# Oil... how does it work? \[split\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189 "2012-01-06T23:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/161 "2012-01-11T09:19:33Z")
I don’t get what’s so hard to understand this: 5w20 At 32_F, the oil acts like a 5 weight due to additives and what not. At 212_F, due to additives and what not, the oil acts like a 20 weight. ---
**Author:** ![bennyfizzle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bennyfizzle/32/6291_2.png) [@bennyfizzle](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bennyfizzle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/162 "2012-01-11T09:21:22Z")
don’t get him started again dude ---
**Author:** ![usmc2801](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/usmc2801/32/6387_2.png) [@usmc2801](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/usmc2801)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/163 "2012-01-11T09:23:26Z")
I’m actually shocked a topic like this never came up years ago LOL ---
**Author:** ![Mike3](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mike3/32/6350_2.png) [@Mike3](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mike3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/164 "2012-01-11T09:24:47Z")
Strong mental blocks ITT ---
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/165 "2012-01-11T09:28:49Z")
> [@The uselessness of a Gas Tax Holiday](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-uselessness-of-a-gas-tax-holiday/47736/67): > > don’t get him started again dude F that, this thread made me LOL, I’m keeping it going. :ahh ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/166 "2012-01-11T13:02:33Z")
I laughed this hard: ![http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/0d/dy/yu/piss.jpg](http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/0d/dy/yu/piss.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Murrdog9000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/murrdog9000/32/6391_2.png) [@Murrdog9000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Murrdog9000)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/167 "2012-01-11T13:15:19Z")
Can somebody explain to me the role that gasoline plays in a combustion engine? ---
**Author:** ![ninety1two40](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ninety1two40/32/6332_2.png) [@ninety1two40](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ninety1two40)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/168 "2012-01-11T13:21:08Z")
> [@What is the best way to get your Credit up in the next 6 mos. or year?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-your-credit-up-in-the-next-6-mos-or-year/47832/6): > > I laughed this hard: So hard that you grew some big tits? ---
**Author:** ![capitalcrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@capitalcrew](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/capitalcrew)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/169 "2012-01-11T13:24:15Z")
So hard he wore leather pants in public. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/170 "2012-01-11T14:36:58Z")
> [@Sold](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/sold/47737/11): > > I don’t get what’s so hard to understand this: > 5w20 > At 32_F, the oil acts like a 5 weight due to additives and what not. At 212_F, due to additives and what not, the oil acts like a 20 weight. So when it acts like “5” @32 does it act thinner or thicker then when it acts like “20” @ 210? ---
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/171 "2012-01-11T14:41:48Z")
> [@The uselessness of a Gas Tax Holiday](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-uselessness-of-a-gas-tax-holiday/47736/77): > > So when it acts like “5” @32 does it act thinner or thicker then when it acts like “20” @ 210? Holy fuck are you kidding me? When it is 32\* it IS a 5 weight. That better? When it is 210\*, it IS a 20 weight. A 20 weight at 32\* will be too thick to get to any small clearances and what not to lube parts. So essentially what it means is that at 32\* the 5 is thinner than a 20 weight also at 32\*. At 210\*, the 20 weight is thicker than the 5 weight. Get it now. ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/172 "2012-01-11T14:42:00Z")
> [@Track Helmet, dirtbike/atv/etc boots](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/track-helmet-dirtbike-atv-etc-boots/46296/9): > > So hard that you grew some big tits? > [@Baby4Door #3??? \*\*\*UPDATE\*\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/baby4door-3-update/47836/5): > > So hard he wore leather pants in public. So hard I grew a vagina, tits, pissed myself, wore leather pants, all in a public place. > [@The uselessness of a Gas Tax Holiday](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-uselessness-of-a-gas-tax-holiday/47736/77): > > So when it acts like “5” @32 does it act thinner or thicker then when it acts like “20” @ 210? She acts like an 18 year old at 40. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/173 "2012-01-11T14:45:21Z")
> [@Justpicked up a new summer beater \*\*CRX inside\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/justpicked-up-a-new-summer-beater-crx-inside/47826/17): > > Holy fuck are you kidding me? > > When it is 32\* it IS a 5 weight. That better? When it is 210\*, it IS a 20 weight. A 20 weight at 32\* will be too thick to get to any small clearances and what not to lube parts. So essentially what it means is that at 32\* the 5 is thinner than a 20 weight also at 32\*. At 210\*, the 20 weight is thicker than the 5 weight. Get it now. So if you’re saying if it acts thinner at 32 why is it thicker when cold? ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/174 "2012-01-11T14:56:12Z")
> [@What is the best way to get your Credit up in the next 6 mos. or year?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-your-credit-up-in-the-next-6-mos-or-year/47832/7): > > So if you’re saying if it acts thinner at 32 why is it thicker when cold? Because the temperature properties of the oil make it thicker when cold. When starting an engine when its cold you want 5 weight so the oil flows better, when heated and the oil becomes thinner it attains the properties of 30 weight. ---
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/175 "2012-01-11T14:56:51Z")
> [@What is the best way to get your Credit up in the next 6 mos. or year?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-your-credit-up-in-the-next-6-mos-or-year/47832/7): > > So if you’re saying if it acts thinner at 32 why is it thicker when cold? I really hope you’re just attempting to troll this entire thread and not actually that stupid. Take a straight weight oil, non-winterized. A 5 weight oil when 32\* is thicker than when the 5 weight oil is 210\*. Just like any fluid. I don’t know if a 5 weight is thicker at 32\* than a 20 weight oil at 212\* and don’t care. All STRAIGHT WEIGHT oils will be thicker when it is cold. The 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, etc… alllllll have additives in them that change the chemical properties of the oil as the temperature changes. So at 32\*, the 5w20 is acting like a regular 5 weight. As it heats up, the additives do their work, and once the temp reaches 212\*, the oil no longer is acting like a 5 weight, but a 20 weight. If it was a straight 5 weight, it’d be too thin at 212\* to lube properly, just like a straight 20 weight would be too thick to lube properly at 32\*. The table you posted where you said the 20 weight or 30 weight oil has the same viscosity at 212\* as the 5w20 or 5w30 is true. Because the additives do their magic to make the chemical properties of the oil change so that that can happen. If you find a table of a straight 5 weight oil at 32\* I’d be willing to bet that a 5w20 oil is the same viscosity as that. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/176 "2012-01-11T14:57:50Z")
> [@What is the best way to get your Credit up in the next 6 mos. or year?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-your-credit-up-in-the-next-6-mos-or-year/47832/8): > > Because the temperature properties of the oil make it thicker when cold. > > When starting an engine when its cold you want 5 weight so the oil flows better, when heated and the oil becomes thinner it attains the properties of 30 weight. Do you understand what you just said? Oil will get thicker when cold. But because of it’s properties you want it thinner so it flows when it’s cold. :banghead ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/177 "2012-01-11T15:03:54Z")
> [@What is the best way to get your Credit up in the next 6 mos. or year?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-get-your-credit-up-in-the-next-6-mos-or-year/47832/9): > > Do you understand what you just said? > > Oil will get thicker when cold. > > But because of it’s properties you want it thinner so it flows when it’s cold. > > :banghead Correct. Oil gets cold and thicker at ambient air temperature but gets thinner with engine heat. ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/178 "2012-01-11T15:06:57Z")
Thinner for cold engine start up so it can flow to vital components of your engine better, but retain a specified weight when operating temperature (210\*F) is reached so excessive engine wear does not occur. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/179 "2012-01-11T15:54:48Z")
> [@wtb: ford 5.0 mustang tps 86-93](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-ford-5-0-mustang-tps-86-93/47375/4): > > Thinner for cold engine start up so it can flow to vital components of your engine better, but retain a specified weight when operating temperature (210\*F) is reached so excessive engine wear does not occur. Thinner than what? If oil is made thinner for start up, it means it thickens up later no? Or does it get even thinner once started? ---
**Author:** ![94Gt5.0](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/94gt5.0/32/6377_2.png) [@94Gt5.0](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/94Gt5.0)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/180 "2012-01-11T16:24:37Z")
Yeah idk why this isn’t a tech site… :rofl [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189.md?page=8) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189.md?page=10)