Thicker is better in my opinion.

[Bryanccfshr]

Nothing wrong with going up a grade or two so long as the performance of the oil meets the application. (Cold weather, service intervals etc.) the increase in HTHS viscosity will prevent more wear in higher rpm situations)

I like how Euro 0w40s perform in my Toyota's ( great fuel mileage, quieter operation and long service life potential) but will also run 5w30 and 10w30 grades in them based on simple value purchases. (RGT clearance and rebates for example)

 

[aquariuscsm]

I run 10W30 in my 0W20 USDM Accord. This exact car specs all the way up to a 15W40 in other parts of the world. 10W30 seems to feel like the "sweet spot" in this car (plus after all the TSX with the same engine specs 5W30). I also had an absolutely flawless uoa with PPHM 10W30. So yes,I've always been a "thickie".

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...ord-pennzoil-platinum-high-mileage-10w30

 

[Job]

Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by Farnsworth
Add one or two cans of STP, or "Motor Honey" to support the knowledge learned.

Nope. To keep it real real simple: If your engine is making metal to metal noise with a 20 grade move up to a 30 grade, if if makes noise with a 30 grade move up to a 40 grade, that's what I get from this.

Sometimes something as simple as bumping up a grade can resolve consumption and engine noise with no further action.

It was a joke.

 

[tiger862]

Straight weight less than 50k, 20w50 best made 75k, 10w40 100k then 10w30. I remember 10w30 was said to be worse oil as to thin then people got 300k now it is considered the holy Grail of oil. Now we have 0w16. Seems like we are getting close to hydraulic oil as years go on.

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted by BLND1
This forum needs a dead horse every once in a while.

I go thicker if the manufacturer calls for a thicker grade in the global market.

The Subaru crosstrek calls for 0w20 in the states and 5w30 in Europe - same engine. I'll be running 5w30 as soon as the warranty is up.

My old mustang gt (2v 4.6) was originally spec'd with 5w30 and then back spec'd to 5w20 - no thanks, it's been filled with 5w30 since day one.

My toyota's 1gr-fe specs 5w30 here in the states (and 0w20 in a different vehicle). In Australia it specs 5w30,10w30, or 15w40. I live in warm central California. My vehicles have never seen below zero. Why can't I use a 10w30 Or 15w40?



Hear, hear. See my signature - for best results I choose my oil based on international specifications.

I may just go 5w-40 in both our vehicles.

 

[Dave1027]

All my vehicles' engines run better on thin to medium viscosity oil. They range from 0w20 to 10w30. I no longer run Xw40 weight oils. That's been my experience.

 

[Propflux01]

5w-30 in both my Hyundai's. They seem to "like" it better.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

OP has posted this same type of thread like five times now.

Why stop at 40 grade? Why not 50? 60?

 

[CKN]

Another thread with more opinion than "fact". Just like the car wash thread the other day.......what a disaster that one was.

 

[Lyman]

First thing I did was change from 5w20 to 5w30 in the 2.5 in my Escape. I live in So Cal and it might make it to 32* here once or twice a year. No MPG drop at all.

 

[benjy]

a look in the hyundai 2.4 like my girlfriends 18 kia optima 2.4, samo shows 5-30 as well as 10-30 meeting their specs as approved oils. one thing about a thicker oil film common in higher viscosity oils is it carries larger impurities without issues where a thin oil like a 20 that gets even thinner with use + high heat prolly allows MORE wear! in the end its your nickles!!!!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by Farnsworth
Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by Farnsworth
Add one or two cans of STP, or "Motor Honey" to support the knowledge learned.

Nope. To keep it real real simple: If your engine is making metal to metal noise with a 20 grade move up to a 30 grade, if if makes noise with a 30 grade move up to a 40 grade, that's what I get from this.

Sometimes something as simple as bumping up a grade can resolve consumption and engine noise with no further action.

It was a joke.

I hear ya. The frequency of these threads are becoming a joke lately. Same story different wording..........

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by benjy
a look in the hyundai 2.4 like my girlfriends 18 kia optima 2.4, samo shows 5-30 as well as 10-30 meeting their specs as approved oils. one thing about a thicker oil film common in higher viscosity oils is it carries larger impurities without issues where a thin oil like a 20 that gets even thinner with use + high heat prolly allows MORE wear! in the end its your nickles!!!!




Time for bigger boots. It's getting deep here.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by benjy
a look in the hyundai 2.4 like my girlfriends 18 kia optima 2.4, samo shows 5-30 as well as 10-30 meeting their specs as approved oils. one thing about a thicker oil film common in higher viscosity oils is it carries larger impurities without issues where a thin oil like a 20 that gets even thinner with use + high heat prolly allows MORE wear! in the end its your nickles!!!!




Time for bigger boots. It's getting deep here.


LOL yes its time to move to the Chest waders PimTac

 

[PowerSurge]

This talk of ‘thinner oil is gonna end the world' is comical. My big ol' 5.7 Tundra only has 2 ppm aluminum and 2 ppm copper and 4 ppm iron in its 7000 mile UOA using 0w-20 TGMO year-round in Hotlanta. Increased wear? Yeah, ok.

 

[Navi]

That is a valid question of why not 50 or 60 or even thicker. Obviously at some point the oil becomes too thick for the engine to turn though.

There is a sweet spot for everything. For motor oil I have no idea what the ideal thickness might be but I know its not 20. I know that European car manufacturers like Mercedes use 5W40 very extensively.

If I had to take a guess I would say the sweet spot is 40.

 

[RDY4WAR]

This is highly application specific. I've seen this tested in an engine on a dyno with grades from 0w-20 to SAE 50. There was a slight decrease in wear going to 5w-30, but it stayed the same with each grade above that. All the higher viscosity oils did was cause more parasitic drag / power loss.

Much of your "normal" wear is coming from areas that operate in mixed and boundary lubrication regimes with the exception of the rod and main bearings. The additive package is far more important than the base oil and viscosity.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted by Navi
There is a theory which floats around on the internet that thinner oil circulates better around the engine during startup preventing wear but I found this theory.to be false. Ive been running 5W40 in 5W20 and 5W30 engines lately and oil testing shows less iron&copper meaning better wear.

Some companies like Amsoil and Redline will engineer a buttkicking 5W30 but the fact is any 5W40 you can find at Walmart is just as good if not better than a topline 5W30. So a cheaply made Group III 5W40 is just as good as any 5W30 produced by Amsoil or Redline.

If your engine calls for 0W20 or 5W20 I wouldnt be afraid to go thicker like to a 5W30. I believe the difference is felt over 100000 miles.

If you push your engine like towing or livery work or Subaru turbo aftermarket mods than no doubt 5W40 is the only oil to consider.

In terms of HDEO vs Euro 5W40 I find that HDEO is generally thicker but both are thicker than 5W30. In terms of Amsoil/Redline Group IV/V vs cheaper made Group IiI 5W40s I think you can make it on the cheaper made varieties.

The cheap 5W40s Ive found are:

AmazonBasics Euro and HDEO (WarrennDistributing/Mag1/Supertech) API SN

Chevron Delo API SN Plus

Mobil Delvac 1 API SN

Castrol API SN

Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck API SN

Not included in the list is Shell Rotella T6 because lacks an API gas engine rating.

All of these will be better than any 0w20, 5W20 or 5W30 out there. As for cold starting you will know when you need the better starting oils like 0W like if you live in Alaska, but I dont live in cold places where thats a concern...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by RDY4WAR
This is highly application specific. I've seen this tested in an engine on a dyno with grades from 0w-20 to SAE 50. There was a slight decrease in wear going to 5w-30, but it stayed the same with each grade above that. All the higher viscosity oils did was cause more parasitic drag / power loss.

Much of your "normal" wear is coming from areas that operate in mixed and boundary lubrication regimes with the exception of the rod and main bearings. The additive package is far more important than the base oil and viscosity.

Nailed it.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by Blkstanger
First thing I did was change from 5w20 to 5w30 in the 2.5 in my Escape. I live in So Cal and it might make it to 32* here once or twice a year. No MPG drop at all.

Yeah I've run 5w-20 and 5w-30 randomly in my 2.5 Escape, never noticed a difference. It seemed a tiny bit quieter with 5w-30 but the thing is a little noisy anyway.