5W-20 Milage Gains??

NewGuy · May 12, 2005

I had to laugh when I saw this post. I began using 5W20 (from 5W30) in my wife's 1998 Expedition about 1 month ago. It is a gas hog (5.4L) engine, but we have noticed about a 5% increase in gas mileage. I calculated it using mileage/gallons at a 5.2% increase. The trip computer calculates about the same number.

I didn't post the results either as I felt most would not believe such an increase possible. I do admit that gas mileage is very subjective from tank to tank as driving conditions vary, but the results have been consistent through 3 fill-ups.

Gary Allan · May 12, 2005

quote:

had to laugh when I saw this post. I began using 5W20 (from 5W30) in my wife's 1998 Expedition about 1 month ago. It is a gas hog (5.4L) engine, but we have noticed about a 5% increase in gas mileage. I calculated it using mileage/gallons at a 5.2% increase. The trip computer calculates about the same number.

I think much is dependant upon the service duty. I experience no difference in highway driving between 20w-50 and 5w-20 ..in fact ..5w-20 was a little worse (actually at 24 and change it was slightly "less good" in a minivan @ 70-75mpg). In previous short trip calculations ..the difference in weight played a bigger role ..sometimes to the tune of 20% or more between heavy weight and light weight. These involve trips of a very few miles over the tank. 15w40 would drag it down to anywhere between 15-17.5 mpg ..while lighter stuff would range from 18-20 in this type of use. I'm hoping the 5w-20 is better than 10w30.

So, I wouldn't doubt your reported results simply due to my experience ..but when you try and say that for/to someone else ..it may just sound like wishfull thinking.

Is this a short trip vehicle??

Steve S · May 13, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Jay:
I've heard that you can expect 1.5% to about 2.5% increase in gas mileage also going from 30-weight to 20-weight, but I measure about 5% in my Acura RSX. I've been afraid to admit it because I don't like being called a liar.

liar

NewGuy · May 13, 2005

quote:

Is this a short trip vehicle??

Gary Alan...Yes it is about 75% short trips that my wife drives around town. It makes 1 or 2 30 mile interstate trips on a tank of gas. I believe that you are correct in your explanation. The short trips probably magnify the gas savings, but that is what works for me.

I did just do an ARx treatment to this vehicle prior to the switch to 5W20....that might have helped also. I like the way the 5W20 runs and will be sending a sample to Terry for analysis next month. I am interested in his take on the 5W20 in this engine.

JohnBrowning · May 14, 2005

2003TRD, I do not think it is going to do well in your Toyota!The only 20Wt. results we have seen is in a 2.7I4 Tacoma and the 20Wt. did not do so well! Now in Ken4's 5SFE I4 Fuchs and Motul 0W20 did produce increased fuel economy but they also increased wear! Now his wear numbers were low enough that even if they doubled he was still in good shape. I guess it just depends on how much wear you are willing to take in exchange for the fuel saveings? In the Tacoma some of the number were insanely higher like lead must have been 4X higher.

I do not think Toyota spec.'s a 20Wt. in anyting they make not even their Prius.

So if you decide to use a 20Wt. use a good one and do a used oil analysis on it so we can see how it is doing. I am really interested in seeing off aplication useage of 20Wt. oils were they are not recomended!!

I wounder how regular 5W30 M1 would have done over the Havoline 30Wt.???

simple_gifts · May 14, 2005

JB, I will be moving to 5W-20 in my !echo! in about 1,500 miles. Possibility it will be 3 qts 5-20 and 1 qt 10-30, but I could be arm twisted to use all 5-20 for the next change.

It will be RL and I changed over about 16K miles ago.

Will be doing a used oil analysis on the current 10-30 in there and the 5-20 later on.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002434#000000

Ugly3 · May 14, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by 2003TRD:
can you use 0w20 or 5w20 in an engine that specs 5w30? I was wondering if I would see any increase in gas mileage on my Toyota tacoma v6 since it only gets about 18mpg combined

The simple answer is yes for 99% of the engines out there. As Gary said: None of the 20 weights are that thin. It's merely a shaving of the baseline spec of 30 weight. If a 5w-20 can not shear ..like a 5w30 ..then you're typically operating on the same viscosity ...just earlier into the OCI.

wileyE · May 14, 2005

Ford had a bulletin out in 99 advising to switch all vehicles to 5w30 (from 10w30). Their testing showed aprox. 1/2 a % increase in mpg.

ruking77 · May 14, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by ruking77:
While I do not doubt what you are saying, I do not get a sense of the actual numbers. But I do think it is very well possible.

I have been using a 5w20 (Honda OEM fill) on a 2004 Honda Civic for app 10,000 miles. Since this was break in the numbers varied from 35-39 mpg. or 4 mpg or 11%. Recently it broke 40 mpg or 14%. I did the oem recommended oil change at 10,000 miles and have switched to a 0w20 synthetic.( Mobil 1) I am excited to see if there will be any further mpg change.

An update.

I did my first tank full after the switch to Mobil 1 0w20. (from Honda oem 5w20) One part of the mpg range showed app 1-1.5 mpg increase. Specifically, I got 36 mpg under the same conditions (actually 36.315789

) when I would get 35 mpg. So across the previous range of 35-40 mpg I am suspecting it will be from 36 to 41 mpg using the Mobil 1 0w20. So by way of percentages .028-.037%

[ May 15, 2005, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: ruking77 ]

JohnBrowning · May 15, 2005

SImple_Gifts, I think that the 20Wt. will do much better in your Echo then in any of Toyota's truck engines. The engine is your echo is a really modern design designed for effeciency and fuel economy. The engine is a low friction design. Toyota truck enignes seldom break new ground in terms of materials and friction reduction etc.... They tend to do all the clasic durability and low end torque tricks instead of low friction. You also tend to see less luging in light cars and the RPM's tend to stay higher so flow is always guranteed reguardless of load.

A truck has a fixed flow like a car but the loading of the engine chasis is far more variable. The same amount of oil is available with an unloaded truck with one driver as one with 4 passengers and a 7000 lb. trailer in two.

We have not seen any 0W20 testing in the ZZ-FE or AZ-FE line of engines in passenger car use with Toyota I suspect they will do much better then any of the engines in use in their trucks!

We have already seen a 20Wt. fail to protect a Toyota Truck 4 cylinder I am not guessin g this it is a matter of record. Seeing how a lot of 20Wt. oils only have an HTHS of 2.6 I think it is silly to assume that they will protect across the board as well as any 5W30 in all applications! Most 5W30's have HTHS of 2.9 or higer. Some 5W30's have HTHS numbers in excess of 3.6!Most of your 20Wt. have to use a lot of aw/ep aditives becasue they cannot get the job done with their base stock and a more conventional additive package.

simple_gifts · May 15, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by JohnBrowning:

Seeing how a lot of 20Wt. oils only have an HTHS of 2.6 I think it is silly to assume that they will protect across the board as well as any 5W30 in all applications! Most 5W30's have HTHS of 2.9 or higer. Some 5W30's have HTHS numbers in excess of 3.6!Most of your 20Wt. have to use a lot of aw/ep aditives becasue they cannot get the job done with their base stock and a more conventional additive package.

Looks like the Redline 5-20 is 3.3, so I will not sweat using it. Thanks for the input.

darkdan · May 15, 2005

When I figure my before and after mileage from mods/oil changes/etc I average out 5 to 10 tanks before and after.

Heck, a little wind and my mpg goes from 36 mpg to 19! Okay, so it was really windy, but 22 to 27 has happened just because of wind.

Life sucks when you only have 60 hp....

ruking77 · May 21, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by ruking77:

quote:

Originally posted by ruking77:
While I do not doubt what you are saying, I do not get a sense of the actual numbers. But I do think it is very well possible.

I have been using a 5w20 (Honda OEM fill) on a 2004 Honda Civic for app 10,000 miles. Since this was break in the numbers varied from 35-39 mpg. or 4 mpg or 11%. Recently it broke 40 mpg or 14%. I did the oem recommended oil change at 10,000 miles and have switched to a 0w20 synthetic.( Mobil 1) I am excited to see if there will be any further mpg change.

Click to expand...

An update.

I did my first tank full after the switch to Mobil 1 0w20. (from Honda oem 5w20) One part of the mpg range showed app 1-1.5 mpg increase. Specifically, I got 36 mpg under the same conditions (actually 36.315789

) when I would get 35 mpg. So across the previous range of 35-40 mpg I am suspecting it will be from 36 to 41 mpg using the Mobil 1 0w20. So by way of percentages .028-.037%

Another update

After another normal week of commuting and errand running, the lastest fill up indicated just a tad shy of 39 mpg! (38.88 mpg=385miles/9.9gal) with Mobil 1 0w20.

So naturally, I am jazzed about it and will continue to post if there is an interest.

SKUNKY · May 21, 2005

What do y'all think about adding 7.5 ozs of Valvoline Extended Protection for the summer..02 Mustang..5-20 MC oil..

ToyotaNSaturn · May 21, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by SKUNKY:
What do y'all think about adding 7.5 ozs of Valvoline Extended Protection for the summer..02 Mustang..5-20 MC oil..

Personally, I think that the Valvo EP is overrated. It's probably a good thing for weak oils, but use a good oil, like any of the 5w-20's discussed already in this thread, and you won't need that product at all. Lube Control reaps far more benefits than the Valvo EP.

5W-20 Milage Gains??

Similar threads