Difference between oil weight Options

[hs2g]

I was wondering what the differences are in the oil weight. Like 10w40, 10w30, 5w30 you get the picture. What do these numbers represent? And since I live in minnesota I hear running a lower weight is better durring the winter season?

BTW what oils does everyone use? I would use synthetic buy they are too pricey for me, so i'm using Valvoline Maxlife.

[Newbie]

10W-30

10W = How thick it is when it's cold..

30 = How thick it is when it's hot.

10W-30 would protect better when it's hot, like summer...
5W-30 would protect better when it's cold.. Like winter.. Or if you live in Antartica. Ha ha.

Lower the first number, thicker it is when it's been sitting there, so you get good amounts of start up protection.. When it gets hot, then the oil would be the second number, so it would protect while it's in the hot temperature range.. It's basically saying the temperature range that the oil will protect the engine for. That's all.

People might tell you to change oil when you enter Winter, but it's not much of a difference between 10w-30 and 5w-30, unless you live in huge temperature differences. As long as you don't get something like 85w-90 for your engine oil, you'll be fine.. Now the difference between conventional and full synthetic is a different story..

This post has been edited by Newbie: Jan 5, 2005 - 4:54 PM