what's difference between 10w-30 and 5w-30 engine oil?

Answer 1

the thickness in the oil..

Answer 2

The w is the weight or thicknes. the 30 or 40 is the viscosity grade. If you are burning lots of oil or have an older car, you might want to use 10w but the same viscosity. In Southern California where I live the weight is not as important, but if you live on the north pole, the 5w makes it easier to start, and you get better milage (I think). For new cars or cars under warranty you should only use the recommended oil by the manufacturer.

Answer 3

The viscosity

Viscosity Index (or VI) is a petroleum industry term. It is a lubricating oil quality indicator, an arbitrary measure for the change of kinematic viscosity with temperature. The viscosity of liquids decreases as temperature increases. The viscosity of a lubricant is closely related to its ability to reduce friction. Generally, you want the thinnest liquid/oil which still forces the two moving surfaces apart. If the lubricant is too thick, it will require a lot of energy to move the surfaces (think treacle); if it is too thin, the surfaces will rub and friction will increase.

As stated above, the Viscosity Index highlights how a lubricant's viscosity changes with variations in temperature. Many lubricant applications require the lubricant to perform across a wide range of conditions: for example, in an engine. Automotive lubricants must reduce friction between engine components when it is started from cold (~10°C) as well as when it is running (up to 200°C). The best oils (with the highest VI) will not vary much in viscosity over such a temperature range and therefore will perform well throughout.

The VI scale was set up by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The temperatures chosen arbitrarily for reference are 100 °Fahrenheit (40 °C) and 210 °F (100 °C). The original scale only stretched between VI=0 (worst oil) and VI=100 (best oil) but since the conception of the scale better oils have also been produced, leading to VIs>100 (see below). The worst oils at the time of the scale's creation were those derived from American Gulf Coast crude oil and the best from the Pennsylvania region.

VI improver additives and higher quality base oils are widely used nowadays which increase the VIs attainable beyond the value of 100. The Viscosity Index of synthetic fluids ranges from 80 to 400.

Answer 4

10w-30 and 5w-30 are both 30 weights at operating temp...., while the 10w-30 is better for higher heat due to having less volume index improvers..... 5w-30 gives the better cold flow..... which means less startup wear on the engine.

5winter-30 5w-30 acts like a 5 weight in the cold.

Answer 5

5w 30 is thinner than the 10w 30 engine oil

Answer 6

About 5 w's

Answer 7

the smaller the number the thicker the oil , so a oil that is 5 w 30 means when it is cool it is a 5 weight oil , but when heated it thins to a 30 weight oil from engine heat. so the difference is that the cool thickness on the 5 w 30 is thicker then the 10 w 30 cool .

Answer 8

DISREGARD ALL OTHER ANSWERS. THE "30" part is the viscosity rating, not the 10/5. Everyone else is wrong.

one sets up (becomes too thick to run) at 10 degrees F, and the other at 5 degrees. That means that the 5w-30 is better for very cold climates. simple.

Answer 9

For satisfactory lubrication of the engine the oil should possess some functional properties of which viscosity of oil is one of the most important properties, as it brings out the oil’s capacity to lubricate. Viscosity is the measure of oil’s resistance to flow. An oil’s viscosity is identified by its SAE’s (Society for Automotive Engineer’s) number. The thinner and oil, lower its number, e.g. SAE 10 W. The numerical relates to viscosity at particular temperature and the alphabet ‘W’, indicates the oil’s suitability for colder temperature. With the viscosity index improver, the viscosity increses at higher temperature and at lower temperature it does not increase significantly, thus achieving optimum viscosity at lower and higher temperature. Such oils are called multigrade oils, for instance ‘20 W40’ shows thinness at low temperature and thickness at higher temperature.

Answer 10

5 is the weigh 30 is viscosity sae 30 is thicker than 20/50 sae 30 is 30 weight 30 vicosityhope this helps

Answer 11

5w-30 is a little heavier oil.....or vice versa. One is a hevier weight for different machinery. Like trucks or tractors. they have the 30 weight too. it is like for lawnmower engines and such...