What is better 10w30 or 5w30?

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I have a 2000 Ford Ranger. I have always used 5w30 in the engine excpept this time I used 5w20. I am very worried that the 5w20 is hurting the engine seeing that it calls for 5w30. I don't want any wear on the engine then it gets already for daily use normal use.

My question is which oil is better in my case of living where I do, in Georgia? 10w30 or 5w30. I know 5w30 is what it calls for. But, if 10w30 would be better for the v6 that is in it and for the climate that it is in I will switch. If everyone tells me to use 10w30 my next question is over periods of time with start up wear won't the 10w30 cause more wear on the engine prematurly? 10w30 is a thicker oil correct compared to 5w30? So when cold I am essentially causing more engine damage using 10w30?

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I would consider running the 5w-30 in the colder winter months, as this will help with the start up flow. In the summer, run the 10w-30, because I know how hot Georgia can get (Army...a long time ago.)
 
The "W" misleads a lot of people and I wish the industry would change the designation. The important thing to keep in mind is that a 0W30, 5W30, 10W30, and even a straight SAE 30 are all going to be the same thickness (about 10cSt.) at 212F operating temps. If your engine calls for a 30 weight, it is most efficient and properly lubricated when the oil thins out to a 10. Again that's the proper viscosity for your engine. It would only make sense that you would want your oil to reach 10 as soon as possible.

0W30 and 5W30 are often thought of as cold weather oils. While this is true, you would still benefit from 0W30 or 5W30 even it's 90 F when you go to start your car in the morning.

Run a UOA on the 5W20. That would be the only way to tell. The proper viscosity for your vehicle isn't always what's in the manual, it's solely based on the type of heat (or lack of) your oil will be subjected to.

Dr. Haas is a new comer to the BITOG. He makes some interesting points in his motor oil article. He lives in Florida and is running 0W-20 in his Ferrari!
 
I too would recommend the writings of the esteemed Dr. Hass. Many here, including myself, don't agree with all the fine details ..but it would be a good oil primer to give you a better perception on quite a few things.

Most of your wear, assuming a well maintained engine, is unavoidable.
 
While I wouldn't make a practice of using 5W-20 in that engine, since it's not spec'd for it. But for one 3,000-4,000 mile OCI you're ok, unless you're hearing "unusual noises" with the 5W-20. If your V-6 is the older pushrod engine then either a 5W-30 or 10W-30 is fine. Wife had a 1996 Explorer with the pushrod V-6. Even though the manual called for 5W-30 the garage doing her oil changes ALWAYS used dino 10W-30, even in the winter and when she sold it at 127,000 miles it ran beautifully. Smooth as a "baby's bottom"
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. And it never used any oil between the 5,000 mi OCI's. If you have the newer SOHC V-6 I'd stick with the 5W-30. It'll give you faster oil flow at start up for the OHC valvetrain. And at operating temps it's comparable to 10W-30 anyway. And many of today's 5W-30 have a better base oil in many cases than the 10W-30 to compensate for the larger viscosity spread. Wife now has a 2002 Explorer with the SOHC V-6 and used Motorcraft 5W-30 for the first 25,000 miles with 5,000 mi OCI's. I've switched to Schaeffers Supreme Blend 5W-30 and are now doing 8,000+++ mile OCI's with very good UOA's.

Whimsey
 
Timothy,

I have a bias for 10w-30 since it contains less viscosity improvers than 5w-30. In the past, 5w-30 has sheared down to a 20 weight oil. The Motorcraft semi synthetic 5w-20 is very shear stable compared the the average 5w-30.

All that being said, the semi synthetic MC 5w-30 looks like a winner versus the other regular dino 5w-30s. If using an over counter 5w-30, this would be my choice.
 
Check your owner's manual because I seem to remember that the flex fuel vehicles required a different of "special" oil. Somthing about when you use the 85/15 ethanol fuel. And ignore everything I said. It doesn't pertain to you
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.

Whimsey
 
I have read the manual many times. Many boring days on the pot ;-). LOL.

The manual clearly states that it recommends 5w30. I have read on the BITOG that the older Flex Fuels take a special oil but 2000 the last year they made the flex fuels they didn't require it. Also I can't get Ethanol here in this state anyways. So I was told the special oil was not needed.
 
quote:

Originally posted by John in the ATL:
Timothy,

I have a bias for 10w-30 since it contains less viscosity improvers than 5w-30.


This is the exact same reason that I prefer 10W30 oils to 5W30s. On that note, 5W20s should contain even less VIs than 10W30s, but I'm not sold on running that thin of an oil long-term, especially if the only real gain is a few tenths of a mile per gallon in fuel savings.
 
I have 5w20 dino in it now. I am planning to go to Mobil1 10w30 after everyone is leaning to 10w30 I will do that.

Will going from 5w20 to 10w30 harm anything? I think that a truck run on dino for all its life (I own a 2000 Ford Ranger with only 38000miles on it) should clean up quite nicley with synthetic don't you all think so?
 
The Mobil-1 synthetic 10W-30 sounds like a smart choice, considering your climate, the engine, your driving and the OCI you plan. Currently, there seems to be hardly a difference between the M1 5W and 10W. In the regular M1 supersyn, the 10W appears to be more shear stable, from the specs, but if you spring the extra couple bucks for the M1 Extended Performance the 5W and 10W seem literally the same. Good luck!
 
I'm gonna throw this in FWIW..The bottom number is cold start up weight of the oil,once the engine starts and starts to warm the bottom number wether it be 0w,5w,10w or 20w means absolutely nothing..The lower the first number the better the cold oil flow.After starting the only number concerning your oil is the number "after" the w...So a 10w being better than a 5w in summer time is bogus.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Big John:
... once the engine starts and starts to warm the bottom number wether it be 0w,5w,10w or 20w means absolutely nothing...So a 10w being better than a 5w in summer time is bogus.

Well, yes and no. All else equal and speaking dino or blend, a 5w probably has a thinner base oil viscosity than a 10w. Given that, I would rather have the thicker (more robust) base oil in a hot climate.
 
quote:

Originally posted by lobo11:
I often looked at the CCS numbers on the spec. sheets, and often their is little difference between many 10w and 5w oils. In Georgia I see no need for 5w-30 either.

That's because the CCS numbers are listed at different temperatures for 5w and 10w. There IS a significant difference. CCS for 5w is listed at -30C; 10w is at -25C.

That being said, I'd run 10w-30. Your in Georgia for cryin out loud! What's the lowest temp. you'll encounter, 30F?
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Oil flow differences between 5w and 10w at those relatively "high" winter temperatures is non-material.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Big John:
I'm gonna throw this in FWIW..The bottom number is cold start up weight of the oil,once the engine starts and starts to warm the bottom number wether it be 0w,5w,10w or 20w means absolutely nothing..The lower the first number the better the cold oil flow.After starting the only number concerning your oil is the number "after" the w...So a 10w being better than a 5w in summer time is bogus.

Well then, I guess that's why a lot of manufacturers list 10w-30 past 100 F, and 5w-30 to only 60F
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Bogus?
 
I always make this argument: have any of you driven the Interstate north out of Pheonix in the summer? I can not think of ANY drive in the US that would tax a motor oil as hard as that one. In 115F temperatures, with the A/C blasting away, doing 75mph, and going up 8% grades as you gain roughly 6,000 feet in elevation in about 150 miles, would you want cheap dino 5w-30 in your motor? I WOUDN'T! It's been established that it thins out AS IS, let alone punishing it with that kind of a drive!
 
Timothy, There is no reason at all for you to be running anything other then 10W30!! If you are talking conventional oil 10W30 usualy shears less and is less volitile. If we are talking about a PAO synthetic or an ester Synthetic the difference between 5W30 adn 10W30 usualy is all acedemic.

Your climate in Ga. does not get cold enough to see any benifit from a 5W30!
 
I often looked at the CCS numbers on the spec. sheets, and often their is little difference between many 10w and 5w oils. In Georgia I see no need for 5w-30 either.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Drew99GT:

quote:

Originally posted by Big John:
I'm gonna throw this in FWIW..The bottom number is cold start up weight of the oil,once the engine starts and starts to warm the bottom number wether it be 0w,5w,10w or 20w means absolutely nothing..The lower the first number the better the cold oil flow.After starting the only number concerning your oil is the number "after" the w...So a 10w being better than a 5w in summer time is bogus.

Well then, I guess that's why a lot of manufacturers list 10w-30 past 100 F, and 5w-30 to only 60F
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Bogus?


At operating temps are they both not 30 wt oils???? Yes there may be different additives to help with viscocity control or shear but if you used the same brand oil you are telling me that the 10w is better when the weather is hotter????Also,if some reccomend 5w to 60 f only what is 5w20 good to 45 f??????
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