johnny_tucson

i don't know much about oil...and I'm not trying to hijack the thread...but I get free oil changes at the dealership for life. Does this other oil cost more? How much? I live in the desert, does that matter? Do you think the dealership would use different oil if I paid the diff? Thanks in advance. And sorry op.

uzikaduzi

no idea if they'll do it but the 0w oils seem to be more for cooler climates so it's thinner on start up. I don't think it gets too cold where you are... but I'd think 5w-30 or 5w-40 would be better for your climate.

taylorbowl119

So yall think 5W-30 will be best in a generally warmer climate? Pretty close to the wiregrass region in Alabama, so it's getting pretty warm now. And it will stop a rattle? Cause mine rattles pretty bad in a cold start

uzikaduzi

Especial86 had a thread on this a while ago and i'm too lazy to find it right now... basically everywhere except north america the f150 calls for 5w-30 and the consensus is that 5w-20 was recommended to bump fuel economy at the cost of better lubrication... personally I'm nervious with going thicker than 5w-30 because of how small some of the oil passages are but honestly, i could be perpetuating an old wife's tail because that's the exact same thing they said about 5w-30 in the f150's. a lot of people mentioned that their engines ran smoother and some light timing noises being stopped (not to be used as a remedy for a timing issue but just to quite a normally functioning system)

now on a cold start, 5w-30 is the same viscosity as 5w-20 so it might not do anything for your case... could try a 10w-30 and there are guys running those and guys running 10w-40's too but I have zero experience with those oils in these engines

jamesyarbrough

5/30 is not the same viscosity as 5/20 at start up. Check flow at 40 degrees Celsius. Its posted for all oils on their websites. I like a 0/40 because in my climate it has about the same start up viscosity as the 5/20 which is what for calls for. Its just thicker at operating temps. No matter what the climate a 0w will have better base stocks and usually be a little better oil. Usually.... plus you get a little better fuel economy.

0w is best in any grade for normal use. If oil temps are above 300 degrees not so much...but none of ours will get above 230 anyway.

In the end you just gotta try a few and see what works for you though.

MHOWELL34

I got 200k on mine, usual cam phaser noise, drive it till she dies! I like my EcoDiesel that takes Unleaded Fuel Only

And i used 5w30 on my last change, I get a little better mpg but that's probably because of my superchips, still ticks however . 20 is a really thin oil. and I'm in MS

When i got mine some guy said he put thicker oil in it and it wasn't making the phaser noise at the time, one oil change and wtf is that. I'm not gonna blow it up to find out the magic thickness.

I as well have wondered about 10w30 and 40

uzikaduzi

I could be missing something but doesn't the first number represent the viscosity of the oil cold and the second number represent the viscosity hot? and even then the difference between 20 and 30 isn't much... like a 5-10 degree difference between the 2 can make a 30 have the same viscosity as a 20?

MHOWELL34

From what i know, yes i think, they are both the same thickness pretty much at temp, but 30 would just be a hint thicker nothing you can really notice. Shouldn't hurt anything since its still 5w. The 30 and 20 are cold temps, 30 would stop moving before 20 would. So if you live in -35 degree weather. Then you may have issues.

Or from yahoo A's
"Oil get THICKER as it gets colder and THINNER as it get hotter. Like butter, solid when its cold, liquid when it gets hotter. Works the same with most cooking oils"

So in essence 30 may could help things on a higher mileage vehicle, since its a little wear on the parts.

uzikaduzi

mulch-viscoity (oils with 2 numbers like 5w-30) oils get thicker as they get warmer... I know this flys in the face of common reasoning.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...cker_Oils.aspx

jamesyarbrough

No the w is for winter rating. An oil has to have a certain cold flow to get the number in front of the w. The thicker the grade, the less flow at cold temps it takes to get a lower number. A typical 0w30 is close to the same thickness as a 5w20 at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. (Just an example for reference, not actually true)

Viscosity is relative to temperature in all oils. There will be certain temps where some grades are the same viscosity. For example if you run high oil temps, like a race engine, a 50 grade could be the same thickness as a 30 at normal operating temps.

Any 30 grade, sae 30, 10w 30, or 0w30 will have a thickness of 10 at operating temp (100 Celsius) but they all start out thicker at cold temps. Some may start out at 100 and others may start at 150 or even more depending kn the winter rating and basestocks used.
in a perfect world your 30 grade would always be a 10 on the thickness scale and then start up wear would be all but gone.

All oil gets thinner as it warms. The lower number in front of the w just says it starts out thinner at cold temps. Check out bobistheoilguy.com and join the forums. Theres guys there with alot more education on it than I have. I just got enough to get by.