, which might clean the seals to the point that they function correctly, also eliminating the leak.
You could also try MMO, with which some people report good results.
Anyway, I have been probing the dark side, using thick grades in my Hondas.
I have no negatives to report, not even reduced fuel economy.

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The fifty may slow the leak, and will certainly cause no harm at the ambient temps the engine will see.
Also, given that it has at least some viscosity index, a straight fifty is probably really a 20-50.
Now, you could try Maxlife 20W-50, which might help condition the seals and reduce or even fix the leak, or you could try AutoRX, which might clean the seals to the point that they function correctly, also eliminating the leak.
You could also try MMO, with which some people report good results.
Anyway, I have been probing the dark side, using thick grades in my Hondas.
I have no negatives to report, not even reduced fuel economy.


OK, it's stat time.

Conventionals:
Valvoline 20w50 170.90cSt@40C 18.50cSt@100C 120.75 VI
Valvoline SAE50 213.30cSt@40C 19.77cSt@100C 105.82 VI
Valvoline SAE40 140.00cSt@40C 14.98cSt@100C 108.13 VI
Valvoline SAE30 086.45cSt@40C 11.00cSt@100C 114.35 VI

Unfortunately the "cold" measurement is at 40C which is 104F! Hardly cold at all. Straight weight oils are not tested in below water-freezing temperatures so who knows what will happen with any of them once it gets really cold!

 

[ddombrowski]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
[
OK, it's stat time.

Conventionals:
Valvoline 20w50 170.90cSt@40C 18.50cSt@100C 120.75 VI
Valvoline SAE50 213.30cSt@40C 19.77cSt@100C 105.82 VI
Valvoline SAE40 140.00cSt@40C 14.98cSt@100C 108.13 VI
Valvoline SAE30 086.45cSt@40C 11.00cSt@100C 114.35 VI

Unfortunately the "cold" measurement is at 40C which is 104F! Hardly cold at all. Straight weight oils are not tested in below water-freezing temperatures so who knows what will happen with any of them once it gets really cold!


Much appreciated! So....what temperature does water freeze at? Our thermometers don't go that low down here ;-) Actually, this winter was pretty cold and we had frost on the deck one morning. Haven't had that in 10+ years.

 

[OilBlazer93]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The fifty may slow the leak, and will certainly cause no harm at the ambient temps the engine will see.
Also, given that it has at least some viscosity index, a straight fifty is probably really a 20-50.
Now, you could try Maxlife 20W-50, which might help condition the seals and reduce or even fix the leak, or you could try AutoRX, which might clean the seals to the point that they function correctly, also eliminating the leak.
You could also try MMO, with which some people report good results.
Anyway, I have been probing the dark side, using thick grades in my Hondas.
I have no negatives to report, not even reduced fuel economy.


OK, it's stat time.

Conventionals:
Valvoline 20w50 170.90cSt@40C 18.50cSt@100C 120.75 VI
Valvoline SAE50 213.30cSt@40C 19.77cSt@100C 105.82 VI
Valvoline SAE40 140.00cSt@40C 14.98cSt@100C 108.13 VI
Valvoline SAE30 086.45cSt@40C 11.00cSt@100C 114.35 VI

Unfortunately the "cold" measurement is at 40C which is 104F! Hardly cold at all. Straight weight oils are not tested in below water-freezing temperatures so who knows what will happen with any of them once it gets really cold!


It will turn into an Engine Oil-Passage-Shaped Liquid Greasy Oily Brick.

Remember when it goto -30- Fahrenheit in Florida?

Forget the oranges.. i wonder how many CARS it killed! Maybe even Floridians. Aside from Heat, -Hunidity- (Absent in the SouthWest i believe, say, Nevada and New Mexico?) Rain and Wind, .. They dont knwo REAL weather.

They also dont know Rust.....

 

[ddombrowski]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The fifty may slow the leak, and will certainly cause no harm at the ambient temps the engine will see.
Also, given that it has at least some viscosity index, a straight fifty is probably really a 20-50.
Now, you could try Maxlife 20W-50, which might help condition the seals and reduce or even fix the leak, or you could try AutoRX, which might clean the seals to the point that they function correctly, also eliminating the leak.
You could also try MMO, with which some people report good results.

Yeah, I might try the maxlife stuff. Like I said, its my father's car that my sister is driving. I try not to get too involved in the repair of it because I already do a ton of maintenance and I prefer to just stay out of it. The reason I was asking was because my sister dumps a quart of oil into it quite often, and the SAE50 is on sale for $1.00/quart right now.

If I was going to fix it for realsies, I wouldn't bother with the maxlife or MMO and I'd just pull the timing cover, replace the belt and replace the front engine seals. Of course, that would be if I didn't already have 13 different projects going on right now already....

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Anyway, I have been probing the dark side, using thick grades in my Hondas.
I have no negatives to report, not even reduced fuel economy.


Good to know! I just actually scored the oil today - 12 quarts of SAE50, 11 quarts of 20W-50, and 1 quart of 10W-30 synthetic all at 50%off. Some of the SAE50 will be for my sister, some will be for me for top-offs at the track or before oil changes, and I just changed the oil in our for-sale camry with the 20W-50 stuff.

The camry also has a leaking valve cover gasket (though not as bad) that I guess it will be interesting to see if the 50 slows it down at all. I drive the camry to work every day now, I should track the fuel mileage compared to the regular stuff we put in.

 

[ddombrowski]

Originally Posted By: OilBlazer93
Aside from Heat, -Hunidity- (Absent in the SouthWest i believe, say, Nevada and New Mexico?) Rain and Wind, .. They dont knwo REAL weather.


Say that when you see your neighbors oak trunk skipping across your backyard taking out fences like a bowling ball

But seriously, you're right, its really mild down here, at least until the power goes out and the AC doesn't work. Then it might as well be Mars as far as being habitable.

 

[Hitzy]

Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
Find some stop leak (EX.Bars Leak,Main Seals)as a short term fix ,look in the additives section of this site. QT/per 1k ,thats not too terrible.The seal conditioners is what you're after,not necessarily just a thicker oil.


I think that would be a better option....some stop leak would be a better option then to keep pouring oil into it.

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: ddombrowski
Much appreciated! So....what temperature does water freeze at? Our thermometers don't go that low down here ;-) Actually, this winter was pretty cold and we had frost on the deck one morning. Haven't had that in 10+ years.

0C or 32F is freezing. I think you guys do get that in shots in winters but never sustained like here and more northern states. I wouldn't run an SAE50 in the winter for that reason even in Florida. Your sister wouldn't like it if her car didn't start!

 

[ddombrowski]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81

0C or 32F is freezing.


I KNEW I should have put a /s after asking that, I just knew it!

The oil would only be in the car for the summer.