Will heavier oil hurt my engine?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.amsoil.com


What happens if you 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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on yourmechanic.com


Is it OK to use a heavier weight oil?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on startribune.com


Will a heavier weight oil hurt my engine?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on columbiatireauto.com


Is Thicker oil better for engine?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tucson.com


Pat's Perspectives - Thicker Oil (#2)



Will 20w50 hurt my engine?

Is 20W-50 Oil Bad For My Engine? 20W-50 is not a very popular oil viscosity. In the wrong engine, it can lead to sludge, excess friction, varnish deposits, problems with oil burning and oil pressure, and even affect your engine life.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairsmith.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on rxmechanic.com


Is 10W40 good for high mileage?

Designed for high mileage vehicles

Mobil 1 High Mileage 10W-40 motor oil is recommended by ExxonMobil for use in high mileage vehicles (even those that have used lower quality conventional oils), including: Cars. Trucks.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mobil.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on motorverso.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on differencebetween.net


Is it safe to run thicker oil in older engines?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.amsoil.com


Can you put 10W40 in a 10W30 engine?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on offroadingpro.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bellperformance.com


When should I use 10w40 oil?

So, if you drive in a warm climate — especially more than 32°C (90°F) — or have an engine that runs hotter than others, 10W-40 oil viscosity is a good option. This higher viscosity oil is designed for hotter temperatures and can handle the added heat stress from the environment.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairsmith.com


What is the best engine oil for hot weather?

There are a few ways to get your car prepared for summer with synthetic oils. If you're capable of changing your oil, you can find synthetics at auto retailers. Look for containers with codes such as 0W-20, 5W-20, and 5W-30. These correspond to specific synthetic oil mixtures approved for standard vehicles.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on gearslap.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairsmith.com


What is the next thicker oil than 5w20?

When it comes to their higher operating temperature performance, 5W30 motor oil performs slightly better than 5W-20 and is a thicker oil than its counterpart. 5W30 motor oil would be more robust and not break down very easily at a higher temperature.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairsmith.com


Will 5W30 hurt a 5w20 engine?

As you can see, there's quite the difference in how these two types of oil perform. With these numbers in mind, it's clear that using 5W30 motor oil instead of 5W20 could lead to serious damage to your engine.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on askcarmechanic.com


What happens if you put too thick oil in a car?

If the oil is too thick (aka, the viscosity is high), your car may not start in cold temperatures (cold weather places more strain on a vehicle in any case). When this happens, the thick liquid can't properly lubricate every part, and it creates enough resistance to impair the most important function–ignition.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on docmotorworks.com


Is 20w50 good for high mileage?

Castrol® GTX® High Mileage 20W-50 is specially formulated for vehicles with over 75,000 miles. It contains Phosphorus Replacement Technology, which reduces the level of phosphorus and replaces it with a proprietary additive that preserves your emission system while maintaining robust wear protection.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on castrol.com


Is there a big difference between 10w30 and 10w40?

The difference between 10W-30 and a 10W-40 is the high temperature viscosity. Obviously, a 10W-40 is thicker than a 10W-30 at high temperature.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on motorstate.com


Is it OK to use 10w30 instead of SAE 30?

Can I Use 10w30 Instead of SAE 30 in My Lawn Mower? You can use 10w30 instead of SAE 30 in your lawn mower if you want. Since 10w30 has the same viscosity grade at operating temperature, you won't run into any problems by using it instead of SAE 30.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on lawnmowerguru.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on facebook.com


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.amsoil.com