Is 5w30 Oil Synthetic or Conventional? (Quick Answers)

The engine oil is an essential part of maintaining the car because the right type of engine oil helps the car to keep running smoothly. 

Most people use synthetic engine oil which helps to increase efficiency significantly. In this article, we will discuss whether the 5W oil is synthetic or conventional. 

What type of oil is 5W30?  

Generally, the 5W30 is a common type of engine oil that is used by most car owners. The 5W30 motor oil is recommended to use in light-duty petrol and diesel engines. 

It is also known to be a multigrade oil; it means the oil has a variety of viscosity grades that ranges from 5 to 30. 

In addition to that, the 5W30 oil can be suited to different temperatures which makes it the most convenient and efficient oil based on the user in the market. 

The 5W30 engine oil has viscosity or grade of five which is suitable to use in any cold region and it is a quite less thick type of engine oil that is suited to use in lower temperatures. 

5W30 oil can be effective at -30 degrees Celsius and up to 35 degrees Celsius. This makes the 5W30 the most ideal choice as an efficient engine oil when driving in areas with relatively high seasonal temperatures.

Is 5w30 oil synthetic or conventional? 

When you add 5W30 to your engine, which is conventional engine oil, but acts like synthetic engine oil. Due to prolonged use, the chemical additives used in conventional oil start to break down and vaporize. Soon it starts to lose its efficiency compared to synthetic engine oil. 

The 5W30 is conventional multigrade engine oil that is commonly preferred among all types of car owners. This engine oil is most popular for its versatility and efficiency. It is a petroleum-based oil that changes its texture with the temperature.

It turns thick at low temperatures and thin at high temperatures. 

This variability of characteristics of the engine oil makes it more efficient to use in a different type of engine. The engine oil lowers its viscosity in lower temperatures to improve efficiency as well as increases the viscosity in higher temperatures. 

When you add 5W30 to the engine, it will start to behave like synthetic engine oil. The synthetic engine oil is more efficient compared to the conventional engine oil. 

Because these oils are made with additives that enable them to provide high performance during bad weather conditions. 

But due to prolonged use of conventional 5W30 engine oil, after a certain time, the chemical additives that are used in the conventional oil start to break down and vaporize. 

As a result, it starts to lose its efficiency as well as the characteristics of synthetic engine oil. 

5W30 engine oil is most often recommended to use during lower temperature regions because it can maintain a safe viscosity when the engine is facing bad weather conditions. 

Although the conventional engine oil will be able to provide you with proper lubrication, synthetic engine oil has overall engine protection and performance improvement capability. 

You can also detect whether your 5W30 engine oil is conventional or synthetic by looking at its color. 

Synthetic oils are generally brown colored or darker colored whereas the conventional engine oil is a light caramel color. 

The synthetic oil gets dark due to the reaction of additives in it. That is why to avoid any driving related issues, you should always go for the right type of engine oils.

What is the difference between 5W-30 and 5W-30 synthetic oil?  

Conventional and synthetic engine oil can never be the same type. The synthetic engine oil will be able to provide you with a premium performance of fuel efficiency and better use of oils which the conventional engine oil cannot. 

Synthetic engine oil has additives in it, which help improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. But after a certain period, the conventional engine oil starts to deteriorate its efficiency. 

The 5W30 is derived from petroleum base oils. When added chemicals into it, they become synthetic. Below are some differences between 5W30 and 5W30 synthetic oil: 

Color: 

There is a huge difference between the appearances of 5W30 and 5W30 synthetic engine oil. 

You can simply differentiate the oils by looking at them. The conventional 5W30 engine oil has a caramel color texture whereas the synthetic 5W30 engine oil is a bit dark and brown colored.

Performance: 

The conventional and synthetic 5W30 engine oils can be differentiated depending on their performance. 

The conventional 5W30 engine oil provides better lubrication. Whereas 5W30 synthetic oil provides better engine protection and fuel efficiency. 

Longevity: 

In terms of longevity, there is a big difference between conventional and synthetic engine oil. 

Although the conventional engine oil has better lubrication, it starts to break its components after a very short time. Whereas synthetic engine oil requires fewer oil changes.

How do I know if my oil is synthetic or conventional?  

There are some differences between synthetic and conventional oil that can easily be identified by inspecting their characteristics. The first thing that you can notice between synthetic and conventional engine oil is their color. 

The conventional engine oil comes in lighter caramel color, whereas the synthetic engine oil comes in dark brown color. 

There are some other differences, such as the synthetic 5W30 engine oils have better engine protection capability, whereas the conventional oil has better lubrication. 

In addition to that, the conventional engine oil may need to be changed after a certain period. On the other hand, synthetic oil has additives in it that take a lot of time to break down its molecules. As a result, it takes fewer oil changes after a certain time.

Which is better synthetic or conventional oil?  

Depending on use, it is recommended to use synthetic oil instead of conventional engine oil. The synthetic engine oil helps to increase the lifespan of your engine as well as makes it fuel-efficient. 

In addition to that, synthetic engine oil has better engine protection capability making it more convenient and fuel-efficient. However, the conventional engine oil has better lubrication. 

But the conventional engine oil needs to change after a short period. That is why it is recommended to use synthetic oil rather than using conventional oil.

What is 5w 30 motor oil used for?

The 5W30 is engine oil that is ideal to use in any type of engine. The engine oil is also considered a multigrade engine oil because it can perform well in different weather conditions using its viscosity variance. 

The viscosity of 5W30 engine oil helps it to operate in lower temperatures by reducing its viscosity as well as operate in the summer heat by increasing the viscosity. This eventually keeps the engine running smoothly. 

As a result, the performance of your car improves and it provides you with a fuel-efficient economy. So, the 5W-30 engine oil can be used to improve car performance even after long-term use. 

Is all 5w30 oil the same? 

There is a different brand of 5W30 engine oils in the market. The manufacturers claim that all the 5W30 engine oils are the same. But might be the difference in performance, lubrication, and viscosity of the oils. 

In some cases, the engine oils may not be able to provide the best performance if not synthetic. On the other hand, the variance between engine oils will help you to ensure whether they are conventional engine oils or improved synthetic engine oils. 

Synthetic engine oils will always be able to provide you with the best performance.

Does it matter what 5w30 oil I use? 

No, it doesn’t matter what 5W30 you use because most of the engine oils with similar grades have the same compound in them. 

On the other hand, the 5W30 engine oils are better because they are multigrade, which means they can be operational in different weather conditions due to their viscosity. 

In addition to that, the viscosity grade of 5W30 varies from 5 to 30. Also, the thickness of 5W30 engine oil changes depending on the weather. 

What oil is thicker than 5w30? 

You can use 10W30 engine oil which is quite thicker compared to the 5W30 engine oil. The best part of using 10W30 engine oil is it will flow slower than 5W30 during the cold season. 

In addition to that, the viscosity level of 10W30 Engine oil is better compared to the 5W30. It also offers better lubrication of motor and engine parts, which synthetic oil cannot. 

That is why, if you’re looking for a thicker variant of engine oil, you can switch to 10W30. This will eventually help to improve your fuel economy and efficiency as well as become a convenient solution as an engine oil for your car.

Final Thoughts

The 5W30 is multigrade engine oil that can be available in conventional and synthetic variants. However, synthetic oil is considered better compared to conventional engine oil because it will provide you with a premium performance of your car. It will also improve your fuel efficiency.