Will Thinner Oils Damage Your Engine?

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You'd have to spend some time searching, but an old member here Gary Allan (RIP my friend) conducted tests running a custom blend 0W10, made by another member here (I believe they called it BruceBlend), in his Jeep Wrangler's 2.5L 4 cylinder.

Jeep 2.5/4.0/258 engines are known for leaving a little iron and if memory serves, the UOA's weren't too bad.
 
Manufacturers have to meet CAFE regulations in the USA. If that means increasing the warranty period by 50% but specifying a lower viscosity oil than they would in another country they'll just do that. So IME when your car is about 7+ years old you should research potential possible alternatives (like what they run in other countries) and also what the actual reliabiliy data has been. My RX-8 specs 5W-20, and that is NOT a good choice for longevity. Keep in mind if your motor uses a lot of oil in a hydraulic manner in its design to run for example VVTi (the 1.3L Mazda rotary does not apply), be careful about deviating without being very sure of your research.
 
You want a higher HTHS oil? Then get one with an approval that requires the HTHS you are seeking.

Per SAE, 0W-40, 5W-40 & 10W-40 grades and 5w30 all have a HTHS minimum of 2.9. its easier if they just list the **** HTHS visc rather than navigate the spiderwebs of ACEA specs. I don't drive European cars, so I'm not familiar with their laundry list of specs. I want to use the thinnest visc with my desired HTHS. For that, I'm using M1 ESP 5w30 going forward.
 
Anyone remember former BITOG member Dr. T? He would run a 20w50 in everything. :LOL:
 
BuickGN and I were always proponents of thicker oil.

I think he was banned..
I haven't seen BuickGN around here in a long time. He actually did engine tear downs. He definitely knew what he was talking about.

I've always been a "thickie" as well.
 
If I remember correctly, someone here many years ago tried running 0W20 in a (I think) 10W40/20W50 spec engine and it grenaded shortly thereafter.
 
If I remember correctly, someone here many years ago tried running 0W20 in a (I think) 10W40/20W50 spec engine and it grenaded shortly thereafter.

I switched from a 10w-30 to 20w-50 in a 302ci SBF and sent the #2 piston into the oil pan while rod exited the block and was found 60ft away. The 380 hp shot of nitrous I was spraying through it certainly had nothing to do with it. :unsure:
 
Per SAE, 0W-40, 5W-40 & 10W-40 grades and 5w30 all have a HTHS minimum of 2.9. its easier if they just list the **** HTHS visc rather than navigate the spiderwebs of ACEA specs. I don't drive European cars, so I'm not familiar with their laundry list of specs. I want to use the thinnest visc with my desired HTHS. For that, I'm using M1 ESP 5w30 going forward.

That changed, FYI.

SAE J300 motor oil viscosities.webp
 
My 2013 Toyota 2.5 2arfe calls for 0w20 and I'm using 5w30. The manual says a higher viscosity may be used if driven in extreme conditions but they do not define extreme conditions. Also I believe the same engine calls for a range of 0w20 to 5w40 in other countries
 
xW-30 replaces xW-20 in my stuff calling out (CAFE driven) xW-20. More MOFT and HTHS viscosity for better parts separation and less long term wear. All the same engines used in other countries (like mentioned above) that call out a big range of viscosity above xW-20 tells a lot.
 
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