Sea foam
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Joined: May 2006
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its just as hot here in south arkansas and my theory behind 20/50 is like this. oil thins when heated but an already thin oil breaks down faster. thicker oil doesnt break down as fast but thins enough to flow good when its heated. i started out using 10/30 years ago and blew 2 engines b4 my mechanic suggested i go to a thicker oil. i swapped to 20/50 like he said and 7 vehicles later, not including the 3 i own now (2 are fords), i havent had anymore major engine trouble. my bronco 2 does great on 20/50. 20/50 still warrants regular oil changes but i think it protects better than thinner oil.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
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If you think about it, the ONLY time thinner oil helps is the 1st few seconds of running the engine. So if you have easy flowing oil at 32 degrees with 10-30 then for the first seconds of running the oil is flowing fine, but then it turn to water once the engine warms up. 10-50 in 32 degree weather will be slightly harder to start the engine becuase the oil is very thick. But once the engine heats up, its around 10-30 standing temperature.
I never got why where you lived mattered with the oil you used, weather its 32 or 70 out, the engine is running around the same temperature.
I never got why where you lived mattered with the oil you used, weather its 32 or 70 out, the engine is running around the same temperature.
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Joined: May 2006
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now your catching on. which would u rather have protecting ur engines, a oil consistant to water or oil being the right perfect thickness? if it slings off critical engine parts to soon its not doing its job. thicker oil simply stays on better which protects longer. some would say hard starting is worse for an engine than all else. i/we live in a hot climate and with todays aluminum engines (aluminum heads ect.) it only takes a few seconds for oil to start building heat to flow properly. its not gonna matter, its not gonna hurt the engine at all. remember when we use to have to go out and start the car 20 minutes b4 we went to work/school in the winter time. well now by the time we go a block or two the heater is blowing hot air. asa matter off fact its not even recommended to prewarm one now and thats because aluminum engines start to build heat instantly. thats why to me thicker oils protect better down here.
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Joined: May 2006
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as far a climate changes. the rason it matters on where u live is that the engine might be at 190 degrees but oil gets awhole lot hotter than the engine itself. the oil in a 190 degree engine might be as high as 275 degrees because the constant contact with the block, crankshaft pistons,ect. look at it this way. lets say a cutting torch by itself is 1500 degrees. if u hod that torch on a half inch steel plate for 5 minutes. the torch itself is still 1500 degrees but the plate might reach 3000 degrees b4 it becomes moltin at the contact point. ok now apply that same thought process to engine oils. if u start out with a thin oil it will break down sooner than a more durable thicker oil at the same temp. they both will protect but one just looses some ability to provide max protection sooner. i change my oil at 3000 miles. i dont know about u but i dont wanna be drivin that last 1000 miles with oil thats only giving me 40 or 50% protection from the get go.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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My truck does run a little cooler according to the gauge in cooler weather ,in HOT weather it runs about 20 degrees higher.mabey my cooling system needs an overhaul..but I completly understand and it wasnt to smart to associate the outside temp with a running engine ,I must have been a little tired.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Howland, ME
I believe the reason where you lives matters a bit is the starting temp. If it's minus 20 degrees and you go out and start you car the oil has the consistency of mollases. it can take longer to reach operating temp and the oil to thin out and you can do a lot of damage in that time. I live in Mid-Maine and it can get -20 easily in the dead of winter. That's why we have block heaters and insulated garages.
Last edited by winddancer; Jun 15, 2006 at 05:41 PM. Reason: spelling
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New User
Joined: May 2006
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to winddancer, i get what your sayin about -20 in ur state but we are way down south and down here me and fordx dont even see 20 degrees outside much less -20 degrees. our average winter temp isnt even close to freezing point. so for our engines to last longer, thicker oil is what we should run. hey does the state of Maine give out prozac to its citizens? cause yall gotta be crazy as hell to live up there as cold as it gets. lol. ill stay here and continue to wear my shorts and t-shirts in january, yall can keep the cold weather up there. lmao im out for now/ ironman in arkansas
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Niceville, FL.
Why not just run what the owners manual recommends for the temperatures where you live? I've been doing that for the past 50 years and have always gotten good service and performance from my vehicles. My only exceptions are: A. High mileage engines with low oil pressure got heavier weight oil. B. My old circle track car engines ran straight 40 weight due to higher operating temps and looser bearing clearances.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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I live in southwest Minnesota and it gets pretty cold here I use 5w 30 in the winter and have never had a problem. To me the trick is changing it often so it doesn't become moisture filled. I may not drive 3000 miles in 3 months but the truck gets new oil and filter every three months. I figure I would rather pay a little every three months then a lot when the motor goes from having oil that wasn't doing its job.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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lifters
on my 2.9 i had what i thought was a lifter and bought new cam and lifters but before could change them a velve broke and went through a piston.so i guess it was not a lifter. so if i were you i would check to be sure if it is a lifter or not
Last edited by ssmith2023; Jun 16, 2006 at 09:24 PM.