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What do the numbers mean with motor oil?
shmokes:
If my car calls for 5W-20 and I put in 10W-30 will my car explode?
crashwg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil
ChadTower:
No. It just won't be optimally protected. The first number is cold viscosity and the second number is hot viscosity.
The W stands for Winter rated, which is why it's attached to the cold rating.
shardian:
10w-30 is pretty much an all-weather oil. If you don't have extreme weather, it will work fine.
ChadTower:
Or a specialized car (big ass SUV or high end sports car).