I lived in the TC and used 0w20/30 in winter when they were available and then 5 weights or 0 weights in my spring change. I wasn't putting many miles on so fall and spring changes what I stuck to. I just figured the 0 weights flowed better when the temps went below 0 F ..
Changing oil type based on season
- Thread starter Andya26
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If it's literally freezing/snowing then lower W number in winter makes sense to me. Of course if the car is parked indoors (eg. I have double garage under main roof) then it will have an easier life starting in cold conditions compared to out on the road. As for different viscosity altogether, I suppose it depends on the engine requirements. I don't know if I'd run a 20 in a 30 specced car but plenty of people with 20 specced will run 30 in summer without issue.
I couldn't be bothered switching by season, if at all avoidable. There are enough sensible multigrades available out there, and OCIs can be long enough, that there's no reason to do it. I could conceivably put on so few summer miles I'd be throwing out perfectly good oil for winter usage. Besides, there are enough high HTHS oils out there with an appropriate winter number to take care of most needs.
If someone is insisting upon running conventional and isn't afraid of short intervals, then there is a slightly more compelling argument. When I was running 15w-40 in the old Audi in the summer, that worked, but some of the OCIs got a little shorter than I would have liked.
If someone is insisting upon running conventional and isn't afraid of short intervals, then there is a slightly more compelling argument. When I was running 15w-40 in the old Audi in the summer, that worked, but some of the OCIs got a little shorter than I would have liked.
My car is spec'ed for 10W30. I'll run that in spring and summer and run 5W30 in a bit of the fall and all the winter months. Just depends on when my OC turns up.
I usually want/need to change my oil every 8-10 weeks ( see here for why: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4487798/Re:_WOULD_you_guys_take_the_ti#Post4487798)
So that means about 5 oil changes each year. Two are probably 5W30 and the other three are 10W30.
I usually want/need to change my oil every 8-10 weeks ( see here for why: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4487798/Re:_WOULD_you_guys_take_the_ti#Post4487798)
So that means about 5 oil changes each year. Two are probably 5W30 and the other three are 10W30.
Sometimes its a matter of what you have in your hoarding stash: You might have some 0w40 leftover from the car you just sold, and your engines now only use 0w20. The answer is to put the 0w40 in those 0w20-engines in the summer only.
I use 5w20 in the winter months and 5w30 during the summer. The biggest reason is that I have a large oil stash with the various grades.
Contrary to my sig I ran 10w30 for the majority of this past winter. On average, there's only a couple or so days each winter where the temperature gets below zero Fahrenheit (-18c) here near Toronto. This past winter there was none. Given todays 10w oils are said to be the equivalent of yesteryears 5w I'm considering just sticking to that regimen.
5w20 QSAD throughout this spring/summer, will switch back to 5w20 PP this fall/winter on the next change.
Couldn't beat .74 cents per quart QSAD after rebate and AZ clearance sale pricing, then $2.99 quart PP through NAPA sale & applicable rebates.
Noticed the higher noack of the PP last summer (lost about 3/4 quart on trip from MI to VA and back) on extended mileage vacation trip vs. the conventional this summer, haven't had to add any conventional at all on similar trip. Getting the same MPG as well, will save the PP for colder temps.
Couldn't beat .74 cents per quart QSAD after rebate and AZ clearance sale pricing, then $2.99 quart PP through NAPA sale & applicable rebates.
Noticed the higher noack of the PP last summer (lost about 3/4 quart on trip from MI to VA and back) on extended mileage vacation trip vs. the conventional this summer, haven't had to add any conventional at all on similar trip. Getting the same MPG as well, will save the PP for colder temps.
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