0-30w oil

[barnie]

Hi there . new to this site. Looks pretty good so far. My question is . I have a 2003 reinell boat with a 305 G.M. block. The manufacturere [Volvo] requies 30w synthetic motor oil. I wanted to buy it a at Walmart but they only have
0-30w . Is this the same weight oil or is it a totally different product. I have purchased 30 weight amsoil but it is extremely expensive $14.00 a litre in Canada. Walmart sells there synthetic for about $28.00 in the U.S. for a 5 qt jug. Thats a $42.00 saving if 0-30w is the same as 30w Thanx Barnie

[David Redszus]

In Canada oil is expensive but engines are cheap?

Why would anyone ever consider running a cheap oil?
Always use the very best oil you can find.

[lightning-jr]

Barnie,

You can use any name brand synthetic 5-30W or 10-30w to protect your engine, avoid the temptation to use inexpensive substitutes.

[barnie]

I think you misunderstood my question and the prices I quoted for oil at Walmart were all good brand names such as Castrol or equivelant. My question is again and maybe only the manufacturer knows . Is 0-30w the same as 30w .I do not use cheap off brand oils or any other products as my engine is not as you say cheap in Canada and I really do not understand that silly comment .

[Jimmy]

No, it is not the same. I like this site for understanding oils (hope I won't need a fire suit for posting this!): http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/

[David Redszus]

I think you misunderstood my question and the prices I quoted for oil at Walmart were all good brand names such as Castrol or equivelant. My question is again and maybe only the manufacturer knows . Is 0-30w the same as 30w .I do not use cheap off brand oils or any other products as my engine is not as you say cheap in Canada and I really do not understand that silly comment .

If you are asking a technical question such as, "is 0-30W the same as 30W?" the answer is of course not. 0-30W is a multigrade oil that starts our life as a very low viscosity oil, to which viscosity improvers have been added to change its temperature/viscosity characteristics. A 30W oil is a single grade oil with entirely different temperature/viscosity characteristics. At elevated temperatures, the absolute viscosities of both oils will be nearly the same.

If you raise the issue of Walmart oil prices, you have the wrong forum.

[RCJ]

0-30 should perform better in cold weather.I have never used it ,but I would have no problems using it unless high temp. was a factor.I have used 5-50 in my racecar for some time.I am switching to 0-40 mobil 1the local self proclaimed oil expert tells me I'm wrong because the the 0-40 doesn't do well on his bearing load test machine.

[David Redszus]

0-30 should perform better in cold weather.I have never used it ,but I would have no problems using it unless high temp. was a factor.I have used 5-50 in my racecar for some time.I am switching to 0-40 mobil 1the local self proclaimed oil expert tells me I'm wrong because the the 0-40 doesn't do well on his bearing load test machine.

Which oil company does your "local self proclaimed oil expert" work for?

[Dodge Freak]

I would use 20W-50 before 0-30 for a 30 weight substitute. Heck even 10W-30 would be better.

These 0 and 5 weight oils are for fuel savings mainly. Yes they flow better when cold but run off the surfaces. I'm pretty sure you don't use the boat everyday. Thicker oil clings and stays on longer and is present when a few weeks later you go start the engine.

[David Redszus]

Thicker oil clings and stays on longer and is present when a few weeks later you go start the engine.

That is true only when the oil is cool. When it is hot the viscosity drops like a stone and the clinging property is greatly diminished.