My car... 444444...

[Technician1]

It depends on the design of the engine as well as the ambient temp. Here 5W30 for my new-ish Crown Victoria works the exact same as 5W40 for my old Mercedes. The number before W (winter, and it includes cold start) is what matters for the ambient temp to ensure it initially flows well from the reservoir to the engine, and the number after is what matters for everything else since the engine's operating temp range is the same whether the car is in Maine or in California, once it reaches operating temp.

It gets down to 5 degrees there in the winter?

 

[Smart_Guy]

The price of oil per quart is expensive...I'm just going to replace all my oil with salad oil, that should do the trick.

Just kidding guys

"Oh yeah, before I forget make sure you guys check your blinker fluid"

The perks of living in Saudi Arabia **mineral and virgin oil prices**

Fun fact; some of the diesel variants of my car can run on cooking oil for fuel

What's the best blinker fluid?

Kidding

It gets down to 5 degrees there in the winter?

That number is not a temp degree, it follows a standard I don't know of. It is called weight, and others call it viscosity.

The lower it is, the easier and faster it is on the oil pump to send it to the engine and the easier for the oil to get thru the engine parts. Or course the oil still has to be compatible or lower weight could increase friction. Also the lower the better for lower ambient temps indeed, because it is less prone to become thicker. It is even believed that how many times the engine starts participate in lowering engine life, specially after the oil goes back to the oil pan and cools off, and that's why it is recommended to not hammer the engine before reaching operating temps, but that's another story.

Actually, some parts here do get 5C and even lower. This is a big country with different natures, unlike what legends have it

 

[~mr mixx~]

Fun fact; some of the diesel variants of my car can run on cooking oil for fuel

Yeah, I saw some video's on Youtube of some guy's that modified their diesel engines to run off of used cooking oil and it ran just as good as gasoline.

Also I saw a video of some guy that got used cooking oil from MC Donalds, and used that in his car...And the exhaust smelled like french fries..

 

[Technician1]

For single winter grade oils, the dynamic viscosity is measured at different cold temperatures, specified in J300 depending on the viscosity, using two different test methods. They are the Cold Cranking Simulator (ASTMD5293) and the Mini-Rotary Viscometer (ASTM D4684). Based on the coldest temperature the oil passes at, that oil is graded as SAE viscosity grade 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, or 25W. The lower the viscosity grade, the lower the temperature the oil can pass. For example, if an oil passes at the specifications for 10W and 5W, but fails for 0W, then that oil must be labeled as an SAE 5W. That oil cannot be labeled as either 0W or 10W.

The W is the lowest temp the oil will pass through the viscometer.
So it is a temperature designation.

 

[Smart_Guy]

It is temperature related of course indeed, but is it really temperature designated? If so, then a 5W, for example, should be for a temperature of 5. That's what I meant it was not a temperature degree. Here is the engine oil weight or grade chart for my car out of the user's manual:

SAE 30 is for 0C, 15W is for -15C (the only one with both numbers similar), 10W is for -20C and a note says the single grade SAE 40 is for +30C (while the SAE 30 is for +0C). The pattern here for a temperature designation is screwed

 

[Technician1]

It is temperature related of course indeed, but is it really temperature designated? If so, then a 5W, for example, should be for a temperature of 5. That's what I meant it was not a temperature degree. Here is the engine oil weight or grade chart for my car out of the user's manual:

SAE 30 is for 0C, 15W is for -15C (the only one with both numbers similar), 10W is for -20C and a note says the single grade SAE 40 is for +30C (while the SAE 30 is for +0C). The pattern here for a temperature designation is screwed

That's a car manufacturer, not an oil manufacturer. Oil with a 5W rating is an oil that will flow at 5°. One with a 10W will not flow at 5°, but will flow at 10°.

 

[Smart_Guy]

That's a car manufacturer, not an oil manufacturer. Oil with a 5W rating is an oil that will flow at 5°. One with a 10W will not flow at 5°, but will flow at 10°.

Well yeah, I was talking about engine oil application here, which is on car engines (I thought that was the topic)

But, how come the 10W in the chart be used in -20C then?

As far a I know, you're talking about the pour point of the engine oil.

I could use your knowledge in this. I always seek more in this subject.

 

[Celery]

The SAE designation for multi-grade oils includes two viscosity grades; for example, 10W-30 designates a common multi-grade oil. The first number '10W' is the viscosity of the oil at cold temperature and the second number is the viscosity at 100 °C (212 °F).

the numbers never meant the temps.

 

[adriana]

If only my Husband could drive faster..arrghh. The max for him is 130K Sometimes i just wonder why i married such a boring fellow ..Hahaha

 

[Smart_Guy]

The SAE designation for multi-grade oils includes two viscosity grades; for example, 10W-30 designates a common multi-grade oil. The first number '10W' is the viscosity of the oil at cold temperature and the second number is the viscosity at 100 °C (212 °F).

the numbers never meant the temps.

I know, right?



I think at some point, and please correct me if I'm wrong, the number was for a temp, but as oils improved, it became a standard instead of a specific number for a temp. But I'm not really sure about it.

If only my Husband could drive faster..arrghh. The max for him is 130K Sometimes i just wonder why i married such a boring fellow ..Hahaha

Perhaps you mean drive "more" instead of faster? I drive at max 75mph on highways now (used to drive at speeds above 100mph but came back to my senses haha) and ~100 miles a day when I take my sisters to their schools.