I have the K5GT 2.5T and was wondering if any of the 2.5T guys here have used other viscosities during the warmer months. I'm wondering if there would be any benefit if I switched to 5w30 for the summer...if fuel dilution is an issue.
2.5t engine oil question.
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andybob
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Pulled this from the manual:
I don’t see any reason to run a thicker weight oil in warmer months in the 2.5T. You could always do an oil analysis after a warmer month oil change to see if there is any abnormal fuel contamination. I’m led to believe that if Kia recommends 0W-30 for all temperature ranges, the engine tolerances are pretty snug.
For what it’s worth, I run Mobil 1 0W-30. When I bought my oil filter at the local dealer, I asked what oil they run and the service advisor said whatever 0W-30 they can get their hands on.
I don’t see any reason to run a thicker weight oil in warmer months in the 2.5T. You could always do an oil analysis after a warmer month oil change to see if there is any abnormal fuel contamination. I’m led to believe that if Kia recommends 0W-30 for all temperature ranges, the engine tolerances are pretty snug.
For what it’s worth, I run Mobil 1 0W-30. When I bought my oil filter at the local dealer, I asked what oil they run and the service advisor said whatever 0W-30 they can get their hands on.
D.J.
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Is fuel dilution an issue for you?
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My old 2.0t was prone to that wich was the theta 2 gdi. Now my K5GT has the theta 3 wich is gdi and mpi. Id assume there will be fuel dilution. Only one way to find out.... Blackstone labs.
JSolo
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Just did an OC in my 2.5T. ~3550 miles since last change, just under 12 months.
I didn't smell any fuel odors in the oil. Level was roughly the same as when I filled it last June, 2 rows of dots visible just below full when cold. I didn't have to add any in between either. Car sees mixed city/highway, 20/80 ratio or so. I do try to get the car warmed up on each trip even if it means taking the long way somewhere.
Old oil came out dark honey colored. Can't imagine what it would look like after 5/7.5/10K intervals.
Those with the 2.5's, what's your oil look like at change time, how many miles?
Been using mobil 1 0w-30 from wally world. Not too many 0w-30 options available meeting SP/GF-6 rating.
Btw, mobil 1 no longer offers rebates to oil purchased from walmart.
I didn't smell any fuel odors in the oil. Level was roughly the same as when I filled it last June, 2 rows of dots visible just below full when cold. I didn't have to add any in between either. Car sees mixed city/highway, 20/80 ratio or so. I do try to get the car warmed up on each trip even if it means taking the long way somewhere.
Old oil came out dark honey colored. Can't imagine what it would look like after 5/7.5/10K intervals.
Those with the 2.5's, what's your oil look like at change time, how many miles?
Been using mobil 1 0w-30 from wally world. Not too many 0w-30 options available meeting SP/GF-6 rating.
Btw, mobil 1 no longer offers rebates to oil purchased from walmart.
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
JSolo
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Any updates? @1st sting Ever do your blackstone tests?
Volfy
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I'm about to do my first oil change on the 2.5T this weekend. I'm gonna go with the 5w30 synthetic I've got stocked up, instead of buying yet more motor oil. About the only reason for using 0w30 is for fuel economy. Mobil 1 made it pretty clear that is the intent for their 0w30. In fact, they claim that their 0w30 can be sued on vehicles that call for 5w30 or even 10w30, to improve fuel economy. While I do care about my car's mpg, I'm already very impressed with how efficient it is compared to the 2.0T Stinger, so tiny bit less by using 5w30 isn't going to be that big a deal.
I downloaded specs from Mobil 1's website on their 0w30, as well as several of their 5w30 synthetics. Found that while most of the 5w30 does have kinematic viscosities at 40C slightly higher than the 0w30, some of the come actually very close... to the point where the 5w and 0w designations, denoting the low-temp viscosities, are really not all that meaningful. Some of them probably should have been labeled 2w30 or 1w30... lol. The Extended Performance 5w30 is a good example.
Some of the 5w30 even have pout point temps lower than the 0w30. I live in a warm climate anyway, so that part isn't all that applicable to me.
I downloaded specs from Mobil 1's website on their 0w30, as well as several of their 5w30 synthetics. Found that while most of the 5w30 does have kinematic viscosities at 40C slightly higher than the 0w30, some of the come actually very close... to the point where the 5w and 0w designations, denoting the low-temp viscosities, are really not all that meaningful. Some of them probably should have been labeled 2w30 or 1w30... lol. The Extended Performance 5w30 is a good example.
Some of the 5w30 even have pout point temps lower than the 0w30. I live in a warm climate anyway, so that part isn't all that applicable to me.
JSolo
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I thought about going with 5w30 too, but temps here swing highly, from negative digits to nearly 100F.
Volfy
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Yeah, it's a tradeoff any way you go. Short of the big freeze back in 2021(?), here in coastal TX, temp rarely dips below 20F even in the coldest months.
Most of us understand that for a 0w30 oil, the "0" denotes the kinematic viscosity of the base oil at lower temp. Then long chain polymers are added to that base oil so that, at higher engine operating temps, the viscosity does not reduce to any less than what a 30 base oil would. Those polymers wear out over time and then the oil will regress back to the 0 base oil's viscosity curve. The wider that spread is, the more polymers are required. Same applies to 5w30 vs. 5w40. I use 5w40 on our 2.0 Stinger and G70, for better protection at higher temps at the track. The downside is we do change out the 5w40 sooner, as the polymers wear out and break down to shorter chains.
At normal engine operating temps, say 100C, 0w30, 5w30, and 10w30 all have similar viscosity. That is why Mobil1 claims 0w30 can be substituted for cars that call for the other two. Well, that might be true when the oils are all brand new and true to spec... not so much when they are worn down. It's okay, but it does mean you need to be sure to change out before that happens.
Most of us understand that for a 0w30 oil, the "0" denotes the kinematic viscosity of the base oil at lower temp. Then long chain polymers are added to that base oil so that, at higher engine operating temps, the viscosity does not reduce to any less than what a 30 base oil would. Those polymers wear out over time and then the oil will regress back to the 0 base oil's viscosity curve. The wider that spread is, the more polymers are required. Same applies to 5w30 vs. 5w40. I use 5w40 on our 2.0 Stinger and G70, for better protection at higher temps at the track. The downside is we do change out the 5w40 sooner, as the polymers wear out and break down to shorter chains.
At normal engine operating temps, say 100C, 0w30, 5w30, and 10w30 all have similar viscosity. That is why Mobil1 claims 0w30 can be substituted for cars that call for the other two. Well, that might be true when the oils are all brand new and true to spec... not so much when they are worn down. It's okay, but it does mean you need to be sure to change out before that happens.
JSolo
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With my driving habits, I go through an oil change once a year. Even at that, it's not even 5K usually. Oil change this year was after only 3500 miles, previous was 3900 miles. ~1500 miles since the most recent oil change. By the time next may comes around, that might be 4-4500. Maybe.
I don't run the car hard either. There are some short trips, but lots of those miles are highway miles just to "exercise" the car.
I don't run the car hard either. There are some short trips, but lots of those miles are highway miles just to "exercise" the car.
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From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
Volfy
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FWIW, first morning commute with 5w30 synthetic. Stopped short of my normal 25mile route to get gas, or it might have been a bit higher still. Engine warms up fast at 78F ambient, so it spent very little time where 0w30's lower-temp viscosity would've helped. Afternoon is supposed to be 96F, so oil will probably take less than 1 min to get to operating temps.
If I had to live with months of sub-zero Winters, I'd stay with 0w30.
If I had to live with months of sub-zero Winters, I'd stay with 0w30.
JSolo
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^^MPG a result of downhill with a tail wind?
Volfy
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LOL... Texas gulf coast, where the highest elevation change happens when I hit the speed bumps at the local shopping center.
It's just my normal commute route that's 80% hwy. Leaving around 6:05am helps a lot. So does having driven the same route over 20yrs and knowing which lane to be in and how each light is timed, so very little brake use.
Afternoon traffic and 95+F heat gets much worse, where I typically average 26-29mpg.
