Thread: 5w-30 vs 10w-30

I don't want to start another oil brand thread, but was wondering what others prefer for oil weight. The cap says to use 10w-30, but how critical is it as long as the oil is changed when needed. Again, I don't want to start another oil change interveral thread either.

So why did you?



Run whichever. There was a bulletin that said the series 2 could use 5w-30..but remember.. Both 5 and 10w...both have the same running weight... Just different cold weights

10W-40.

All day erreeeday.

5W-30 concidering winter is almost here, for the spring oil change sure go 10W-30 or 10W-40 if you want.
If you don't have a garage I'd go 0W-30 if you can find it the the flavor you like and are willing to spend a more for synthetic.

my cap says 5w-30 so thats what I use, except full synthetic

The differences are so small it's not even worth arguing.

Originally Posted by txslow6

The differences are so small it's not even worth arguing.

Looks like someone needs to take a vacation to MN when it is 6:00am and -15 F w/-30F wind chill and see what its like to start a car sitting outside. Then try scraping windows.

Originally Posted by Madness

Looks like someone needs to take a vacation to MN when it is 6:00am and -15 F w/-30F wind chill and see what its like to start a car sitting outside. Then try scraping windows.

Then you have answered your own question and this thread was pointless.

Originally Posted by blueguy91

10W-40.

All day erreeeday.

Theoretical question : At running temps does 10W -40 make the engine sound quieter than 10W -30 ?

Originally Posted by Madness

Looks like someone needs to take a vacation to MN when it is 6:00am and -15 F w/-30F wind chill and see what its like to start a car sitting outside. Then try scraping windows.

Haha that's always a good test for your car, I run 5w-30 full synthetic works for me.

Originally Posted by GTP in RTP

Theoretical question : At running temps does 10W -40 make the engine sound quieter than 10W -30 ?

Theoretically, IMHO, with a stock-ish GP running 10W-30would/should idle a bit quieter. Mylogic is thinner oil favors the valve train/upper end and thicker oil favors thelower end bearings. And considering thehydraulic valve lifters are pretty much like honey badgers (they don’t give af&^% the difference would be very slight. Unlike mechanical lifters that can be very particular on oilchoice. Now if you have lower end issueslike piston slap the 10w-40 might be quieter over all. But really 3800s are so solid anyone that hasbeen around them knows the flavor and viscosity (within reason) of the oildoesn’t matter.
Just to tack this on, with all the above said, many ppllike to run 10W-40 because it does give a little more protection in the lowerend were 3800s tend to fail when overly stressed.

I'm with matt... Especially farther from the oil pump where the oil galley holes are a lot smaller in diameter.. Not to mention all the other ****ty casting passages everywhere else. I'd stick to either 10w-30 or 5w-30..Nothing thicker and nothing thinner.

Is there anyone out there running half 5w-30 and half 10w-30?

But seriously, why not hook up an oil pressure gauge and base your decisions off that instead of whimsy?

lolno.

Just run 5w30. Should only take a few minutes of driving to reach 120+ coolant temp which should be plenty to start getting good heat out of the vents.