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Thoughts on oil weight/viscosity

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Old 02-25-2018, 01:45 PM
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Default Thoughts on oil weight/viscosity

What are your opinions on using a slightly heavier oil in a higher mileage car ?
Mine has over 180,000 km on it but ,so far, does not burn or otherwise use up oil. It used to be common practice to use heavier oil in older cars to help keep oil pressure up etc. I was thinking of moving to 10w30 instead of 5w30

I am not concerned at all about a possible minor loss of fuel economy.
 

Last edited by GGG; 02-26-2018 at 08:57 AM. Reason: Correct 5w20 to 5w30 - see post #11
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Old 02-25-2018, 02:23 PM
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"Mine has over 180,000 km on it but ,so far, does not burn or otherwise use up oil".


My thoughts are, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
 
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Old 02-25-2018, 03:09 PM
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Here we go again .......................
 
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Old 02-25-2018, 03:28 PM
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I'm a little surprised 5W20 is the right oil but if it meets the spec and the car is doing so well, why change.
 
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Old 02-25-2018, 03:37 PM
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Barry,
If your motor isn't using oil and you have no other issues, then carry on doing what you're doing.

If you are concerned about the oil pressure, then you can hook up/tee off a 'real' oil pressure gauge, or - if you don't have NAV - then invest in WhiteXKR's 'RealGauge'

Just my


Chill, Mikey
 
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Old 02-25-2018, 04:49 PM
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I have purchased a Real Gauge kit , just have not got round to installing it yet. My old Cooper S used 20w50 so 5w20 seems "mighty thin" Thanks for all the input. I expect I'll stick with the 5w20
 
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Old 02-25-2018, 11:15 PM
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Mobil 1 0w-40 .... an excellent oil for high performance european vehicles, superb wear protection

https://mobiloil.com/~/media/amer/us...pecs-guide.pdf


Originally Posted by Barry_Tucker
What are your opinions on using a slightly heavier oil in a higher mileage car ?
Mine has over 180,000 km on it but ,so far, does not burn or otherwise use up oil. It used to be common practice to use heavier oil in older cars to help keep oil pressure up etc........"
your car has about 110,000 miles on it. That's not a high mileage car, it's barely broken in.

Z
 

Last edited by zray; 02-25-2018 at 11:23 PM.
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Old 02-26-2018, 12:53 AM
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Old 02-26-2018, 02:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Barry_Tucker
..... I was thinking of moving to 10w30 instead of 5w20 .....
What decided you against using the recommended 5W-30 oil specification up until now?

Thoughts on oil weight/viscosity-oil-specification.jpg
(click on the image to enlarge it)

Other than Jaguar having a commercial arrangment with Castrol and therefore recommending their products, I can see no bias in the recommended oil specification or any reason to vary from it.

Graham
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by GGG
"......What decided you against using the recommended 5W-30 oil specification up until now? ...."

"........ than Jaguar having a commercial arrangment with Castrol and therefore recommending their products, I can see no bias in the recommended oil specification or any reason to vary from it.
Graham
actually, the 5w-30 is just the recommendation for best fuel economy, as the manual states. But in climates of higher temperatures, or when the car is being exercised more aggressively, then 0w-40 or 5w-40 are also recommended, hence my preference for the Mobil 1 0w-40

but as everyone has already noted, these best oils threads are mainly redundant. However, they do serve to illustrate the numerous oils that can be used successfully.

And it bears pointing out that having ones preferred oil analyzed during the oil change is the best way to determine how effective it still might be, and which parts of the additive package have been used up.

Z.
 

Last edited by zray; 02-26-2018 at 08:55 AM. Reason: Typo, corrected to 5w-30
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Old 02-26-2018, 08:27 AM
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My mistake ....I read 5w20 instead of 5w30 DOH
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 09:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Barry_Tucker
My mistake ....I read 5w20 instead of 5w30 DOH
I've edited your original post.

Many members read the first post in a thread and ignore all the rest before replying.

Graham
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by zray
But in climates of higher temperatures, or when the car is being exercised more aggressively, then 0w-40 or 5w-40 are also recommended, hence my preference for the Mobil 1 0w-40

The OP lives in Newfoundland.
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Mikey
The OP lives in Newfoundland.
I sure wouldn't want a 5w- anything then. 0w-30 for sure, unless he's really putting the car to the test

Z
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 01:50 PM
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You either don't understand oil ratings or the Newfoundland climate, or both.

10W40 is not on the list at all, nor is the mandatory use of synthetic. Factory fill and dealers used dino oil for N. Am delivered cars
 

Last edited by Mikey; 02-26-2018 at 01:54 PM.
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Old 02-26-2018, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Mikey
You either don't understand oil ratings or the Newfoundland climate, or both.

10W40 is not on the list at all, nor is the mandatory use of synthetic. Factory fill and dealers used dino oil for N. Am delivered cars
i wouldn't jump to any hasty conclusions about my engineering or geographical knowledge. Or hands on experience for that matter. I've been building engines for 50+ years. I haven't been asleep the whole time.



Just my opinion, but anyone using a non synthetic today, even in a lawn mower, just doesn't care much about engine longevity.

Z

PS who's talking about 10w-40 ? did I miss that ? I did have a typo 4 posts back, ( wrote 10w-30 but meant 5w-30) but corrected, post haste, and noted correction .

I mentioned 0w-40, because that's what I use, and it's listed in my manual as appropriate for my climate

 

Last edited by zray; 02-26-2018 at 02:21 PM. Reason: clarification
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Old 02-26-2018, 02:52 PM
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What viscosity is best for a tropical climate?
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:14 PM
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Good question ...... because this thread is heating up.

Graham
 
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by GGG
Good question ...... because this thread is heating up.

Graham
ha ha. A good one.

according to my 2002 Vehicle Care manual section 3-7, if the lows are in the 50 (F) range and the highs are in the 100's (F) or higher, then recommended oils are the 0w-40 on the low end of that range and a 5w-40 for the upper range.

again, those are the manuals recommendations, so don't hate me or question my geography skills.



Z



 
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by zray
Mobil 1 0w-40 .... an excellent oil for high performance european vehicles, superb wear protection
.

Z

My tired old eyes saw Mobil 10w40 in your posts and not Mobil 1 10w40. Apologies offered.
 


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