I have an 06' cobalt 2.2l. I drive over 30,000 miles per yr and do about 10 stop/start engine per day, With 60% hwy. I presently use Amsoil 0w-30, oci of about 25K. Can I use Xw-20 to help with the stop/ start? I'm unsure if the better flow rate would help with wear. If anybody has UOA, I'd appreciate it. thanks
2.2 ecotec and 5w-20
- Thread starter johnc1623
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Wow -- I would never go 25K OCI with that type of driving. But, that's just me.
not a very heavy foot, hwy speeds are around 50-60MPH.
I do get about 34-35 MPG. I had a UOA done on another car similar it was fine.
I do get about 34-35 MPG. I had a UOA done on another car similar it was fine.
Same goes here! I would not run that many miles on the oil either! The stop/starts each day plus 40% other driving would require me changing the oil more often no matter the brand.
Price of oil is not all that expensive and keeping the engine in shape and better gas mileage because of it would be my consideration.
My pick would be 0W30 in that engine but I would change it more often.
Price of oil is not all that expensive and keeping the engine in shape and better gas mileage because of it would be my consideration.
My pick would be 0W30 in that engine but I would change it more often.
I would use the 5w20 if I were you but I am partial to that oil. MC 5w20 is a great oil and not expensive either.
Keep in mind that engines are engineered to use a certain type of oil, and that the clearances in the engine and oil pump at normal RPM are expecting whatever the OEM recommended oil is. So if you start using an oil that is significantly thinner at normal running temperatures (~180F), than you can run into low oil pressure issues, top end wear, etc... Most newer cars are switching to 5W20 because of environmental mandates that say they have to reduce their average fuel consumption of their entire car fleet by a certain amount, so by switching to 5W20, you can save about 1 or 2% MPG due to the little less friction of oil in the engine. That being said, you also are left with a thinner oil film.
Keep in mind there are two ways that oil keeps your parts from wearing. The best is to separate the parts completely using the oil film thickness that depends on the oil viscosity holding up to start/stop/shock loading etc... The other is using the additives that adhere to the metal surfaces to prevent wear when contact does occur by merely removing the additives in contact, and leaving the original metal intact.
Personally, I would rather have the safety of the oil film, and not rely on additives.
Keep in mind there are two ways that oil keeps your parts from wearing. The best is to separate the parts completely using the oil film thickness that depends on the oil viscosity holding up to start/stop/shock loading etc... The other is using the additives that adhere to the metal surfaces to prevent wear when contact does occur by merely removing the additives in contact, and leaving the original metal intact.
Personally, I would rather have the safety of the oil film, and not rely on additives.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Anyone going that long on a oil change isn't saving anything - unlesss you are checking yearly for dilution & wear issues by having UOAs done. Otherwise, you are rolling the dice that the oil is not wearing out/thinning out prematurely.
fargyj: excellent information , a lot of people on this site look only at basestocks and others at additives they dont consider fliud film thinkness . Keep in mind the oil is doing the lubricating the additives are there for other functions.
I disagree. I used to believe that 20wt oils were *only* for enviro reasons. Fact is, they protect as good as a 50wt in most applications. My own 20wt experiment showed fine results in a car never spec'd for 20wt oil:
UOA -- 96 saturn 1.9L DOHC, M1 0w-20, 5400 miles
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
johnc- your cobalt wont know the difference. Fargyj- welcome aboard and your point has been well beaten over the years.
Joel
Joel
John, since your car may still be under warranty and does not seem to recommend xW20, I'd stick with what you are doing. Are you changing the oil filter according to your owner manuals or extended filter manufacturers recommendations? How much oil do you add between oil changes, including your filter changes?
Johnc - thank you for asking this question. I have the 2.2L ecotec as well - though in another car. I am interested in running a 5w20 and was going to ask but you beat me too it.
If you run a 5w20 - post the UOA. I'm running some Amsoil XL 5w30 but will strongly think about Amsoil 5w20 next. I know the engine seems smoother/happier with a lighter oil (also some MPG increase).
If you run a 5w20 - post the UOA. I'm running some Amsoil XL 5w30 but will strongly think about Amsoil 5w20 next. I know the engine seems smoother/happier with a lighter oil (also some MPG increase).
Yeah, well thinner oil is great and all, but when the clearances in an engine were designed for a certain fluid film thickness, I think it is dumb to assume the engineers who designed the vehicle were ignorant and use a different oil just because you like the way it sounds in your engine. Engines that are designed for 5W20 oil have tighter clearances and the oil pump is also slightly different to allow for the change in viscosity, so when you take a vehicle that in EVERY respect was designed to use 5W30, and just say "Hey, I like 5W30 better.", I think you are calling yourself smarter than the designers. NOW!!! In racing applications where RPM's are way higher, or engine temperatures are higher, or fuel types are different, THEN you have to think about changing oil types, but I think to just randomly change oil type because you think it is a good thing to do, and a bunch of other people did it, is likely the most ridiculous thing I have heard.
I too, would be intersted in the Used Oil Analysis, because I like to run it on my car(s), and usually have nothing to compare to, because nobody here analyzes anything 'cept diesel trucks!
I too, would be intersted in the Used Oil Analysis, because I like to run it on my car(s), and usually have nothing to compare to, because nobody here analyzes anything 'cept diesel trucks!
Are you not concerned about warranty issues ?
So...what is the factory-recommended viscosity for the 2.2 Ecotec?
GrtArtiste
fargy, I'm not so convinced that the engines are engineered to 20wt oil have tighter clearances. Too many have been given the OK by the mfr to use 20wt that are varied and different in their design and manufacture.
IMO, technology has made oil so much better the last decade and a half that the new products have rendered the old ways of thinking of oil as obsolete.
IMO, technology has made oil so much better the last decade and a half that the new products have rendered the old ways of thinking of oil as obsolete.
JHZR2
Staff member
given the amount of driving and type of driving, start/stop at warm and semi-warm temperatures is what you are typically doing. These are not so bad, and so Id stick with what you are doing now. Its not like you have lots of cold starts where the vehicle has sat overnight outside...
If I d do anything to enhance operation, Id add a bypass filter and/or preoiler.
Warm and semi warm oil is your firend.
JMH
If I d do anything to enhance operation, Id add a bypass filter and/or preoiler.
Warm and semi warm oil is your firend.
JMH
If an engine is engineered for 20w what is different in that engine as opposed to one that is engineered for a 30w oil? Are the bearings different, or the cylinder wall clearances. What I find that makes these distinctions a bit cloudy is that these new 20w oils are just better quality, on average. They are lower in viscosity but appear to hold their starting viscosity pretty well, certainly better than some of the thicker oils and especially oils with a big spread like 5w-40 or 0w-40. Motorcraft 5w-20 just may be better than any other similar 5w30 oil on the market,except for some of the pure synthetics of course. In the use most people put the engines to and the intervals they do MC 5w-20 is as good as Mobil 1 5w-20 in the real world, if not on the spec page. No one knows for sure but the fact is that maybe any engine that calls for 5w30 would do as well or better on a good quality 5w-20. The new Amsoil 5w-20 hold the promise of being one really good oil for not only 5w-20 applications but for 5w30 applications as well. The 5w-20's may pump better, lubricate better and quicker, cool better and do everything else a motor oil does, better than a 5w30. I don't think these 20w oils are failing in boundary layer lubrication or in the oil wedge moving through a bearing journal, or being squeezed of the face of a camshaft.
>>>>So...what is the factory-recommended viscosity for the 2.2 Ecotec?
GrtArtiste>>>>>>
The manual for my engine says to use: 5w30 if below 0F and use 10w30 if above 0F. (exactly that). It says not to use 10w40 as that could damage the engine. No mention of 5w20
. lol
I'll stick with 5w30 I think... if it works well then don't fix it.
GrtArtiste>>>>>>
The manual for my engine says to use: 5w30 if below 0F and use 10w30 if above 0F. (exactly that). It says not to use 10w40 as that could damage the engine. No mention of 5w20
I'll stick with 5w30 I think... if it works well then don't fix it.
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