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Motor oil viscosity chart

SAE J300 grades

This chart identifies SAE winter and high-temperature viscosity categories. It does not measure start-up flow, oil pressure or protection. Match the grade and required specifications in the owner’s manual.

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Motor oil viscosity chart identifying SAE winter and high-temperature viscosity categories.
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Asset version
v1.0.0 · 2026-07-22
Image dimensions
1600 × 1000 PNG
Print-ready chart PDF (English) PNG SVG

The image is educational and makes no vehicle recommendation. Recheck the source page after the version date changes.

Grade Winter category High-temperature category W Hot
0W-8 SAE 0W SAE 8 0W 8
0W-16 SAE 0W SAE 16 0W 16
0W-20 SAE 0W SAE 20 0W 20
0W-30 SAE 0W SAE 30 0W 30
0W-40 SAE 0W SAE 40 0W 40
5W-20 SAE 5W SAE 20 5W 20
5W-30 SAE 5W SAE 30 5W 30
5W-40 SAE 5W SAE 40 5W 40
5W-50 SAE 5W SAE 50 5W 50
10W-30 SAE 10W SAE 30 10W 30
10W-40 SAE 10W SAE 40 10W 40
15W-40 SAE 15W SAE 40 15W 40
20W-50 SAE 20W SAE 50 20W 50

How this chart is built

Grades shown 13 Each row links to its own grade explainer.
Cold-start bands 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W Winter numbers identify different low-temperature test requirements, not a measured flow rate.
Hot-thickness bands 8, 16, 20, 30, 40, 50 The second number identifies the high-temperature viscosity category, not an oil quality rating.

See it on a temperature scale

Explore the winter and high-temperature category labels for 0W-20.

A qualitative temperature illustration for 0W-20; not a measured flow or protection curve.

At 20 °C, 0W does not specify how quickly 0W-20 reaches engine parts.

Manual-first workflow

Use the chart with your manual

A matching viscosity grade is only one requirement. Check the exact specification or approval separately.

  1. 01 Find your owner’s manual
  2. 02 Compare the manual and bottle requirements
  3. 03 Read the oil bottle label

Frequently asked questions

What does the W in an oil grade mean?

W stands for winter. The winter category identifies low-temperature cranking and pumping test requirements; it is not a measured flow time.

Is a higher second number better?

Not better — just thicker when hot. The right second number is the one your engine was designed for, listed in your manual.