0W30 or 5W30

[Clan]

Originally Posted by darroch

Well the debate was informative. I have low miles (40k) xc60 with the 2.4 diesel. My miles will be 7k a year. I plumped for the Mobil 3000 x1 FE 5w30 and will change every 12 months.

why not use the recommended 0w/30 grade ?
you are compromising you fuel economy and emissions for one thing and flow through the piston cooling jets will be lower .

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Clan

why not use the recommended 0w/30 grade ?
you are compromising you fuel economy and emissions for one thing and flow through the piston cooling jets will be lower .

By what factor will they be compromised please?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

By what factor will they be compromised please?

I'm no oil development technician , but It will be to some small factor . I just wonder why choose to use an oil not recommended by the manufacturer ...

There maybe some markets in the world where it is recommended by Volvo , but in the UK it's not ... 👍

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Clan

I'm no oil development technician , but It will be to some small factor . I just wonder why choose to use an oil not recommended by the manufacturer ...

There maybe some markets in the world where it is recommended by Volvo , but in the UK it's not ... 👍

Our chums at Opie are on record as saying (about a week or so ago, if my memory serves) the square root of no difference in the UK climate. 0/30 tends to be 'premium-priced' Vs other Volvo-approved grades. I reckon that's a fair reason for some.

[XC90Mk1]

I do high milage, my current XC90 is at 120,000 having bought it at 60k and I expect it will do the same again with me.

I use the spec recommended by the manufacturer.

Change early if you wish but don’t go round changing its grade as a bloke on a forum says to. That’s just silly.

[Bonefishblues]

...but it's perfectly OK to use any of the manufacturer's approved grades, of course - the ones in the manufacturer-written handbook, that is.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

...but it's perfectly OK to use any of the manufacturer's approved grades, of course - the ones in the manufacturer-written handbook, that is.

That's a worldwide booklet written a while ago . I've seen the oil chart evolve each year over the last 45 years , and it has hardly changed at all . The only oil volvo recommend in the UK for UK conditions for your engine is 0w/30 .

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Clan

That's a worldwide booklet written a while ago . I've seen the oil chart evolve each year over the last 45 years , and it has hardly changed at all . The only oil volvo recommend in the UK for UK conditions for your engine is 0w/30 .

Did engines fail/were damaged as a result of using the oils originally recommended for them as one of the approved grades?

5/40 is one of the grades approved by Volvo for my E3 engine (I do of course use the correct spec) I've been using it for 90k + miles on top of the 75k it already had.

Will my engine have suffered damage as a result?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

Did engines fail/were damaged as a result of using the oils originally recommended for them as one of the approved grades?

5/40 is one of the grades approved by Volvo for my E3 engine (I do of course use the correct spec) I've been using it for 90k + miles on top of the 75k it already had.

Will my engine have suffered damage as a result?

I have never heard of a wrong oil ruin an engine , oil is oil right ... ?
As I said none of us here are oil scientists , only volvo and their partners Castrol are and they have done all the tests and come up with the 0w/30 recommendation so we ought to take their advice ... .


below is a bulletin issued about 8 years ago ..



Criticality of Correct Lubricant

As a reminder, please ensure your Workshop is using the correct specification of engine lubricant during
servicing and/or engine repair. The correct viscosity coupled with the ACEA rating must always be used
in all engines fitted to the Volvo Car range. (For example, an engine requiring only a 0W-30 ACEA A5/B5
lubricant should not be filled with a 0W-40 ACEA A5/B5 lubricant.)
Failure to use the correct specification of engine lubricant can lead to compromised engine reliability and
potential warranty issues. Please refer to the Castrol / Volvo Recommended Oil Chart for the correct
specification of all engine lubricants.

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

...but it's perfectly OK to use any of the manufacturer's approved grades, of course - the ones in the manufacturer-written handbook, that is.

It’s been fine for me with all the high milage cars I have run (150-180k so not that high).

I have never had any oil consumption between services.