What is W and T in engine oil
Andrew Vasquez
Published Apr 21, 2026
Here the W stands for Winter and represents how the oil will react to a cold start. … Tells us how the oil will flow in cold conditions. The smaller the number, the better will be the flow. For instance, a 5W-30 oil will have a better cold flow than 10W-30 engine oil.
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.
Which oil is thicker 5w20 or 5W-30?
A. When it comes to their higher operating temperature performance, 5W30 motor oil performs slightly better than 5W-20 and is a thicker oil than its counterpart. 5W30 motor oil would be more robust and not break down very easily at a higher temperature.
What does the W stand for in 10W-30?
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.What is W in 20w40 oil?
The first number, which is always followed by the letter W, describes the low temperature behavior of the oil at start up while the second number describes the high temperature behavior of the oil after the engine has been running for some time.
Can I use 10w30 instead of 5w30?
Most oils will mix perfectly, provided they have a similar synthetic. Therefore, there is no problem in mixing 10w30 and 5w30 since one will be topping up. Mixing the viscosity of oils will not have any effect on the engine. 5w30 and 10w30 engine oils have close viscosity, and thus there is no harm in mixing them.
Can I use 10W-40 instead of 10W30?
Similarly, SAE 10W-40 motor oil performs well in cold weather conditions. It has the same low-temperature limits as the 10W-30 but is better in higher temperatures. … Either 10W30 or 10W40 for summer use is fine; however, 10W-40 motor oil will better protect your engine.
Can I substitute 5w20 for 5w30?
5W-30 and 5W-20 motor oil both feature the same winter rating. This means that both grades exhibit the same viscosity under cold conditions. … You also risk engine damage when using 5W-30 instead of 5W-20, as the internal engine components are specifically designed to be used with 5W-20 motor oil.Can I use 5w40 instead of 5w30?
There’s not going to be much functional difference between a 5w-30 and 5w-40 as there’s a lot of functional overlap in the recommendations. The lower weight might yield better efficiency under light load operating conditions, but higher weight might yield better protection under higher load operating conditions.
What does W stand for in 15w40 oil?Since most heavy-duty oil is multi viscosity, we will concentrate on the two-number system. In 15W-40, the first number on the left (15 here) represents the cold temperature viscosity and contains the letter “W” (which stands for winter, engineers are so creative).
Article first time published onIs Thicker oil better for older engines?
Newer vehicles can utilize thinner oils for faster lubrication of new engine parts. In contrast, older, high-mileage engines benefit from thicker oils to prevent friction and oil loss.
Is 10W 30 oil the same as SAE 30?
SAE 10w30 oil has 10w thickness at low temperatures, but SAE 30 is at high temperatures. … In the straight SAE, 30 doesn’t and can have immense Viscosity and helpless pumpability at low temperatures. As SAE 10w30 is not thick in low temperature, while SAE 30 is in high temperature.
Is 5W20 good for winter?
5W20 motor oil is another low-temperature grade typically recommended for winter use, with a 10W-30 as an alternative for higher temperatures. This oil type is common because it provides the best fuel economy, saves fuel consumption, and has fewer exhaust emissions.
Can I put 10w30 instead of 5W20?
Originally Answered: Can I put 10w30 instead of 5w20? You can, but you will get worse mileage, and in most cases shorten the life of your engine, as it will take longer to pump up pressure for your bearings and lifters, and won’t spray your lower cylinders for an extra second or so on each cold start.
What car uses 5W-20?
For model year 2001 and Newer: Ford, Honda, Chrysler and other OEM’s specify 5W-20 and 0W-20 motor oil for most all cars and light trucks.
Which oil is better 10w30 or 20W40?
20w40 is thicker at high temperatures (normal operating condition of engine) compared to 10w30. For proper lubrication at operating temperatures high viscosity is desirable. So 20w40 will be good compared to 10w30 at normal operating conditions.
Can I use 15w50 instead of 20W40?
There won’t be much changes or problems in changing 15W-50 grade to 20W-40 but as days passes it might bring slight changes to your engine due to different viscosity in both oils.It is recommended to use the same lube oil so that you can enjoy the benefits for some more extra years.
What if we use 20W40 instead of 10w30?
20w 40 is a thicker oil when compared to the original 10w 30 oil. So 10w 30 oil is going to flow better than 20w40 oil when you initially start it and also run it. If the oil flows better the better the oil will lubricate and protect engine parts.
Is it bad to put 10W40 in a 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.
Is 10W40 better for older engines?
As oil passages in older engines wear down from friction and widen, a higher viscosity oil will, theoretically, lubricate the engine better. So, you’d think that switching to 10W-40 might be a better option for your older engine than 10W-30 motor oil. But it really depends on how old your car is.
What happens when you use 10W40 instead of 5W30?
If you use 10-w-40 instead of 5-w-30 specified by the manufacturer then the viscosity of 10-w-40 used by you will be higher and oil thicker than what is specified during winters. Similarly the oil viscosity will be higher and oil thicker than specified during summers.
Is 10w30 good for winter?
A 10W flows well in cold weather, to protect the engine at start up, but it’s is too thin for use in the summer. A 30 grade oil, thick enough to protect in the heat, was recommended for summer use. … A 10W-30 had the winter cold start flow properties of a 10W and the summer, high-temperature thickness of a 30 grade.
Can the wrong oil mess up your engine?
Using the wrong oil can lead to reduced lubrication and shorter engine life. If the manual says to use synthetic oil, do so. Contrary to what some believe, adding synthetic oil to regular oil won’t harm the engine, but there’s also no benefit in doing so.
Can I use 20w50 instead of 5w30?
20w50 is actually thicker than 5w30. This will result in less fuel efficiency, less horsepower, and more engine damage because it will have to work harder to rotate. Trust the engineers that made your vehicle.
Is 5w40 good for summer?
5w30 can be used by different type of vehicles and in different range of temperatures, but is ideal for colder temperatures. 5w40 is often used in higher mileage engine sand performs better in warmer temperatures.
What is the difference between C2 and C3 oil?
C3: Again, Mid SAPS-Level, the main difference between C2 & C3 engine oils are C3’s are designed to be capable of using oils with a minimum HTHS Viscosity of 3.5 mPa*s.
Who makes BMW oil?
Who makes BMW Group Engine Oil? bp (the manufacturer of the Castrol brand) was recently selected to resume supply of BMW Group Engine Oil in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Castrol had been the supplier over a 14-year span and has resumed supply as of February 2021.
Can you mix 5w20 and 10w30 oil?
It should be fine, considering the temps, and that the suggested oil viscosity is usually 5W-30, so two quarts of 5W-20 and three of 10W-30 probably come pretty close to some viscosity around 5W-30.
Can I use 0w 20 oil instead of 5w20?
Yes, you can use 0w-20 low viscosity full synthetic formulation oil instead of 5w-20 to optimize fuel economy. This Ow-20 engine oil is thinner, good for cars driven in places where the weather is very cold in the Winter. At operating temperatures, there’s no difference – they are both 20 “weight” oils.
Can I use 5w20 in my lawn mower?
5w20 oil is not usually a good option for lawn mower engines because it is so thin and it may not adequately lubricate the engine parts. This may damage your lawnmower or cause it to overheat.
Which is better 10W40 or 15W40?
A 10W40 oil will be thicker in the cold than 15W40 oil, but they will have the same viscosities at higher temperatures. … Hence, a car will start with fewer cranks when holding oil of a lower winter weight. 10W40 oil will perform cold starts better than 15W40 oil.