Why wouldn't a 5w50 be better than a 5w40?

Not really, as a 0W-20 and 5W-20 are both in the 20 grade range at 100C. The 0W-20 could actually have more viscosity at 100C (a "thick" 20 grade) than a 5W-20. The W grade rating per SAE J300 really only has to do with very cold engine cranking for starting, and the pumpability of the oil to ensure it makes it to the oiling system when very cold.
yes you could have variations between manufacturers because the first number is rounded to the nearest 5 and the second to the nearest 10, but all things being equal, the 5W rating is going to mean its thicker right through to the upper temp viscosity.

Look at any graph of viscosity versus temp for these oils from any manufacturer and doubt you will find an exception, even with the margins allowed to quote the upper number
 
Show the viscosity graph of any 5W-20 versus a 0W-20 graph and tell us at what temp the viscosity of the latter is more than the former? it will be lower for all temps
No it won’t. For some the 0W will be thinner above -30 or so.

Winter ratings are some of the most misunderstood concepts on here. Several existing threads on this topic with examples of particular brands where the 0W rated oil is thicker.

Winter ratings only apply to specific and very cold temperatures. It doesn’t have significance above that.
 
People here seem to underestimate the fuel usage issue.
No I don't think so. The OEM's themselves say its 2-3% CAFE benefit. I have seen about 1.5 to 2% by my best calculations going from 0W-16 to 5W-30 in my Rav4. So in100K miles I will use an additional 69 gallons of gas. At todays prices what would be $30 a year or so for me.
yes you could have variations between manufacturers because the first number is rounded to the nearest 5 and the second to the nearest 10, but all things being equal, the 5W rating is going to mean its thicker right through to the upper temp viscosity.
There is no rounding error. 0W, 5W and 10W are specs, not numbers. In fact there identical specs - the only thing that changes is the temperature which they pass the two tests at. So a 10W passes the same test but at a warmer temperature than a 0W passes it. If you live where I do it makes very little difference to anything.
 
yes you could have variations between manufacturers because the first number is rounded to the nearest 5 and the second to the nearest 10, but all things being equal, the 5W rating is going to mean its thicker right through to the upper temp viscosity.

Look at any graph of viscosity versus temp for these oils from any manufacturer and doubt you will find an exception, even with the margins allowed to quote the upper number
Here's an example (Valvoline Extended Protection) where a 0W-20 (KV100 = 8.4 cSt) is thicker at 100C than the 5W-20 (KV100 = 8.3 cSt).

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...3793b338/6386b3e2-9c50-eb11-b7fe-48df3793b338

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...3793b338/7686b3e2-9c50-eb11-b7fe-48df3793b338
 
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yes you could have variations between manufacturers because the first number is rounded to the nearest 5 and the second to the nearest 10, ...
The W grade rating is not "rounded". The oil is tested for both Cold Cranking and Pumpability per SAE J300, and whatever the lowest W grade it meets satisfying both the Cold Cranking and Pumpability specs gets assigned to the oil. The actual dynamic viscosity (cP units) at the required temperatures are tested in special equipment and determined to assign the lowest W grade the oil meets.

The KV100 grade is determined by where the oil's KV100 falls within the various grade ranges, but it must also meet the required HTHS viscosity requirements for that grade too. Look at the SAE J300 table.
 
Here's an example (Valvoline Extended Protection) where a 0W-20 (KV100 = 8.4 cSt) is thicker at 100C than the 5W-20 (KV100 = 8.3 cSt).

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...3793b338/6386b3e2-9c50-eb11-b7fe-48df3793b338

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...3793b338/7686b3e2-9c50-eb11-b7fe-48df3793b338
The data there does not disprove what I am saying and rather confirms it, though in the specs there is very little difference between those two oils, but that is only based on 3 data points, the most significant being -39 0W and -36 pour temp, 5W

The whole graph of viscosity versus temp will be more revealing, and again challenge to provide on which shows the opposite to my claim.

I stand by my claim, the 5w20 is going to be a thicker oil overall, right through the temp range, you are only looking at one point of Data at 100 C where the values differ by 1/10 of a centistoke.

If you look at the 40C temp the 5W oil is thicker by 1 centistoke, again this two oils measure almost identical, but its thicker than the 0W and would be unlikely that this is reversed in the 40 to 100 C range or indeed below 40C.

There is also the viscosity index, which is a measure of how much the viscosity changes with temp, the higher the value the less the viscosity changes with temp. The 0W has the higher VI, meaning its viscosity changes less with temp, given both oils finish at the same place at 100 C, it means the 5W goes through more viscosity change to get there, hard to do unless its velocity is always higher than the other 0W oil.
 
The data there does not disprove what I am saying and rather confirms it, though in the specs there is very little difference between those two oils, but that is only based on 3 data points, the most significant being -39 0W and -36 pour temp, 5W

The whole graph of viscosity versus temp will be more revealing, and again challenge to provide on which shows the opposite to my claim.

I stand by my claim, the 5w20 is going to be a thicker oil overall, right through the temp range, you are only looking at one point of Data at 100 C where the values differ by 1/10 of a centistoke.
It certainly does disprove your claim because you claimed a 5W is going to be "thicker right through to the upper temp viscosity."

Also you claimed:
"but it can be guaranteed the 5W oil will remain thicker all the way from -30C up to that temp of 100 C, so its a thicker oil".

Those are your words in bold.

In the examples I showed in post 85 the 0W'20 was more viscous at 100C, so your claim that a 5W will be thicker than a 0W "right through to the upper temp viscosity" and up to 100C is false.

The HTHS viscosity is also higher on the 0W-20 than the 5W-20.

There is also the viscosity index, which is a measure of how much the viscosity changes with temp, the higher the value the less the viscosity changes with temp. The 0W has the higher VI, meaning its viscosity changes less with temp, given both oils finish at the same place at 100 C, it means the 5W goes through more viscosity change to get there, hard to do unless its velocity is always higher than the other 0W oil.
Doesn't matter what the VI is, your claim is still false. A 0W-20 can be thicker at 100C and even lower temps than a 5W-20 … you claimed it couldn't be. Those spec sheet links I posted proves it can be.
 
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It certainly does disprove your claim because you claimed a 5W is going to be "thicker right through to the upper temp viscosity."

Also you claimed:
"but it can be guaranteed the 5W oil will remain thicker all the way from -30C up to that temp of 100 C, so its a thicker oil".

Those are your words in bold.

In the examples I showed in post 85 the 0W'20 was more viscous at 100C, so your claim that a 5W will be thicker than a 0W "right through to the upper temp viscosity" and up to 100C is false.

The HTHS viscosity is also higher on the 0W-20 than the 5W-20.


Doesn't matter what the VI is, your claim is still false. A 0W-20 can be thicker at 100C and even lower temps than a 5W-20 … you claimed it couldn't be. Those spec sheet links I posted proves it can be.
If an oil remains at a higher viscosity through the temp range its thicker, just comparing one temp and saying the other is 1/10 of centistoke thicker at one temp at the end of the range does not mean its a thicker oil

As I said, show me a graph of any oil where they have the same 100C rating and the viscosity of the higher W rating does not exceed the lower one right through the temp range..........you wont find one.
 
No I don't think so. The OEM's themselves say its 2-3% CAFE benefit. I have seen about 1.5 to 2% by my best calculations going from 0W-16 to 5W-30 in my Rav4. So in100K miles I will use an additional 69 gallons of gas. At todays prices what would be $30 a year or so for me.

There is no rounding error. 0W, 5W and 10W are specs, not numbers. In fact there identical specs - the only thing that changes is the temperature which they pass the two tests at. So a 10W passes the same test but at a warmer temperature than a 0W passes it. If you live where I do it makes very little difference to anything.
of course there is rounding.......we dont see numbers/specs ending in anything other than 5s or 0s, do you really think manufacturers are able to produce an oil that is exactly 5w or 0w?

in regards to fuel consumption disagree, especially when the vehicle is driven in the cold state more often.
 
Yes, but within a W grade (say 0W) if you compare the actually CC dynamic viscosity to other 0W grade oils, one 0W can be thicker at -35C than another 0W. That's what I'm talking about in post 52. The W grade can be a range where not every 0W has the same exact CC viscosity at -35 C. That's why someone might find that not all 0W grade oil crank the same way in the same engine at the same temperature.
Yes, I wanted to say that same thing - two 0W may have different viscosity at certain negative temp. and we can see that by its higher CCS value/number.
 
If an oil remains at a higher viscosity through the temp range its thicker, just comparing one temp and saying the other is 1/10 of centistoke thicker at one temp at the end of the range does not mean its a thicker oil
It doesn't have to be higher through the whole temp range to make your claim false. Go back and read what your claim was. The 0W in post 85 was thicker at 100C than the 5W, and started being thicker at some point between 40C and 100C.

As I said, show me a graph of any oil where they have the same 100C rating and the viscosity of the higher W rating does not exceed the lower one right through the temp range..........you wont find one.
Look at the spec sheets in post 85, both are a KV100 20 grade. They have the same KV40 at 44 cSt, yet the 0W has a higher KV100 than the 5W. That means at some temp between 40C and 100C the 0W was thicker from that temp to 100C. That is the graph. So again your claim is false.
 
of course there is rounding.......we dont see numbers/specs ending in anything other than 5s or 0s, do you really think manufacturers are able to produce an oil that is exactly 5w or 0w?
The measured viscosity falls into grade ranges as defined in SAE J300. There is no "rounding" of the viscosity involved - the viscosity is what the measurement finds it to be. Have you even seen J300?
 
The MOFT changes dynamically on the rod bearings due to the dynamic combustion load on the rod based on throttle opening and the forces due to the mass inertia reversal when the piston and rod changes direction at TDC and BDC. That's why rod bearings wear more on the top bearing vs the bottom bearing because the MOFT runs lower on that side of the rod big end.
 
It doesn't have to be higher through the whole temp range to make your claim false. Go back and read what your claim was. The 0W in post 85 was thicker at 100C than the 5W, and started being thicker at some point between 40C and 100C.


Look at the spec sheets in post 85, both are a KV100 20 grade. They have the same KV40 at 44 cSt, yet the 0W has a higher KV100 than the 5W. That means at some temp between 40C and 100C the 0W was thicker from that temp to 100C. That is the graph. So again your claim is false.
"That is the graph"


Two data points make a graph, ? for something we know isnt linear, well not in my world, but ok. even in your world if we join the two points for 40 and 100C with a straight line for both oils the 5W20 will show higher viscosity from -35 to 95 C, Id say its a thicker oil.

Over and out here, I enough with dealing with antagonists for one day.
 
"That is the graph"

Two data points make a graph, ? for something we know isnt linear, well not in my world, but ok. even in your world if we join the two points for 40 and 100C with a straight line for both oils the 5W20 will show higher viscosity from -35 to 95 C, Id say its a thicker oil.

Over and out here, I enough with dealing with antagonists for one day.
If you knew the typically shape of an oil's viscosity vs temperature curve on a linear axis graph then you'd understand that if two oils have the same KV40 (the oils in post 85), and the 0W has a higher KV100, then at some temperature before 100C the 0W oil's KV has to be higher from that point than the 5W in order to be higher at 100C. That's what the graph looks like. Go graph those two oils with Widman's plotting tool. Maybe I'll plot them for you tomorrow when I'm on my laptop with the plotting tool.

No matter what you come up with, your claim that a 5W is going to always be a higher viscosity over the whole temperature range up to 100C vs a 0W is false. The two oils in post 85 proves that is not always true.
 
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The MOFT changes dynamically on the rod bearings due to the dynamic combustion load on the rod based on throttle opening and the forces due to the mass inertia reversal when the piston and rod changes direction at TDC and BDC. That's why rod bearings wear more on the top bearing vs the bottom bearing because the MOFT runs lower on that side of the rod big end.
Totally agree with that. The post I quoted said the journal bearing constantly reverses, and that didn’t sound right to me.
 
Totally agree with that. The post I quoted said the journal bearing constantly reverses, and that didn’t sound right to me.
Think he meant the reversal acton of the pistons and rods.
 
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