What does the W number oil mean?

What does the W number oil mean?

winter
The “w” in motor oil stands for winter. The first number in the oil classification refers to a cold weather viscosity. The lower this number is, the less viscous your oil will be at low temperatures. For example, a 5W- motor oil will flow better at lower temperatures than a 15W- motor oil.

What is thicker 10 W 40 or 10 W 30?

Engines that run high operating oil temperatures require higher viscosity oil. The difference between 10W-30 and a 10W-40 is the high temperature viscosity. Obviously, a 10W-40 is thicker than a 10W-30 at high temperature.

What do the numbers 10w40 mean?

The designation “10W-40” indicates a multigrade oil that is toward the low end of the SAE scale in cold weather, but at the upper end in hot conditions. 10W-40 oil is therefore good for a wide range of weather conditions.

What does the W stand for in 10W?

“W” stands for “winter.” When oil grades are hyphenated (i.e. 10W-30), this indicates range of viscosity attainable with this particular oil, namely it behaves like 10 weight oil (less viscous) when it is cold or “winter” and thanks to viscosity modifiers (manufacturer added oil additives), it will behave like 30 …

Can I use 10w40 instead of 5w30?

Your vehicle does not use 5W-30 oil. The recommended oil viscosity for your vehicle, according to Kia documentation, is 10W-40. If you drive the vehicle in exceptionally cold weather, well below 32 degrees, you can use 5W-30 oil but even 10W-40 is still perfectly OK to use if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.

What does the W in 5W 30 stand for?

5w30 is a motor oil that is widely used in light-duty petrol and diesel engines. The “W” stands for “winter,” the number preceding it indicates the oil’s viscosity (or thickness) at low temperatures (hence the W), and the number after it indicates viscosity at higher temperatures, when the engine is running.

Does 10W40 hurt 10W30 engine?

The basic fact that “40” is greater than “30” tells you that. If you were to put 10W40 in an engine designed for 10W30, the “thicker” oil would lead to friction in the engine and an increased load on the oil pump. The car would have to do more work to get the oil around the engine block.

Can you mix 10W 30 and 10W 40?

Mixing 10W30 with 10W40 Some say that mixing them is fine as long as you don’t live in freezing weather. Even if you put together synthetic and conventional blends of these motor oils, they show no harm to your vehicle.

What does the 10 in 10W40 mean?

The 10W represents the oil’s cold viscosity. Oils have a specified maximum viscosity at a cold temperature. The lower the W number is (“W” stands for Winter), the thinner the oil will be. In this case, a 10W rated oil will be thicker in winter than a 5W oil.

Which is better 10W40 or 20w40?

A 10 W 40 oil will have the viscosity of a 10 Grade oil when cold and that of a 40 Grade oil when hot. A 20 W 40 oil can replace a 10 W 40 if your winter / cold temperatures are not too low. A 10W 40 will afford better lubrication and performance over a wider temperature range than a 20W 40 oil.

What is the W in 10W30?

The “W” that you see on oil labels stands for the word winter because this portion of the label shows the viscosity level of oil when an engine is cold. Motor oil that is thinner can flow more easily and faster. This is important because when you start a cold engine, the oil needs to lubricate the equipment quickly.

What does the W stand for in SAE 10W30?

Oils with 10W-30 and other similar designations are referred to as multi-viscosity oils. The W stands for winter not weight and there is a standard called the SAE Viscosity Grades for Engine Oils – SAE J300. This means that when your engine is cold the lower the W number the easier the oil will flow.