Which Weight to Use?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: USA
Which Weight to Use?
I have always put in what Ford reccomends for both my vehicles (5w-30). But I started looking at a viscosity chart and noticed that this oil protects from -20 to 60 f. Here is Oregon that is fine for the winter but in the summer it is consistantly in the 80's if not higher.
Should I then change to 10w-30 in the summer months and go back to 5w-30 in the winter. Or would it be bad for my motors to go with 10w-30 all the time?
Even in Oregon the Ford dealers use 5w-30 so I don't know if I am worried about nothing or not.
Thanks,
Geoff C.
1993 Ford F-250 HD 4X4 460/E4OD
2000 Ford ZX2 DOHC 2.0
Should I then change to 10w-30 in the summer months and go back to 5w-30 in the winter. Or would it be bad for my motors to go with 10w-30 all the time?
Even in Oregon the Ford dealers use 5w-30 so I don't know if I am worried about nothing or not.
Thanks,
Geoff C.
1993 Ford F-250 HD 4X4 460/E4OD
2000 Ford ZX2 DOHC 2.0
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 7,298
Likes: 45
From: Southern California
Which Weight to Use?
I don't know which viscosity chart you were looking at or if you are talking about the '93 in your sig-line. But you are usually pretty safe going with what Ford recommends for average year-round use. Unless you have extreme low temps where you are at, 10w30 would be a good year-round oil too.
But I wouldn't worry too much about the 5w30. Motor oils have made a lot of improvements over the years. For instance, my old 1981 owner's manual lists 5w30 good from <-10* to +60* and 5w20 is listed for use at temps between <-10* to +10* and not recommended for sustained high speed driving. Nowdays, 5w20 is the factory fill and recommended oil for a lot of new Ford vehicles.
Scott
But I wouldn't worry too much about the 5w30. Motor oils have made a lot of improvements over the years. For instance, my old 1981 owner's manual lists 5w30 good from <-10* to +60* and 5w20 is listed for use at temps between <-10* to +10* and not recommended for sustained high speed driving. Nowdays, 5w20 is the factory fill and recommended oil for a lot of new Ford vehicles.
Scott
