How To Choose The Right Viscosity Motor Oil - A Certified Lubrication Specialist Explains

Viscosity is the the most important property in a motor oil, but did you know that viscosity changes with temperature? Also, the ideal choice in viscosity for an engine is dependent on factors such as bearing clearance and oil ring tension. In this video, Certified Lubrication Specialist Lake Speed Jr explains how to choose the correct viscosity for your engine.
Like many things, too much viscosity or too little viscosity results in problems. The chart presented in this video gives you the tools to make the right choice.
For the viscosity chart: drivenracingoil.com/rt-5996-c...
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For more about Tribology and Lake Speed Jr: • Episode 026 | Piston...
For how to choose the correct break-in oil: • ☑️ Do’s & Don’ts ⛔️ of...
#RacingEngine #CylinderBore #CylinderHoning #PistonRings #Enginetechnology #horsepower #engine #motoroil

[@anonymike8280]

After 50 years of doing it myself, I finally seriously researched motor oil. I came to the shocking realization that I could have used nothing but 10W-30 in every vehicle I have ever owned from the early 70s till today. In several of them, the recommended viscosity was 5W-30. However, in the fine print it always said you could use 10W-30 if the temperature never went below 0 Fahrenheit. So there.

[@cujet]

Thanks for the great video. One thing to keep in mind, fuel dilution changes the viscosity requirement for pedestrian gas cars too. We can choose an oil that provides adequate MOFT under 100% of normal operating situations, but when driving around town, fuel can accumulate in the oil. Follow this up by a blast down the road at high speed, some towing, or a track day without enough time to evaporate the fuel, and bearing failure can be the result. The Audi supercharged V6 is well known for this.

[@TotalSeal]

Great point!

[@daledavies2334]

There is more than fuel dilution at work here. A 5W 30 oil is a 5 weight oil.cold with viscosity improvers to make it act like a 30 weight oil when it is hot. Operating in the tight clearances of a running engine a couple of other things that happen beyond fuel dilution are shear back whereby those viscosity improvers get broken. Think of them kind of like tiny bits of thread that get torn in half, so now your hot oil behaves more like a 25 or 20 when hot. Another thing that happens is boil off. Petroleum is a compendium of molecules with different boiling points. When you get the oil well warmed up the light ends vapourize and get carried out in the PCV system. Now your 5 oil becomes 8 or 10 when cold. Synthetic oils do not have the range of molecules petroleum oils do and can be engineered for qualities the designers want. Thus they do not have the same light end boiloff or the shearback. Synthetics generally have premium additive packages in them that prevent shear better. Like the old Fram filters ad, pay me now or pay me later. You generally get what you pay for, so if you pay for cheap shit, you get cheap shit.

[@vermontvermont9292]

​@@daledavies2334 speaking of PCV , I wish people would change their friggin pcv valves! Some cars should have them changed as early as 30,000 miles. Then on another topic, I also wish folks would do their transmission fluid at regular intervals. Today's small DI turbo engines with a CVT is so easy to do, you should really be doing it atleast once a year. Or at a minimum of every 30,000 miles.

[@natez0690]

Excellent video! I’ve never seen a chart that gives you a baseline for where to start with bearing clearances. I want to build a road race 454 LS7, and now I can have an intelligent talk with my engine builder. I’d like to run 0W-40 on the road course at an oil temperature greater than 212°F and still have adequate oil pressure at 7000 RPM. Hopefully going with the gas-ported, gapless 1mm, 1mm, 2mm ring package! Thanks for educating the track rats and gearheads out there!

[@TotalSeal]

We are happy to help! The gas ported top rings are awesome, and the 0W-40 should be a solid option with bearing clearances between .002 and .0025

[@DimoS...]

Can 0w damage the engine in cold starts? I have a toyota corolla tsport 2zzge with 192hp hp 8.400rpm and recommended 5w30 or 10w30 but lotus in elise and exige with the same engine recoment 5w40 I use 0w40 oil always. Is 0w weight safe for engine? The 40 is ok but I worried for 0w. I use 0w40 because the mobil1 fs 0w40 is the best oil in my neighbourhood and I get it free from my cousin.

[@ShawnGilbert1967]

​@DimosTs192 dodge specificies a 0w40 for all their scat packs aka 6.4l Hemi, so at least at start up I cant imagine they would spec an oil leading to wear under warranty...in fact other oils will void it.... I run a 5w50 in a 7600rpm LS7 build get about 75psi hot at shift.... The gen 3 boosted coyote calls for 5w50 it would see 90psi at 8000rpm shifts well 7850

[@communityracecar]

We need to figure out an oil and filter package for our sprint car motors over the off season. Love your content. ❤

[@TotalSeal]

Thank you!

[@simonm7776]

Great video. Interesting how important the 40c viscosity is. In many climates it’s the viscosity change of the oil from say 10c or 20c to 100c that is so relevant.

[@markwarnberg9504]

Good video. One has to remember that with miles come wear, the clearances will get bigger thus less resistance for the oil. With higher milage you will have too use a thicker oil.

[@matt4398]

High mileage oil

[@PLUMPTONFILM]

Love your work mr Speed Jr . As you chaps say” awsum “. Together with all these other boffins you introduce , this is just the best fun. Thank you to Stapleton 42 for helping me finds you guys. Keep it gannin lads✌

[@TotalSeal]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@jasonogle6602]

Stapleton lead me here also

[@jdcustomz]

Always enjoy you videos guys!. Thanks again.

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@jeffbonifield8981]

Another great class! Thanks guys!

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks! We have a great podcast episode coming soon on this topic.

[@danielcarroll5667]

Thank you for this valuable information !

[@TotalSeal]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rolandotillit2867]

Thanks for the insights!

[@TotalSeal]

We are glad it was helpful!

[@ihateemael]

great vid guys, has anyone talked about oil film strength?? I think this is particularly relevant in ball bearing conrods and similar, like many motorbikes have. thx.

[@coastalbeer]

I use what my car manufacturer recommends in the winter and put in a slightly thicker oil in the summer. Most of all, I pay attention to the night time temps. I want the thinner oil in there for cold nights. When it never gets below freezing at night, only then will I put in my summer oil. You want the oil flowing freely at start up...always.

[@flinch622]

For some odd reason... I was wishing mr T could have popped into this video just to say "jibber-jabber" just one time. But there are a few nuggets worth our time.

[@TotalSeal]

LOL

[@rondail5675]

I agree. I never got the 'point' being made. Too much zig-zag .

[@et76039]

FINALLY! There had to be one of those charts somewhere.

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks! We are glad to help.

[@user-zu2ed6ye5w]

We use straight 30 wt, in our hot rod engines, because we run .003 thou. On the mains, and .002 thou. On the rods. Lighter oil might allow the crank to hammer the bearings at 7 to 8,000 rpm

[@ldnwholesale8552]

I have been using synthetic oil only in race engines for near 30 years. Road race or dirt oval engines. Have normally used 25/50. Chev road race engine did aprox 2200 race miles and the bearings were basically brand new. Good enough to reuse. Unfortunatly the crank was cracked! I did use 15/40 also, seemed no different. This on a drysumped SBC road race engine with a decent oil cooler running to 7500. Oil temp usually around 220-230degF Current project is a 5 litre Ford to 340ci. Will be run to 7500 also. The windsor oil pump drive is too small@ 5/16,, weak and I am stuck with a [good] wet sump. I feel 10/40 may be the go. Crank will be aprox 2 thou right along.

[@jesse75]

Use a crome molly shaft.

[@hethaerto1]

Loved the video, I have no idea what I was supposed to learn. Still, I'm happy. :)

[@TotalSeal]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@frederickburns1739]

Most people don't understand multi weight oils or viscosity; this subject is best explained by SAE ( society of automotive engineers )!!! I have been using Rotella or Delvac 15W40 in everything I own since the 70s. Which included a3.5hp Briggs & Stratton push mower that lasted 25 years!?!?!? Today I use Rotella 5W40 synthetic in everything. I said all this as a retired CAT&CUMMINGS diesel mechanic.

[@Hjfvvdst]

Great information 👍

[@TotalSeal]

Glad you liked it

[@jesusbarron8052]

Ford recommends 5w-20 for my Coyote 5.0 f150. But one thing I noticed is that most 5w-20 evaporative characteristics is what is giving the 5.0 a reputation for high oil consumption. By simply going to 5w-30 I noticed my Oil Catch can had less oil in it and my oil level was better between oil changes. OE recommendations isn’t always the best.

[@thatman4752]

Same 5w30

[@jamesbosworth4191]

That's because, today, oil viscosity recommendations are partly based on gas mileage, rather than engine life.

[@jesusbarron8052]

@@jamesbosworth4191true… it’s about making money too

[@TwoBlackMarks]

Many years ago I ran two different oils to test on a very hobby level, but there was almost 40 degrees *C oil temperature difference, one was Semi-Synthetic maybe 15-40 or 10-40, the other was Full Synthetic maybe 5-30. It is a long time ago, but I was impressed at the difference, it was also two different brands, so many changes. But one of them was around 95*C and the other around 135*C at full warm somewhat "hard driving" on the street, not on track. What oil was best for the motor I would guess the one that kept the heat the lowest. As long as the pistons also were cooler, and not just the oil.. Hmm.. I guess above 100*C would be nice for some water evaporation though. But what actually made me comment here, was the Cylinder head, just a random Olds head on the table.

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks!

[@BoredGeese]

Which oil run hotter for your experience?

[@TwoBlackMarks]

@@BoredGeese In my experience fully synthethic runs cooler if you check the oil temp gauge, if it is because that oil transport more heat away from the other materials, bearings, pistons etc. or absorbs less heat than mineral oil I do not know, I only get more questions thinking about it than answers. But if the synthethic has less wear than mineral oil, I guess part of the lower temperature is because there is less friction, less wear and less temperature because of that. But maybe it is cooler because it is more effective at transfering more heat away instead? And is that because of the more uniform size of the synthetic oil molecules or because of more/better additives? I do not know. But too hot oil is not good atleast, but then, what is too hot oil? What is the limit?

[@braylinbateman4369]

Truly my dream job. U should do some testinging on shaeffers and its moly addative. I’m sure u kno about it but videos would be cool showing how and why it works. As far as incredible luberication and capability’s. Iv seen night and day diff in temps, line pressure, mileage, breakdown etc, hope to see some vids

[@TotalSeal]

Great suggestion!

[@DaveMcLain]

How does the choice of oil viscosity differ with different types of camshafts? What if the rules require a functional flat tappet hydraulic lifter vs a solid and or what about a hydraulic or solid roller? Do those differences also change the needs of the engine when it comes to viscosity?

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for the question. The camshaft type does not effect the choice of viscosity. It’s all about bearing clearances and oil temperature.

[@DimoS...]

​@TotalSeal mate is ok the 0w40 use instead 5w30? Can damage the engine? Toyota 2zzge vvtli 1800cc 192hp 8.400rpm.

[@EricErnst]

When I added a supercharger to my sbc, I changed from 10w-30 to 0w-40. It's running over triple the stock hp so the oil is worked much harder and sees more heat.

[@TotalSeal]

Going up in viscosity is the right move when going from NA to Boost.

[@EricErnst]

@@TotalSeal I've heard others recommend to stick with factory viscosity. No thanks! I wanted better cold flow for instant oil pressure and flow on cold starts.. while maintaining better protection when I step on the throttle. I recently read that the 650hp LT4 is factory filled with the same multi-grade viscosity.

[@TotalSeal]

@@EricErnst good thinking

[@tomasnokechtesledger1786]

@@EricErnst Not withstanding the fact that a 0w40 is already almost a 30 from the container and get to a low 30 after a few hours of operation So, you still giving a 30 most of the time, anyways

[@Resistculturaldecline]

Film strength matters too. The 0w40 requires more viscosity modifiers than a 10w30, assuming all else is equal. More viscosity modifiers (big numerical spread) often result in less shear resistance. The big numerical spread can look like everyone is happy, but might not be as protective as numbers closer together (less modifiers). 10w30 won't shear to less than 10. 0w40 can shear down to 0.

[@atrainshoes6367]

I have a 2008 c63 and the manual recommends 0w40 or 5w40. I have been running 5w49 because people say the 5w is better to prevent lifter tick at startup. Is this what you would go with?

[@TotalSeal]

As long as the outside temperature is above -10F, the 5W-40 is fine. For driving in colder weather, the 0W-40 is better.

[@otarsulava]

Try Lucas Oil Stabilizer as an additive...

[@DimoS...]

The 0w isn't oil weight the 40 is. The 0w is resistance on cold 0w flows better than 5w in all climates

[@4fifty8]

@@DimoS... resistance to flow is viscosity..... both numbers are weights. 0w40 flows faster than 5w40 at cold temperatures (cold engine start) but has the same viscosity at operating temp (212 degrees F).

[@spartanpatriot3163]

Funny how the exact same motor from the exact same manufacturer working in the exact same temperature range and climate has 2 different requirements for oil weight and add pac.

[@kenny5292]

I'm pretty new to investigating the best oils to maintain the engine I have so that it will outlast me and I'm curious; where can I find the main bearing clearance spec for my vehicle? I can't seem to find numbers by basic internet search for my 2020 GLC43

[@hotrodray6802]

🔔👍 I run the Ford Fox police oil to water heat exchanger that connects in the return heater hose and installs under my oil filter. It stabilizes the temp around 210*f, I think. 10w30 Mobil1. That always seemed like a good idea. The trucks hook it to the cold radiator hose.

[@unclebobpatterson9136]

Great video! But now I have questions! Thank you very much, so I have a BBC 454 jet drive stock 91 octaine from 47 to 5200 RPM OIl pressure hot is 60 and a bit over 100PSI ta max RPM I am using 20/50 Valoline High zinc on a 300 hour motor. Should I hit the danger zone and change to a thiner oil?

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for the feedback. The VR1 20W-50 is a great oil!

[@jeffstieren4474]

I would like to learn more about the zinc in Driven motor oils.

[@fifiandmax]

I have done multiple UOA comparisons of two similar Amsoil diesel oils except for their viscosity. (5w-30 / 15w-40) Although my manual states a 10w-30 required I get least wear partials from the 15w-40. Eg iron 5ppm jumps to 8ppm using the 5w-30 over 3000 miles.

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for sharing. The UOA is the way to go!

[@ericfranke1637]

A dyno test would also be interesting to see.

[@fifiandmax]

@@ericfranke1637 yeah, you do have less resistance with 5w-30 but less compression n more blowby

[@ssalzillo1]

I have a 2013 Ford Edge 3.5 cyclone engine at the current time I'm running 5W-20 Mobil 1 AF synthetic, I know that was recommended strictly for CAFE here in the US, because in other countries, they recommend 5W-30. I know that engine is not hard on oil, I have a 120000 on it right now, I've already had the water pump replaced, along with the timing chain, tensioners, guides and oil pump. Would you recommend going to a 5W-30? Stay with this oil? Thank you for your help

[@RPD91]

I don’t know if that is going to help you but one my friends at my previous work used to have a Mazda CX9 with the same engine as your Ford Edge. He clocked at over 400 thousand kilometres (250k miles plus) using 5w20 oil and didn’t have any issues engine wise. Aside from charging the water pump obviously.

[@Hondaguru1122]

I have a (what I think) is a great question. I collect many Japanese imports. My cars from Japan, state to use 5w40/10w40. My US SPEC Honda/Acura that uses the same identical B18C VTEC engine, states to use the factory 5w30/10w30. The ONLY difference in the two is that the Japanese spec revs a bit higher because of the ECU. I always wondered why the difference. A better similarity is a Japanese spec S2000 to a US S2000. Japan states in the owners manual 5/40-10w40, in the US 10w30. Do you know why? Emissions BS? Marketing? I hate to question or argue with a true Honda engineer, but I feel you would know! Love the channel

[@TotalSeal]

The lower viscosity spec in the US is because of EPA fuel economy requirements.

[@sandmountainx]

'19 Tundra with 5.7L, it calls for 0w20, can i bump to 5w20 or 5w30 for the summertime here in in texas?

[@rollymignacca4821]

Mr. Lake Speed , my 2023 Lexus IS 350 calls for a 0 W 20 . The owners manuel says that if I drive at high speeds or pull heavy loads , I may use a thicker viscosity oil . Can I use say a 0 W 30 or a 5 W 30 oil , will it be safe . Thank you Sir for your tlme and the video . May God bless you .

[@TotalSeal]

Go with the 0W-30 if you see the 0W-20 is not working. The way to know is via used oil analysis.

[@rollymignacca4821]

@TotalSeal Thank you Sir, for taking the time to answer my question and for the information. May God bless you.

[@nicholaspetre1]

If you drive like crazy constantly revving your engine in the red zone, then go for 0w30 or even 0w40 as the difference between 20 and 30 is not that high - again it differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, and for sportier applications 40 would be a better choice. If you drive normally, stick to 20 as the manufacturer recommends. 20 is for regular driving mode like 90% of people have going to work and from work without sporty ambitions. If you really load your engine hard revving it near red zones, you definitely have to go for thicker oil.

[@jacksonroberts-fz7dj]

I want to move to a thicker oil in a 2006 gmc sierra. It recommends 5w30 could you use 5w40 or 0w40

[@chrisrcarraher8800]

Hey Lake Jr. I have a stock ford 4.6 3v in my Mustang and run 20-30 min hpde/time trial road courses. Oil temp usually settles at about 220 on cooler days and up to 235 on hot days. I've been running a 50/50 blend of FR20 and LS30. Should I continue with the blend or go straight 5/30 for my application?

[@TotalSeal]

That sounds like a good blend.

[@chrisrcarraher8800]

Awesome, thank you!@@TotalSeal

[@MyerShift7]

I switched my '16 Corolla to 5w30 from 0w20 at 200K miles. Now, I don't have to add a quart to quart and a half every 5K miles, my car is quieter, and the efficiency is the same for me. Owner's manuals in other countries list MULTIPLE grades for the exact same engines. This "0w20 only" nonsense is only a sop to the EPA/Feds, and I love that people refuse to accept this as per their programming.

[@salvatorehayes2753]

I Was Told I'm Over Thinking What Oil I Should Run. My Mains Said 30 And The Rods Said 40. The Machine Shop That Built My Short Block Said 20w50. I Said Why And They Said The Added Bearing Clearance. I Called Amsoil And It Was Literally The Same Thing. They Said Yea Run 40 Weight But If Machine Shop Said 50 Run 50. He Was Like, It's Not A Big Deal To Run Oil That's A Little More Viscous. I've Got A Little 3.8 V6 Turbo Engine FWD Auto That I Will Be Daily Driving Again. It The Little Details That Will Drive You Crazy.

[@TotalSeal]

If the loosest clearance was a 40 grade, then go with a 5W-40. Extra viscosity is extra heat.

[@jamesbosworth4191]

20W 50 maybe, but unless you live in the desert, stay away from straight 50.

[@4fifty8]

I've got a 2013 F150 3.5 EcoBoost that recommends 5w-30 in the manual. Is there a better option you'd recommend? I use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum. Winter temps get down to -15 degrees F and summer up to 90 degrees F.

[@TotalSeal]

Stay with that viscosity and that oil.

[@eduardoflores98]

My car calls for 0w20 but i live in az where as now temperatures stays around 90-100 and later on summer we usually reach 120 so i use 5w30 it is ok? Or should i go back to 0w20?

[@Hutchy86]

Lake my question is on a small turbo GDI engine that calls for 5w-30 but is now tuned and putting out more HP would changing to a 5w-40 be beneficial? Thanks

[@LA_Commander]

Yes. I used to run 5w30 in my Focus ST with 2.0 turbo gdi and the oil always smoked when I removed the oil fill cap after driving in the summer (desert heat over 100 most days). I tried 5w40 which was still API SP certified and the amount of smoke went way down to almost none.

[@g8gtatlman483]

Please advise. I have a 6.0 ls with a high lift cam and ls7 lifters and typical mods to go with. Bearings are factory..etc Engine builder advised 10w40 conventical only. Being that lower end was not changed and I dont race it, could I not use 10w30. What oil viscosity do you recommend?

[@TotalSeal]

With stock bearing clearances, go with a semi synthetic 10W-30.

[@g8gtatlman483]

@@TotalSeal Thanks!

[@merica.racing]

So this weekend we raced (sbc350/gm crank .0017-.0019, scat rods .002, mahle powerpack pistons, low tension rings, .500 lift rule, NA moror) running XP3 (10w-30 Synthetic) my oil temp guage (autometer mechanical) was pegged over 280-300 degrees. Same temp with autometer electric guage. My water guage was at 180-190 (weird split, oil/water). Oil pressure wot apx 65-70lbs @6500rpm. Why are my temps so high, and should I switch to driven 5w-20 XP1? Will that help keep temps down? Should i be concerned with 290-300 degree oil temps? Sorry for the long question.

[@TotalSeal]

Those temps are pretty normal for this type of application, and the XP3 can a handle it. With that said, try the XP1 as it is a better fit for those clearances.

[@cameronwingate7477]

I switched to 10W-30 in my 2.4 L engine in my jeep renegade from the 0W 20 to attend W-2 and if I can’t find a 10W-30 I’ll use a 5W-30 I could understand using 0W 20 or 0W 30 if your daytime high is only in the high 50s or low 60s And then below zero at night time

[@daveroski]

Ok to mix 1/2 and 1/2 pennzoil ultra platinum 0w20 and 5w30 or 0w-30 to give my recommended 0-20 a little more thickness in summer months? 2021 Honda Ridgeline j series v6 and a 2022 Subaru legacy w 2.4 turbo both call for 0-20. Live in New England (CT). Thanks!

[@TotalSeal]

Yep, that is fine.

[@daveroski]

@@TotalSeal thanks!

[@jobsearch5871]

I was looking for info on switching between a 30 and 40 weight oil but this video is on the extreme ends of oil weight.

[@danherrala2087]

Lake jr./ can you help me, I drive my 2016 f 150 5.0 v8 only in the summers in Minn. And park it in the winters. I only start it in the winter in my garage twice to 3 times a month, 5 - 10 min. Just to lube the internal parts. Would using 0-20 be ok to use only to get the oil to internals faster at start up, and I use 5-30 Pennzoil ultra platinum in summer. Please let me know your thoughts, love your oil videos. THANKS!!

[@Nick-gi6ym]

Amsoil 5W30 100% synthetic

[@achristian7015]

That speaker reminds me of Richard Simmons' Total Body Workout on TV. LOL I am just short of 50 years of vehicle ownership both in daily drivers and performance machines, and I have never had an oil related failure using name brand oils in the viscosity listed in the owner's manual. Jeez and some I have kept for over 200K miles from new.

[@nicholaspetre1]

Dear Lake, should I switch from manufacturer’s recommended 0W20 to 0w30 in Honda Accord 2012 4cyl engine for less engine wear and better engine protection? This car is my daily city driving vehicle in San Diego, CA with 200,000 miles on the odometer and usually 3K-5K oil change intervals with Mobil or Pennzoil. There are thousands of mechanics out there that tell users to stay away from SAE20 and other lower weight oil as the engine life is very much reduced because of using those. Please share your insight. Much appreciated!

[@TotalSeal]

In San Diego, you could probably use 5W-30, but we don’t recommend changing viscosity without doing used oil analysis before and after to know for certain if the viscosity change was beneficial.

[@nicholaspetre1]

@@TotalSeal Thank you so much, will do! God bless

[@sunilayya8948]

I drive a car with a low mileage 1 litre gdi turbo motor. I live in a a tropical country with temperatures around 80 f. My manual recommends 5w30, 10w30 and 10w40 viscocity. What would be the viscosity that is best for lowest engine wear for city driving conditions in your opinion . Would greatly appreciate your response.

[@TotalSeal]

For a GDI engine, go with an API SP 5W-30 synthetic.

[@sunilayya8948]

@@TotalSeal Thank you v much 1for your time. Most channels never respond to viewer comments.

[@TotalSeal]

We are happy to help!

[@investinjahcoin5029]

I have a fbo and tuned g37 and I live in a pretty cold climate during the winter. I usually run 5w40. Think that’s okay in temps that get close to -10° occasionally?

[@TotalSeal]

Yes, that is fine for that temperature.

[@JeLifeCoach]

I have a stock BRZ fa20 NA motor and I only run it on track. OE manual calls for 0w-20. I was thinking 0w-40 with an oil cooler to have more wear protection at higher temps. Temps stay between 245 and 270. Do you agree?

[@shellylozano1052]

If you race in cold weather stick the 0 weight.is good , if you race in hot weather zero weight is stupid! Sounds backwards but not really they sell the same vehicle with the same oil and ship some to Alaska and some to Death Valley all with the same oil. Owner manuals usually say change to 5 or 10wt depending temperate extremes.

[@darrininverarity4297]

0w20 gets into and high up in the motor quickly,the gen 3 hemi likes this.

[@magichatake]

For hot climates that are higher than 35° C, can I use the 5w-20? Or it's better to continue with the 5w-30?

[@jd646]

5w30 for the heat, 5w20 is thinner. Use 5w20 in the winter

[@magichatake]

@@jd646 Thank you! I'll stick with the 5w30. The winter here in Brazil is hotter than 25º C (trust me, its true)

[@IGOBYPAPII]

i use 5w-30 for my g37 and i’m burning oil do I use a thicker oil or thinner , and no i don’t have a leak

[@joelpierce3940]

My 6.2 in my 2022 GMC Sierra calls for 0W-20, but my 2019 Corvette, 6.2 ZO6 uses 0W-40. I live in S. Texas. Can I run a higher viscosity oil in my truck?

[@TotalSeal]

Yes, a 5W-30 is certainly a safe option.

[@zzman5306]

With the typical low tension rings and or gdi engines, are you better to go up a grade?

[@TotalSeal]

Going up a grade with low tension oil rings can increase oil consumption.

[@robt8339]

I have a vw 3cyl that has done 30k mls that runs 0-20W 9k changes! Have not had to add any oil and still very clean looking at change surely that cannot be bad ?

[@jamesbosworth4191]

You should never try to go that long between oil changes, radical environmentalists and cheap skates be dammed.

[@terry_willis]

What's the problem? I just use the oil viscosity that's listed in the owner's manual and/or on the oil fill cap.

[@TotalSeal]

That works for stock engines, but not for modified engines.

[@stopher1971]

I have a 2006 VQ35DE engine, anyone recommend the best oil for that engine 160k Calls for 5w30, 10w30/40 are acceptable what about 5w40? Since the mileage is up there And does oil compatibility, get more lenient, as the engine gets up higher in the mileage j/w

[@gemeinschaftsgeful]

For most drivers, use the oil weight recommended by the manufacturer. Use a high-quality synthetic, change it and the filter every 3,000 miles, drive gently, and a well-built vehicle will last a long, long time.

[@DanielJohnson-ec8rk]

Changing synthetic oil at 3,000 is what morons do

[@jaynikk758]

The problem is my car has 200k miles and my oil gets very hot.. 218°f/103°c and I drive mainly city miles.. wouldn't I be better off running 0w40 at these temps?

[@bounderchris]

I know many of the recommended weights by manufacturers are really thin for emissions and economy and in other countries they direct the owners of the same engines to run thicker oils so you need to really know what is best for your engine…

[@torchmd]

Oil weight aside, oil changes at 3k miles with modern oils, let alone full synthetic, is a complete waste of oil and money. Don’t do that. It certainly won’t hurt your engine, just your wallet. But, it won’t help either.

[@bounderchris]

@@torchmd I was thinking on an Rv or heavy truck 3k is good (especially an RV, where it takes years to put 3k miles on it) but on a car maybe 5-6k…

[@rkba4923]

I've always just use that recommended in the owner's manual of the vehicle. They're pretty much all online these days.

[@TotalSeal]

For stock engines, that’s all you need.

[@user-nv2co2pe3y]

Thank you Again MOG! WITHOUT correct lubrication and filtering correctly your doomed to fail. Like the old TV commercial you pay me now! Or pay alot more later it never pays to cut corners on lubrication. Do have a resource for someone who is good with ignition upgrades? I wa t to go distriborless on a 5.9 magnum using LS1 GM ignition coils an you make a recommendation please.

[@TotalSeal]

I’m not sure who to recommend for that.

[@doctorwhodj]

Ive heard engine masters hosts finnegin saying to make more power you cool the engine coolant,,, run colder water after a test dyno run to cool engine ,,, but leave the hot engine oil (runs quicker,, more thin) to get more hp from following test. So coolder coolant but hotter oil

[@TotalSeal]

Yep, cold water and hot oil makes more power than hot water and cold oil.

[@TheWilferch]

Please help this conundrum..... "hotter oil gets thinner"...as a general rule, yet for multi-grade oils like 5W-30.....the base oil is 5 weight to allow better flow at low temps, but with its viscisity improvers it acts like a heavier 30 weight oil when at higher operating temps. In this arguement, the oil is thicker as it warms. Can you offer guidance on this apparent contradiction..... for better understanding?

[@TotalSeal]

Watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amnTp5yGgcyUhrMsi=2PD023A8q9MJDFMN

[@TheWilferch]

@@TotalSeal ....I fully understand W is for "Winter" and not "Weight", but presenting the question this way helps for presenting the question. I viewed the details of the vid but it goes into arcane testing details and doesn't really address the core question. Let try this way---> a 5W-30 oil acts as a "5" ( lower viscosity) oil to help cold-weather flow....yet it acts as a "30" ( higher viscosity) oil, when warmed up...like a straight "30" oil...all done by using additives and viscosity improvers. A "30" oil will flow with more resistance through passages than a "5" oil.....like it was "thicker". Yet the common convention says oil get thinner when hotter. Can someone distill down the core thinking behind this ??????

[@wandy4468]

Let's explain in a simple way. Oil thins out in higher temp, that's a fact. Imagine single grade oil at sae 5, it will have a viscosity of let's say 60cSt @ 40°C and 3cSt @ 100°C. Another single grade oil at sae 30 will have a visc of let's say 90cSt @ 40°C and 10cSt @ 100°C. The sae 5 oil is what you need during a cold start but at normal operating temp that oil will be too thin. In contrast, the sae 30 oil is too thick during cold start although it is at good visc for normal operating temp. This is where 5w30 multigrade oil comes in. It has sae 5 visc grade at low temp and has sae 30 visc grade at high temp i.e. 60cSt @ 40°C and 10cSt @ 100°C. I rounded cSt values to nearest integers for easier understanding.

[@TheWilferch]

​@@wandy4468....I guess that is what I was angling for....a (say) 5W-30 is basically 5 weight "core" oil.....with lots of viscosity improvers to allow it to behave like a 30 weight when "warmed".

[@wandy4468]

​@@TheWilferchbut don't forget that oil gets thinner when temp raises. Now you can google "oil viscosity graph" where Y-axis is visc (cSt) n X-axis is temp. You'll notice what I mean. And multigrade oil is just a crossing line of two single grade oils which otherwise parallel to each other.

[@RPD91]

I have a 2018 Camry V6 (the current generation) and I live in a mostly hot climate all year round. The dealer recommended me to use 5w30 and if I wanted to go for 10w40 (which they used on my car when I didn’t know better lol) there wouldn’t be a problem. Toyota engines can accept wider range of oil viscosity. I was shocked when I found out that US spec Toyota models use 0w20 oil. I have been using 5w30 full synthetic and for years and no problems whatsoever. 0w20 is too thin for that engine in my opinion.

[@jimbo5635]

Toyota states in their owners manual that a higher viscosity idk can be used in high load conditions. So you can use 5W-30 if car calls for 0W-20 without voiding the warranty.

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for sharing!

[@spiceyfrenchtoast9421]

My 5.0 f150 is recommended 5w-20 in the us and Canada, but is recommended 5w-30 in the Mexican version. My vehicle is higher mileage and vibrated a lot. I ran 0w-30 and most of the unusual vibrations went away. I now exclusively use 0w-30 or high quality 5w-30. Timing chain sounds a lot happier too 😂

[@bobb9922]

fordteck manudko says to use 5-30

[@damienhenderson9347]

I don't know the bearing clearences😢in my 305 it was rebuilt by someone else may need to stick with a 40 weight because it is in the middle

[@TotalSeal]

Good choice!

[@glocktown21]

I need help!! I just bought a used 2018 Camaro, V6, 3.6 liter... the cap says 5w-30, HOWEVER GM supposedly made an update to use 0w-40. I am confused what to use?!?! Mobil one says use 0w-40, Royal purple, valvoline and Penzoil specify 5w-30

[@TotalSeal]

For the V6, the Dexos 1 5W-30 is fine.

[@glocktown21]

@@TotalSeal Cool, Thank you!!

[@dadoVRC]

I had for now only old vehicles who accepted even the 15W-40 oil. Two Diesels, both indirect injection ones, and two gasoline/LPG ones, a 1.0l 3 cylinder made from Daihatsu, and a 1.731cc I4 Volvo one. In all four I use and used 5W-40. With 5W-40 instead of 10 or worse 15W-40 I have less fuel consumption and less oil consumption. Just to give some data, the indirect injection turbo car I had, had consumed 2l of oil in 6000km during a summer trip in Spain (starting from Italy) with the 15W-40. Same km the next year with the 5W-40, it consumed something like 100cc. The other Diesel was a 2.5l 70hp naturally aspirated from the early '80s, on an autocaravan, same story, with the 5W-40 less consumption of fuel and oil.

[@tomphillips2608]

Sir Speed, great info here. I may have dunced up on a few oil changes . Used one manufacturers "25000" mile oils to around 20k On my '11 Tacoma 4.0 l 1GR-FE engine. On cold (35*f ) starts , sounds like my vvti rattles. Thinking I may have sludged my oil passages , I am using HPLUBRICANTS high ester blend oil to reduce it. Seems better. Always use either Mobil 1 or Toyota filters. Any chance you'd do a test on this company's products? They are out of Manteno Illinois. Thanks for your hard work!

[@TotalSeal]

Thanks for sharing

[@legambaz]

Yeah but how would one know what the value of the Main Bearing Clearance in our car is?

[@jasonogle6602]

What do you recommend for a fresh 6.0 ls 78/75 turbo. Im running 10w30 for break in. It has 58psi cold but when it is 205 at idle its 28psi. Wondering if i should put a restriction in the oil feed line on the turbo

[@rocketsurgeon11]

I read a thread on a Ferrari forum a number of years ago where they were talking about oil temps and viscosity for road course use. They came up with the conclusion of using a thinner (not drastically) oil if your oil temps are high as some of that heat is being generated by the shearing action of the oil while it is doing its job as a hydrodynamic bearing...and they noticed the temps decrease over the course of a 20-30 minute session on track. Was there something else at play here?

[@TotalSeal]

Nope, they were on the money. A slightly lower viscosity oil can reduce oil temperatures significantly!

[@briankalagher6687]

Thanks for the awesome info! I always seem to be thinking about running thicker oil in my car. It's just a toyota v6 that i don't drive hard but I would love to try 15w 40 oil in the summer when I do long trips. Never thought about the piston ring tension. I can't seem to get myself to try anything other than the 5W 30 my manual says but this was a fun thought experiment for me. Looking forward to learning more from you guys!

[@DonziGT230]

I'm a big fan of 15-40 and use it in a lot of my engines and customers engines. I shy away from it in modern cars with variable cam timing stuff, some of them seem to be pretty sensitive to oils. While there might be better options, you typically won't go wrong with using what the manual says.

[@philipfarnam6013]

@@DonziGT230 "...you typically won't go wrong with using what the manual says." Yup. Could have been a single-sentence video.

[@choking0smurf]

According to their chart. I should be putting 10 weight oil in my car that calls for 5w30 and says 5w40 can be used….. same as that chart says my truck should get 0w20. Where my owners manual says 20w50 can be used. Sooooo idk man

[@dad3562]

Makes me want to rethink my Jeep 4.0 and just run 10W-30 instead of 5w-40 year round here in Arizona.

[@DBravo29er]

I'm in TX. I have found that 0w-40 is a really good solution. M1 is really thin for a a 40wt, if you want that.

[@dad3562]

@@DBravo29er I’ve been really happy with Valvoline HM 5w-30 so far, no more click tapping at start up anymore.

[@DBravo29er]

@@dad3562 that's a good, thick for grade oil. It's on the heavy end of the 30wt range. If we used half weight ratings, it would be a 35 weight oil all day. 👍

[@dad3562]

@@DBravo29er no way it is?! For real, I didn’t know that! Crap, now I have to Google it to confirm. I seriously did not know that!

[@DBravo29er]

@@dad3562 Yeah the KV100 and HTHS are pretty robust. It's good oil

[@jdcustomz]

Curious why the mechanical test by Mechanical engineer at operating temps show different results. Unfortunately Driven is way down on that list they provide.. #GMZDDPMyth.

[@TotalSeal]

The 540 rat blog tests you are referring to are invalid for actual engine wear. The test apparatus he uses has an appetite for calcium sulfonate, which is why his results more or less follow the amount of calcium sulfonate in the oil . The Oil Extreme additive is mostly calcium sulfonate. If a bench top test method existed that accurately predicted actual engine wear, then ASTM engine sequence tests would not exist. That is the reality of the situation, engine oil formulating requires engine testing, and those engines need to be representative of the intended application (spring pressures, materials, surface finish, etc…)

[@shvrdavid]

@@TotalSeal ASTM tests are basically pointless and there are far better test procedures. Before you respond, keep in mind that I have 35+ years experience at dealing with failures that miraculously didn't show up any test. It didn't matter who tested it where either... ASTM is no better than UL and many other standards, now that they are almost entirely manufacture tested by the manufacturers employees. What started out as actually testing things in an non biased independent lab has been reduced to looking over some manufacturers employees fudged test results and signing off on it based on a set of failure rates on a spreadsheet and whatever the "visit interval" is for the tests in question. ASTM tests are a joke, and you know it. There are bench top tests that predict wear, as many cycles as your fingers can enter, and there have been for many years now. Are they cheap? Well, no... Do you have them? Probably not. Do you do your own ASTM tests and monitor production and test results to keep the certifications? That's what I thought. And all the ASTM person did was sign off. So which tests are invalid? Actual tests at a non biased lab, or Jimbob from the lab that invited all the employees to a barbecue to celebrate whatever milestone the lab verified production hit last month that got everyone at the plant a nice bonus. Been there, done that..

[@richardbosh4522]

So if my vehicle requires 0w20 that's what the manual and certified mechanics at Jeep Dodge Chrysler say it recommends 0w20 full synthetic oil if not true then what oil should i use and run on my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6 v6 4x2 ? Anyone with that type of vehicle what do you use and any results good or bad ?

[@zzman5306]

Requires or recommends? 0-30 wouldn't hurt it.

[@otarsulava]

I use Lucas Oil Stabilizer on every oil change on my 21 old Mazda Protege 5, takes 10W30 - 160k miles, no issues at all 🤞

[@KStewart-th4sk]

Well i had 698,714 KM (434,160.8 miles) on a 1991 VW Turbo Diesel and never used any additives at all. My car was totaled by an a-hole, who ran a Red light. The engine had been still running great and never touched other than timing belt(s) and a couple glow plugs. I stuck to the 8000KM oil changes recommended by VW, drove 220-230 KM per day 5 days a week to work and back. Bought an '86 VW TD with the same engine to replace my totaled VW and put over 750,000KM on it before i retired. The '91 was bought new, the '86 had 229,000KM on it when i bought it.

[@otarsulava]

@@KStewart-th4sk Old ones proofed to be a better quality... sorry to hear you had an accident and had to total the car, I would be mad as H.... I just replaced valve cover gasket on my 02 Mazda and engine is mirror clear, that Lucas additive does the job along with good quality oil.... I did had VW too previously, Jetta MK4 2.0, sold it under 200k miles, some few sensors needed to be replaced but was still running good.... Drive safe ✌️

[@bena6852]

Have run fixed weight oil sae 30 in aus in everything no measurable adverse effects on any engine i have put it in

[@brianstumo8581]

How are your oils compared to AMSOIL?

[@TotalSeal]

We don’t sell oil.

[@eDXTRe]

Can you please explain why 5w30 oil is more expensive then 5w40. While 5w40 is supposedly to suit better for older engines. And the 40 weight has better oil film through additives? Like a 10w60 race oil is for high performance engines. In my thought a 5w40 ia better for an old bmw m54 engine then 5w30 for running prolonged high engine revs like between 5000 and 6000 for more then 1 hour? I hope you can shed some light on this??

[@TotalSeal]

The pricing question is for the marketing experts. That’s not a technical one.

[@eDXTRe]

@@TotalSeal thanks, could you also educate me/us on the 5w30 5w40 VS 10w60 for high rpm load of the engine? Regarding additives engine wear (assume all high quality oils like shell ect c3 and or bmw 10w60?It's an m54 bmw 6cyl.

[@summerforever6736]

More ppl use 5-30 so they jack up the price

[@floydoharejr4477]

Could use some sound deadening in that tin can. Thanks for the info

[@TotalSeal]

You bet

[@buckaroobonsi555]

I would love to see you guys build an engine and run it 500K mile on a Dyno with different visocisity oils repeatedly and weight and measure every part before you assemble the engine then after. Use a calibrated anylitcal scale to measure every part before and after. This way we can see how the chain wears, lifters wear, cams wear, bearings wear with each oil. Check for chain stretch etc.....

[@TotalSeal]

I wish we could do that as well.

[@JoshDillon-lm3hw]

I have a 23 wrx an my manuel say 0w20 can use 5w30 if other not available but in everyother country there sold other than U.S. manuel says 5w30 what would you run?

[@NYC-WRX]

I have the same car. I run 0-20 in winter months. I run 5-30 in spring,,summer and fall,, but I will say. I get much better MPG with the 0-20.

[@stephenhans189]

Ford changed engine required oil viscosity from 10w 30 to 5w30

[@TotalSeal]

Many Ford engines have called for 5W-20 for a long time.

[@stephenhans189]

@@TotalSealonly since 1997.

[@hotrod76.]

Simple.!! If u live where it's cold use a thinner oil. If u live where it's hot use a thicker oil. Change your oil every 5 thousand miles.

[@eddoura]

Good day everyone. I have a QUESTION: My 2015 Vehicle has 144K miles and the owner's manual calls for 0W-20. The question is : ✔Can I safely use 5W-20 during the Summer season? My thought is , It might provide more Engine protection during the Hot season. Let me know ,Please. PEACE .

[@zzman5306]

Yes. You could run a 5w-30 or 0w-30 too.

[@mirola73]

Read the manual that came with the car perhaps ?

[@TotalSeal]

For a stock engine, yes!

[@514aam]

Hey guys! I just built a new engine for my accord, currently breaking in the motor... New pistons, rings, bearings and valves, head and block have never been worked on, they where perfect, but the crankshaft got worked on (0.025), its an H22A with F22 crank and rods, OEM is 5w30/10w30, I was thinking on using 5w40 because of the crank work, the engine will be used quite hard sometimes on time attack events and (allegedly) street racing.

[@TotalSeal]

Good choice with the 5W-40

[@514aam]

@@TotalSeal great! That's it then, next week comes the 100km first oil change, then 500km and then the tune!

[@BogusBolloks-mf4wq]

Hmmm i use Shell Helix Ultra Full Synthetic 5w40 for my VW 1.8T 20V AUQ engine. Is this OK?

[@slowery43]

No! It will make you write bad checks, it will give you ex girlfriend your cell number and she'll call you endlessly at odd hours in the morning, it will make you grow a tail, it will spoil the milk in your frig, it load a virus on your laptop and send dirty pics to everyone you know

[@chief1960]

Running short miles scream 0w20 do you agree??

[@lawrencefranck9417]

Unless you live above Arctic circle or depth of Death Valley during a heat wave 10-30 is fine.

[@tomasnokechtesledger1786]

Lake Speed Jr. With these glasses looks like a mad oil scientist! Lol Anybody has the bearing clearances of a 1ZZFBE, an EW10J4 and a Ford Vulcan?

[@TotalSeal]

LOL, if both engines are stock, then you can follow the viscosity recommendation as set forth by the engine manufacturer.

[@tomasnokechtesledger1786]

@@TotalSealThanks, So its 5w30 to 5w40 or 10w30 to 10w40

[@TotalSeal]

@@tomasnokechtesledger1786 It that case, go with the 5W-40. Great broad coverage viscosity grade.

[@tomasnokechtesledger1786]

@@TotalSeal great! Thanks.

[@7thplanet121]

My Corolla fuel economy was fantastic 1028 km for 38 litres. After the first service 960 to 970 km I have become a little bit more heavy footed because I wasn’t running the engine in. So that could be a contributing factor. But I discovered that Toyota has been putting 0w-20.

[@qiweihuang5236]

So, my european car calls for 0w30, but i live in southern california, never gets below 10 Fahrenheit, can I use 5w30 then? There are simply much more options for 5w30 than 0w30 in the market