When should I switch from 5w30 to 10w30?

When should I switch from 5w30 to 10w30?

The only difference between these two oils is cold flow ability: a 10w30 oil will move slower than a 5w30 oil during cold startups. At operating temperatures, both oils will have the same viscosity (30) and will flow and protect identically.

Should I use thicker oil in a high mileage engine?

The slightly thicker oil film from the heavier base weight oil — 10W — can help protect worn engine bearings as well. … Over the decades of buying and driving older, high-mileage vehicles, I've even used 15W-40 and 20W-50 oils in high-mileage engines to improve oil pressure and extend their service life.

Should I switch to synthetic oil high mileage?

This could result in leaks that cause the engine to burn oil and require you to monitor your oil levels and replace it more often. … It's not accurate to say that you should never use synthetic oil in an older car. In fact, Castrol EDGE High Mileage is a synthetic oil designed specifically for high-mileage cars.

What happens if you put the wrong oil in your car?

The brand of motor oil matters little, but its viscosity grade (10W-30, for example) is important. Use only what the owner's manual specifies. Using the wrong oil can lead to reduced lubrication and shorter engine life. If the manual says to use synthetic oil, do so.

Can I mix 5w30 with 10w30?

If your car contains a typical multi-grade oil, such as 5W-30 or 10W-30, you can use most any multi-grade oil to "top off" your oil and bring it up to a proper level. Mixing the viscosity of oil has no effect on the engine. 5W30 and 10W30 are very close in viscosity.

When should I use 20w50 oil?

20W50 motor oil is suitable for warmer climates, where the higher temperature causes the oil to thin. It is also useful for vehicles subject to hot temperatures and for those used for high-stress activities such as hauling or pulling trailers.

Can you mix synthetic oil with regular oil?

The simple answer: Yes. There is no danger mixing synthetic and conventional motor oil; however, conventional oil will detract from the superior performance of synthetic oil and reduce its benefits. … So, yes, you can safely mix synthetic and conventional oil.

Can I use 5w30 in my car?

Hello. Using 5W30 oil for your vehicle will not blow out the engine. However, your vehicle will not run as efficiently as it should and you may experience a loss of fuel economy.

What does the W stand for in oil?

The "w" in motor oil stands for winter. The first number in the oil classification refers to a cold weather viscosity. The lower this number is, the less viscous your oil will be at low temperatures. For example, a 5W- motor oil will flow better at lower temperatures than a 15W- motor oil.

Can I use 5w30 instead of 10w30 in my lawn mower?

Yes! We have modified our engine oil recommendations to state that you may now use a synthetic 5W30 (100074WEB) or 10W30 oil in all temperature ranges. We recommend the use of Briggs & Stratton Synthetic Oil.

What is the best oil to use in the winter?

An example is 5W30—the “W” stands for winter and the oil's cold weather rating. The lower the W number, the better the oil will perform in colder temperatures. Typically, a 5W oil is recommended for winter use, but synthetic oils can be formulated to flow even more easily when cold.

What is the best motor oil for hot weather?

Because synthetic oil is better on your engine and has fewer impurities, it can go longer than conventional oils or synthetic blends. … Turbo engines and older cars may still require oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Synthetic oil change intervals range 10,000-15,000 miles or once a year (whatever comes first).

What kind of oil do you use in the summer?

It's always a good idea to consult your owner's manual for the type of oil that's best in your engine. As a general rule, you'll get the best protection in the summer when you use a slightly thicker grade of oil, such as a 10W30 instead of a 5W30.

How is full synthetic oil made?

Unlike crude oil which is made through distillation, synthetic oil is made through a chemical process called the Fischer-Tropsch process. … These raw materials are injected and blended with artificial chemical compounds that are absent in natural crude oil to create uniformly sized and weighed oil molecules.

What does the second number in oil mean?

Viscosity refers to the thickness of the oil, lower numbers are thinner, higher numbers are thicker. … The second number is the viscosity, how it will flow, when hot. So that means a 5w-20 motor oil will have the viscosity characteristics of a 5 weight motor oil when cold.

Can you put 10w30 in a 5w20 engine?

10W30 is thicker and protect older engine with its sealing capability. 5W20 is thinner multi-grade oil that is pertinent for quick starts in the lowest temperatures. … So, next time when somebody asks you can I use 10w30 instead of 5w20, you have the right answer!

How much oil does my car need?

Most engines require anywhere between 5 to 8 quarts of oil, depending on the engine size. The smaller the engine, the less oil required to fill the volume of the engine. A 4-cylinder engine usually requires around 5 quarts of oil.

Should I use 5w or 10w oil?

A 5W oil is typically what's recommended for winter use. … Once the engine is running, the oil heats up. The second number in the viscosity rating—the "40" in 10W-40, for example—tells you that the oil will stay thicker at high temperatures than one with a lower second number—the "30" in 10W-30, for example.

Can I use 10w40 instead of 5w30?

Your vehicle does not use 5W-30 oil. The recommended oil viscosity for your vehicle, according to Kia documentation, is 10W-40. If you drive the vehicle in exceptionally cold weather, well below 32 degrees, you can use 5W-30 oil but even 10W-40 is still perfectly OK to use if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.

Which oil is thicker 5w30 or 10w40?

5w30 is a motor oil which is synthetic and has a viscosity of 5 when in low temperature and 30 when in high temperature which is normally at 100 degrees celsius. … 5w30 is less viscous while 10w40 is more viscous. The 5w30 has a viscosity of 30 at high temperature while a 10w40 has a 40 viscosity at high temperatures.

What does engine oil grade mean?

Engine oil grades is a scale developed by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) to indicate the engine oil performance at working temperature. It gives us measure of it's viscosity (resistance to flow) during operation. … Multigrade oils are graded in the xWxx format. The W stands for Winter.

Does 10w40 hurt 10w30 engine?

Using 10w40 oil in the summer will help the oil stick to internal components in high temperatures, avoiding the wear and tear from metal-to-metal contact between moving parts. As previously mentioned, the only difference between 10w30 and 10w40 oil is their thickness at engine operating (hot) temperatures.

Can you mix 5w20 and 5w30?

Can I mix 5W20 oil with 5W30 oil? Yes, you can. It is best if they are from the same brand and level of API service to be the same formulas, but they are certainly compatible, even if different formulas and brands.

Can I use 10w30 instead of 10w40?

The only difference between 10w30 and 10w40 oil is their thickness at engine operating (hot) temperatures. … Using 10w40 oil in the summer will help the oil stick to internal components in high temperatures, avoiding the wear and tear from metal-to-metal contact between moving parts.

Can you mix oil weights?

The good news is that mixing different types of oil it will not harm your engine in any way in the short run. Most synthetic and semi-synthetic engine oils are based on regular oil and are compatible. … Now, as far as different grades are concerned, mixing between them isn't something that will damage your engine either.

Is 5w30 good for summer?

5w30 is a great multigrade oil for use in low starting temperatures as well as high summer temperatures. It is also more fuel efficient since it creates less drag on the bearings and moving engine parts. 10w30 is thicker and may provide better sealing capability for older engines.

Is Pennzoil a good oil?

There are some oils that will offer good protection inside the engine longer. Pennzoil is one of the best, both their conventional and their new Platinum synthetic. Shell markets four oil brands, and I think Pennz is their top brand. Pennzoil is a quality oil.

Is 5w30 oil synthetic?

What is the difference between 5w30 and 5W30 synthetic motor oil? … But the base oil is different, with the synthetic being made of of molecules 100% saturated and designed to react to temperatures better. Mineral oils have viscosity improvers so a 5W can work as a 30 (if it is a 5W-30) at operating temperatures.

Which oil is best for car?

Multigrade oils such as SAE 5W-30 and 10W-40 are widely used because, under all but extremely hot or cold conditions, they are thin enough to flow at low temperatures and thick enough to perform satisfactorily at high temperatures.