yes, according to Australia Toyota.
Only US has a dumb down owners manual.
Only US has a dumb down owners manual.
20W50 oil OK in Prius?
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What would be the reason or point? No Prius would ever need that thick of viscosity oil for any reason I could imagine.
I love the range they "allow" but keep in mind they only recommend 5-30 or below. I'm surprised they don't start the 20w-50 arrow at a higher ambient than 30 degrees.
I guess the right thing is to use the 50 weight your grampa told you was so great and then complain that the engine start/stop is abrupt and the fuel economy isn't as good as you expected. Maybe even that it's hard to start.
I guess the right thing is to use the 50 weight your grampa told you was so great and then complain that the engine start/stop is abrupt and the fuel economy isn't as good as you expected. Maybe even that it's hard to start.
I guess this is a point against the mantra "the bearings have close tolerances and are designed for 5W20" - the mfg actually acknowledges one could use 20W50.
Charlie
Charlie
That is the same story for the Corolla. The rest of the world gets a different page (like the one you see above) in the manual than North America does with regards to oil weights etc.
What I find interesting is the assumption that the US manual is the "dumb owners" version. Isn't it possible that the Australian manual is also dumbed down? Perhaps there is a very strong bias in favor of thick oils there -- and possibly pressure on Toyota to include that as an option there.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had to list all the oils that "would work" in the engine, by law. Note their strong recommendation of lighter than 5w30 and the fact that the cap would still say 0w20.
It is funny...seeing an allowable grade range from 0W-20 to 20W-50, all for the same engine.
Thats some seriously OLD SCHOOL mentality going on there!
Originally Posted By: m37charlie
I guess this is a point against the mantra "the bearings have close tolerances and are designed for 5W20" - the mfg actually acknowledges one could use 20W50.
Charlie
Has anyone EVER seen this "new tolerance" printed or listed in a Shop/overhaul manual for a modern engine?
It is a 'myth', correct?
I guess this is a point against the mantra "the bearings have close tolerances and are designed for 5W20" - the mfg actually acknowledges one could use 20W50.
Charlie
Has anyone EVER seen this "new tolerance" printed or listed in a Shop/overhaul manual for a modern engine?
It is a 'myth', correct?
Originally Posted By: LckydevL
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
This depends on who you ask. Me, personally, I will usually say no. I run the thinnest oil I can get away with. Granted right now that's just 5W-30 because that's the only grade that is Dexos certified, but whatever.
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
This depends on who you ask. Me, personally, I will usually say no. I run the thinnest oil I can get away with. Granted right now that's just 5W-30 because that's the only grade that is Dexos certified, but whatever.
Originally Posted By: LckydevL
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
Certainly NOT in cold weather. Note the temperature advice. They do not advise use of 15W40 under +10F. And I would not go by "avarage winter temperature", but average January low temp minus 2 standard deviations.
As an example, in January our mean low is +9F. But in Jan 2012 we had 17 mornings at or below -4F.
Charlie
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
Certainly NOT in cold weather. Note the temperature advice. They do not advise use of 15W40 under +10F. And I would not go by "avarage winter temperature", but average January low temp minus 2 standard deviations.
As an example, in January our mean low is +9F. But in Jan 2012 we had 17 mornings at or below -4F.
Charlie
Look guys, it is Australia. There is no place in Australia that sees extremely cold weather, even though there are some mountains that see snow, with a few three dog nights.
But it is like the Southern California coastal plain. If you drive around there, and never go far inland or to the mountains, you will never, ever, see temperatures lower than 20 F.
But it is like the Southern California coastal plain. If you drive around there, and never go far inland or to the mountains, you will never, ever, see temperatures lower than 20 F.
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
Look guys, it is Australia.
I know, my vehicle just spent 18 months there and I spent 8 months travelling all over the country.
But the OP was from the US and one poster is from Alberta.
The advice about cold weather was general, not specific to one location.
Charlie
Look guys, it is Australia.
I know, my vehicle just spent 18 months there and I spent 8 months travelling all over the country.
But the OP was from the US and one poster is from Alberta.
The advice about cold weather was general, not specific to one location.
Charlie
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: LckydevL
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
This depends on who you ask. Me, personally, I will usually say no. I run the thinnest oil I can get away with.
+1
Originally Posted By: LckydevL
All things being equal with the oil grades in question.
Would a thicker oil protect better?
This depends on who you ask. Me, personally, I will usually say no. I run the thinnest oil I can get away with.
+1
Owners manuals are funny sometimes, I check them out at work and see alot of peculiarities.
Toyota manual: "0w-20 is the recommended oil for your car. If it is not available you can use 5w-30 but must install 0w-20 on the next oil change"
Hyundai/kia: lists 0w-20 as a suitable grade, but with an asterisk that is explained in small print "Not to be used in the middle-east"
And basically all owners manuals mention 15w-40 and 20w-50 as suitable grades.
Toyota manual: "0w-20 is the recommended oil for your car. If it is not available you can use 5w-30 but must install 0w-20 on the next oil change"
Hyundai/kia: lists 0w-20 as a suitable grade, but with an asterisk that is explained in small print "Not to be used in the middle-east"
And basically all owners manuals mention 15w-40 and 20w-50 as suitable grades.
It was established a long long time ago that engines are very robust items, capable of tolerating a wide range in oil quality and viscosity.
I'd imagine a Prius would live a happy life running 5w-20 or 20w-50 in Australia. With all things considered, there is enough capacity in the cooling system to cope with Australia's summer heat AND still run 5w-20. I'd bet that the final difference in viscosity between say a 70f day in Southern California, and a 110f day in Melbourne wouldn't be all that much different when running 5w-20. If you planned on taking your car to a race track....well, that would be a different story
.
Does that mean an owner can't use 20w-50? No. Does that mean the Prius would choke and die if someone poured 20w-50 inside the crankcase? No. You'd probably loose a bit of fuel economy, and you might actually increase temperatures a bit, but I'd reckon the car would run just fine. Not necessarily because 20w-50 is a good oil choice for the Prius, but because modern internal combustion engines are incredibly robust and forgiving. As long as they have some form of lubricant in the crank case, they are going to keep running.
Also, remember, its Australia, a place where you can buy 10w-60 over the counter! I'd imagine their fascination with heavy weight oils is due to experiences garnered generations ago with inferior lubricants. Like many oil traditions, these heavyweight oils have stuck around. Toyota of Australia isn't going to hamstring their vehicle owners or mechanics by saying 20w-50 is not allowed in their engines....because I'd imagine in some parts of the country, 5w-20, and other "thin" oils are hard to come by.
If he was living in the Arctic things would be different, and the manual clearly states that with its low temperature oil recommendations.
I'd imagine a Prius would live a happy life running 5w-20 or 20w-50 in Australia. With all things considered, there is enough capacity in the cooling system to cope with Australia's summer heat AND still run 5w-20. I'd bet that the final difference in viscosity between say a 70f day in Southern California, and a 110f day in Melbourne wouldn't be all that much different when running 5w-20. If you planned on taking your car to a race track....well, that would be a different story
Does that mean an owner can't use 20w-50? No. Does that mean the Prius would choke and die if someone poured 20w-50 inside the crankcase? No. You'd probably loose a bit of fuel economy, and you might actually increase temperatures a bit, but I'd reckon the car would run just fine. Not necessarily because 20w-50 is a good oil choice for the Prius, but because modern internal combustion engines are incredibly robust and forgiving. As long as they have some form of lubricant in the crank case, they are going to keep running.
Also, remember, its Australia, a place where you can buy 10w-60 over the counter! I'd imagine their fascination with heavy weight oils is due to experiences garnered generations ago with inferior lubricants. Like many oil traditions, these heavyweight oils have stuck around. Toyota of Australia isn't going to hamstring their vehicle owners or mechanics by saying 20w-50 is not allowed in their engines....because I'd imagine in some parts of the country, 5w-20, and other "thin" oils are hard to come by.
If he was living in the Arctic things would be different, and the manual clearly states that with its low temperature oil recommendations.
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
That is the same story for the Corolla. The rest of the world gets a different page (like the one you see above) in the manual than North America does with regards to oil weights etc.
Isn't this probably because the government requires that the oil used to achieve the gas mileage shown on the window sticker be the same weight required to be in the manual and on the gas cap?
That is the same story for the Corolla. The rest of the world gets a different page (like the one you see above) in the manual than North America does with regards to oil weights etc.
Isn't this probably because the government requires that the oil used to achieve the gas mileage shown on the window sticker be the same weight required to be in the manual and on the gas cap?
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