# ? wrong oil viscosity **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, camaro\ **Created:** [June 25, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321 "2020-06-25T13:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/1 "2020-06-25T13:24:55Z")
I bought a used 2011 Camaro that is supposed to get 5w30 oil. The shop ticket from the dealer listed an oil change with 0w20. I know if I ask they’ll say it’s just a typo, they always do the right thing. Should I do a proactive change to 5w30 just to be safe? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/2 "2020-06-25T13:38:16Z")
Next oil change…put it back to 5W-30. Don’t worry about it and drive. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/3 "2020-06-25T13:38:28Z")
I’d change it more because I don’t believe anything dealer tells me more than the wrong viscosity. Of course we JUST changed the oil… It was driven by a little old lady only on Sundays… That smell is NOT the corpse found inside in the closed garage… ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/4 "2020-06-25T14:42:53Z")
I would just continue to drive, but I would check the oil frequently. I had a shop.put 5W-20.in a vehicle that required 10W-30. It was in the winter. I just checked the oil frequently but never had to add a quart until the next oil change. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/5 "2020-06-25T15:12:13Z")
Drive it and see if the Check Engine light comes on for VVT codes. Then change the oil to what the manufacturer recommends. Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/6 "2020-06-25T15:39:49Z")
While it probably will not be a problem to wait for the next change, if it’s worrying you have them change it to the correct oil. It was their mistake, and it’s in writing that they made the mistake. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/7 "2020-06-25T15:44:29Z")
> [@texases](#): > > you have them change it to the correct oil. It was their mistake, and it’s in writing that they made the mistake. +1 ask them to change it to the proper spec treat the current oil as a “flusher fluid” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/8 "2020-06-25T16:11:28Z")
Yeah, the dealer is far enough away that it would be a pain in the butt to get them to do the oil change. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/9 "2020-06-25T17:02:20Z")
I’d let it ride and keep an eye on the level, unless you do a lot of high speed cruising in hot weather. ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/10 "2020-06-25T17:07:09Z")
The dealership probably used 0W20 because that’s what new vehicles take and they don’t feel like keeping other oil in stock. Keep an eye on it for now and avoid the dealership in the future because if I’m right their shop cuts corners. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/11 "2020-06-26T02:34:56Z")
If it was me, I would just change it ass soon as I found oit it was the wrong oil. Oil is cheap. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/12 "2020-06-26T12:33:26Z")
My son has a 2013 Camaro and 5/30 is recommended for that. With summer here I think I would want the 5/30 but I also don’t think the 0/20 will hurt anything. I might be tempted to have a very short oil regimen coming up and go back to 5/30. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/13 "2020-06-26T13:32:18Z")
Wife’s 07 Lexus ES350 oil recommendation WAS 5W-30 dino. My 14 Highlander with the same engine oil recommendation is 0w-20. Lexus has changed the oil spec for the 07 Lexus to 0W-20 synthetic. So I use 0W-30 in both now. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/14 "2020-06-26T19:00:40Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > Wife’s 07 Lexus ES-3w-20 You sure you don’t in fact mean 5w20 . . . ?! I never heard of 3w-30 > [@MikeInNH](#): > > So I use 0W-30 in both now. I’ve also never heard of 0w-30 . . . but I’m willing to learn new things 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PhantomPatriot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/phantompatriot/32/20713_2.png) [@PhantomPatriot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PhantomPatriot)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/15 "2020-06-26T19:08:48Z")
I think you very well may be on to something here. It makes sense. Keep an eye on your oil level, and check the codes like Tester said. At your next change, use what the manufacturer recommends in the manual. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/16 "2020-06-26T19:12:26Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > You sure you don’t in fact mean 5w20 . . . ?! > > I never heard of 3w-30 typo - It’s 0w-20 ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/17 "2020-06-26T19:13:34Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > I’ve also never heard of 0w-30 . . . but I’m willing to learn new things [https://www.mobil.com/en-us/passenger-vehicle-lube/pds/gl-xx-mobil-1-0w30#:~:text=Product%20Description,10%2C000%20miles%20between%20oil%20changes](https://www.mobil.com/en-us/passenger-vehicle-lube/pds/gl-xx-mobil-1-0w30#:~:text=Product%20Description,10%2C000%20miles%20between%20oil%20changes)\*. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/18 "2020-06-26T19:26:43Z")
Thank you . . . I haven’t yet seen that on any shelves Considering it’s for extended intervals, it might soon be popular ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/19 "2020-06-29T13:36:19Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > Thank you . . . I haven’t yet seen that on any shelves I have no problem finding it at WalMart or even Pep-Boys. Maybe because it’s the North East. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321/20 "2020-06-29T14:47:21Z")
OW30 might be a good winter oil for the Camaro. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wrong-oil-viscosity/166321.md?page=2)