oil weights
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 330
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From: Simi Valley ca
oil weights
I am having a debate with my rebuilder on what weight of oil to use. I am using 10-30 on a fresh motor. He says that is only to be used back east and a California car should be running 20-50 even in winter. Any of you all in CA have any input on the weight you are running?
thanks
joe
thanks
joe
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Dallas TX
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
I wouldn't stick 20w50 in a new motor. That's pretty thick for the clearances. I just had my motor done and I'm sticking with 10w30 dino for 500 miles, then going to 10w30 Mobil one after that. And when I change to Mobil 1 synth, there will NEVER be dino in my engine again... EVER!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: And on the fifth day, subpoenas were served to Obama senior staff
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
If he built the bottom end with sloppy clearances, then you need to run sloppy oil! If he built it tight like orginal then go with the owners manual.
Ask him if you need 50 weight oil in california, if the operating temperature of a california engine different then the operating temperature of a Michigan engine?
5W or 10W30 oils will give you much better start-up protection then a 20W50 oil. And most engine wear is when cold (below 150*). So I would stick with the manufacturers suggested oil range.
Ask him if you need 50 weight oil in california, if the operating temperature of a california engine different then the operating temperature of a Michigan engine?
5W or 10W30 oils will give you much better start-up protection then a 20W50 oil. And most engine wear is when cold (below 150*). So I would stick with the manufacturers suggested oil range.
Instructor
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 199
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
IMHO I would not run 20W-50 in any new engine. I run 0W-30 synthetic in the heat of Arizona and have no problems. Unless your engine builder specifically tells you to run a 20W-50 in his rebuilt engine I would run 0W-30 or 5W-30 or 10W-30
I lived in California for over 40 years and never used 50 weight oil in any of my vehicles.
PC
[Modified by Pete Clough, 1:59 PM 1/30/2002]
I lived in California for over 40 years and never used 50 weight oil in any of my vehicles.
PC
[Modified by Pete Clough, 1:59 PM 1/30/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,521
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From: West Islip New York
Re: oil weights (PeteL)
5W or 10W30 oils will give you much better start-up protection then a 20W50 oil. And most engine wear is when cold (below 150*). So I would stick with the manufacturers suggested oil range.
I hope this is reputable builder, I'd be worried about his suggestion to use
20-50 on a new engine designed for 5-30.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,620
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From: Hillsboro OR
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
I think your engine builder is out of touch with the rest of the world. Virutally every gasoline engine made for automobiles is using 5w-30 from the factory these days. You can use 0W-30, 5W-30 and 10W-30 without any problems. Oils like 20W50 are generally used in diesel engines. BMW uses 10W60 in some of its engines but weights above 30 are not necessary in Chevy V8s.
Just as an FWI - The first number is the lowest temp at which the oil flows at some SAE standard and not a viscosity number. The second number is the viscosity the oil has when its at its running temp. The two numbers are not related to each other.
Just as an FWI - The first number is the lowest temp at which the oil flows at some SAE standard and not a viscosity number. The second number is the viscosity the oil has when its at its running temp. The two numbers are not related to each other.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
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Re: oil weights (AquaMetallic94LT1)
i run 5w-30 in winter and 10w-30 in summer, and it stays about 90 degrees here during the summer.
Id put in 10w-30 dino oil for break ins and change to Mobil 1 later.
Id put in 10w-30 dino oil for break ins and change to Mobil 1 later.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: And on the fifth day, subpoenas were served to Obama senior staff
Re: oil weights (sputnick)
Allows the rings to set. A good synth exibits better friction properties than a mineral oil, so components take longer to wear together properly.
In the modern engines that start from the factory with synthetic oil, the machining and components are built to very tight tollerances that do not require a typical "break in" proceedure. This BTY mostly due to folks not wanting to bother with breaking in a new car, they want to drive normal off the bat. So all the manufacturers been working on this for years. Materials, fit and design all done to allow quick break in.
In the modern engines that start from the factory with synthetic oil, the machining and components are built to very tight tollerances that do not require a typical "break in" proceedure. This BTY mostly due to folks not wanting to bother with breaking in a new car, they want to drive normal off the bat. So all the manufacturers been working on this for years. Materials, fit and design all done to allow quick break in.
Team Owner
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From: Athens AL
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Re: oil weights (sputnick)
Why is it better to run natural oil during break in than synthetic?
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
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From: Dallas TX
Re: oil weights (vader86)
Why is it better to run natural oil during break in than synthetic?
allows the rings to set like PeteL said AND its much cheaper because you should change the oil often after a rebuild.
allows the rings to set like PeteL said AND its much cheaper because you should change the oil often after a rebuild.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 330
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From: Simi Valley ca
Re: oil weights (Glock'94)
Everyone, thanks for all the input.
Just so you know why I asked, since this motor was rebuilt it was getting 11 lbs. of oil pressure at an idle, 2 days ago it dropped to 10, yesterday 9 and today 8. So I called him to let him know there might be a problem coming up. He says he never heard of running 10/30, even though it is in my book and written on my valve cover oil cap.....
I think AguaMetallic had a good point in his first sentence:
"I think your engine builder is out of touch with the rest of the world"
thx
Just so you know why I asked, since this motor was rebuilt it was getting 11 lbs. of oil pressure at an idle, 2 days ago it dropped to 10, yesterday 9 and today 8. So I called him to let him know there might be a problem coming up. He says he never heard of running 10/30, even though it is in my book and written on my valve cover oil cap.....
I think AguaMetallic had a good point in his first sentence:
"I think your engine builder is out of touch with the rest of the world"
thx
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 8,540
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From: And on the fifth day, subpoenas were served to Obama senior staff
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
... 11 lbs. of oil pressure at an idle, 2 days ago it dropped to 10, yesterday 9 and today 8. So I called him to let him know there might be a problem coming up. He says he never heard of running 10/30, even though it is in my book and written on my valve cover oil cap.....
HE dancing pretty good, huh? :D
Sorry to hear of engine problems, hope HE does the right thing!
Pete
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 330
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From: Simi Valley ca
Re: oil weights (PeteL)
Pete,
AHAHAHAHAHA, yes he is dancing. He is sighting everything that is wrong with my car. My water temp is too hot, my oil temp is too hot, I should be running an oil cooler, one of my injectors must be too lean, and I am using an inferior oil filter (FRAM), as someone once told him that one exploded on a race car so they are not good, etc, etc.
So for example on the last item I said, "OK you seem to have a different perspective on a quality oil filter, so which one should I buy". And he said "well um gee I don't know".
Saturday, I am going to test the pressure with a mechanical guage to rule of the sending unit and dump the oil again. I have changed the oil twice and it was very metallic.
AHAHAHAHAHA, yes he is dancing. He is sighting everything that is wrong with my car. My water temp is too hot, my oil temp is too hot, I should be running an oil cooler, one of my injectors must be too lean, and I am using an inferior oil filter (FRAM), as someone once told him that one exploded on a race car so they are not good, etc, etc.
So for example on the last item I said, "OK you seem to have a different perspective on a quality oil filter, so which one should I buy". And he said "well um gee I don't know".
Saturday, I am going to test the pressure with a mechanical guage to rule of the sending unit and dump the oil again. I have changed the oil twice and it was very metallic.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Sachse Texas
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: oil weights (jvesalga)
FWIW, the Fram are junk. Just get an AC Delco replacement. It does sound like the clearances are pretty loose and he is trying to mask it by having you run thicker oil rather than fixing the problem.