0W-16 or 0W-20 for road trip?

[DirectRejection]

Finally a 0w20 endorsement !

Oh nice. Thank you for the insight. Any issues that you’ve run across yet? Any oil consumption?

None. My confidence in D-4S is growing. Walnut shell blastings are getting rarer at Lexus.

 

[SkaEnthusiast]

Going into summer and changing specific for a long trip loaded at high speed 5w30 would be my choice or a thick 0w20.

 

[DirectRejection]

At this point, I have used 0W16 appropriately in three vehicles for over 350,000 miles total. Everything from TGMO, to Citgo, to PP to M1 AFE, to Ravenol EFE to HPL HDMO. It is always great to hear from the experts.

 

[Joe1]

I believe that l have the same engine in my new Toyota hybrid. Owners manual says to use 0w20 only if 16 is not available, but recommends switching back to 0w16.
I plan on running 0w16 exclusively, but I've heard conflicting opinions regarding switching from 0w16.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Never thought that one day 0w20 would be preferred for higher protection... How long before people start opting out for a thicker oil like 0w16 instead of a thinnie 0w8 or SAE5?
Ok, I'll go back to my 15w40 cave now...

 

[DirectRejection]

So if OP is going on a road trip, just how much fuel dilution is supposed to be taking place out on the highway ?

 

[ZeeOSix]

I believe that l have the same engine in my new Toyota hybrid. Owners manual says to use 0w20 only if 16 is not available, but recommends switching back to 0w16.
I plan on running 0w16 exclusively, but I've heard conflicting opinions regarding switching from 0w16.

What? ... conflicting opinions on oil ... say it's not so. What was the conflicting info?

 

[ZeeOSix]

So if OP is going on a road trip, just how much fuel dilution is supposed to be taking place out on the highway ?

Probably less than short trips. Maybe he should be running 0W-20 in town/short trips and 0W-16 on the long highway trips for max MPG. Or just run 0W-20 all the time.

 

[PimTac]

Probably less than short trips. Maybe he should be running 0W-20 in town/short trips and 0W-16 on the long highway trips for max MPG. Or just run 0W-20 all the time.

Or just run 0w-16 all the time.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Or just run 0w-16 all the time.

Decrease the headroom ... live on the edge. Every vehicle can go up one grade with no harm and step back from the edge a bit.

 

[PWMDMD]

Is that considered high speed? On my RX 350 and Tundra, the difference between 65mph and 80mph is like 1850rpm and 2100rpm in top gear.

 

[FordMan59]

Just put some 10w30 or 10w40 in and call it good. I don't like that watered down stuff.

 

[IveBeenRued]

Is that considered high speed? On my RX 350 and Tundra, the difference between 65mph and 80mph is like 1850rpm and 2100rpm in top gear.

So the last time we headed West, we encountered several 85 MPH zones and when we cruised at 95-100 we kept getting passed and felt like we were holding up traffic so we upped our cruise control to 105. This will be the the first time with this car which tops out at 117 MPH so we will definitely be cruising towards towards the top end of its capabilities.

 

[carviewsonic]

Let them pass.. a tire separation or blowout, or a wrong move by another driver would have deadly consequences at those speeds.
Regarding the thread title, I'm in the 0w-20 camp.

 

[RamFan]

I’m normally in the ‘stick to the manual camp’, but if the manual states it could be beneficial to increase a grade for high speeds, then yeah, I’d increase in this case.

I’d rather have a w20 in the sump as a just in case precaution for one 5k mile OCI than stick to w16 and have the nagging, what if, in the back of my head.

 

[PWMDMD]

Let them pass.. a tire separation or blowout, or a wrong move by another driver would have deadly consequences at those speeds.
Regarding the thread title, I'm in the 0w-20 camp.

Yup! The energy (of the crash) goes up with square of velocity!

All things being equal, at 105mph and just a 24% increase over 80mph, you get an increase of 42% in kinetic energy and a whopping 62% increase over a reasonable speed of 65mph.

 

[ZeeOSix]

So the last time we headed West, we encountered several 85 MPH zones and when we cruised at 95-100 we kept getting passed and felt like we were holding up traffic so we upped our cruise control to 105. This will be the the first time with this car which tops out at 117 MPH so we will definitely be cruising towards towards the top end of its capabilities.

That sounds like a "track day" for that vehicles. xW-30 might not be a bad idea.

 

[spasm3]

So if OP is going on a road trip, just how much fuel dilution is supposed to be taking place out on the highway ?

Probably not much, but the engine will be hot most of the time , fewer cold starts , more moft at speed with a 30-40wt.

But thats just me, I don't run 20wt in anything.

 

[2EHA]

just use the 0w16 you have

 

[HowAboutThis]

My manual states that 0W-16 is recommended but “An oil with a higher viscosity may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions.” Seeing how I’m traveling out to the Midwest where 80 and 85 zones are common and the vehicle will be loaded down with three adults and luggage. I’d probably be fine with 0W-16 but I’m just wondering if anyone seeing any reason not to bump up to 0W-20? It’s a Toyota A25A-FXS powered hybrid.

Price-wise, after rebates there are negligible differences. 0W-16 AFE is $12.37/jug vs 0W-20 M1EP at $9.37.

0W-16 AFE is 70-80% PAO vs 60-70% PAO for the 0W-20 M1EP, so they are both high quality.

15w40 diesel oil.

I joke, I joke. I ran 5w30 in a Subaru spec'd for 0w20 for the same reason. You're always driving into a 30mph wind at 85mph east of Montana. Engine really gets worked and loaded. That was my thinking for a higher viscosity. Based on feelings and opinions. Not necessarily facts or science.