2017 Elantra 5W-20 to 5W-30?

[asparukh]

The wife and I have a 2017 Elantra I started doing oil changes on after getting a house + garage. Typical recommended spec per the owner's manual is Quaker State 5W-20 however the provided temp chart also lists 5W-30 as an alternative for hotter temperatures and even 10W-30. The car also eats a little bit of oil - at the 6 month mark before I last changed the oil, the oil line was hovering right above the L. We live in Houston which gets very hot during the summer so this being the case I figured switching to 5W-30 is a good idea so I went ahead and did the change using Quaker State full synthetic.

My question is this: is it a bad idea to switch back and forth between 5W-20 and 5W-30 every 6 months? I just did the change with 5W-30 in time for summer, but the next time it comes time to do it will be right in time for winter which doesn't get freezing cold but the temperatures still drop. I'm fairly certain the car will keep eating the 5W-20 at a faster rate than the 5W-30 due to the lower working temp viscosity. Would I be better off just running 5W-30 from now on regardless of whether its summer or winter?

Also am I ok switching the viscosity grade between 20 and 30 just by letting the old oil drain out and nothing else? Don't need a more in-depth oil pan clean out or flush or anything like that?

 

[Hirev]

Also am I ok switching the viscosity grade between 20 and 30 just by letting the old oil drain out and nothing else?

Yes you will be good.

 

[asparukh]

Yes you will be good.

thank you

 

[Lawnman23]

If you are going to switch to a 5W-30, which is completely safe, you might as well go with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30. You very well have some packed oil control rings increasing/causing the consumption issue. Many users on here have had great success with the Valvoline Restore and Protect.

You really have no need for the 5W-20, even in winter. The 30 grade will protect the engine better when it’s hot, which it is in summer and “winter” in Houston.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I run 5W-30 Valvoline Restore and Protect in my daughter in laws 2.0L NU '21 Tucson. Short trips were killing it with fuel dilution so I was doing 3000 miles / 6 months. Trips are longer now so currently 4k / 6 months which is Hyundai "severe service". Actually 3750 is but I'm good with that.

I'm doing the Valvoline Restore and Protect to hopefully keep the oil burning away.

 

[melk]

5w30 Valvoline Restore and Protect. done

 

[CleanSump]

Changing oil viscosity for Summer and Winter went the way of the DoDo with the normalization of multigrade oils in the '60s.
There is no advantage to a lower upper ( the -x number) viscosity in Winter since the appropriate "W" for "Winter" takes care of that. The engine doesn't care about ambient temps at operating temp.
People still think they need to do it, but they aren't very knowledgeable about how engines operate.

 

[asparukh]

Changing oil viscosity for Summer and Winter went the way of the DoDo with the normalization of multigrade oils in the '60s.
There is no advantage to a lower upper ( the -x number) viscosity in Winter since the appropriate "W" for "Winter" takes care of that. The engine doesn't care about ambient temps at operating temp.
People still think they need to do it, but they aren't very knowledgeable about how engines operate.

TIL. Thank you

 

[tah8436]

2016 Elantra in DFW, I bumped it up to a 30 weight not long ago. No oil consumption before or after.

 

[Mephy]

The wife and I have a 2017 Elantra I started doing oil changes on after getting a house + garage. Typical recommended spec per the owner's manual is Quaker State 5W-20 however the provided temp chart also lists 5W-30 as an alternative for hotter temperatures and even 10W-30. The car also eats a little bit of oil - at the 6 month mark before I last changed the oil, the oil line was hovering right above the L. We live in Houston which gets very hot during the summer so this being the case I figured switching to 5W-30 is a good idea so I went ahead and did the change using Quaker State full synthetic.

My question is this: is it a bad idea to switch back and forth between 5W-20 and 5W-30 every 6 months? I just did the change with 5W-30 in time for summer, but the next time it comes time to do it will be right in time for winter which doesn't get freezing cold but the temperatures still drop. I'm fairly certain the car will keep eating the 5W-20 at a faster rate than the 5W-30 due to the lower working temp viscosity. Would I be better off just running 5W-30 from now on regardless of whether its summer or winter?

Also am I ok switching the viscosity grade between 20 and 30 just by letting the old oil drain out and nothing else? Don't need a more in-depth oil pan clean out or flush or anything like that?

Go only with a good 5W30, Hyundai - Kia engines want thick beef.

 

[ATex7239]

Daughter’s 2015 Elantra only gets 5w-30. I stick with -30 since it’s older and high mileage.

 

[Mephy]

If you are going to switch to a 5W-30, which is completely safe, you might as well go with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30. You very well have some packed oil control rings increasing/causing the consumption issue. Many users on here have had great success with the Valvoline Restore and Protect.

You really have no need for the 5W-20, even in winter. The 30 grade will protect the engine better when it’s hot, which it is in summer and “winter” in Houston.

I had the same engine; the oil consumption is due to the bad PCV Valve. I use Mobil 1 0W-40 with no issue apart from oil consumption

 

[Adambomb7777]

I take care of my mom’s 16 Elantra and use 5w30 in it. No issues at all

 

[nickaluch]

5/30 since new on my daughter's 2017 Elantra followed severe service schedule with any blend on sale

 

[dubber09]

I too think xW-30 oil is a much better choice as well as sticking with severe schedule.
Also, I'd like to stress it here - keep an eye on oil level and keep it as close to top mark on dipstick as possible. I personally know 4 people who ruined their cars engines due to (very) low oil level.

 

[nickaluch]

I too think xW-30 oil is a much better choice as well as sticking with severe schedule.
Also, I'd like to stress it here - keep an eye on oil level and keep it as close to top mark on dipstick as possible. I personally know 4 people who ruined their cars engines due to (very) low oil level.

I agree any modern engine will do just fine with on time oil changes. I seen more than a few collapse from very low oil level. With new long drain oil change intervals average person doesn't check there oil that leads to failures

 

[burnbomber]

In the old days, before synthetic oils became commonplace, that was exactly the right process for oil changes. With me, it started with an air-cooled VW which recommended straight 40 weight in the summer, and 30 weight in winter. Even after multi-grade oils became prevalent, often the car's viscosity charts showed different multi-grades at the low and high temperatures. So, I continued to change oil on a 6-month cycle, timed to the seasons and using conventional 10w30 in winter and 10w40 in summer. But things change--now I would never use dino (conventional) oil, only synthetic--and the oil caps specify only 1 viscosity grade. With our newest vehicle, I've never changed the oil, and it's only been to the dealer for new oil using their discount coupons. So it's getting the factory viscosity full synthetic and factory filters. My change cycle is yearly now; I just changed it yesterday at 11.5 months and 2650 miles. I also had the dealer do a transmission drain and refill (at 8 years and 37k miles)--that was pricey ($160 for the fluid) even with a 10% discount coupon.