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Engine Oil! 5w30 vs 20w50?

Hussien

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Hi guys,

I live in a hot climate (Middle East), the weather temperature between 29C to 45C (86F to 113F) and even sometimes reaches 47C (117F). Owner's manual says "use SAE 5W30 or 10W30 fully synthetic oil".

Should I follow owner's manual? or Should I use 20W50?

Many people use 20W50 because it's hot climate. You should use 20W50 because owner's manual recommend 5w30 for cars in Europe, American ...etc. They always say don't use a light viscosity here.

Is there a big difference between 5w30 and 10w30???

What should I use 5w30 or 20w50????

I own HOLDEN VE V8 L98 6.0L and it has only 35,000 miles (56000 km).
 

Jesterarts

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I would say 20w50 would be a bit thicker than needed cold. I had 20w50 in my old LS2 but that was in a 410rwhp car and the first few minutes of driving I would have to baby it regardless of ambient temp. A 10w50 is perfect for the GM V8 motors.
 

PIR4TE

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Hi guys, I live in a hot climate (Middle East), the weather temperature between 29C to 45C (86F to 113F) and even sometimes reaches 47C (117F).

Relax. Your car was built for those conditions. Most inland of Australia is as hot, I drive through the middle of it half a dozen times (as well as cross the high country in winter).

Owner's manual says "use SAE 5W30 or 10W30 fully synthetic oil".
Should I follow owner's manual?

As per the manual, use synthetic 5w30 if weather means more cold starts within the coming service interval are close to 5°C (winter) otherwise 10w30 (summer).

Is there a big difference between 5w30 and 10w30???
During startup in the cold there is a difference, absolutely, the reason the colder spec exists. I am in Broken Hill (1200km inland of Bondi Beach) at the moment, where the ore rich soil gets much hotter than 47°C, but right now is 5°C.
It's not driving in the ambient heat or cold that kills the oil or damage your engine compared to the cold start lubrication left overnight when temp drops inland / desert and iced over from deep frost / snow. It's all about preserving your engine, particularly when cold and starting not hot and running.

What should I use 5w30 or 20w50????
Don't use the thick stuff else you will break it, or at least bugger your warranty.
If located inland middle east you also experience bitterly cold mornings and because there is no device on your car to prevent it becoming vulnerable with low / slow / under lubrication from cold starts except the oil itself, don't use 20w, and 50 grade is not suitable for your new engine.
Move out of Holden spec then technically you move out of warranty, however the 15000k (huge) regular service period is pushing the boundary of oil life expectations I think, so get the best you can afford within spec for time being.
I have a MY11 SSV and while my car was under new warranty I used the specified 5w30 Havoline, Valvoline or Mobil synthetic, but now I am free! There are extremely good racing oils formulated with detergents / dispersants necessary for daily use,so now I use a relatively heavy grade street lube called Extreme Performance Racing (XPR) 10w40, full synthetic by Royal Purple.
Fantastic stuff for my 120000km performance enhanced L77 with AFM switching in and out at sustained highway speed and quick touring in most weather extremes.
 

WogBoyz

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I also use royal purple pirate the HPS 10w40, I aint paying $200 + a bottle for the xpr stuf lol which ive heard is susposed to be only used in drag spec not on street
 

PIR4TE

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^^ good stuff! I struck a deal with work done recently (it is a drag racing shop so I have no doubt it is overkill), making the most of it atm.
I think the main difference is a wee bit more of the good stuff that stops wear. Next service will be RP HPS 10w40... unless I can slip another decent upgrade past the Missus.
 

WogBoyz

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^^ good stuff! I struck a deal with work done recently (it is a drag racing shop so I have no doubt it is overkill), making the most of it atm.
I think the main difference is a wee bit more of the good stuff that stops wear. Next service will be RP HPS 10w40... unless I can slip another decent upgrade past the Missus.

Oh yeah cool cool it is good stuff!
 

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Hi guys,

I live in a hot climate (Middle East), the weather temperature between 29C to 45C (86F to 113F) and even sometimes reaches 47C (117F). Owner's manual says "use SAE 5W30 or 10W30 fully synthetic oil".

Should I follow owner's manual? or Should I use 20W50?

Many people use 20W50 because it's hot climate. You should use 20W50 because owner's manual recommend 5w30 for cars in Europe, American ...etc. They always say don't use a light viscosity here.

Is there a big difference between 5w30 and 10w30???

What should I use 5w30 or 20w50????

I own HOLDEN VE V8 L98 6.0L and it has only 35,000 miles (56000 km).

a) dude.... DONT use 20w50!!! Waaaayy too thick.
b) and dont use 5w30 either... wont protect you well enough on days over 35c, let alone 45c days.
c) 10w30 will do the trick, but I gotta ask... when do you drive normally, and for how long?

if it's quick short trips, getting a thicker oil will only damage the engine more when its cold.
if you are going to work the engine hard on a hot summers day for hours, then maybe the 10w30 wont cut it either.
you need to ask yourself if the hot weather protection is more important than cold start up... and in most cases, its not.

but the 50 grade is way too thick.
if the 10w30 isnt quite enough you could stretch into a thin 40... but I reckon the 10w30 will be plenty mate.
 

greenacc

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I reckon in those conditions i would start with a 10w40. See how it goes then decide if you should stay with that or go up or down. If it gets very cold overnight then you need to be carefull. I use 5w40 in my alloytec for that reason.
 

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It occurred to me that maybe those people recommending you use 50 weight think it is better suited to an ambient temp of 50°?
Your car's oil temperature runs between 85-95°. The SAE rating of oil is its ability to perform as an effective lubricant on startup at that temperature.
Most oils are "multi graded" by use of additives so they perform at different seasonal start temperatures, like 10w means it is good (passes lubrication test) for 10° in winter. 20w fails SAE tests for protection under 20°C, and as I posted above being inland Middle East the overnight / morning temp would get to (less than) 5°C.
I am in Cobar, outback NSW and it is 1° atm. Put it this way, the 20w50 totally fails to protect at morning startup almost everywhere in the world no matter what season, and if the 50°C viscous rated didn't have additives mixed with it to qualify as multigrade then it would be like wax at standard temperature and pressure (STP)!
At normal running temps all new fresh oil performs roughly the same on the single matter of lubrication.
ie an oil with 0w, 5w or 10w certification is still going to be as effective at running temp as 'heavier' 50 or 60 weight. 5w or 10w 30/40 is always better at startup, and crafted synthetically to be 'thick' and 'thin' (multigraded) specifically to benefit the likes of L98 in our conditions.
If your engine is outside normal running temps then the oil is not the issue.
 
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