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 is the difference between 10 30 and 10/40 Oriole?

A weight of 30 when hot is very common, and ideal for many engines — but if you’re having problems with engine wear or leaks, the 10W40 oil will provide more protection for a running engine, and escape through leaks more slowly.

Which is thicker 10 W 30 or 10W40?

10W40 oil has a higher viscosity, retaining more thickness than 10W30 as the temperature rises. In that case, 10W-40 motor oil would technically provide better protection against engine wear contact in higher temperatures.

How do you read engine oil grade?

In a 5W-30 for example, the number before the W describes the viscosity of the oil at low temperatures. The lower the number, the thinner the oil and the better the oil’s cold temperature/ cold start performance. The number after the W describes how thick the oil is at the engine’s normal operating temperature.

Can I run 10W40 instead of 10W50?

10w40 vs 10w50 10W-40 and 10W-50 engine oils are essentially made from the same base stocks and do not perform differently when used interchangeably in a vehicle that takes one or the other, as long as that vehicle was designed to take either grade of oil.

Is 10W40 better than 20w50?

The smaller number, (the 20 part of 20w-50) describes how the oil behaves at 40 deg C and a 20w at 40 deg C is about 10 times thicker than your engine wants. A 10w-40 is better at around 6 times thicker and a 0w-40 is much better at about 4 times thicker.

What does 10W-40 mean in motor oil?

In short, if you see an expression such as 10W-40, the oil is a multigrade which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades, in this case 10W and 40.

What does 10W 40 oil mean?

The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100°C. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits. Once again the lower the number, the thinner the oil: a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100°C etc.

What is 5w40 motor oil?

Characteristics of 5W-40 Motor Oil. 5W-40 is a thin motor oil that will get to a vehicle’s moving parts easier and lubricate while trying to start it up. The “40” indicates this is a bit thicker than the average motor oil, which is usually 30 for most cars, and it lubricates the engine more than average while it is hot.