5W-20 second thoughts

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I've generally accepted that 5W-20 is safe to use, and I used it for 65,000 miles on my '04 Honda CR-V. Now I have an '08 CR-V, and the K24Z1 engine has always been a bit noisy compared to the K24A1 in the '04. Curiosity finally got the better of me today, and even though I was at 40% oil life remaining, I changed it. I went from Syntec 5W-20 (5300 miles on it) to GTX 5W-30, since I plan to change it at the normal oil life interval, and I didn't reset the oil life monitor yet. I figure that's a few thousand miles until the normal oil change, so that's why I went with GTX at $4 a quart instead of $7 a quart for Syntec.

Observations? It's noticeably less "clattery" than before. The fuel injectors do make a noticeable clicking, but there was always a clatter that was especially noticeable when cold. The engine was still hot when I changed it, but already it's quieter. At least I have an interval to see if stays quiet, especially when cold, and to see if there's any noticeable hit in the fuel economy. I keep a log of all the mileage and fuel purchases, so I should be able to see if there's any noticeable difference. If the gas mileage stays about the same, I might just stick with the 5W-30.
 
i agree. i was running 50:50 5w20:5w30 in a flat four.
somehow, it just didn't sound right, and oil was dropping slightly on dipstick. now it's 50:50 5w30 PZ YB: 5w30 ST synthetic. Engine sounds like it should now. Modern 5w30 is so superior, there is no need to go to a thinner oil, except perhaps in extreme arctic weather. The cold flow properties of just regular PZ YB 5w30 means there is no need to fool around with thin oils, or fancy group 4/5.
Regular group 2 and 3 has excellent cold properties already, and has the best film strength properties, and CHEAP TOO!!!
 
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1492772&fpart=1

I think the love affair with lighter oils might be losing steam around here
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Nothing wrong with 20wt oils... They will provide decent if not better protection for your engine depending on engine design and application/driving style...

There is no one best oil/weight for every car/driver... Each situation is different and warrants a different choice.

I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



I agree 100% 5-20 would be great in Canada, North USA...I just wish I had the option to use 5-30 in our daily 100 degree Texas heat. I use, but hate 5-20!
 
Stevie, I'm not bashing 20 wt oils, I just think they are like soup du'jour, that's all.

However, I doubt that they provide "better protection" for any engine.
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Nothing wrong with 20wt oils... They will provide decent if not better protection for your engine depending on engine design and application/driving style...

There is no one best oil/weight for every car/driver... Each situation is different and warrants a different choice.

I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



Nicely put Stevie. The key words are "applicable to their situation."
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Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



I agree 100% 5-20 would be great in Canada, North USA...I just wish I had the option to use 5-30 in our daily 100 degree Texas heat. I use, but hate 5-20!


I'm guessing because of warranty? Simple solution, just stick in some 5W-30 but keep the old 5W-20 bottles from your current fill to show them. They would never be able to tell what you were using if you had an issue.

Personally, I would never use 20 weight oil in a hot climate. Take a look at what they use/recommend in Australia, for example. Shoot, I'm up here in Washington and I still wouldn't use a 20 weight oil.
 
Quote:
I think the love affair with lighter oils might be losing steam around here
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Love affair? I guess if that's following the owners manual recommendation for 5w20, then I must be in love.
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If I were to run a lighter weight than recommended ie. 0w20(out of warranty), then I'd be experimenting, possibly for winter cold start advantages.

Everyone should run what they are comfortable with, me I'm comfortable with 5w20.

Always going to be differences of opinion. I'll make up my own mind despite whether some oil weight might be out of favor with some posters from time to time. That's what makes it a great country.
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It seems like every thread that 20Wt oil is mentioned along with 30 wt the same thing happens. We get into thick vs thin, the rematch. Probably 1/3 of the server is filled with thick vs thin battles.
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The the main event the A-rX wars. that's probably another 1/3 of the server.
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My suggestion to the OP is use what ever you want! As others have said, the car will probably self destruct from rot before it has an oil problem.
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I'm not bashing 5W-20 either, and I really don't think it will make much difference (other than the noise) in the long run. Stevie's right, it depends on your application. I'm sure the engine will be just fine on 5W-30 or 5W-20. As far as I know, you run into problems with damaging VTEC solenoids when you put something heavy like 20W-50 in it, but I thought I read that K24 engines call for 5W-30 in other parts of the world. I would be truly astounded if I have any problems with the engine and then have Honda try to claim it was because I used 5W-30 instead.
 
There's no need for your car to self destruct from rot.
Spray your vehicle inside and out with wax/oil combination
and it will never rot, as long as product is applied properly and on an annual basis. Fluid Film has USAF credentials, but there are lots of other good products. Just make sure there is no SOLVENT in what they are putting on, or your door rubbers will swell and disintegrate.
I'm sold on synthetic 5w30 for cold weather, and conventional 5w30 with a quart of 10w30 synthetic for hot weather. Just stick on a cheap Kats oil pan heater on your DD, put it on a timer to go off some time before you wake up and need to go. I might use 25% 5w20 in deep winter, but otherwise, I think you lose the safety margin by trying to push thinness. I know that most of the wear occurs at the time the engine is warming up, but I think the better answer is just use a block heater/oil pan heater for 2-3 hours in the a.m.
 
Originally Posted By: hate2work

I'm guessing because of warranty? Simple solution, just stick in some 5W-30 but keep the old 5W-20 bottles from your current fill to show them. They would never be able to tell what you were using if you had an issue.


I appreciate your suggestion, I really do. However, there is no way to keep empty bottles and have them pile up until 2014, when my Honda warranty runs out. Besides, simply producing an empty bottle would not technically prove anything to Honda in the event of a warranty issue. As I understand it, only receipts would suffice...
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: hate2work

I'm guessing because of warranty? Simple solution, just stick in some 5W-30 but keep the old 5W-20 bottles from your current fill to show them. They would never be able to tell what you were using if you had an issue.


I appreciate your suggestion, I really do. However, there is no way to keep empty bottles and have them pile up until 2014, when my Honda warranty runs out. Besides, simply producing an empty bottle would not technically prove anything to Honda in the event of a warranty issue. As I understand it, only receipts would suffice...


5W20 is fine and I'd use it w/o any hesitation. But if you want to run 5W30 and need proof of using 5W20 make friends with a parts store employee. Buy 5W20 oil keep the invoice, have your buddy exchange the 5W20 for 5W30. It is done all the time w/o an invoice if you know the right person.

Then you'll have your cake and eat it too. Me I'd just run the 5W20 and call it a day. YMMV

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Oil analysis will tell ALL

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



I agree 100% 5-20 would be great in Canada, North USA...I just wish I had the option to use 5-30 in our daily 100 degree Texas heat. I use, but hate 5-20!


I'm guessing because of warranty? Simple solution, just stick in some 5W-30 but keep the old 5W-20 bottles from your current fill to show them. They would never be able to tell what you were using if you had an issue.

Personally, I would never use 20 weight oil in a hot climate. Take a look at what they use/recommend in Australia, for example. Shoot, I'm up here in Washington and I still wouldn't use a 20 weight oil.
 
Originally Posted By: 2009Edge

Oil analysis will tell ALL

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



I agree 100% 5-20 would be great in Canada, North USA...I just wish I had the option to use 5-30 in our daily 100 degree Texas heat. I use, but hate 5-20!


I'm guessing because of warranty? Simple solution, just stick in some 5W-30 but keep the old 5W-20 bottles from your current fill to show them. They would never be able to tell what you were using if you had an issue.

Personally, I would never use 20 weight oil in a hot climate. Take a look at what they use/recommend in Australia, for example. Shoot, I'm up here in Washington and I still wouldn't use a 20 weight oil.


About what?

A single-pass UOA doesn't tell you much more than how much life the oil has left in it and the contamination levels......
 
Originally Posted By: hate2work

Stevie, I'm not bashing 20 wt oils, I just think they are like soup du'jour, that's all.

However, I doubt that they provide "better protection" for any engine.
I wasn't picking on you... I was picking on the people here at BITOG that blatently come out and say that 5w20 is no good "PERIOD".
cheers3.gif
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wish people would stop bashing 20wt's when it's just not applicable to their situation.
smirk2.gif



I agree 100% 5-20 would be great in Canada, North USA...I just wish I had the option to use 5-30 in our daily 100 degree Texas heat. I use, but hate 5-20!


You have the option of running it. It's not going to hurt anything at all. If it's possibly the warranty you're worried about, don't, even if you went in with a catostophic engine failure the dealer isn't going to have the oil tested. They'll fight about eveerypossibility under the sun but at the dealers I worked at, and from info I've gotten from friends at dealers... They'll never send it out. Just tell them there's 5w-20 in there and run what you want to run.
 
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