0W oil is a waste

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Originally Posted By: PandaBear
I think most of the 0w spec from car manufacturer is to mandate the use of higher end base oil that makes the oil last 10k miles.

Also lower viscosity helps some hybrid stay in lean burn / Atkinson cycle more often, so that's a bonus for sure.

If your engine weren't design for it, it may not help over other synthetic oil, and that may be a "waste".


^ this
 
Can't tell in the current range of oil specs, and viscosity calculators aren't that good below freezing anyway...

Only thing that you can say with confidence is that the limit for viscosity for 0W is 5C colder than the same viscosity for 5W, which is 5C colder then 10W, which is 5C colder than 15W, and so-on for 20W and 25W.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

But there are benefits, especially if you turn it on and go, as well as some fraction of fuel economy, etc. Some 0w- oils may actually be better in terms of other attributes too...

Nothing wrong with 0w- oils, even if you don't need them.


This is why I use 0w20 in the Pilot. Wife "turns it on and goes" and it's about a mile. It stays running and then she comes home. Then an hour later, turns it on and goes, and goes about 1/10 mile, shuts it off, drops other kid off, restarts, drives 1/10 mile home.

Do I "need" it? No. Do I like the option, you bet.
 
Obviously you know nothing about the United States. Just because Canada is typically colder doesn't mean it is always. The United States varies in its temperatures all the way across it. Here in Phoenix Arizona, it gets to 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 46-49 degrees Celsius in the summer. Also when watching the news in the winter there's several days that we are colder than Anchorage Alaska. Saying a blanket statement that 0w oils are a waste in America is pretty ignorant. Also you don't know what's happening in your engine. How do you know a 0w oil wouldn't make it happier with a 0w oil on cold startups? It may appreciate it.
 
If you keep a car, anything you can do to improve lubrication from the moment cranking begins until normal operating temps are achieved might be useful. If that were not the case then we'd never have seen multigrade oils. A 0w-Whatever is just another step in the progress of lubrication. That it is especially useful in below freezing weather is just an indication of better performance.

If you don't keep a car and rotate before the factory warranty expires then just make sure you use an oil approved by the manufacturer and don't bother with what that oil might be. It's really of no concern under these conditions.
 
How did you prove your statement is a waste?

- Two identical cars/engines, run in identical situations, say 200,000 miles, one with 0w-30 & one with 5w-30??

- Then you took the engines apart and found no statistically significant differences in typical start-up wear??

- Then you replicated the tests to verify??

Inquiring minds want to know.

Waiting for the data, you know, so you can prove your point of this thread.
 
0W at one measurement protocol and a 40 on another. ~3.8 HTHS at 150ºC as an extra dose of goodness validation.

What's not to like about it in our harsh Los Angeles environs?
 
Originally Posted By: KevGuy
Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: KevGuy
0W oils are are waste for most people, in particular the USA. I live in the northern Canada and I use 5W and all is good. The only people I can see benefiting from is people in the way way north of me such as the NWT......and they all use oil pan heaters, block heaters and battery blankets. Just stick with the 5W-whatever and all is good.


And surely you have scientific evidence to back this up. "All is good" is quite subjective and proves nothing. What is factual is that 0wxx oils are still way too thick at startup, despite being thinner, and are often times the same price as their 5wxx cousins and are just as easy to find. Unless you have a race engine, or one that gets worked like one and extreme shearing is an issue, 0w oils are all I'll ever use.



Same price? Let me know where you can find conventional 0W oil.




Since he said their 5wxx cousins I would take that to mean other synthetics and not a dino oil.
 
Originally Posted By: KevGuy
0W oils are are waste for most people, in particular the USA. I live in the northern Canada and I use 5W and all is good. The only people I can see benefiting from is people in the way way north of me such as the NWT......and they all use oil pan heaters, block heaters and battery blankets. Just stick with the 5W-whatever and all is good.


Agreed, unless your vehicle specifically states the use of 0W oils.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
At what temp does 0w-30 become thinner or much thinner than 5w-30?


Just take CCS and/or MRV for the two oils and divide them in half to get their respective temperature 5 degrees warmer. Continue to do this up to around -20C and you'll see how they "scale". The benefit becomes less and less as the temperature increase of course but it is still there.
 
Originally Posted By: MalfunctionProne

Some specific 5W oils may flow better than some specific 0W oil.


No. If it flowed/pumped at the temperatures that a 0W could, it would be a 0W. It doesn't, so it isn't. This is if we are using the temperatures that CCS/MRV are measured at for the 0W spec, which are -35C/-40C respectively.

That said, M1 AFE 0w-20 and 0w-30 are a LOT lighter than M1 0w-40 at either of those temperatures. But they both meet the requirements.
 
from what I heard 0w and 5w only take effect when the temps hit 32 and below Fahrenheit.im not sure where I read this but there is no real advantage and if there is its very miniscule. even in manuals that call for 0w always states its great for starting in "cold" temperature.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
What part of the synthetic oil allowing longer OCI's, cleaner engine, better cold-engine fuel economy, etc has anything to do with a 0w30 vs a 5w30. Synthetic come in 5w30, 10w30, 15w40, etc as much as any conventional. The OP didn't say anything about synthetics, just the winter rating.

If he's comparing 0W-20 synthetic to 5W-20 synthetic, how is it a waste of money then, as they are priced identical?

If he's comparing 0W-20 synthetic to 5W-20 conventional, as I said before, synthetics are premium oils offering longer OCIs, cleaner engines, better fuel economy, and more, and they are well worth the small premium for many people.

(It's not to mention that you may void your warranty with 5W-20 if the engine specifies 0W-20.)


this comment I hear a lot on here ,how can a 5w20 void your warranty when both oils are running at 20 grade when your driving down the road at operating temp???? 0w is still thick also at startup anyway
 
Last edited:
The first to learn of the superior cold start capabilities of 0W30 and 0W40 HDMOs
were operators of heavy equipment that were left on remote sites in winter.

Since they don't clean-up after themselves, sometimes I find half pails of
synthetic engine oil left behind along with used filters where they changed
the oil onto the ground.
 
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