Is it bad to put thicker oil in your car?

It's best to use the oil viscosity recommended in the owner's manual, but using a slightly thinner or thicker oil (lighter or heavier viscosity) generally poses no long-term harm.

What happens if you put thicker oil in a car?

Using oil that is thicker than recommended may lead to a decrease in fuel economy, a higher load on your engine, and even a shorter life for your engine. Conversely, using thinner, lighter-weight oil than recommended can cause excessive wear and shorter life.

Is Thicker oil better for your car?

The slightly thicker oil film from the heavier base weight oil - 10W - can help protect worn engine bearings as well. As long as you're not hearing knocking or serious mechanical noises from the engine, the heavier oil should buy you many more miles of service from your vehicle.

Is it better to run thicker oil in older engines?

A: Yes. This is a practical method to improve oil pressure in an older, high-mileage engine. The slightly thicker oil film from the heavier base weight oil — 10W — can help protect worn engine bearings as well.

What happens if I put 10w40 instead of 5w30?

Your vehicle does not use 5W-30 oil. The recommended oil viscosity for your vehicle, according to Kia documentation, is 10W-40. If you drive the vehicle in exceptionally cold weather, well below 32 degrees, you can use 5W-30 oil but even 10W-40 is still perfectly OK to use if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.

Pat's Perspectives - Thicker Oil (#2)

Can the wrong oil damage your engine?

Using the wrong oil can lead to reduced lubrication and shorter engine life. If the manual says to use synthetic oil, do so. Contrary to what some believe, adding synthetic oil to regular oil won't harm the engine, but there's also no benefit in doing so.

Is it OK to put 10W40 in a 10w30?

Mixing 10W30 with 10W40

Some say that mixing them is fine as long as you don't live in freezing weather. Even if you put together synthetic and conventional blends of these motor oils, they show no harm to your vehicle. However, this is true only if you mix in a quart of the other type to your usual engine oil.

Is 5w30 oil thicker than 10w30?

Both the oils have similar viscosity at 100 degrees Celsius but 5w30 grade oil will thicken less than 10w30 grade oil in cold climate. This means 5w30 grade oil will flow effectively in low temperatures, whereas 10w30 oil will flow effectively in high temperatures because of the smaller temperature window.

What happens if you use 10w30 instead of 5w30?

Both 5w30 and 10w30 engine oils have a similar SAE rating, meaning that they will perform the same at high or operating temperatures. The digits 30 indicates the viscosity of the oils when in high temperatures. 10w30, however, will thicken more when in a cold climate. 5w30 is much suitable during the cold season.

Is 5w30 better than 10w40?

The 5w30 oil will flow better at low temperatures than the 10w40 oil. This means that the 5w30 oil will protect the engine better at low temperatures, usually when the engine is just starting or during weather conditions such as winter.

Should I run thicker oil in the summer?

As a general rule, you'll get the best protection in the summer when you use a slightly thicker grade of oil, such as a 10W30 instead of a 5W30. Engines need a thicker oil in the summer months because of the summer heat and its effects on thinning the oil out.

What if I put 5W30 instead of 5w20?

If you use 5w30 oil instead of 5w20 when it is not recommended or approved by your owner's manual, it can void your car's powertrain warranty, reduce engine efficiency, and possibly even damage your engine in the long run. Hopefully, this helps!

Can I put 10w30 instead of 5w20?

Notwithstanding the recommendations of the car manufacturer, mixing 10w30 and 5w20 will not cause any sort of harm to the engine. However, a few drivers claim that it is safer to combine two multi-grade or straight weight oils, rather than mixing multi-grade with straight weight oils.

Is 5W30 better for older cars?

5W-20 and 5W30 motor oil are winter viscosity grade oils primarily recommended for older engines and light-duty use. These oils are best utilized in colder temperatures.

Is 10w30 better for high mileage?

10W-30 motor oil makes for a decent high-mileage oil. It gives a better fuel economy while reducing the oil consumption for older engines. Older engines with more than 75,000 miles on them require a thicker oil that will properly lubricate their critical engine parts and prevent oil leaks, sludge, and deposits.

Which is thicker 5W-30 or 5W 40?

Although both have the same viscosity grade in cold weather, 5W-40 is thicker than 5W-30 at warmer temperatures. Here's what the viscosity grade means: The first number is the oil's cold weather viscosity grade.

Can I use 20w50 instead of 5W30?

A 5W-30 oil is commonly used in passenger cars for normal use throughout the year. A 20W-50 oil will not protect a car as well in a cold winter and its greater viscosity will increase drag and friction in a passenger vehicle.

Which engine oil is best for hot weather?

The ideal motor oil for your car is one that can withstand the hottest temperatures in your region while still being able to flow when the weather is at its coldest. SAE 5W30 oil is suited to a broad range of temperatures, making it one of the most commonly used oils on the market.

Is it OK to mix synthetic oil with regular oil?

So, in the end, conventional and synthetic oils are comprised of the same, compatible components – it's just that the components in synthetics are much higher quality. While you can safely mix synthetic and conventional oils, you're doing nothing more than diluting the performance of the synthetic oil.

Is 10W-40 too thick?

A low viscosity oil will move quicker through the engine to keep it lubricated and cool. Additionally, if your engine has a lower running temperature, 10W-40 motor oil might be too thick. Its higher viscosity at running temperature can reduce engine effectiveness as it'll need more energy to keep the engine operating.

When should I use 10W40 oil?

Using the correct viscosity oil eases starting, reduces friction, and slows wear. For even more effective start-up protection, use a synthetic 10W-40 instead of a conventional 20W-50. The synthetic 10W-40 flows easily and still maintains enough viscosity to protect piston skirts and bearings when it gets hot.

Is 10W40 fully synthetic?

Semi-synthetic oils such as 10W40 have long been the standard. Their base is refined crude oil, which is then blended with additives.

Is 20W 50 oil OK for my car?

Most modern car engines are not well suited for heavier oil like 20W-50, and it can damage your car's catalytic converters. 20W-50 oil does not have a reliable low temperature viscosity grade. It won't perform well in cold weather and will deliver below-average cold starts.

Can thick oil cause misfire?

did you ever pull your spark plugs and note what brand/spec they are? I don't think I've seen you post what they are. "overfilling engine oil can cause misfire DTC's to be stored in the ECM."