10W-30 Conventional, my worst fears

[MONKEYMAN]

I came here with an oil burning Saturn, and when I sold it had 5 gallons of Chevron Supreme 10w-30 left over. Was not planing on using it on the Elantra, but after research here and reading very informative posts by an Australian Hyundai owner I changed my mind. In that part of the world 10w-30 is the recommended oil.

So my fears are I would create an oil burning car like my Saturn. The other concern is reduced fuel economy. I am on a budget and was not sure how the mileage would work out.

I am happy to say my highway fuel mileage increased. Last trip out of town readout said 48.2 mpg when I arrived at my destination. Better than FF, Valvoline 5w-30, PP 5w-30 and PUP 5w-20. My mileage average is up over all other oils. I have not ever needed to add oil.

Perhaps the car is breaking in. Maybe it is my driving skill.

Regarding making a sludged motor I am following with 3,750 mile oil change recommendation from Hyundai while I am under warranty. Next change with be PP 5w-30. So winter I will be using my synthetic oil supply. But the Chevron is doing very well in the car. It looks like on this motor (2.0 Atkinson) what oil I use will not matter much. This motor likes them all. In my experience it likes the 10w-30 a little better.

 

[CT8]

" my fears are I would create an oil burning car like my Saturn. The other concern is reduced fuel economy. I am on a budget and was not sure how the mileage would work out." What would give you those ideas?

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Originally Posted By: CT8
" my fears are I would create an oil burning car like my Saturn. The other concern is reduced fuel economy. I am on a budget and was not sure how the mileage would work out." What would give you those ideas?


With a Saturn, if you used conventional oil it contributed to the oil control rings coking creating an oil burner. Synthetic was recommended to prevent oil burning.

As far mpg the Chevron is the same weight as the Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30. I think I lack technical understanding. Not my strong point. Fear comes from ignorance in this situation.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
...
I am happy to say my highway fuel mileage increased. ... My mileage average is up over all other oils. ...
That's more likely due to uncontrolled variables (including warmer weather, and miles on the car) than to your switch to non-synthetic oil.

Does Hyundai specify synthetic must be used? If not, why worry?

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
...
I am happy to say my highway fuel mileage increased. ... My mileage average is up over all other oils. ...
That's more likely due to uncontrolled variables (including warmer weather, and miles on the car) than to your switch to non-synthetic oil.

Does Hyundai specify synthetic must be used? If not, why worry?


Hyundai does not specify. Just so it meets Sm spec. My oil is all SN.

The mileage was the same route 70 miles away. I kidded about driving skill but was getting low mileage with 5w-20 PUP. I was using Sports mode more. My mileage was more about using Eco Mode and coasting when possible.

 

[MParr]

A 2017 Hyundai Elantra calls for 5W20 grade oil and other grades are permitted based on the chart in the owners manual. The manual calls for 3,750 Mile oil changes for severe conditions and 7,500 Mile oil changes for normal conditions. Any quality semi-Synthetic or full synthetic is fine. Why worry about something that may or may not happen based on a former vehicle.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Use a full synthetic 10W30.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
Originally Posted By: CT8
" my fears are I would create an oil burning car like my Saturn. The other concern is reduced fuel economy. I am on a budget and was not sure how the mileage would work out." What would give you those ideas?


With a Saturn, if you used conventional oil it contributed to the oil control rings coking creating an oil burner. Synthetic was recommended to prevent oil burning.

As far mpg the Chevron is the same weight as the Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30. I think I lack technical understanding. Not my strong point. Fear comes from ignorance in this situation.



Saturn s series burned oil , even if syn was used. Yes some had coked rings , but some did not. I rebuilt an sohc engine, and found the ring lands fairly clean, yet the motor was burning a quart in 400 miles. The rings used were low tension and lost the ability to seal tightly. I don't think the Saturn issue was due to oil.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

I prefer synthetic, but have all this conventional oil to use up. If I were buying synthetic oil I would probably get 5w-30 or 5w-20 which I also have. The point of this post is to validate what I am using, not to recommend something else. I have 5+ years of oil if I only use it. I must resist buying more oil.

Hyundai recommends 5w-20 for better fuel economy. I proved I don't need that since my fuel economy has improved with 10w-30. Reading the owners manual says "higher viscosity engine oils are required for satisfactory lubrication in hot weather". I will take required over recommended any day.

Now if I had a turbo I would only use synthetic oil. My MPI motor driven gently may not know the difference.

 

[goodtimes]

The Saturn oil burning is probably not so powerful to jump to the next car. But maybe who knows. Chevron products are first rate IMO.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
I prefer synthetic, but have all this conventional oil to use up. If I were buying synthetic oil I would probably get 5w-30 or 5w-20 which I also have. The point of this post is to validate what I am using, not to recommend something else. I have 5+ years of oil if I only use it. I must resist buying more oil.

Hyundai recommends 5w-20 for better fuel economy. I proved I don't need that since my fuel economy has improved with 10w-30. Reading the owners manual says "higher viscosity engine oils are required for satisfactory lubrication in hot weather". I will take required over recommended any day.

Now if I had a turbo I would only use synthetic oil. My MPI motor driven gently may not know the difference.


I use 5w30 syn in my elantra, I'd have no problem using 10w30 either.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Saturn s series burned oil , even if syn was used. Yes some had coked rings , but some did not. I rebuilt an sohc engine, and found the ring lands fairly clean, yet the motor was burning a quart in 400 miles. The rings used were low tension and lost the ability to seal tightly. I don't think the Saturn issue was due to oil.


Thanks for that info. I will put my Saturn ideas to rest. I was just going by what others posted at SaturnFans. What do I know? I know I was very good at adding oil every week for 13 years which makes me want to think twice about what oil I use in my new car.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
The Saturn oil burning is probably not so powerful to jump to the next car. But maybe who knows. Chevron products are first rate IMO.


I have to get over the idea not every car needs synthetic oil. Engine is very quiet with the Chevron Supreme. I know in Australia Havoline 10w-30 is the recommended oil for my car.

 

[Brons2]

I am using Havoline Chevron Pro DS 10w30 full syn in my Sonata in the summer, and 5w30 ProDS in the winter. I picked up quite a lot of this oil when it was on closeout at a local auto parts store.

I have used xW30 in all my Kia and Hyundai vehicles, with good results, despite 5w20 being stamped on the fill cap. So far 1x Beta 2.0, 1x Theta I 2.4, 1x Theta II-DI 2.4. Not sure if the 2.0 in the newer Elantras is a Gamma or Theta engine family.

The DI engine in the 11-14 Sonata is known to be an oil burner after it gets 50-60K on it, to the point where some people's sumps have emptied and their engines seized. So far mine only gets down to the bottom mark after 4000 miles or so and I have 73K on it. And I don't fill it up all the way when I change the oil, capacity is 5.3 qts with the new dipstick and I put 5 qts in there and call it a day. I top it off of course when it gets low, I do check it more often than I did in my prior vehicles, including Hyundai/Kia and others.

I also used Chevron conventional 10w30 in a V6 F150 I owned from 2001-2004, for a 5K OCI. The vehicle owner's manual called for 5w30 for Y2K models. The Chevron conventional 10w30 produced the best analysis results of any oil that I used in that vehicle, including Mobil 1. I only stopped using it because it became harder to find for a while in the mid '00s. I would use it again with confidence in the future if I had a need, however, right now I have so much oil stockpiled I really don't need to buy any for a few years. If you're going to be running the 3750 OCI's it's a great choice. I might use 5w30 in December, January and February in St Louis and then run 10w30 the rest of the year.

 

[andyd]

I would use the Chevron 10w30 with a 3750mile OCI and change filters every other OCI. Come winter, I would add a pint of MMO to the 10w30 if it was starting hard.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

I have gallons of Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 left over from a traded in Lexus and felt the urge to buy some 5w-20 PUP with rebate. So I will only use the 10w-30 till Fall and use the other oils for my Winter fill. I am right around two oil changes a year so the math works out.

Maybe it is the add pack in the Chevron Supreme but my car is very happy with it. I figure if any cleaning needs to be done the PP and PUP will take care of that.

 

[Dallas69]

If you are on a budget you can keep some of your money but not having so big of a stash.
And oil choice will have very little effect on mpg.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Originally Posted By: Dallas69
If you are on a budget you can keep some of your money but not having so big of a stash.
And oil choice will have very little effect on mpg.


I tend to be somewhat emotional and a caretaker. Been taking care of sick and dying parents the past 9 years as the primary care taker and they lived 70 miles away. I got my math wrong with the oil burning Saturn and overbought oil. I tried to sell the oil here without success. Even tried to give it away to coworkers. Trying to be more rational and practical now. Never had a new car in 42 years of driving so want to do things right. Now I have to wait 6 months to change oil and don't need to even add oil. Bummer in a good way, but takes getting used to.

How much I apply gas to my car makes the biggest difference with gas mileage. You are right about the oil not making much difference.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: MParr
A 2017 Hyundai Elantra calls for 5W20 grade oil and other grades are permitted based on the chart in the owners manual. The manual calls for 3,750 Mile oil changes for severe conditions and 7,500 Mile oil changes for normal conditions. Any quality semi-Synthetic or full synthetic is fine. Why worry about something that may or may not happen based on a former vehicle.


https://www.hyundaiusa.com/myhyundaicont..._elantra_om.pdf

 

[MONKEYMAN]

Thanks Nick. The 2011+ Theta II issues, some last generation Elantra engine failures does make me think twice about what Hyundai recommends. That being said Hyundai either got it right with my engine or not. One reason I was only going to use synthetic oil out of distrust of Hyundai.

It is interesting that I come here saying I am using Conventional oil with good results and I get recommendations for semi-synthetic or synthetic oil that I don't need. If anyone needs 5w-30 Trop Artic semi synthetic oil let me know. I have cases of it, but prefer the Chevron and Pennzoil I am using.