oil viscosity
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: brooksville fl
oil viscosity
Hi fellow members. I have a question about oil viscosity. I just traded up to a c6 from a c5 last week. My 04 had 114,00 miles on the clock, so i used 5w-20 oil. My new to me 07 has a little over 49,000 miles. I went oil shopping today and used to buying the 5w-20 oil i bought it instead of the lower mileage 5w-30 oil. My question is, is it ok to use the 5w-20 oil in the lower mileage car or should i take it back and get the 5w-30 oil? I live in Florida where the temp. is hot. Thanks in advance.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Hi fellow members. I have a question about oil viscosity. I just traded up to a c6 from a c5 last week. My 04 had 114,00 miles on the clock, so i used 5w-20 oil. My new to me 07 has a little over 49,000 miles. I went oil shopping today and used to buying the 5w-20 oil i bought it instead of the lower mileage 5w-30 oil. My question is, is it ok to use the 5w-20 oil in the lower mileage car or should i take it back and get the 5w-30 oil? I live in Florida where the temp. is hot. Thanks in advance.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 144
From: on Barnegat Bay Joisey
Went to the Chevy parts counter to get some Dexos1 5W-30 for the first change in my '13 base coupe and they advised it was changed by GM to 0W-20. Also the price over the counter went from 4.50 to 6.50 a quart. FWIW
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
personally I would not trust some guy behind a parts counter to advise such a drastic departure from my car's manual
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
Hi fellow members. I have a question about oil viscosity. I just traded up to a c6 from a c5 last week. My 04 had 114,00 miles on the clock, so i used 5w-20 oil. My new to me 07 has a little over 49,000 miles. I went oil shopping today and used to buying the 5w-20 oil i bought it instead of the lower mileage 5w-30 oil. My question is, is it ok to use the 5w-20 oil in the lower mileage car or should i take it back and get the 5w-30 oil? I live in Florida where the temp. is hot. Thanks in advance.
And yes, I would not run anything less than 5w-30 or 0w-40. 10w-30 is too thick for a cold start imo.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 21,631
Likes: 1,144
From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
I think you have it backwards. People normally move to a heavier, higher viscosity oil with higher mileage engines to make it up for the extra wear (higher clearances).
And yes, I would not run anything less than 5w-30 or 0w-40. 10w-30 is too thick for a cold start imo.
And yes, I would not run anything less than 5w-30 or 0w-40. 10w-30 is too thick for a cold start imo.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6,391
Likes: 1,453
From: South Dakota
I really hope that you are going to tell us that the guy behind the parts counter that recommended 0w-20 was still in high school and working part time in the parts dept on weekends, which might explain his ignorance. In section 10-18 of the 2013 Corvette owners manual, it clearly states that 5w-30 is the best weight to use. It doesn't even mention 0w-20 as an option.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 144
From: on Barnegat Bay Joisey
I really hope that you are going to tell us that the guy behind the parts counter that recommended 0w-20 was still in high school and working part time in the parts dept on weekends, which might explain his ignorance. In section 10-18 of the 2013 Corvette owners manual, it clearly states that 5w-30 is the best weight to use. It doesn't even mention 0w-20 as an option.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021