0w30 in place of 5w20

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SavagePatch

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Can a 0w30, say Mobil 1 not Castrol Edge, be safely used in place where a 5w20 is called for? The specific engine is a Ford 3.7L V6 Duratec. If yes, would the 0w30 protect significantly more. Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Thanks in advance!
 
Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Can a 0w30, say Mobil 1 not Castrol Edge, be safely used in place where a 5w20 is called for? The specific engine is a Ford 3.7L V6 Duratec. If yes, would the 0w30 protect significantly more. Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Thanks in advance!


and I want to piggy back off your question by also asking the same question pertaining to 5w-30 to 0w-30. If a car is "perscribed" 5w-30, would using a 0w-30 give me any gains if the use is in SE texas where it is hot 8 out of 12 months but right now is very moderate in 60-70s. My hashed out thoughts are if wear happens during startup then anything that is 0w versus 5w should flow faster during startup regardless of whether you are in a constant hot climate or if it moderate to cold.
 
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Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Can a 0w30, say Mobil 1 not Castrol Edge, be safely used in place where a 5w20 is called for?

Probably.


Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
If yes, would the 0w30 protect significantly more.

Probably not.


Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Then you probably want the thinner oil (i.e. 5w-20).
 
Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Can a 0w30, say Mobil 1 not Castrol Edge, be safely used in place where a 5w20 is called for? The specific engine is a Ford 3.7L V6 Duratec. If yes, would the 0w30 protect significantly more. Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Thanks in advance!


Probably, maybe. Both have been hotly debated but several folks have tried xxw30 or even xxw40 in an engine calling for 5w20 - with no problems. Several have also used the recommended 5w20 under hot and heavy use (towing in 40°C through mountains for example) with no problems. All I can suggest for sure is to do UOAs both ways and make your decision based on actual results for your engine as to the best oil to use.

Originally Posted By: 06VtecV6

and I want to piggy back off your question by also asking the same question pertaining to 5w-30 to 0w-30. If a car is "perscribed" 5w-30, would using a 0w-30 give me any gains if the use is in SE texas where it is hot 8 out of 12 months but right now is very moderate in 60-70s. My hashed out thoughts are if wear happens during startup then anything that is 0w versus 5w should flow faster during startup regardless of whether you are in a constant hot climate or if it moderate to cold.


Another debated point. 0wxx may flow more quickly at a given temperature than 5wxx so the benefit is unknown. But it definitely won't hurt.


Then there's this post: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3958126/GM_5.3L_stopped_ticking/slappi

Which indicates that 0w may flow faster at higher temps.
 
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Originally Posted By: 06VtecV6
My hashed out thoughts are if wear happens during startup then anything that is 0w versus 5w should flow faster during startup regardless of whether you are in a constant hot climate or if it moderate to cold.

Not necessarily. 0w and 5w are cold pumpability ratings, and they are measured well below freezing. They don't mean much if the weather never gets that cold.

At most temps, any two xw-30 oils with comparable HTHS viscosities should work similarly, even if they have different W ratings.
 
I owned a 2006 Honda Accord 2.4L that called for 5W20, from 50K miles to 110K miles I ran conventional 5W30 changing every 4K miles. When I sold the car it ran perfectly. Based in my years of experience I would run 0W30 or 5W30 with no concern whatsoever. Do it!
 
I think the 0w30 would be a better oil. That's my opinion. My opinion would also be that if they blindfolded you and changed your oil, you nor the car would know the difference between 5w20 and 0w30.
 
There is a lot going here. IF a full synthetic, it may not have any VII's to shear down, so it will prolly be at specified viscosity at temp (good). And still be good for under-temp (short trips) where engine does not get up to temp (also good). So sort of can't loose scenario
smile.gif


If blend or Dino oil things are a bit different ... But the cost is less, so maybe more changes more often which means fresher oil all the time (also good). And elimination of condensation and combustion by-products which do not get boiled out by hot running... (also good).

Pick a program and go with it,. Either short changes or really good oil and moderate changes. Short tripping is "severe duty" because the engine does not get hot enough long enough ...
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Then you probably want the thinner oil (i.e. 5w-20).

Agree, short trips should have benefit of thinner oil, either 0W20 or 5W20 is better than xW30.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
If it takes 5w20 why not use 0w20? Not sure why you would run 0w30 instead.

Maybe if someone were to get those oils on say a $2/qt clearance like I did recently. I plan on running Castrol edge 0w30 in my 4.6 mountaineer and Mobil 1 AFE 0W30 in my Zetec Focus. Both of these ask for 5w20.

And no, I'm not a thick oil, 30 is better than 20 person, just taking advantage of a sale.
 
Originally Posted By: 06VtecV6
Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
Can a 0w30, say Mobil 1 not Castrol Edge, be safely used in place where a 5w20 is called for? The specific engine is a Ford 3.7L V6 Duratec. If yes, would the 0w30 protect significantly more. Conditions are short tripper, stop and go in Northern California.

Thanks in advance!


and I want to piggy back off your question by also asking the same question pertaining to 5w-30 to 0w-30. If a car is "perscribed" 5w-30, would using a 0w-30 give me any gains if the use is in SE texas where it is hot 8 out of 12 months but right now is very moderate in 60-70s. My hashed out thoughts are if wear happens during startup then anything that is 0w versus 5w should flow faster during startup regardless of whether you are in a constant hot climate or if it moderate to cold.
not so.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: 06VtecV6
and I want to piggy back off your question by also asking the same question pertaining to 5w-30 to 0w-30. If a car is "perscribed" 5w-30, would using a 0w-30 give me any gains if the use is in SE texas where it is hot 8 out of 12 months but right now is very moderate in 60-70s. My hashed out thoughts are if wear happens during startup then anything that is 0w versus 5w should flow faster during startup regardless of whether you are in a constant hot climate or if it moderate to cold.
not so.


Nope, at temperatures that aren't 30 or 40 below, there will be absolutely no difference between a 0W and 5W anything.

Besides, most of the "start-up" wear is still occurring when the oil is fully pressurised and flowing.
 
Somewhere around 0*F and colder(not that fake 0*C) a 0W will be thinner than a 5W, till that point not enough difference to even mention... Note the actual point will vary depending whether we're talking about a xW-20, xW-30... At operating temp there's a minuscule difference in most xW-20 & xW-30... Generally a 0W-30 will be on the low end of a 30 weight scale...

If you live where it's regularly 10, 15, 20*F below zero, the 0W oils will have a clear advantage...
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Then there's this post: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3958126/GM_5.3L_stopped_ticking/slappi

Which indicates that THIS 0w may flow faster at higher temps.

That was Mobil 1 AFE 0w-30, which is way on the thin side. If they had used an ACEA A3 0w-30, it would have been thicker than the 5w-30.


Thanks. Fixed my post in the quote...




Originally Posted By: TFB1
Somewhere around 0*F and colder(not that fake 0*C) ...



Aw, c'mon man it's Christmas. You have to open up the F vs C debate?
23.gif
 
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