i think i clicked the wrong damn type when i ordered my amsoil online. i got 5w30. and i'm not familiar with what the 5w and 10w mean and the 30 or 40 whatever.

my question is: in the desert where it gets 100 degrees on average or higher in the summer, is 5w30 sufficient? or should i get some 10w30?

 

If I were in the desert, I'd choose 10w40.

5w30 will work just fine though.

 

The first # is the weight of the oil cold, so 10-30 and 5-30 are the same viscosity hot. Don't sweat it.

 

so if i were on who wants to be a millionaire and the question was "is it OK to use 5w30 oil in my 98 USDM ITR motor in the desert averaging 100 degrees?" and i used a 50/50 to eliminate 2 of my answers leaving me with yes and no. if i were to use my 'ask the audience' then i would end up with 85% or so saying yes???

lol, sorry for the elaborance of this, just trying to finalize my decision.

 

yes it will hold up. amsoil is a top quality synthetic. it is on thicker end of the 30wt. scale which gives it a cushion before the viscosity breaks down to a 20wt. gernerally oils with the ACEA A3 rating retains their viscosity very well b/c they are thick and are expected to last the extended drain intervals that some euro automarkers demand of their cars (some over 10,000miles).

ill give you a short list of 30wt. oils that meet ACEA A3 specs (specifically MB 229.3, excluding 40wt. oils):
Amsoil SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (mail order)
Amsoil 10W-30 Synthetic (mail order)
Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 Heavy Duty Diesel (mail order)
Castrol Formula SLX 0W-30 (german syntec 0w-30, autozone)
Castrol TXT SOFTEC PLUS SAE 5W-30 (bmw high performance syn. 5w-30)
Esso Ultron 0W-30 fuel economy
Fuchs Titan SuperSyn SL SAE 0W-30
Havoline Synthetic DS 0W-30
Pentosin Pentospeed 0W-30 VS
Schaeffer Micron Moly 5W-30 (mail order)
Schaeffer Supreme 7000 5W-30, 10W-30 (mail order)
Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower MXL 0W-30
Veedol SYNTRON SAE 0W-30

i think these are the best 30wt. motor oils available. all of them are synthetic oils except for Schaeffer's 7000 (blend) and micron moly (dino). most are only available in europe.

 

I am sure amsoil will do.

I know they eat all the oil out there but it's pain in the *** to get it all the time: there's not too many places that carry them. but if you have good access to them . go for it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ejprimo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ill give you a short list of 30wt. oils that meet ACEA A3 specs (specifically MB 229.3, excluding 40wt. oils):
Amsoil SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (mail order)
Amsoil 10W-30 Synthetic (mail order)
Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 Heavy Duty Diesel (mail order)
Castrol Formula SLX 0W-30 (german syntec 0w-30, autozone)
Castrol TXT SOFTEC PLUS SAE 5W-30 (bmw high performance syn. 5w-30)
Esso Ultron 0W-30 fuel economy
Fuchs Titan SuperSyn SL SAE 0W-30
Havoline Synthetic DS 0W-30
Pentosin Pentospeed 0W-30 VS
Schaeffer Micron Moly 5W-30 (mail order)
Schaeffer Supreme 7000 5W-30, 10W-30 (mail order)
Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower MXL 0W-30
Veedol SYNTRON SAE 0W-30

i think these are the best 30wt. motor oils available. all of them are synthetic oils except for Schaeffer's 7000 (blend) and micron moly (dino). most are only available in europe. </TD></TR></TABLE>

MOTUL did not make the list above?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by citrEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i think i clicked the wrong damn type when i ordered my amsoil online. i got 5w30. and i'm not familiar with what the 5w and 10w mean and the 30 or 40 whatever.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The higher the number, the thicker the viscosity. With a multi-viscosity oil, the first number gives the viscosity when the oil is cold, and the second number gives the viscosity when the oil is warmed up.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by citrEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my question is: in the desert where it gets 100 degrees on average or higher in the summer, is 5w30 sufficient? or should i get some 10w30?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your owner's manual is the most reliable resource for information about your car. If you don't have one, you can buy one here.

If you had tried looking there, you would find that Honda recommends that you use 5W30 oil. 5W30 is preferred at all temperatures. Even at warmer temperatures, where 10W30 is also acceptable, 5W30 is preferred over 10W30, according to the manual.

 

30 is recommended to keep the waste more clean. It`s the minimum viscosity required. A high revving engine runs more safe with a higher rate than 30. It`s your choice to take the lowest possible number or if you take the better stuff (like 10W60).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITR5874 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">30 is recommended to keep the waste more clean. It`s the minimum viscosity required. A high revving engine runs more safe with a higher rate than 30. It`s your choice to take the lowest possible number or if you take the better stuff (like 10W60).</TD></TR></TABLE>

A higher number means that the oil is thicker. It does NOT mean that it is better or safer.

The engineers who designed the ITR recommend 5W30 for a reason. They do NOT recommend using a thicker oil; obviously, THEY do not believe the engine is better with a thicker oil. You can follow Honda's recommendation, or ignore it. But I would never never never believe someone who claims that the car runs safer by ignoring the advice of the folks who designed and built the car.

Also, those whose cars are still under warranty should keep in mind that warranty coverage will be excluded for any problems that are caused by using fluids other than those specified in the manual. They're not going to cover a problem if you say you were using the wrong fluids because someone on the internet said so.

Check your owner's manual yourself, before you decide whether to contradict its recommendations. Believe what you want, and use what you want; it's your car. I'm following Honda's recommendations for mine.

 

alright guys, thanks for the input. i've learned a bit and now have a better understanding as to the weights of oil. then again i guess i coulda not wasted your time w/ my gameshow antics and just gone to howstuffworks.com and typed in "oil weights".

thanks again for the info. i can always rely on h-t.

 

Honda recommends 7500 mile oil changes too, do you follow those?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Justin Klemgold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Honda recommends 7500 mile oil changes too, do you follow those?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, absolutely. Honda recommends a maximum oil change interval of 7500 miles (or 6-12 months, depending on year), and I change my oil even more frequently. Therefore I am following their recommendation with my oil change intervals.

P.S. Don't be a dick.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Justin Klemgold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Honda recommends 7500 mile oil changes too, do you follow those?</TD></TR></TABLE>

there's a section in the owners manual that talks about oil change intervals for more rigorous driving conditions... i follow that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

there's a section in the owners manual that talks about oil change intervals for more rigorous driving conditions... i follow that.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I change my oil every 300-400 miles or so...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I change my oil every 300-400 miles or so...</TD></TR></TABLE>

because j00 a ricer.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

because j00 a ricer.</TD></TR></TABLE>

can't argue with that.

 

I change my oyl every other track weekend. I think...

 

might also have something to do with those races.

 

race warz must be pretty hard on the mota

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

A higher number means that the oil is thicker. It does NOT mean that it is better or safer.

The engineers who designed the ITR recommend 5W30 for a reason. They do NOT recommend using a thicker oil; obviously, THEY do not believe the engine is better with a thicker oil. You can follow Honda's recommendation, or ignore it. But I would never never never believe someone who claims that the car runs safer by ignoring the advice of the folks who designed and built the car.

Also, those whose cars are still under warranty should keep in mind that warranty coverage will be excluded for any problems that are caused by using fluids other than those specified in the manual. They're not going to cover a problem if you say you were using the wrong fluids because someone on the internet said so.

Check your owner's manual yourself, before you decide whether to contradict its recommendations. Believe what you want, and use what you want; it's your car. I'm following Honda's recommendations for mine.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
FYI. Honda Europe does NOT recommend 0W-30 or 10W-30 oil for the ITR. Not in the User manual. It's a thing in the USA.
In the Euro ITR user manual you can find a diagram showing which grade oil you should choose depending on the ambient temperature.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I change my oil every 300-400 miles or so...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Chad changes his oil with the motors! J/k!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">race warz must be pretty hard on the mota </TD></TR></TABLE>

Whats a mota? I thought you used Moters in racez.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats a mota? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Nothin, whats the matter with j00?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Whats a mota? I thought you used Moters in racez.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I currently only have 1/2 a motor....