imp lannin to move from CA and i currently use mobil1 10w30 synthetic. I am going up to Washington where it gets alot colder, what oil do you guys suggest i use? how would a 10w30 do in weather like that?

 

I add 2 qts of 5W30 along with 3 qts of 10W30 during winter time, but i think u should be fine just running straight 10W30.

 

Check the label on the oil. 10w30 is for normal to high average temparature outside your vehicle. I.E. in NorCal (not the mountains) it rarely, if ever, freezes, but we get a lot of heat, hence you use 10w-30. If the average temparature outside is much much lower, you use 5w30. There's a temp guage on each bottle as to which you should use.

 

If it gets really cold I recommend 5w30 (amsoil)

 

Let me explain something to everyone here that does not have any idea what those numbers mean on the oil, as I just learned :P
Let's say we are talking about 5W30. Basically, in the past, you used to change your oil seasonally depending on the weather, and it would just be a 0W, 5W, 10W... ect, all that way up to 40W or so. Nowadays with advanced technology, we have made oil act like a 30, but when it is only a 5. In other words, the 5 is what the oil actually is, the 30 is how it acts (referring to example). The numbers refer to viscosity (how well oil flows, SAE rates them and tests them to decide). In other words, the higher the second number, the better in colder weather.

Does that make any sense? Im taking an Auto class and learned that today.

TJ

 

whoa!! I think you need to go over your notes. How the oil "acts" depends on its tempurture. The first number(one next to the W) is the viscocity rating when the oil is cold. higher number being the thicker oil at cold start. The second number refers the the oil's viscocity at normal operating temps and does not have anything to do with cold weather. Again the higher the number the thicker the viscocity. The reason that the manual saids to use 5W-30 instead of 10W-30 in cold temps is because its thinner at cold tempurtures and therefore would pump easier through the motor to provide better lubrication.

 

I'm in Nebraska where it will occasionally get down to -20 F and I have no problem starting using M1 10W-30. The great thing about synthetic oil is it flowability at cold temps. I'd avoid the 5W-30 if possible.

 

10w30 is not as good for the engine in cold weather. 10w30 and 5w30 flow EXACTLY the same when the oil gets hot, they are only different before startup and when the engine is warming up. If you have really cold weather in your area (i.e. -20F) it will be to your advantage to use 5w30 over 10w30. This goes for synethic oil or regular dino oil. You can get away with using 10w30 in cold weather however your bearings, valvetrain, piston rings, etc. will hate you. =)