Another thin vs thick oil question.

[aquariuscsm]

I`ve always been curious,if thick heavy oils are usually recommended for older engines that have alot of wear,would using a thicker oil from the time an engine is newer prevent most of that said wear? Or is the wear simply the inevitable and heavy oils kind`ve "band aid" older engine wear?

I tried a 20W50 one time and my engine hated it. I tried a 5W30 one time and it didn`t respond well either. Now I`m running a 15W40 and it seems right on the money. A happy medium I presume.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
I tried a 20W50 one time and my engine hated it. I tried a 5W30 one time and it didn`t respond well either.

Please define.

 

[aquariuscsm]

The 20W50 made my engine very sluggish and the 5W30 gave it valvetrain noise.

 

[Gary Allan]

Use a 5w-40 synthetic

 

[XPR]

My personal belief is use as low a viscosity as possible.

 

[Merkava_4]

Quote:
. . . would using a thicker oil from the time an engine is newer prevent most of that said wear?


No - What you want to do is gradually increase the thickness of an oil as an engine wears; you don't want to start out with a thick oil while the engine is still new and tight. This is why high mileage oils are thicker than regular oils, but they're just slightly thicker to fill in the increased clearances. You wouldn't have to go up a full grade unless the wear was substantial.

 

[sprintman]

5W40