Can i use 0W30 mobil in my O7

 

I definitely would NOT use it. It gets hot in Ohio in the summer and 5-30 makes more sense in the summer. I prefer 10-30 year round, others think 5-30 is what you MUST use, but I don't know anyone who would recommend 0-30--unless you were in Norway or somewhere like that. Just my 2 centavos...

 

Picked some up at a great deal,will put it in me lawn mower.

 

I use synthetic in mine, too. Makes sense, when you consider how hard you run them. I always buy a cheap mower, so when I hit a rock, I won't freak out.

 

Yes, you can use 0W30 in your '07 'Vette. Check out the following links:
http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lub...bil1_0W-30.asp
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Lu...bil1_5W-30.asp
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...l_1_0W-30.aspx
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...l_1_5W-30.aspx

The 0W and 5W have nothing to do with how the oil performs at higher ambient temps when the engine is warmed up. The "W" designates the "winter" rating which actually means the viscosity of the oil is checked at 0*F vs 100*C for the "30" rating. It's a measure of how well the oil flows when you start the engine cold...the lower the number, the better the oil flows when cold to get to critical engine parts to reduce cold start up wear.

If you look at the product data sheets for 0W30 and 5W30 (the first two links), you'll see at 40*C (104*F) there isn't much difference in the viscosities (63.1 cSt and 64.8 cSt respectively). At 100*C (212*F), it's 11 cSt and 11.3 cSt respectively. So, when starting the engine at high ambient temps in the summer and continuing up to the max oil temp when the engine is warmed up, there's neglible differences between the two oils. Also, if you look at the last two links, you'll see both oils meet the GM4718M specification which is for the Corvette.

The difference comes in at lower ambient temps when starting the car...the 0W30 will offer better protection. It's typical for oil to be changed once a year now with the 10K+ mile oil change intervals which means the oil will see all four seasons. Go to the section on oil in the owners manual and it will say if you'll see ambient temps below -20*F, to use 0W30 oil. I know you don't get down that low (even your record lows aren't quite that low), but you'll still get better low temperature protection. You definitely don't want to use 10W30 since the owners manual says to use it only above 0*F and it can get that low where you are. Here in Florida, I could use any of the three, but I use 5W30 year round. Ford, Honda, Toyota and Chrysler specify 5W20 and 0W20 oil for their engines.
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...l_1_0W-20.aspx
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...l_1_5W-20.aspx

 

I don't agree, the 0-30 isn't intended for Corvettes and I've read many articles saying to definitely NOT use it in hi-po engines unless you live in an extremely cold climate where it was originally designed for, what they call "extreme conditions. The 5-30 is a good compromise, keeping in mind they want 5 weight for emissions and fuel economy performance, not better engine wear. I've used 10-30 in every car I've owned since the big block era and never had the slightest engine problem. Your money, your car, and you will get differing opinions like everything else, but I wouldn't use it. There's another thread on this, and I think you'll find most agree with me. Glass Slipper thinks otherwise, so like I said, opinions will vary.

 

I agree with Whiterock1, and particularly here in South Florida 10W-30 is the Mobil 1 of choice.

For my non-Corvette, I even fortify that with a splash of Delvac 1 5W-40 (a.k.a. Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck oil), which provides more zinc dithiophosphate than does the straight spark-ignition engine oil.

 

I didn't give my opinion. I posted links, quoted numbers, and quoted the owners manual...all facts. As opposed to your opinion with no links or facts to back it up. You only allude to articles and threads with no links provided.

Did you even read any of the links? Did you see where the 0W30 passed the GM4718M specification for Corvettes? Why would they pass that spec if it wasn't intended to be used in Corvettes? Also, the 5W30 isn't used for emissions, it's used for fuel economy and better wear protection during cold start up...read the links. In fact, look at the product data sheet for 10W30.
http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lub...l_1_10W-30.asp
You'll see that the viscosity at 40*C and 100*C is less than 0W30 or 5W30 with 0W30 falling in between the two. Seriously, I think you're being a little **** about this. The recommended oil is 5W30, if you don't see a problem with going up by 5 on the "W" rating, what's the big deal if you go down by 5? We're talking about such insignificant differences in viscosity for summer starting temperatures and fully warmed engine temperatures, it makes this whole discussion a moot point. The difference comes in when winter temps drop way down. I see it gets below 0*F (where you shouldn't be using 10W30 IAW the owners manual) and can get below -20*F (where the owners manual recommends 0W30) in Colorado Springs. It's during these times where the 0W30 will outperform 5W/10W30 (look at their pour point temperatures)...and it falls in between them at normal engine operating temps.

The engines of today have nothing in common with the big blocks of yesteryear...welcome to the 21st Century. We ran 20W50 in those old engines with no problems, they were designed for it. Now the owners manual says specifically not to run even 10W40 as the engines of today have completely different internal clearances...so a case can be made that 10W30 is even more on the side of extreme than 0W30, but that would be like splitting hairs. No opinion, just facts...read the links. Here's another link to help you understand why GM says no 10W40 or 20W50:
http://www.acea.be/files/070308%20AC...20and%20HD.pdf

 

The engine operating temperature will be the same whether you're in south Florida or Ohio and both oils have the same "30" rating meaning they are in the same viscosity range at the engine's operating temperature. The difference is the "W" rating which is done at 0*F. The real funny thing here is the viscosity of all three of the oils (0W, 5W, and 10W) is actually much "thicker" at 0*F (or even 40*C)...so if the 0W30 is too "thin" in hot climates, then the 10W30 is definitely too "thin" when the engine warms up. This isn't opinion, look at the product data sheets in the links and stop going off of what "sounds" right.

I'm not recommending anybody/everybody go out and change to 0W30 although I really don't see much difference between any of them. However, the only advantage I do see is of the 0W30 at the colder start up temps in the north/high elevations where its' better pour point temperature will enable it to outperform the others by flowing to critical engine parts quicker. Other than that, they're all the same. I just don't understand why the gross disdain for the 0W30 when it's only 5 away from the 5W30...that's really kind of **** to me. The original poster got a great deal and asked if he could use 0W30...the answer is yes. Like I said, I'm not telling everybody to go out en mass today and change to 0W30. Run what you want, I use 5W30 and I'm in sunny Florida.

 

Actually, I did read the links, hence the reference to "extreme--read, very cold, conditions." I can't quote chapter and verse on what I've read, just that I've read it. Also, as I said, I've used 10-30 on ALL of my cars, to include not just 400 or 455 Pontiac big blocks, but engines from the '80s, '90s and 2000s, 350, 305, L-98, LT-1, LS-1, Grand National 3.8 turbo, Saab 9000 tubo and LS2. I also agree that 10-40 is not recommended and for good reason dealing with engine clearances.

However, I clearly stated this is my opinion based on experience and reading an average of 6 car mags a month for 30 years plus owning cars in the eras I mention. I also owned an automotive repair shop for 4 years in NH and saw many internal engine parts toasted and always asking what kind of oil they used. Never once did we have a car where the driver ran 10w-30 and had an internal engine failure. We saw many with 5-30, however. Not statistically significant, of course, but an entry into how my opinion has been formed. 30 weight is 30 weight for summer driving, but 0 is too light to mix in when the temps get above 85-90. 5 is for mileage reasons--and emissions, per GM, and works fine in hot weather. I feel in very hot-->90 extended and especially in traffic, climates 10 gives better protection at no real penalty when the weather gets cold. It ranges from 100 to -20 here in CO. To me, 10W-30 is the best overall--as it was in the Midwest and New England. When we lived in southern VA and especially Houston, I would never dream of using anything else. My opinion, but I believe that was what the poster was asking.

 

All I can add is that I talked with the Mobil guys on the Hot Rod Power Tour and they said that 0w30 should be the first choice if you can find it and the 5w30 would perform just as well, because that is what GM recommended.

 

If you read the links, you must not be comprehending them...you're just not getting it. At 40*C (104*F), the viscosity of all three of the oils is so close you could call them the same...look at the links again. The "W" rating is done at 0*F, so whether it's a 0W, 5W, or 10W has no relevance to a dicussion about performance of the oils at 85*+F and what you "feel" has no relevance either. The viscosity rating at 40*C has much more relevance to a discussion involving temps between 85*F and 100*F. Go read your owners manual to see where it says no 10W30 below 0*F...and you say you get to -20*F where you're at. GM seems to think there is a penalty to using 10W30 when the weather gets cold contary to your opinion. Since they have a lot of smart engineers and millions of dollars of research in this, I'll go with their "opinion". The original poster asked for facts, not opinions.

 

Thank you, and the facts in their product data sheets confirm what they told you.

 

GlassSlipper

As usual, you make good points.

There are still a lot of people afraid of low xW numbers because of the poor performance of many earlier dino based oils that broke down in use.

One comment... the test for the xW part of the rating hasn't been done at 0F for about 30 years. Each xW viscosity has two tests done, one for pumpability and one for cranking resistance at temperatures below 0F. The lower the xW viscosity, the colder the test temperatures. SAE J300 covers that.

 

I knew about the pumpability/cranking resistance tests...
http://www.infineum.com/information/...sity-2004.html
but I thought they were still doing the 0*F test too. You are correct though, they abandoned the 0*F test it seems in the '80s/'90s.
http://www.savantgroup.com/newslett/...n96/jan96b.htm
http://mysite.verizon.net/oldhokie/windyridge/oil.pdf
...sometimes it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

I really never gave any thought/consideration to this until the poster started this thread, but the chart in the first link really shows how superior the 0W30 oil is to all the others...I might have to rethink using 5W30. I went through the same thing in the early '80s as I used 20W50 exclusively in the '70s and found it very difficult to imagine 5W30 could do the job. After 25 years and 200K+ miles on several cars with zero failures, I'm a believer.

Thanks for posting the correct info.

 

Your links say virtually the same thing about 0, 5 and 10-30--the only exception being, as I said and you can't seem to understand, 0 is recommended for severe conditions, i.e., extreme cold. It has been since it was first marketed by the oil companies. Yes, it will work ok--but no better than 5 or 10-30 in the vast majority of the US, and many feel not as well in high temps, ambient and due to traffic conditions. Check and see what Ferrari requires for their cars, seeing as how you love links, and the thought process of the guys who own them. http://www.ferrari-talk.com/discus/messages/5/5001.html. That isn't hearsay, but then nothing that I said was "hearsay," rather relying on information and belief. But as I'm a lawyer and you're not, I won't go there.

Out of the bottle viscosity is not the only criterion that matters for oil. Any lighter weight will flow well in hot weather. That's not the point. Shearing or breakdown at the molecular level is more critical in the real world. Look up Penzoil Platinum data for a good rundown on other factors. Or here's another link: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/oilshear.htm The US military in hot climates specs 10-30 or 10-40, specifically saying do not use 5 weight--much less 0, but then, what do they know? And, as posted on the PurESCAPE thread, what manufacturers claim in not necessarily the factual reality. Experience, and I have driven and raced hi-po cars for almost 40 years, is a better discriminator than marketing hype, at least to me. Most of your so called 'facts' are simply that: marketing hype. The thread wasn't started as an invitation to flame; you've made it that. Derogatory comments in your posts don't strengthen your position, just make you seem like a know it all, conceited ***, whether or not you intend it. You may be an engineer, but I work with PhDs, so your technical self proclaimed "knowledge" leaves me underwhelmed.

 

Why don't you like the oil that Chevrolet recommends?

 

Every one of your posts was spot on. In fact, 0W40 is standard fill in the SRT-10s. Times have changed and there are alot of new weights that we can use in our cars. I have even heard from one petroleum engineer that he uses diesel oil due to all of the additives. This guy is a petroleum engineer for Mobile.

 

Whiterock, from the BITOG link you gave
You do realize that M1 is a synthetic??

And you inquired
The US military uses non-synthetic oil from the lowest bidder that meets their unremarkable specs, primarily in diesel engines. That has no relationship to high quality synthetics. Last I was developing vehicles for the US military, they used 15W-40, not 10W-40.

Aha, you resort to the "I stayed at a Holiday in Express" argument.

 

I love these oil debates. After 29 years with "big oil" I have a hard time holding back. Rule #1 if it's under warranty do what the books says and my book for an 05 says 5W30 meeting GM4718M spec. After that do what you want. 5W30 and 10W30 have the same high temp vis. GM when selecting 5W30 as there prefered grade considered the benifits of 5W30 from a MPG stand point.