Asked by: Suiju Miclea
business and finance gasoline prices

Which motor oil is thicker 5w30 or 10w30?

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5w30 is used for light-duty engines while10w30 is used for engines which carry heavier loads.10w30 provides sealing action in the engine due to the factthat it is thicker than 5w30 engine oil.Thinner at lower temperatures. Thicker at lowertemperatures.


Then, which oil is thicker 5w30 or 10w30?

A higher viscosity oil, such as 10w30,will flow slower at low temperatures compared to a lower viscosityoil like 5w30. A higher viscosity or thickeroil will seal better than a low viscosity oil. Athicker oil will also provide better lubrication of criticalengine parts.

Also, is 10w 40 thicker than 5w 30? A 10w-40 motor oil is a thicker oilat startup than a 5w-30 motor oil. Therefore,10w-40 oil clings to the engine's moving parts morethan the lower viscosity 5w-30oil.

Likewise, is 5w30 or 10w30 better for winter?

At operating temperatures, both oils will have the sameviscosity (30) and will flow and protect identically. If the oilwill be in the engine during winter and you live in a placewhere it gets cold during these months, use 5w30 oil. If itwill only be in the engine during the summer, use10w30.

Can I replace 10w30 with 5w30?

0w30 and 5w30 are more commonplace now than theyused to be. The 5w30 has more viscosity index improvers vsthe 10w30 so technically the 10w30 would have moreoil that lubricates the engine. But no it won't hurt to use5w30. The 5w30 when cold will still be thickerthan the 10w30 when hot anyways so it doesn'tmatter.

Related Question Answers

Doaa Valyaev

Professional

Should I use thicker oil in an older engine?

A: Yes. This is a practical method to improve oilpressure in an older, high-mileage engine. Theslightly thicker oil film from the heavier baseweight oil — 10W — can help protect wornengine bearings as well.

Everette Caseiro

Professional

Is it OK to mix 5w30 and 10w30?

If your car contains a typical multi-grade oil, such as5W-30 or 10W-30, you can use most any multi-grade oilto "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 inviscosity.

Ileana Andrada

Professional

Should I use synthetic oil in my high mileage car?

It's not accurate to say that you should neveruse synthetic oil in an older car. In fact, CastrolEDGE High Mileage is a synthetic oil designedspecifically for high-mileage cars. If the carhas been maintained and is in excellent running condition, thesynthetic oil may protect the vehicle and prolong itslife.

Sharmaine Nevelsky

Explainer

What is the best motor oil for hot weather?

Best Motor Oil For Hot Weather
  • Best Overall: Valvoline Full Synthetic SYNPower 5W-30 MotorOil.
  • Best For Highway Conditions:Valvoline Synthetic Blend DURABlend5W-30.
  • Best Value: Valvoline MaxLife High mileage 5W-30.
  • Best Environmental Friendly: Valvoline NextGen Recycled5W-30.
  • Best For Old Engines: Valvoline Premium Conventional5w-30.

Agate Footh

Explainer

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

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

Braulio Llumiquinga

Explainer

When should I use 20w50 oil?

20W50 motor oil is suitable for warmerclimates, where the higher temperature causes the oil tothin. It is also useful for vehicles subject to hot temperaturesand for those used for high-stress activities such as hauling orpulling trailers.

Porfiria Neuhoff

Pundit

Can you mix synthetic oil with regular oil?

The simple answer: Yes. There is no danger mixingsynthetic and conventional motor oil; however,conventional oil will detract from the superior performanceof synthetic oil and reduce its benefits. So, yes, youcan safely mix synthetic and conventionaloil.

Digna Corbillon

Pundit

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 coldweather viscosity. The lower this number is, the less viscous youroil will be at low temperatures. For example, a 5W- motoroil will flow better at lower temperatures than a 15W- motoroil.

Massamba Tscharntke

Pundit

When should I use thicker oil?

Also, if the oil is too thick, the enginerequires more energy to turn the crankshaft, which is partlysubmerged in a bath of oil. Excessive thickness can make itharder to start the engine, which reduces fuel economy. A 5Woil is typically what's recommended for winteruse.

Mounaim Eroschenko

Pundit

Should I use thinner oil in winter?

The lower the W number, the better the oil willperform in colder temperatures. Typically, a 5W oil isrecommended for winter use, but synthetic oils can beformulated to flow even more easily when cold.

Haiou Occhiuto

Pundit

Is synthetic oil better for winter?

The customized molecules provide betterperformance and protection than conventional motor oil. Amajor benefit of using synthetic oil during wintermonths is due to its enhanced flow even in low temperatures. Forexample, synthetic oil with 0W-30 will flow smoothly even at-52 Celsius and even lower temperatures.

Benyamin Trojan

Teacher

Which oil is best in winter for hair?

Top 8 Hair Oils to use in the Winter Months inIndia
  1. Parachute Ayurvedic Hair Oil:
  2. Bajaj Almond Drops Non Sticky Hair Oil:
  3. Biotique bio Bringaraj Fresh growth therapeutic hair oil:
  4. Himalaya Herbals Anti-dandruff Hair Oil:
  5. Patanjali Almond Hair Oil:
  6. Dove Elixir Dryness Care Hair Oil:
  7. Dabur Vatika Olive enriched Hair oil:

Jenna Tapi

Teacher

Is Thicker oil better in the summer?

As a general rule, you'll get the best protectionin the summer when you use a slightly thicker gradeof oil, such as a 10W30 instead of a 5W30. Engines need athicker oil in the summer months because of thesummer heat and its effects on thinning the oilout.

Archil Kriegbaum

Teacher

Is synthetic oil better for your car?

Because synthetic oil is better onyour engine and has fewer impurities, it can go longer thanconventional oils or synthetic blends. Turbo enginesand older cars may still require oil changes every3,000 to 5,000 miles. Synthetic oil change intervals range10,000-15,000 miles or once a year (whatever comesfirst).

Niko Morio

Teacher

Can I use 10w40 instead of 5w30?

Your vehicle does not use 5W-30 oil. Therecommended oil viscosity for your vehicle, according to Kiadocumentation, is 10W-40. If you drive the vehicle inexceptionally cold weather, well below 32 degrees, you can use5W-30 oil but even 10W-40 is still perfectly OK touse if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.

Juvencia Breitkreuz

Reviewer

Is amsoil good for high mileage cars?

Answer: AMSOIL synthetic motor oils can reduceoil consumption in mechanically sound engines. Answer: There are nospecial requirements for changing to AMSOIL synthetic motoroil. However, in older vehicles with high mileage, itmay be advisable to use AMSOIL Engine and Transmission Flushfirst.

Ye Luza

Reviewer

Do you want thicker or thinner oil in winter?

Thin oils have lower viscosity and pour moreeasily at low temperatures than thicker oils that have ahigher viscosity. Thin oils reduce friction in engines andhelp engines start quickly during cold weather. Thickoils are better at maintaining film strength and oilpressure at high temperatures and loads.

Ico Leorza

Reviewer

What happens if you put thicker oil in your car?

Not only that, but the engine will waste energypumping the thicker motor oil, reducing fuel economy.Since thicker oils don't transfer heat as well as thinneroils, operating temperatures will increase, too, possiblyleading to accelerated chemical break down and harmful sludge anddeposits.

Daniella Weisenseel

Reviewer

Does engine oil get thinner over time?

Oil weight, or viscosity, refers to how thick orthin the oil is. Your engine needs oil that isthin enough for cold starts, and thick enough when theengine is hot. Since oil gets thinner when heated,and thicker when cooled, most of us use what are calledmulti-grade, or multi-viscosity oils.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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12th January, 2020

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