10w30 instead of 5w30

[old mechanic]

I always use 10w30 and no one ever gave me a good enough reason to use synthetic oil. Except for extreme weather or conditions IMHO any oil change before 5,000-7000 miles is a waste. Poor driving conditions and habits will harm an engine more than not changing the oil before 5,000 miles.
But like my wife always told our kids, "don't listen to your father, listen to me! I never blew up an engine"!

 

[Billy177]

the 4.0 OHV and the 5.0 both use 10w30
the SOHC uses 5W30

i use synthetics mainly because the sohc likes to rev and i think it protects better

 

[briwayjones]

Originally posted by SiLenZe
synthetic just lasts longer. i changed my oil right before halloween and dont have to change it again till spring. it really helps running synthetic, i drive so much and i dont have to change the oil every month.

Wait so you don't have to change synthetic oil as much? That's the first time I've heard that. I've haven't switched to synthetic because I have to change my oil about once a month and synthetic is so exspensive. But if I don't have to change it as often it might be worth it.

 

[aldive]

I have gone 20k on a change of Amsoil.

 

[Billy177]

i just change it every 4k or when it gets pretty dirty

 

[wpurple]

I use 0W30 Mobil 1 in all my vehicles here in CT.
(I certainly can say that our vehicle starts much easier with Mobil one then my wifes company van does with regular 5W30 especially then it gets down below 0F)
Mobil stated that they don't recommend 0W20 in vehicles that don't specifically called out for.
They states that it might be too thin to provide adequate lubercation.

I thought that if 0W30 was better than 5W30, then 0W20 has to be even better but no the case.

at least according to the Mobil 1 tech line......

 

[aldive]

I have been running Mobil 1 0w20 for quite a while with excellent analysis results.

 

[xmodster3o3]

I bought my 91 X from my dad and he's been putting 20w50 in it for years , so i did too. Its been working fine, but am I using the right oil.

 

[jetmaker]

If your engine is relatively low milage, then stick with the 5W30 oil, synthetic or not, doesn't really matter. As the engine gets older, switch to a slightly heavier oil like 10W30 or 10W40, again, sythetic or not... your choice.

The rational for the above is that a newer engine has closer tolerances, and too thick of an oil will not lubricate the parts as well as it simply can not flow in the tighter toleranced areas.

One benefit to use sythetic oil over regular oil is if you do a lot of driving. Sythentic does not break down as quickly as regular oil does. So you can get away without changing your oil at "about" twice the regular interval. However, if you have a "tired" engine in which you have lots of blowby past the rings, change the oil often as the acids from the combustion byproducts will break down the oil, and attack engine components.

 

[dnellans]

i'd say jetmaker has the best logic of anyone in this thread. i use 5w30 mobil one in my EX and change it every 5000k along with the external tranny filter at 5000k as well. dino i'd feel bad not doing it every 3000 and this way i can have easy schedule for doing both!

-d

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by dnellans
i'd say jetmaker has the best logic of anyone in this thread. i use 5w30 mobil one in my EX and change it every 5000k along with the external tranny filter at 5000k as well. dino i'd feel bad not doing it every 3000 and this way i can have easy schedule for doing both!

-d

Have an oil analysis done on your oil at 5k and see what it says. I bet you are dumping perfectly good oil.

 

[dnellans]

5k is more for my piece of mind than anything and it keeps me on a good schedule for doing the filter. i'd be more than willing to get an oil analysis done though to see what the science has to say about my seat of the pants method.

where can i get someplace to do an oil analysis for me, what is the cost? would be interesting to do an actual scientific study of dino vs synthetic at 5000k in the same truck.

-d

 

[aldive]

This is who I use....Dead Link Removed

 

[expo5.0]

i say your all completely crazy

i care about my truck as much as anyone here, i care that it lasts and about its performance. However, the kind of oil you run makes no damn difference whatsoever unless you are using llike scientific tools in order to quantify such a difference. No one can sit in a car and tell the difference PERIOD.

also, running regular oil and changing at 5000 miles in all of our vehicles my family has recently had a-

1994 dodge caravan with 309,000 miles on its original engine and tranny

a 1998 suburban running like new on its original 5.7 with 235,000

a 1994 suburban also running well on a 5.7 with 275,000 (although the rest of the truck is junk)

and my explorer with 138,000 and no major repairs, loss of compression, or loss of power of any kind.

also, those are the only cars we've had recently. ist not like we've had 8 and those ones lasted a long time, its that every one lasts that long.

 

[aldive]

I can tell the difference every time I refill the fuel tank.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Originally posted by expo5.0
i say your all completely crazy

Well, I wouldn't say, "all".

Originally posted by X~FACTOR
I still think oil synthetics are a waste of money just like ALL oil additives. If you change your regular oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles how can it go bad?