oil

[traxion7]

If an engine needs a certain weight such as 10-w40, whart can putting in a different wait such as 30 or 20 do. In an emergency is any oil better than no oil?

[thecarguy]

it dosent really matter what oil you use. My truck uses 20 50 and my car uses 10 30 and i mix and match all the time. I dont notice any diffrence.

[chevyman]

most of the time i run 10 30 in the summer and 10 40 in the winter. thats what my dad told me to do anyway, said sumtin about it being better to use a thicker oil during the winter.

[carsandcycles]

Chevyman, I think you got it backwards. You need the 10W-40 during the summer and the 10W-30 in the winter. Of course, therorectically, they are both at 10 weight at the Winter rating, but it will remain thicker longer with the 40 weight. Use the 10W-40 in the summer.

[chevyman]

hey im always open to sugestions. you have to be when working with cars and trucks.

[justen]

I run 5w-30 in winter (thinner oi) for cold -40 winter starts and 10w-40 for hot summer weather (thinker oil)

[Highwayman]

The difference between 10w30 and 10w40 is not a whole lot. No problem mixing them. In very cold climates during winter, you need to use thinner oil, like 5w30, whereas in very hot climates you would use 10w40 or SAE 50. In moderate climates, on older cars, sometimes you would need to use 20w50 to keep engine from leaking/burning oil.
Yes, if you are low on oil, add any motor oil, it's better than running low. When you get to where you can do so, if it bugs you enough, then change the oil and put in proper viscosity.

[mailman]

The manufacture recommends a certain weight oil for a reason. Engines today are built on very close tolerances. Thats the reason most recommend 5w-30w oil. The lower weight provides lubrication at startup. This is when most wear occurs. Why in the world would you want to use 10w when 5w is recommended. Sure in a pinch use what you have. Sure you won't notice a difference, but your engine will. My advice is follow the manufacture's recommendation. At 15 Degrees there is a big difference between 5w-30 & 10w-40. Most also say in the summer 10w-30 is an acceptible substitute. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine. Why substitute !

[Toppack]

Starting Temperature (Cold in Winter, etc.) is important but Engine Age and Useage is very important also. If you use thinner Oil in a high milage engine, a lot of it is going into the cylinders, causing fouled plugs and a lot of smoke signals out the tailpipe.

[Wheel]

My 88 Ford F150 Has had nothing but Motorcraft 10W40 since it was new. It has 181,000 miles and the inside of engine is as clean as a new one. I had to put an intake gasket on it about a year ago and was very pleased with what I saw.

[Phil L]

Oil is oil, If you have none you are in BIG trouble. I read somthing in another post about synthetic, I believe the person was talking about it. The thing I was wondering about is, the manufactures said that when you change your oil(syn.), that you only change the filter and top-up after. A'm I right or wrong???

[carsandcycles]

Oil is oil, If you have none you are in BIG trouble. I read somthing in another post about synthetic, I believe the person was talking about it. The thing I was wondering about is, the manufactures said that when you change your oil(syn.), that you only change the filter and top-up after. A'm I right or wrong???
If your just repeating what you've heard I wouldn't call "you" wrong, but that statement sure is. Oil, whether synthetic or "dino" gets contaminated with combustion byproducts etc. and needs to be changed.

[Phil L]

If your just repeating what you've heard I wouldn't call "you" wrong, but that statement sure is. Oil, whether synthetic or "dino" gets contaminated with combustion byproducts etc. and needs to be changed.

OK, I sit corrected

[carsandcycles]

OK, I sit corrected
:)

[Racerock]

The manufacture recommends a certain weight oil for a reason.

Agree.

[dancerman]

If changing from true oil to synthetic, should I use a blend for awhile before changing to 100% synthetic?

[carsandcycles]

If changing from true oil to synthetic, should I use a blend for awhile before changing to 100% synthetic?
No need, todays synthetics are fully compatible with regular oil.

[dancerman]

No need, todays synthetics are fully compatible with regular oil.

OK. when would someone want to use a blend?

[dougbfresh]

OK. when would someone want to use a blend?

Cost is the reason. Synthetic use was dying quick and they needed a way to sell the stuff to the "common folk" not just the high end users. So, they took some dinosaur oil and some man made and mixed them, cheaper than full synthetic but more than regular oil in price. Got to make that Research and Development cost back somehow.

[olddog]

From what I have read, the biggest differance between the synthetic oil, and the age old oil we are used to is that the synthetic oil has less viscosity change with temperature change. Regular oil is thicker when cold and thinner when hot. The sythentic oil also changes in the same direction, but to a lesser degree.

There is a high temp point at which the viscosity dropps off rapidly (break down) this temp point is higher with synthetics. Makes it a great choice for turbos.

On the cold side the synthetic doesn't get as thick so it is better for the overhead cam engines. It doesn't take as long to get the oil pumped up to the cam, when you start it on a cold day.

There was some talk that the synthetics cling to metal parts better, I never saw any proof. At least all the vescosity claims can be measured by independent labs.

It was claimed that one quart of synthetic, the rest regular oil, gave most of the benifits of the synthetic. Then they came out with the blends. I use it in my overhead cam engines.

Buy the way if you read back at the beginning of this thread there is a lot a bad advise. Always stick to the manufactures recomendation of lubricants. My overhead cam engine calls for 5w 20w oil and using heavier oil will void the warranty. There is no doubt in my mind that 10w 40w oil in this engine on a -10 day would totally distroy the cams, and it would likely fail on much warmer days too.

[vetteonr]

I've also read that if you use regular oil and then change to a synthetic, or use synthetic in older cars, you can have major leak problems. Any truth to this?

[dougbfresh]

I've also read that if you use regular oil and then change to a synthetic, or use synthetic in older cars, you can have major leak problems. Any truth to this?

Nope, but why change in an older car anyway? Dyno oil is so cheap compared to Synthetic. I can do 3-4 (or more) oil changes for the same price as one synthetic oil change and I get a fresh oil filter every 3K miles. All my motors look clean as can be inside.

[vetteonr]

Good points doug. I'm a regular oil user myself, but I was just curious.

[duffy]

Good points doug. I'm a regular oil user myself, but I was just curious.
Price $$$$$ is enough to keep me from the synthetics...
We used to change the oil in the race car every 2 weeks.... using Mobil 1, and the crew chief used the drain oil in his car and truck... it always came out clean... except for the time there was parts in it....(part of the crank, part of 2 pistons, part of 2 rods, part of the block, part of the windage tray) YUCK.... what a mess.... :eek:

[Young_unn]

Basically as its they stated its not bad to switch them up as long as you dont use oil that will thinken up and not move in the winter, i use 10w-30 in the winter because it dosent thinken up as much

[Porcupine]

I was so used to using 20W50 in the old buggy it's going seem strange going back to 5W20 for the 4.6. At this young odometer reading I'll be sticking to manufacturer's recommnedations, still using Valvoline though.

Question for the pros. Since I now have this newer beast, what are your opinions for additives such as Lucas etc? Just stick to good oil and Bob's your uncle?

[Racerock]

I like sticking to oil, and staying within the mfr recommendations.

You were putting 20W50 in the Aerostar??? Bet that turned over really slllloooowwww. Either that, or the bearings were so worned it did not matter, maybe the high viscosity oil caused it....???

[olddog]

Thick oil in the winter is one issue. On the other end of spectrum is old engines and high performance engines that had a lot of clearance in the bearings. I built a 350 SBC with 0.006 in. clearance (some new engines have 0.001 in.) in the bearing back in the 70's . On a hot day with the peddle down, you better have 50 w in an engine like that.

I agree with Doug. Almost no engine actually needs synthetic oil. Why spend $$$?

All an oil has to do is keep the parts from touching. Under normal driving conditions any oil close to the right viscosity can do that. The more extream the conditions the closer you come to disaster and that's when small differances in oil make the differance between distruction and living to fight another day.

[Porcupine]

I like sticking to oil, and staying within the mfr recommendations.

You were putting 20W50 in the Aerostar??? Bet that turned over really slllloooowwww. Either that, or the bearings were so worned it did not matter, maybe the high viscosity oil caused it....???

I should have clarified. 20w50 in the summer and 10w40 in the winter. Never had any probs. Several years ago I towed a 2700lb travel trailer with the Aerostar. Didn't have a lot of power but it towed real well. I found the 20w50 did not get dirty like the thinner oils. I sacrificed a little fuel economy for engine longevity. Good question though. I wonder how it would run if I put 10w30 back in :D I'll bet the new bottom end knock would be a little louder.

Put it this way. That 3.0 liter V6 was grossly under designed and under powered but it was dependable no matter what. You guys knew how I use to mock and tease my own van. That van, while gutless, was bullet proof. It served us well. I had fun with a grocery getter and the laughs that went with it.