How many "thick oil users" here?

[53' Stude]

Good morning folks. So, as I was reading thru here about the cold weather in parts of the U.S.A. I wondered how many folks here use thick oils like 10w30, 10w40 and even 20w50. Don't worry, I don't use these grades; thickest I'll use is 5w30

 

[Kuato]

You're going to get a lot of responses from Texas to Florida, and some Arizona and Cali... If I lived there I'd have no problem using a 10wxx.

 

[BrocLuno]

That ain't thick... Castrol RS 10W-60 is getting there

10W-30 is the same at op temp as what you run, so that doesn't count. 40's get used in all sorts of stuff. How do you consider 5W-40 ...

 

[Quattro Pete]

10w-40 here.

 

[fdcg27]

So 10w30, which was the standard all-climate grade in this country for decades is now a thick oil?
The E350 has Maxlife Nextgen 10w30 in it ATM and starts more easily around goose egg temperatures than does our '12 Accord with HGMO 0W-20.
This is simply because the old Ford ton van has a healthy sized battery while the four cylinder Accord uses something better suited to a riding mower.
I'll upgrade it to the V-6 battery when I replace the OEM one.
The BMW has a 15w40 in it, but it isn't in use for the winter.
Back in the day, up through the late nineties, I used 10W-40 in everything and never had any problems with cold starts or engine life.

 

[ShotGun429]

15w 40 here year round. My cars and trucks live a very,very long lifes, Im waiting for these so called issues to occur from doing so.

 

[bullwinkle]

Straight 30 in the 7.3 F-450. Of course, it has an oil pan heater, otherwise not enough crank speed below 30F. Everything else has nothing thicker than 10W30, except the Cherokee, which is going to get the NG ML 10W40 changed if it gets any colder here, it's not happy starting under 10F.

 

[bioburner]

Use some Shaffers 20W50 in the couple of the big bikes but they will hopefully never see temps below 50

 

[FlyNavyP3]

My second 1987 4Runner with a well used and abused 22RE that came out of a 1981 or 82 Cellica with a carb has been an oil burner since day one, back when I was in college in Michigan I used it as my winter beater. I tried using 5w30 once for winter ease of starting but adding a quart of oil every tank of gas got old. So it routinely got 20w50 or 10w40 even in the winter. At -17F ambient with 20w50 in the sump was the only time it almost didn't start. In the summer it got filled with VR1 SAE 60 and Kendall Nitro 70 a few times until I realized they burned just as fast as the cheaper and more easily accessible 20w50.

Fast forward to now. I have run 20w50 in my nice 4RUNNER many many times 10w40 plenty as well. I have some 20w50 Pennzoil that I may even run in the Lexus this summer just for fun for a 5k OC and pull a sample.

Not really a "thick" oil but my stash currently has a TON of SAE 30 in PYB and VWB that I fully intend to run for 5k OCI once it warms up a little here, probably the spring oil change in both the Lexus and 4Runner.

 

[379KITTY]

Depends on application for me. I have a collection of 70's vehicles 4 79 Broncos, 77 Vette, 72 Cheyenne etc, that get 15w40, 10w40, 20w50 depending on what I have. Most of these get oil changes 3-5 yrs. 2 Broncos have swapped 460's, the other two 400's, obviously all flat tappet. Again, those get HDEO Delvac 15w40 or BradPenn 20w50 or 10w40. None of these are driven/started when its cold, all toys. 96 K1500 (another garage queen), bought from original owner I worked with in 99 with 28K. 91K on it now. I use M1 or M1 EP 5w30 and change every 5K, usually about 4-5 yrs. 1992 F250 460 270K+ orig engine. 10w40 Pennz HM right now, but 15w40 most common, it sees occasional use but heavy towing. 95 K1500 260K+ on orig engine, had bulk 10w30 most all its life (bought it from a Toyota mechanic at 255K). 4 Chevy Cobalts, bought 05 new now has 265K on it, no issues, has had mix of syn and conv 5w30 all its life, with a 10w40, 15w40 etc mixed in occasionally if thats what was on hand when I changed. Basically, to make a long story even longer, anything daily driven/started in cold weather gets 5w30 mostly, 10w30 some. All old school flat tappet stuff gets "thick". None of those likely to be cold started (maybe 92 F250), but even then driven carefully by ME, not a wife or teenager who drops in gear before idle slows at all. Boat has 502 Mag, gets BradPenn 20w50. almost 500 hrs runs good as it did in 95. Wifes 11 Equinox had only M1 5w30 (Dexos), almost 60K (no issues), but all Ive read on GDI engines I MAY start using Delvac 5w40.

 

[Chris142]

Count me in

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
So 10w30, which was the standard all-climate grade in this country for decades is now a thick oil?...

I was thinking the same thing. I don't start considering an oil thick till it gets to the 15w40 range, and that is a "thin" thick oil.
I guess that is what happens with 0w-20 starts becoming the norm.

But for me I use what is spec'ed by the manufacturer.

 

[901Memphis]

I'm using 0w40 instead of 5w30

 

[Bluestream]

My friend uses 15W40 all year round. Gets the oil free from work...Steals it I guess

 

[379KITTY]

Of the 15 or so Broncos I've had over the years, one was really rough, as in worn out. Used GRADE 60 (VR1 I think, was on clearance at AZ) so the OP guage would come off zero. Ran OK, even started that thing in below freezing weather, would drive to work in snow/ice etc. It would sit for 24 hrs. Always started..... kinda cringed every time, but wasn't as dramatic as you would think. No broken oil pump drives, dist gears etc. Sold that truck it was still goin.

 

[Nick1994]

If 10w30 is thick oil, then count me in.

 

[Ramblejam]

I think it'd behoove some folks here to take a look at SAE J300; even the thickest stuff you routinely find on the shelf (conventional 20w-50) is tested for cranking @ 5°F, and pumpability @ -4°F.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Mobil I 0W-20 AFE. I would rather have oil flow rather than oil pressure.

 

[bmod305]

Mid 80's working in a parts store during college. Used to sell Kendall Nitro 70 to a used car lot across the street.

 

[demarpaint]