I was wondering if anyone can give me a definitive answer about the kind of oil to use. I live in Chicago and it just snowed today, when it gets cold out my car starts fine but you can tell its running really rough (car vibrating and such). I run the car about 60 miles a day and it just seems like it never really warms up to smooth riding the entire time. I had 10w-30 full synthetic in there in the summer and just got an oil change today. I was going to put in 5w-30 full synthetic like I did last winter but after they drained my oil they told me they were out of it. They put 5w-40 in there for me.

How is this in comparison to 5w-30? I know that 5w flows better than 10w when its cold out and 40 flows less than 30 when warm but I think I am looking for a less visocisity all around since it's cold out--or will this not matter? It has 144k on it and i felt like the cold driving w/ 10w-30 was killing it..but theorhetically higher temperatures with 5w-40 would actually provide less flow less the 10w-30. I need some good advice on how the cold driving will be affected by the 5w-40. I have no problem changing the oil out to 5w-30 if anyone here is certain that it will provide for a smoother ride all around and that the 5w-40 will somehow adversely affect driving.

Also, I just noticed that some companies offer 0W oils. Would a 0W-30or40 be even better?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Do you know what kind of car it is?

 

woops.... 99 c230 kompressor

 

Let's, I see you've posted this question (wthout any vehicle info) in 10 different places. Have you found the answer yet you are seeking?


Oil is not going to cause 'rough running'. Extended use of the wrong oil could cause problems with the rings, but that would show up in terms of high oil consumption.


Regardless, you should be using an oil spec'ed by the engine mfr. Have you reviewed the Owner's Manual?