Mix 10w-30 with 5w-30

[DSMvroom]

Hey guys, I did some searching as usual before I even considered posting but only found one half-decent thread and it didn't help any.

I'm new to the New England area and down in VA I used 10w-30 oil all year round. Well it gets mad cold up here apparently and so for my next oil change, which is due within the next two months, I was going to use 5w-30.

My concern is that I've heard so many people talk about not mixing engine weights or else it could foam up and whatnot. I know it is OK for me to use 5w-30 but I just want to know how thorough I have to be in draining the 10w-30. My guess is that during oil changes there is probably up to a half a quart of old oil left in the pan; Is that much ok to mix in with the other weight?

If it helps any, I use only Mobil 1 so the only thing changing is the weight of the oil.

 

[khartley]

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If you are really worried about it, change your oil with 10W-30, run the engine for a little bit, then change the oil again.

 

[c5chris]

5W-30 and 10W-30 has very little difference. Actually 5W-30 has a broader temperature range than the other weight.

 

[psychlow]

Just make sure that you run the engine before you change the oil. It'll make the oil warm enough to make it drain out much easier.

If like Kerry said, if you are worried, change it to 5W-30, run it for a day and change it again.

 

[i1nk83]

if you are running full sythetic i dont think you would even need to change to 5-30. i use castrol sytec 10-30 and that stuff is the consistancy of whole milk. and mixing the little bit that would be left after an oil change is nothing to worry about.

 

[DSMvroom]

ok thx for the input guys. I dont think i'll go as far as changing the oil twice.

and i1nk83, you live in TN so I don't imagine you would understand the need to drop to a lower weight in real cold temperatures unless you have lived elsewhere in the past, but that is not apparent to me otherwise you wouldnt have told me i dont need to change weights

 

[treebonker]

There absoultely nothing to worry about mixing different weight oils.

 

[i1nk83]

ive driven my car to alaska and back in the winter with 10-30 full synthetic and didnt have any problems had to let it warm up a bit before drive but what do you expect when it -35 outside. full synthetic is really versitile(sp) and doenst have as much problems with temp and regular oil

 

[Defiant]

There absoultely nothing to worry about mixing different weight oils.

Agreed. Sometimes, in years past, there could be incompatibilies with the additives packages between makers, but I've never heard more than rumor about that. Keeping with one brand, and particularly Mobil 1 should present absolutely no problems at all. It's already designed to be compatible with traditional oils.

The amount left over after an oil drain is trivial. No need to fret.