Can different weight oil cause a leak?

I've got a 2001 V-6, Flex Fuel Ford Taurus. It calls for 5W-20 oil. On my last oil changed, I switched to 10W-30 (it's cheaper). Now, I have an oil leak near the front of the engine. It's dripping on to the exhaust and smoking. Could the switch to 10W-30 have caused the leak?Can different weight oil cause a leak?
My guess is that you have an oil leak that would have started even if you'd have used the recommended 5W-20. Be sure all the pan bolts are tight. Drive it a few hundred miles and re-check the exact area of the leak.


Make sure the oil filter is dry and tight. Check to see if the filter gasket is not leaking as it is above the exhaust cross-over pipe.


For some strange reason the metal oil pans on Taurus %26amp; Sable cars are prone to rust and corrosion. The aluminum pans on the Duratec 3.0 DOHC 16 valve motors are not prone to leakage.


If it would make you feel better change the pan gasket as well as the front and rear main seals if the leak is near the ends of the pan. An independant mechanic could do a good job and save you the $75.00 Ford dealership shop rate.


I'm not sure when (what year) Ford switched over to 5W-20. It's an effort to save fuel. Please remember that the recommended oil is a lower viscosity oil thus it is pumped to critical engine parts quicker at start-up. This is where 90% of engine wear happens. Maybe the 10W-30 created slightly higher oil pressure causing a weak front or rear seal to leak.





If your handbook in the glove compartment calls for 5W-20 I'd give it another shot and monitor leakage.





Try this to monitor future leaks: Spray the block and pan rails with Gunk degreaser and hose it off with water to clocely monitor future oil pan leaks. It's important that you know exactly where future leaks are before making a drastic repair.





Good luck!Can different weight oil cause a leak?
Not possible. Whoever did the oil change probably just spilled some of it around the filler cap. Using a thicker oil like 10w30 will actually stop or slow down an existing leak. If you would switch to a thinner oil and you happen drive a high-mileage beater with old and worn seals, that can often cause a leak but then it would stop again once you go back to using the proper weight. However, I would recommend you switch back to 5w20 if cold weather comes, wherever you are, because 10w30 may get too stiff to flow properly in your particular engine at very low temperatures.
No, I bet some got spilled during your last change is all that happened, but you may have developed a leak through normal wear and tear.





what the rating system is, is a measure of oil flow at differant temperatures.





10 = is a how fast the oil flows at winter temperatures


W = stands for winter


=


30 = is the measure of oil flow at summer temperatures





The lower the number, the faster the oil flows because it is thinner.
no thats a seal problem oil is to stop friction
you should be using 5w20 because that is what the engine calls for you could cause damage to the engine if you keep using 10w30 .oil is cheaper than a new engine.read your owners manual it will tell you what oil you can use