0W-40 vs 5W-30 Motor Oil – Which One Is Better?

Just like you rely on your vehicle to take you to places, motor cars also rely on engine oil for powering up.

However, you cannot pour random cheap quality oil as it will slowly deteriorate the health of the engine.

You need to get certified motor oils that actually help improve the lifespan of your car.

But there are so many engine oil in the market; which one to buy might be a genuine concern.

Hence, on this review, we will put up 0W40 vs. 5W30 and figure out which one will be the best for your usage.

So, if you are excited to learn more about these products, simply follow this article.

0W-40 Motor Oil or 5W-30 Motor Oil?

It is time we talk about the main reason why we started this article, the comparison portion.

We will talk about the comparisons in segments for your clear understanding.

Consistency

There will be a noticeable difference in the consistency of these two oils. The 0W40 type is thinner and has less weight than the other oil.

However, both the oils serve a different purpose based on their consistency. For example, the slightly thicker oil will be more suitable for humid places.

Temperature Range

When it comes to handling a range of temperatures, the 0W40 oil clearly is more superior.

All its specifications are higher than the 5W30 oil, which means it can survive in temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius and easily accommodate in extremely hot places.

Superior Protection

Although protective abilities depend mostly on the brand, the type of oil can sometimes sway the decision.

For example, the 0W40 oil clearly has a thinner viscosity, which means that it can coat the parts well. So, logically this oil is a better contender when it comes to protection.

However, as we mentioned, certain brands offering 5W30 oil might include some high-quality additives, which can certainly increase the chances of this oil.

For example, if the 5W30 oil has better sludge resisting ability, then it will provide better protection.

0W-40 Motor Oil

At first, let us know more about the composition and characteristics of the 0W40 oil type, so we can understand how it will act with the engine.

Recommended 0W-40 Motor Oil to Buy

Below you will find some of our most favorite 0W40 oils that will surely satisfy your needs.

Mobil 1 (120760) 0W-40 Motor Oil, 5 Quart

How many times do you go to clean the engine of your car and find it absolutely filthy with sludge and gunk?

We know that it is quite annoying when that happens, and we have a quick fix for that issue as well.

The 0W40 oil by Mobil 1 is an incredible product with high cleaning ability. This product has a super quick-dissolving rate which eats up or breaks down previous gunk from the engine with additional heat.

Thus, your engine remains clean for a longer time. Moreover, the temperature resisting power of this fuel helps in reducing gunk formation, to begin with.

You will notice that the label says 0 before ‘W,’ meaning that the oil will not freeze even below 0 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, the high-temperature breaking point is also high for this oil.

So, on extreme ends, the 0W40 oil can hold its thin viscosity without drying down or clumping.

This factor also helps the motor to start up quickly and protect it from unnecessary friction. Thus, the user feels a smoothness during driving.

Latest Comparison: 0W30 vs. 5W30 Motor Oil

Castrol 06518 EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil

How often have you bought oils that claim to be fully-synthetic yet provide no difference to your engine’s performance?

That can be frustrating, so we want to recommend a product from Castrol, one of the leading oil manufacturing brands.

The Edge oil by this brand is 3x times stronger than most synthetic oil. Thus, it can effectively stand between two friction creating metal parts and ensure minimum contact between them.

Its ability to hold its consistency also comes from the fact that it is a 0W40 type of oil.

So, it can perform under extreme temperatures with ease. Moreover, a fluid TITANIUM technology helps the oil to be an effective barrier.

Thus, it can reduce the 10% damage that your engine incurs from high friction. It keeps the engine strong for a long time.

It can also tackle oxidation and deposition like a boss. So, less solid clumps mean more fluidity for the oil.

And ultimately, all of that adds to more mileage for the vehicle.

Motul 8100 X-Max 0W40 Engine Oil

Nothing is worse than trusting an engine oil, only to find out that it solidifies overnight and makes it extremely difficult for the engine to start the next day. It even takes a long time to warm up and causes the engine to wear out.

However, the Motul 8100 does not pose that threat as it is 100% synthetic. That means this oil has special engineering and coding to ensure that it can withstand the harshest temperatures.

Whether it is colder than ice or hotter than a steaming cup of tea, this oil will maintain its consistency.

Thus, the oil helps the engine start with minimum resistance, which also induces a faster warm-up.

You can tell that the motor oil is suitable for these temperatures from the number specifications on its name, which is 0W40. These specifications also confirm that the oil has a thinner consistency.

So, it spreads out evenly and coats all the engine parts, which is why it is suitable for tricky engines of luxury cars such as a Porsche, BMW, or Mercedes.

5W-40 Motor Oil

Another superior oil type that you should know more about is the 5W40 oil. It also has fantastic qualities that you might like.

It is a thin oil with a lower viscosity, which helps the oil to roam around with ease. A thinner oil is also easy to pour.

The five on the label means that it can operate easily under colder circumstances. So, when the engine is initially cold, it can kickstart it with ease.

This product can endure high temperatures with ease, making it an ideal candidate for hotter places.

It can improve your car’s mileage by decreasing friction between metal parts and protecting the engine.

This oil has very few harmful substances because it is completely synthetic, and the manufacturer can control what goes into the making of the product.

Royal Purple 51530 API-Licensed SAE 5W-30 High Performance Synthetic Motor Oil

Many engine oils provide excellent service in terms of mileage and efficiency, but at what cost?

Does being efficient make the product less effective over time? As the oil pushes the engine to overwork, it might get tired pretty quickly.

This wearing down is not a good sign if you want the engine to work for a long time, and frankly, nobody wants their motors to give up on them. Hence, we suggest the Royal Purple motor oil.

It can offer extreme tear and wear protection, thus increasing the lifetime of your engines.

Moreover, the synthetic winter oil also keeps efficiency intact, meaning the oil will still provide more mileage than cheap quality oils.

The reason is that it is still very thin and stays active even when the temperature is low or high.

Thus, it takes time to evaporate or solidify, causing less strain on the motor parts.

It also has a catalytic emission system that keeps the oil fluid. So, it can easily travel to the smallest corner inside the engine and prevent extreme metal-rubbing, which eventually reduces wear-down.

Related Guide: 0W20 vs. 0W30 Motor Oil

Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil

Many vehicle owners also complain about their engines not being clean and having to take care of that frequently.

If you see that engine getting dirty frequently, that is a signal that your current oil is not doing its job.

Quality motor oil would clump less or solidify over long periods, which would keep the engine cleaner for long.

Such type of oil is the full synthetic oil by Valvoline. It has superior sludge resisting capability.

The synthetic engineering of the oil means that it can clean the engine better than most motor oils thanks to its high-quality additives.

Some additives can be pollutants, but synthetic oil only has good kinds.
Moreover, the oil also has fantastic temperature resisting capability, which also helps the oil to stay functional for a longer time.

Thus, you get more value for your money as you can save up on oil consumption.

Besides that, this product will also aid in faster engine warm-up, increasing the motor’s lifetime.

Quaker State Advanced Durability Conventional 5W-30 Motor Oil

It is not news that the fumes coming out of every vehicle is toxic and somewhat acidic.

Before these fumes leave the exhaust, some of the gas tarnishes the engine, causing a slow acidic death.

So, what can you do to protect the engine from all these extremities? If you take our suggestion and go for the Quaker State 5W30 oil, you might have better luck for various reasons. First of all, this oil can reduce wear-down by 3X times.

It does so with the help of acid balancing additives. Hence, the additives are somewhat base-like, which neutralizes the acid from fumes and the carbon-monoxide, causing to create a safe environment for the engine.

Moreover, it also fights against corrosion in the same process, which eventually increases the engine’s lifetime. Besides, the nature of the oil is quite thin and viscous.

Thus, it can win the battle against harsh temperatures and still maintain its integrity.

It is also a winter oil; hence, it performs well even when it is freezing cold.

Final Word

So, there is quite a bit of difference when you pit 0W-40 vs. 5W-40 motor oil. But the differences do not imply that one oil is superior to the other.

It is a matter of location and circumstances that will lead you to prefer one oil over another.