What if I used a thinner weight oil???

My 86 Camaro V6 takes 10W30 but at the last oil change 5W30 was put in it.





Are there any advantages/disadvantages with using a thinner weight oil??What if I used a thinner weight oil???
Advantages include less time for oil to flow into the engine on startup and reduced effort to pump the oil. However, I would only switch to a thinner oil during relatively cooler weather, especially in an older, more-worn engine (as your '86 almost certainly is). This is especially true in summertime, when hotter temps usually dictate heavier oil to compensate for the thinning oil experiences as it warms. This is why racing oils are available in viscosities like 20W-50 (do not use this in your Camaro, however).





The recommendation of oil weight depends on the design of the engine and the conditions in which it operates. So, unless you live in Alaska, I would stay with 10W-30 during summer months and save the 5W-30 for the winter. That being said, if your engine is in relatively good shape, you can almost certainly use 5W-30 w/out any problems, as the differences btween the two are small. Just don't go putting something really light like 0W-20 in your car.What if I used a thinner weight oil???
a thinner oil lubricates faster and works better in colder weather,the thicker the oil is the longer it takes it to start circulating in a really cold engine,using a thinner oil wont hurt it none unless it uses oil and you,ll notice that it will use a little more if you use a thinner oil in it,other than that it will just circulate better and hold a slight bit more oil pressure,the real dis-advantage on doing that if the engine is high mileage it may start smoking and using oil,good luck.
Slightly better gas milage. On a 86 though I would use heavier such as 10/40 or 20/50. Why? cause it is very likely the engine has quite a bit of wear and some leaks, heavier oil will alleviate those issues better.
first number is viscosity of oil when it is cold second number is viscosity of oil when hot
The ';W'; means winter. For all practical purposes, when hot, 5W30 and 10W30 are virtually the same oil. When cold, the ';5'; will flow faster than ';10';. This will make oil available sooner when the engine starts up, avoiding any possibility of ';galling';, or metal-to-metal contact, between moving parts. On high mileage cars there is a tendency to pour ';heavier'; oils to cover for leakages caused by metal wear. If you decide to do this, look for 5W40 or 10W40 - which you may or may not find locally.