I recently had a oil change and used 10w-30 instead of 5w-30 motor oil. I notice a decrease in gas mileage. Anyone else have the same problem???

 

I know you can lose like 5 whp, i'm not sure about the mileage (probable though)

 

is it bad to switch from 10w30 to 5w30?

 

Yes, I did the same thing...switched from 5W-30 to 10W-30. Reason: Shortage of dam 5W-30. All the good **** was strictly 10W-30.

The mileage has gone from 320 for a full tank to 270-280.

As soon as I can find some 5W-30, I need to switch back.

 

no its not bad to switch - I use full synthetic 5w-30 in the late spring, summer, and early fall and 10w-30 in the winter

 

10w-30 is just a little thicker. Most places use it since it makes the engine run smoother.

You can switch between the two no problem......

 

wouldn't you want to use 5w30 in the winter and 10w30 in summer?

 

yes. I would if i were in you guys' shoes.

I'm stuck using 15w-50. going from 0w-30 to 15w-50 didn't cost my car any whp loss...but it did cause a decrease in oil consumption!

 

yea my car burns about a quart and a half, between oil changes, if not a little more

 

I use 10w30 synthetic,car feels smooth,and burns around 1/2 quart after 3k.

 

Now, maybe I just have it all backwards, but once 10w30 and 5w30 are all warmed up, they are identical. I mean, the first # is the cold viscosity, the second # is the hot viscosity. Only difference between the two is that 10w30 is a little thicker when it is cold. So unless the majority of your driving is with the engine cold, don't see how it could affect mileage. Mileage changes could be from many things... driving style, type or roads your own, whether is rush hour... tons of things.

 

yup.

hammer on the head of the nail.

 

OK, you're from CA, let me explain something. It's fu**ing cold outside anywhere where there is snow, and it takes a damn while for the car to warm up, as in a good 10-15 minutes of driving. So you run crappy sludge for that amount of time. That in itself, I'm sure, is enough to screw the mileage up.

 

Then if that's your situation, there is an easy solution: just put in 5w30 and quit b*tchin.

 

I am not bitching, I said it's fu**ing cold outside, how is that bitching; it's a statement that's all. I think you need to relax, and not make conclusions which don't make sense (ie: the car warms up the minute you turn the key).

 

Damn, you had me second guessing my last oil change for a second. But I went to the Mobil 1 website, and here's what it said for 5W-30:

Mobil 1 Tri-Synthetic Formula 5W-30 helps to ensure cold-weather start-ups. Its synthetic formula keeps the oil flowing even at -50° F, providing unmatched performance.

And surely enough, it didn't say that for 10W-30. I think it may be time to switch your oils around. The 5W-30 is more viscous when cold, hence the reason why you want it in there when it's cold; the engine doesn't work as hard


[Modified by 98SILVERGSR, 3:50 PM 1/19/2002]

 

just use 5w-30 if possible. btw, my car doesn't burn anything b/w oil changes. my engine is in very good condition, dont know about my tranny though.

 

I don't know, went back to 5w-30(4qts of Quaker state 5w-30 for $3.96, sale price) and filled up on gas and drove again. Car gets back normal gas mileage like before, so I presume 10w-30 does eat up a little more gas. What a waste though, only drove 300 miles on the 10w-30 oil........

 

Yes, 10w30 oil will cause a decrease in gas mileage WHILE the engine is cold. Once the oil is heated to full operating temperature, 5w30 and 10w30 will give you the same performance. This is why Acura recommends 5w30 oil. 5w30 gives a higher MPG which keeps the tree huggers happier.

Oh...and 2000-4DRGSR, you've got it backwards. You should be using 5w30 in the winter and 10w30 in the summer. The 10w30 will give you better engine protection in warmer temperatures. The 5w30 gives you better protection on freezing cold starts. Check your owner's manual and you'll see the same recommendation.



[Modified by Shmeek, 8:00 AM 1/9/2002]

 

so i wasn't the only one who noticed my car loss power and made more noise with that cheap *** 10w-30 oil.


b18a93

 

I have 195,000 on my 94...what kind of oil should I use?!? 10w-40?

 

I use 5w-30 synth. year round, and have tracked fuel economy with every tank of gas I've put in the car since new. Cold weather means decreased gas mileage.

10w-30 might be causing some of it for you, but I would say that colder weather could just as easily cause most or all of it. You may simply notice it more this time because you were paying attention to it after the oil change.

Just a bit of info for ya.

 

remember this too they use they cleaner burning gas in the winter, so everyone should see a decrease in gas milage. Plus you usually tend to warm your car up, increasing the time the engine is running and your not moving.

 

i went to jiffy lube one time with my sisters car (92 honda accord 140,xxx mi) when i came to pick it up and looked at the invoice it says that they put in 10w30 instead of 5w30. i asked on of the lube tech guys and he told me that it's better to use a thicker oil if you have a high mileage car. i noticed a little difference with the engine noise being a little bit quieter than before but i dont know about the performance stand point.

 

in my personal experience, i got better milage using the thicker oil. I heard its only bad when you switch from synthetic to normal oil. my shop recomended using the half syn half norm oil.. agian this was my experience