At Land Rover Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, IN, many people ask us about which motor oil would be best for them. The answer depends on the viscosity of the motor oil. Viscosity is a measure of how easily a liquid can be poured, or in other words, how thick or thin it is. A thinner motor oil will do great in cold temperatures, while a thicker motor oil will do well when the temperature is high.
One of the most common motor oil viscosity ratings is 5W-30. The first part tells us that in the winter (W) when the temperature is zero degrees, the viscosity is 5. This is a fairly low rating, but it can go as low as zero.
The second part of the rating in 5W-30 motor oil is 30. 30 is an ideal viscosity rating when temperatures are somewhat warm, but the viscosity ratings could be as high as 50 or 60.