Oil Specs from Manufacturer vs Oil compaies?

[Booki]

Hello fellow oil nuts,

In today's day and age, where oil isn't JUST oil. I have been thinking.

I have a 5L Ford Windsor, which my service book calls for a 15w-40 oil. Most oil companies, when i punch in the details on there database, throw me recommendation's of 5w-40 full synth or a 10w-40 semi synth, some of them offer a 15w-40 mineral based.

My question is, why would it be a better option to go for these thinner oils when the ford service book calls for a 15w?

Keen to know what difference it makes to a engine to go against the service books and put in other weights. As a example - what would happen if the manual called for a 20w and you put in a 10w, 5w or even a 0w oil?

 

[ThirdeYe]

The W stands for "winter", not weight. The 5w-40 will be around the same viscosity at operating temperature.

 

[Stewie]

Lower viscosity may cause oil burning or increased wear, it all depends on your manufacturer.

For example: some bimmers can't be filled up with 10w30 because it would start burning oil and cause wear.

Those punch in oil recommendations are just for marketing for the non BITOG crowd

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The number before the W stands for "winter", not weight. The 5w-40 will be around the same viscosity at operating temperature.

Btw

Is it ok to switch motor oil weights, for example, from a 5w20 to a 10w30?
It depends. Some vehicle manufacturers provide a range of recommended motor oil viscosity grades based on the outside temperature in which the car is driven. Other manufacturers recommend the use of only one motor oil viscosity grade. For best engine performance, follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/types-weights-and-viscosity

 

[sicko]

Read the first couple of chapters of this: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/ and you should have a better understanding.

All the oils you mentioned are 40 weight oils at operating temperature. It's just when they get cold, the 10w doesn't thicken up as much as the 15w does, and the 5w thickens up the least of the three.

Depending on your winter weather it might not make a difference, but all three will work at temperature for your vehicle.

 

[OVERKILL]

In Oz the winter rating of the oil is less relevant than places that see cold temperatures. A 10w-30 or 5w-30 was recommended for that same engine over here so I'd imagine the 15w-40 would be just fine.

 

[simple_gifts]

I guess I don't understand what is so amusing about thirdeye's comments as reported by stewie 15w-40 is a 40 weight oil as is 0w-40 at operating temps.

 

[Booki]

I am aware that we in AUS rarely have "freezing" temps, so oil weight is not something we have to worry about changing year round.

Was just wondering why some companies would recommend a 5w oil for a motor that is i guess "designed" with a 15w oil in mind.

Could running a oil too thin on the "W" rating cause any damage or increased wear?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Booki
I am aware that we in AUS rarely have "freezing" temps, so oil weight is not something we have to worry about changing year round.

Was just wondering why some companies would recommend a 5w oil for a motor that is i guess "designed" with a 15w oil in mind.

Could running a oil too thin on the "W" rating cause any damage or increased wear?

Any and all grades are too thick at start up. 5W is thinner than 10W, 10W is thinner than 15W ... at start up, but all of them are thick at any temperature lower than operating temperature of around 100C.

5W is thinner than 10W, 15W at start up so that it flows faster and lubricate engine parts earlier.

 

[Booki]

But is there a point where it becomes too thin for certain engines?

I once thought you want to run the lowest "W" viscosity oil without burning (was my general thought process) while sticking with the manufactures recommended operating temp weight. Normally a 30 or 40.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
5W is thinner than 10W, 15W at start up so that it flows faster and lubricate engine parts earlier.


Only at temperatures that approach the pumpability limits of the oil (i.e. colder than anywhere in Oz for a 0W, 5W, 10W, or 15W)...otherwise, the oil pump moves the same volume of oil every rev.

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I guess I don't understand what is so amusing about thirdeye's comments as reported by stewie 15w-40 is a 40 weight oil as is 0w-40 at operating temps.



What if you lived in the north pole? Your car will take a while before it is up to running/operating temperature which will starve your engine from getting oil for at least 10-30 minutes

This may help you understand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWiQyR7PWII


Also here:

Although in russian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlFQNqcQ_eA

oil 1 = 0w40
oil 2 = 5w40 (looks like juice with pulp)
oil 3 = 10w40 (melted wax?)

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Booki
But is there a point where it becomes too thin for certain engines?

I once thought you want to run the lowest "W" viscosity oil without burning (was my general thought process) while sticking with the manufactures recommended operating temp weight. Normally a 30 or 40.


Hey Booki, good to see another Aussie on the board.

You are right, the 40 is the viscosity range at operating temperature.

The "W" rating is a comparison of the cold weather pumpability of the oil, the point at which the oil will have difficulty getting picked up by the oil pump, as it's far too thick, gelled, etc....not that it's thin when cold...thinner when it's at the limits of it's pumpability (-35C, -30C, -25C, or -20C respectively for 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W)

None of them are "too thin" per se.

The wider the spread between to W number and the latter number, typically, the thinner the base oil is, and the more Viscosity Index Improvers are in the oil. These are polymers that can shear and thin the oil either temporarily (they recover), or permanently (they don't and the oil stays thin).

You will be battling these days to find a high end 15W40 rather than a cheapish dino...anything of reasonable quality will be likely a 10W40 (e.g Magnatec), or a 5W40 (e.g. Helix Ultra, Penrite, Edge 5W40)...Delo 400 is a premium 15W40, but you are paying service station prices rather than Supercheap.

You can get Chief 5W40, or Edge (on sale) for not much more thn regular Magnatec, and they will do you well.

If the engine's older, go to the diesel section, and pick the 15W40 of your fancy (as long as it's got an "S" spark ignition rating as well, it's all good)

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Stewie
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I guess I don't understand what is so amusing about thirdeye's comments as reported by stewie 15w-40 is a 40 weight oil as is 0w-40 at operating temps.



What if you lived in the north pole? Your car will take a while before it is up to running/operating temperature which will starve your engine from getting oil for at least 10-30 minutes

This may help you understand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWiQyR7PWII


Continental Drift is moving Australia northward at around an inch and a half a year...the OP doesn't need to worry about -35C for quite a few million years.

 

[Booki]

So basically, I can run a 5w-40 in my motor with no ill effects? Even though the manual calls for a 15w?

Would there be issues with oil burning/loss/consumption if i go too thin of a "W" weight?

You can see the difference between them when your pouring them in. The lower "W" numbered oils flow much easier at room temp.

Could having these lowered numbered "W" oils be good or bad for engines?


Hopefully that makes sense!

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Booki
So basically, I can run a 5w-40 in my motor with no ill effects? Even though the manual calls for a 15w?

Would there be issues with oil burning/loss/consumption if i go too thin of a "W" weight?

You can see the difference between them when your pouring them in. The lower "W" numbered oils flow much easier at room temp.

Could having these lowered numbered "W" oils be good or bad for engines?


Hopefully that makes sense!


The W is not a weight, it is the WINTER designation for the oil, and is measured at temperatures well below 0C. At "room" temperature, you are looking at the viscosity of the oil above 0C, so you'd want to look at VI (Viscosity Index). A higher Viscosity Index lubricant will flow better. It is possible that a 5w-30 has a higher VI than a 0w-30 for example. The 5w-30 will then thicken less at 30C than the 0w-30; it would be less viscous. However, as temperature got well below 0C, the 0w-30 would thicken less than the 5w-30, which is why it carries the 0w-xx designation. It will pass the CCS/MRV requirements at -35C/-40C, whilst the 5w-30 will not.

 

[Clevy]

Booki


The W in 10w-30 stands for winter,not weight. And oils aren't classed in weights. They are grouped in grades.
The 5.0 Ford Windsor engine is legendary. Here they call for a 30 grade and still run forever so your fine with a 10w-30.
In fact you'll notice the engine has more pep using a thinner oil.
I ran m1 5w-20 in my 88 mustang for a while. It had 250000kms prior to me using 5w-20 and the engine ran great.
It was noticeably more peppy and no consumption that I could see.
So forget the 15w-40 grade oils. A 10w-30 is a better choice.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: Booki
I am aware that we in AUS rarely have "freezing" temps, so oil weight is not something we have to worry about changing year round.

Was just wondering why some companies would recommend a 5w oil for a motor that is i guess "designed" with a 15w oil in mind.

Could running a oil too thin on the "W" rating cause any damage or increased wear?



It is MY understanding that the lower W number is better for winter, but not as good for summer.



Liken it to this, at a racetrack in the desert do you want a 0w-50 or a 20-w50?

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
5W is thinner than 10W, 15W at start up so that it flows faster and lubricate engine parts earlier.


Only at temperatures that approach the pumpability limits of the oil (i.e. colder than anywhere in Oz for a 0W, 5W, 10W, or 15W)...otherwise, the oil pump moves the same volume of oil every rev.



BINGO

 

[Booki]

Oil pump moves the same amount of volume of oil, regardless of its viscosity?

I would have thought lower "W" oils would have lower viscosity at ambient temps therefor get moved around the engine "easier"?

That said, does it come to a point where a oil can be to viscose and be useless?