How Do You Read This Graph?

[KDXSR5]

First of all, mods if this is in the wrong section, move it. I figured it wasn't an engine mod, so it would go here, because it is still about 4wd.

How do you interpret this graph? I see it as 5w-30 is good from 35 degrees and down and 10w-30 as -10 on up. I run 5w-30 during winter, and 10w-30 during the rest of the year. How do you interpret this graph?

[WHITE_TRASH]

I can explain it to you or make your life easy.  If you want life to be easy run 10w30 all year long and don't look back.

[KDXSR5]

Please explain it to me, I would like to know. I drive in temp ranges from -40 to 100, so let me know everything there is to know about it please.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Ok.. the arrows each represent a viscosity range.  The direction that the arrows point shows what temp range that viscosity should be used in.  Now if I had to guess I'd say the farther down the graph you go the less severe the driving.  If you run in super high temps and drive pretty hard they would suggest a high viscosity than you would need if you were jsut putting around the trailer park.

[KDXSR5]

SO the arrow indicates the temp range for the given oils. You use the higher viscosity oils depending upon how hard you drive the truck within the given temp range. Am I correct in assuming this is what you are trying to tell me?

[WHITE_TRASH]

Yes, your assumption based upon my assumption is correct...

[KDXSR5]

haha, well at least your assumption makes sence to me. I wonder how others interpret this thing... anyone else?

[zuksarge]

I agree with your assumption. the old school way I was taught was the harder and hotter you ran it the "heavier" the oil, but I'm gettin old

[WHITE_TRASH]

Although there is a new school out there....  I was watching Nopivision drag races a while back and one of the top kids said they had issues with rod bearings going away at high rpm/boost levels so they started running 5wt full synthetic at 75 psi and the bearings looked great every time they pulled the engine apart....  I was impressed, on a normal engine that would wipe out the bearings in about a minute of running. 

[boggerunner]

ive got a worn out 22re running 20w50 all the time, been milkin it for months till the 7mge/t goes in

[WHITE_TRASH]

When I started hearing a little rattle down low in my re I dumped a bit over a quart of 85/90 in there to try and shut it up.. no dice, they spun like all hell anyway... made it back to the trailer though.

[79coyotefrg]

Todd,  you  shouldnt run  5w30  at temps over 50* F

in my 22R  i run 10w40  in the winter (might see zero 1 or 2 mornings,  mostly in the 20*- 60f*  range)  then summer (may thru october here) i run 20w50,  anything  less and  it  rattles in the extreme heat

btw  july and august here  is usually  110*  with 50-90% humidity

[79coyotefrg]

10w40  is a  good  choice  from ranges of 30*  to 70*


and  your in Wyoming,  how many days do you see 100* ??  unless you were towing or  driving REALLY hard  10w40   would be  all you would ever need during your summer months

which  for you i would think would be  late june thre end of august

[Huhwhye]

I wouldn't even look at that chart.  You have to remember that chart is based on out of date specs.  Oils have come a long way and you can't compare that old SF spec to the current offerings from oil companies.  What wouldn't work 20 years ago works today.

Just to throw a wrench into the mix.  Different brands are not equivalent.  One brands 10w30 could be "thinner" than a 5w30 even in the same brand, and especially in different brands.  And some 5w30's will provide as much viscosity as some 10w40's.  You can find data for oils if you know where to look to compare viscosity.

Basically what I'm saying is those numbers are a "guideline" and don't tell you much.  If you want specifics  you will have to do your research.  I suggest going to www.bobistheoilguy.com and check their forum.  Many have posted results for various engine/oil/mileage combos.  And you can find tests of virgin oil to know what you are getting for you dollars.  More than you ever wanted to know about oil.

Personally I'd run a 5w30 synthetic year round and forget about it.  But I'm from the new school.  I see nothing wrong with running that at all temps.

[JanMarie13]

As a very literal interpretation of the graph, it is saying:

5W-30 is good for anything 50* F and colder

10W-30/40/50 is good for temps -10* F and warmer

If it never gets below 10* F you can go with 15W-40, 20W-40 or 20W-50

So if I had no other knowledge than that graph, and I drove in temps ranging from -40* F to 100* F, I would run 5W-30 in the winter until the temps started getting up around 50, then switch to 10W-30.  Then when winter started coming again and temps started getting below 50, I'd go back to 5W-30.

There....there's a girl explanation for ya. 

[KDXSR5]

As a very literal interpretation of the graph, it is saying:

5W-30 is good for anything 50* F and colder

10W-30/40/50 is good for temps -10* F and warmer

If it never gets below 10* F you can go with 15W-40, 20W-40 or 20W-50

So if I had no other knowledge than that graph, and I drove in temps ranging from -40* F to 100* F, I would run 5W-30 in the winter until the temps started getting up around 50, then switch to 10W-30.  Then when winter started coming again and temps started getting below 50, I'd go back to 5W-30.

There....there's a girl explanation for ya. 

and thats exactly what I do I will respond to others later, I have no time

[KDXSR5]

Ok, now I have some time to respond.

Todd,  you  shouldnt run  5w30  at temps over 50* F

in my 22R  i run 10w40  in the winter (might see zero 1 or 2 mornings,  mostly in the 20*- 60f*  range)  then summer (may thru october here) i run 20w50,  anything  less and  it  rattles in the extreme heat

btw  july and august here  is usually  110*  with 50-90% humidity

10w40  is a  good  choice  from ranges of 30*  to 70*


and  your in Wyoming,  how many days do you see 100* ??  unless you were towing or  driving REALLY hard  10w40   would be  all you would ever need during your summer months

which  for you i would think would be  late june thre end of august

Ok I don't run the 5w-30 over about 40 degrees, just during winter. Like I said earlier, I use 10w-30 for the rest of the year.

During the summer we have seen 100* for two weeks straight before. Usually it stays around 90-95 max, and no humidity at all (I hate humidity)

Yes I do two a lot, thats why my rear springs are shot. I tow a lot and drive it hard during the summer, because that is when I am working out at the ranch. I have also towed 7 ATVs with this truck before, so I guess I do kinda work this truck hard.

I dunno when summer really is around here, I would say spring ends and summer begins around late may early june and goes to about august, you were pretty darn close.

I wouldn't even look at that chart.  You have to remember that chart is based on out of date specs.  Oils have come a long way and you can't compare that old SF spec to the current offerings from oil companies.  What wouldn't work 20 years ago works today.

Just to throw a wrench into the mix.  Different brands are not equivalent.  One brands 10w30 could be "thinner" than a 5w30 even in the same brand, and especially in different brands.  And some 5w30's will provide as much viscosity as some 10w40's.  You can find data for oils if you know where to look to compare viscosity.

Basically what I'm saying is those numbers are a "guideline" and don't tell you much.  If you want specifics  you will have to do your research.  I suggest going to www.bobistheoilguy.com and check their forum.  Many have posted results for various engine/oil/mileage combos.  And you can find tests of virgin oil to know what you are getting for you dollars.  More than you ever wanted to know about oil.

Personally I'd run a 5w30 synthetic year round and forget about it.  But I'm from the new school.  I see nothing wrong with running that at all temps.

I have been to that site many times. I even did a 15 min speech all from info I learned on there. I run valvoline max-life semi-syn because of what I have read on there (and other places). I do not know yet what I will run in my rebuilt engine, probably just the regular valvoline. My engine does tend to get noisey if I run the 5w-30 above about 40 degrees, so I switch to 10w30 in march or april depending upon how my service schedule works out. It id dtill snowing here, so I wont switch for a while.

[bigarms23]

just stick with 10 40 its a all around good oil

[KDXSR5]

just stick with 10 40 its a all around good oil

way to heavy for below zero. Even the 10w-30 provides very hard starting around and below zero, thats why I run the 5w-30.

[brainlessfool]

Left to right, DUH! 

[zuksarge]

What is the opinion between regular and synthetic. I am running an older 1.6 litre on synthetic and it seems to do well. Just wondering what other opinions are

[WHITE_TRASH]

Ive always ran dino.  I changed the oil over to some royal purple and within 2 hours spun 2 rod bearings... theory is that the high detergent knocked a bunch of crap loose which I found clogging my oil pump pickup tube.....



Once the new engine is broken in its going to run pure mobile 1.

[KDXSR5]

Once the new engine is broken in its going to run pure mobile 1.

I am rebuilding an engine right now. What is the advantages of Mobil 1 over say Valvoline? Are you gonna run dino again in this one? Just curious to see what works well for others.

[Huhwhye]

I have had really good luck with Mobil1.  Run it in my cars/trucks/bikes.  I have to admit I don't keep up with the latest and greatest oils.  And I don't know about Valvoline's synthetic offerings.  I know Maxlife is supposed to be really good stuff but isn't that a semi-syn?  I like running a full syn because I extend my drains a bit.

With oils, someone always has something new.  But my analysis has shown great results with Mobil1 and I'm sticking with a formula that I know works for me.  I'm sure there are other oils that will perform equally well.  In the past I have tried Amsoil with good results, but the cost and PITA getting some pushed me to Mobil1.  It's easy because everyone carries locally.

I haven't had my 4runner long enough to verify good results but my plan is to use my friends formula which is 10-12k intervals of M1 5w30EP on a Taco 3.4.  He gets excellent results with that.  Been on that formula for a while and he's over 130k on an '04.

[KDXSR5]

And I don't know about Valvoline's synthetic offerings.  I know Maxlife is supposed to be really good stuff but isn't that a semi-syn?  I like running a full syn because I extend my drains a bit.

Yeah, its a semi-syn. Even with that stuff I change it every three months, not really because it needs it, but because I am kind of anal about it. I think I might run valvoline conventional for breaking in my engine, then after about 15000 switch to valvoline synthetic, then once it gets up there in the miles, switch back to max-life again.

[highridin4x4]

I Also like mobil1 because most car manufactures will use it. In there spec sheet for 10w30 they show it viscosity at -40C it does not give a temp range though.

This was taken from there site:
Mobil 1 10W-30 is the most advanced performance synthetic engine oil designed to provide the cleaning power, wear protection and performance reserve to keep engines running smooth and clean. Mobil 1 10W-30 exceeds the requirements of the latest industry standards required by newer modern gasoline and diesel powered automobile engines. Mobil 1 10W Technology is approved and the first choice by premium car manufacturers including Aston Martin, Bentley, Cadillac, Corvette, Dodge Viper, Mercedes Benz, Pontiac, Porsche.


Scott

[WHITE_TRASH]

I chose mobil 1 based on its good rep and the fact that I can get a 5 quart jug of it at wally world for under $15

[Huhwhye]

$15???

Dude that is cheap.  I think I'm paying twice that.

[DTB]

$15???

Dude that is cheap.  I think I'm paying twice that.

x2 i was thinking the same thing!

[Cheesemaker]

I run 30W Delo 400.  It's designed for non-roller rocker motors, and has a higher Zinc content and something else that older style engines need.  I wish they carried 10W40.  And 15w40 would be a bit much.