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Which 30 Weight Oil Do I Use, 0W-30, 5W-30 or 10W-30?

We get asked this question so often that we have included this special page dedicated exclusively to answering the question.

AMSOIL 0W-30, 5W-30 and 10W-30 synthetic motor oils are ALL 30 weight oils. The answer is that ANY one can be used regardless if your vehicle owners manual says to use, for example, a 5W-30. "W" just means winter. In winter weather the 0W oil will flow like a 0W oil, and the 5W will flow like a 5W oil and a 10W will flow like a 10W oil just until the engine warms up.  Once the engine is warm, ALL of those run like 30 weight oils. 

In order to understand the differences one has to first understand that the numerical values given to these various weight oils are strictly empirical numbers. For example, 0W does not mean that the oil has no weight. That is one of the reasons why we say it is strictly an empirical number.

In order to determine the differences between the three oils one has to look at the kinematic viscosity of each lubricant. The kinematic viscosity is essentially the amount of time, in centistokes, that it takes for a specified volume of the lubricant to flow through a fixed diameter orifice at a given temperature.

Let's compare the kinematic viscosity of the three AMSOIL lubricants:

AMSOIL 0W-30 is 57.3 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.3 cST @ 100 deg. C

AMSOIL 5W-30 is 59.5 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.7 cST @ 100 deg. C

AMSOIL 10W-30 is 66.1 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.7 cST @ 100 deg. C.

As you can see from the data above the kinematic viscosities are extremely close. Therefore, whether you use the 0W-30, 5W-30 or the 10W-30 is strictly a matter of choice. With the small differences in kinematic viscosity you would be hard-pressed to detect these differences on initial engine start-up without specialized engine test equipment.

All three oils are excellent motor oils and ANY one can be used in a vehicle which requires either a 0W-30, 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil as well as in several other engine applications including an engine which recommends a 5W- 20 oil.

AMSOIL Series 2000 0W-30 Severe Service motor oil is one of the best synthetic lubricants AMSOIL manufacturers for gasoline engine passenger vehicles and light trucks. The molecular and chemical technology used to develop this oil was derived from AMSOIL's Racing Oil. It is a 35,000 mile/1-year motor oil. This is the same oil used by numerous police vehicles and severe duty fleets nationwide. In fact, many national racing teams use the 0W-30 for the qualifying event, then they change to the AMSOIL 20W-50 Racing Oil for the race. The extra horsepower and friction reduction from the 0W-30 often assists a race driver in attaining a better starting position. In fact, we know exactly which race teams use it, but cannot disclose that information.

This leads to the next topic: many people also ask us if the 0W-30 is too thin a viscosity oil for high ambient temperature operation. The answer is absolutely not! Thicker viscosity oils are not always necessarily better since in addition to its' various engine lubrication functions, an oil must also effectively transfer heat. Only about 60% of an engines cooling is performed by the engine coolant, and only on the upper half of the engine. The remaining 40% of an engines cooling is performed mainly by the engine oil.

Although a vehicle that is recommended to use a 30 weight oil can also use a 40 weight oil, it is usually not needed. You will gain absolutely no benefit from using a thicker viscosity oil if it is not needed. The only time we recommend a 40 weight oil, such as AMSOIL's 10W-40, to a customer in a passenger car or light truck application is if the vehicle's engine is excessively worn and consumes oil at a higher than normal rate or if the vehicle is being used for very severe duty, high load, high temperature applications.

"Light" Diesel truck applications: 

If you have a Ford Powerstroke, Dodge Cummins, or GMC/Chevy Duramax diesel pickup, here's the inside "scoop" on oil viscosity:  Your engine is actually DESIGNED to run on 30-weight oil.  The reason the OEM typically specifies a 15W-40 diesel oil is because they ASSUME you may be running a regular petroleum oil, and many 40 weight petroleum oils will thin out to a 30 weight oil during use - if you start with a 30 weight oil and it thins out to a 20 weight oil in a stressful application like towing, the OEM could have a warranty problem.

We hope this brief discussion has answered your questions. If we have not sufficiently answered your questions or if you would like an additional explanation or recommendation for your specific application please email us using the link at the bottom of this page.

AMSOIL is the undisputed leader in synthetics.............

Since 1972, AMSOIL Synthetic drivetrain LUBRICANTS have proven to be the highest performance engine oils, greases, transmission fluids, and hydraulic and differential gear oils on the market. 
But the other key issue is nanofiber filtration. 
We now cover oil filters, air filters and other fluid filters like NO-ONE else can.  AMSOIL offers the highest performance, most cost-effective, most comprehensive filter line on earth.  Consider...

OIL FILTERS:

Until now, Nanofiber filtration technology has been used exclusively in heavy duty applications, including the US ARMY Abrams M1 tank. AMSOIL Ea Filters are the first and only filter line to bring this technology to the auto/light truck market.

Additionally, consider bypass filtration systems for commercial and fleet applications in cars and light, medium and heavy trucks which can filter particles down to less than one micron and are 89% efficient at 1 micron, making oil changes virtually unnecessary and virtually eliminating engine wear.  (A standard full-flow oil filter can only filter to 20 microns with any reasonable efficiency, but 5-25 microns is widely accepted as the wear-particle size range.)  Easy to install, these oil filter systems have been proven by millions of miles of over-the road trucks, construction equipment and fleet service. And we use these on our personal diesel pickup trucks: my Duramax 2500HD has over 60,000 miles since the last oil drain, the oil analysis looks perfect, and the appearance of this diesel oil looks like a gas engine with 3,000 miles on the oil.

AIR FILTERS:

The MOST IMPORTANT filter on the M1A1 Abrams battle tank is its' nanofiber air filter. 
The MOST Important filter on YOUR vehicle is also the air filter.

It's far better, and easier, to keep wear particles out of the engine than it is to attempt filtering them out of the engine oil.  Yet filter companies and vehicle manufacturer's are strangely silent about actual air filter performance and engine needs.  Now AMSOIL offers world-leading breakthrough Ea air filters with exclusive nanofiber technology.  Based on battlefield-proven air-induction systems used in military ground and air vehicles, this high-technology filtration is now available for consumer use!  Ea filters are guaranteed for 4 years, 100,000 miles, and have OEM certified fitment for your vehicle.  The engineering rule of thumb for damaging wear particle size is 5 to 25 microns.  Incredibly, these filters are 100% efficient at removing particles of 3 microns, and are 80% effective at removing particles of a 1 micron size.  This means that NO WEAR PARTICLES CAN GET PAST OUR Ea AIR FILTERS!  AND, they're less expensive to use than ANY other air filter.

For Power Sports applications, AMSOIL offers a line of oiled-foam filters.  These filters provide better performance than oiled-gauze air filters, and are used almost exclusively in most off-road applications including baja, dirt-track racing, and motocross.

For light to heavy trucks, both gas and diesel engines, AMSOIL's partnership with Donaldson provides you with the best performance and most cost-effective air filtration systems in the world.  These include both Powercore and Nanofiber technology filters.  We have the full line of  Donaldson Filters Now Available , including air, fuel, water, oil and hydraulic filters, with exclusive performance warranties (no one else in the industry offers filtration performance warranties).  Contact us for specific recommendations, or see our Diesel Page.

Air Induction Systems:

AMSOIL offers a growing line of the only OEM certified air induction filtration systems on the market.  Offering dramatic airflow improvements for gains in horsepower, fuel economy, and towing torque, they also keep wear particles out of your engine better than any marketed product.  Current air inductions systems include the 7.3 liter PowerStroke.  In addition, AMSOIL has released a full line of nanofiber universal air induction filters (EaAU) designed to replace stock oil wetted gauze or foam conical filters that were supplied with custom induction systems produced by K&N, Injen, S&B, Green, AIRAID, AFE, TrueFlow and more. Whether your air induction system is in a gasoline street-rod, or a diesel truck, you have great airflow but you need better filtration than oiled gauze.  AMSOIL Ea Air Induction Filters are dry no-oil filters that offer far better efficiency, 50 times the capacity, excellent airflow and are easily cleanable.

    GM, Dodge & Ford diesel air-intakes are Here!

Got a Hummer H2 or H3?  How about a newer Ford PowerStroke?  Then you already have superb nanofiber air filtration.  But we offer the real PowerCore replacement air filter for your Hummer or PowerStroke, at a much lower cost than the dealerships!

WHY SWITCH TO AMSOIL LUBRICATION AND FILTRATION TECHNOLOGIES?

• AMSOIL products saves you time and money.  With recommended extended drain intervals, AMSOIL performance typically costs LESS per year than conventional oil changes.

• The only 25,000 mile/one-year and 35,000 mile/one-year motor oils in the world.

• A vehicle lubrication solution with far less environmental impact, using an estimated 87% less oil and 5-10% less fuel !

• The only oils and filters with a warranty for GUARANTEED performance!

• Exceeds the most stringent performance specifications of all major U.S. and foreign automotive and truck manufacturers.

• Provides up to four-times the wear protection of other motor oils.

• Increases the mileage life of your vehicle.

• Improves fuel economy.

• Increases at-wheel horsepower.

• Lowers transmission and differential operating temperatures and delivers better shifting, even in heavy towing.

• Lowers fleet maintenance costs by lowering the costs of both scheduled maintenance, and mechanical repairs.

• Lowers fleet capital costs by dramatically extending vehicle service-life.  (Vehicle mileage typically extended 20 to 100%.)

• Diesel oil and filtration products designed to deliver more than 1,000,000 miles for over-the-road trucks before engine overhaul.

• Used by many national racing teams, fleets, police departments, fire departments, ambulance fleets, construction firms and trucking companies.

WHY WORK WITH DMT TECHNICAL?

DMT Technical operates Ultimate-Synthetic-Oil.com as part of a group of highly skilled team of OEM Engineers and Lubrication and Filtration Specialists.  In fact, we are the ONLY such group on the internet, as well as the largest AND fastest-growing AMSOIL Dealer organization in the nation.  You too, can join our group when you become an AMSOIL Dealer and take advantage of all that we offer as you use products in your own vehicles or begin your own AMSOIL business. You cannot find a more knowledgeable and skilled group of Dealers anywhere. 

In addition, as a Dealer in our group you will receive exclusive unlimited product, technical and business support from the only group of Truck and Automotive Engineers and Lubrication Specialists on the net.  That's priceless - yet free - vital support that can make a huge difference to a growing business.

We do not run our business purely on the internet. We also have numerous commercial, industrial, trucking, excavating, construction, logging, police, racing and many more accounts that we support and service on a regular basis. We have several fully stocked warehouses and fully equipped shop facilities. This provides us with excellent knowledge of the products, equipment and the business and the ability to respond immediately to any of your needs. We will use this knowledge and experience to help you get started so you too can achieve your goals.

We possess the skills, desire and knowledge to answer questions, solve problems, improve efficiency, reduce downtime, maintenance costs and increase the durability and life of all of your vehicles.

Read what our satisfied customers have to say about us. Read through our website. Contact us with any questions. If you decide to become an AMSOIL Dealer you will be joining, in our opinion, the most skilled AMSOIL group there is. We will help you get started and provide you with the tools and information in order to be successful in this business or with technical and product assistance to use AMSOIL products in your own vehicles.

To get additional information:

We offer several options to receive information on AMSOIL. We welcome the opportunity to work with you personally as your servicing AMSOIL Dealer. Our AMSOIL Dealer Group is led by a Truck/Automotive Engineer and Lubrication Specialist with over 19 years experience. This exceptional benefit is unavailable elsewhere.

Please, email us at Brian@Ultimate-Synthetic-Oil.com and we will send you an exclusive comprehensive package of product, technical and business information. If you are serious about AMS OIL products and the business opportunity this is the best option. You will receive extensive technical and business support from both myself and my Direct Jobber, a Detroit, Michigan Truck/Automotive Engineer and Lubrication Specialist with over 19 years experience. We look forward to helping you learn about AMSOIL.

Or for a smaller, very general information package (which includes a catalog and Dealer application) you can request information via any of the links below.  Please note that your information is always held in confidence per our Privacy Policy, and will never be sold, loaned or otherwise distributed.

To request a FREE Factory Direct Catalog by MAIL

To Immediately Download a FREE Factory Direct Catalog

For Information on Becoming an AMSOIL Dealer

To Buy AMSOIL Products in the AMSOIL On-Line Store

To Sell AMSOIL in Your Store or Purchase For Use in Your Businesses Equipment

To visit the AMSOIL Corporate Website for Product and Business Opportunity Information

AMSOIL is Proudly Made in the U.S.A.

AMSOIL is owned by Americans.

AMSOIL is America's Oil.

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DMT Technical

AMSOIL Ultimate Synthetic Oil

Brian Dobben, BSMT

119 Norlick Drive

Bryan, Ohio  43506

Phone: (419) 630-0874

E-mail: Brian

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