2007 Kia Rondo V6 Oil Recommendation

[Raizz22]

Dear friends, I just got an oil change for my Kia Rondo 2007 V6. They put 5w20 oil in the car. Is this oil ok for this time of year? I live in Northern Illinois and can get extremely cold in the winter.

Thanks to all!

[Wry 'Cuda]

If I recall, 0W-20 is good for temperatures well below freezing. What were you using previously?

[Raizz22]

I was using 10w-30 for the summer months. I was told 10w-30 is thicker and better for hotter temps outside and 5w-20 they recommended and gave me for the upcoming cold temps in winter.

[spongebob218]

5-20 or 5-30 will be ok. I use 5-30 year round and have no problems.

[Wry 'Cuda]

"Thicker" is not necessarily better. You need a "Thin" oil appropriate for your starting temperature, and the higher value as recommended by the maker. All being well, the engine should reach the same operating temperature no matter what the outside temperature. That being said, for some brands of oil, there is often not much difference between 20 and 30 grade; you need to check the spec. sheets to determine the true viscosity reading.

See: Motor Oil Viscosity Grades Explained in Layman's Terms

For example, a given 20 Grade oil might have a viscosity of 9.0 cSt and a 30 Grade might have a viscosity of 10.0 cSt. -There's only about 10% difference, not 50% (30/20). I found a similar "borderline" question when topping up my engine oil (10W-30); I had a suitable 10W-40 oil that only differed in viscosity by 10%, so I used that, rather than hunting for 10W-30 and paying a high price for the single litre.

[Puddleglum]

Agreed, not all oil is created equal. What oil did they use? 5W20 oil is okay for winter but I would never use 10W30 unless I lived somewhere that never got below 80*. 5W30 is a better choice. The only way to get something better is to go synthetic. I would also suggest that you consider installing a block heater if you don't have one. Any car that sees sub zero temps should be plugged in IMO.