5W20 instead of 5W30

[Fred Bear]

I am a huge fan of the 5W-20 oils. My 97 Accord (5w30 spec) loves them as does our 04 Pilot. (The Pilot specs 20)
As has been stated, many oils shear to 20 weight quickly and Mobil 1 5w30 is on the low side of 30 weight anyhow...

 

[Blue99]

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"A 5w30 always shears down to the 5W-20 range"

Ya know, not to be argumentative, but I never really agreed with this statement.

Yes, a whole slew of UOA's show 5w30's slipping into the 9.0 - 9.3 portion of the SAE 20 viscosity range, but most conventional 5W-20's are in the 8.3 - 8.7 cSt range right out of the bottle. And the 5W-20's shear down from there.

Eyeballing the 1st several pages of the UOA forum shows very few 5w30's below the 55.0 range, so what is the above statement based on?

 

[Gene K]

Blue99 reread statement by "427Z06" and
yours truly "Gene K"

 

[Gene K]

MC is 8.8 cSt to start and is the leading brand. Castrol Syntec is 9.0 cSt and the afore mentioned Redline is 9.1 cSt,

 

[Blue99]

Please list some other major 5W-20 brands.

Are you sure about Motorcraft, as last time I checked, MC does not list product data on the web.

 

[Gene K]

SAE Grade
5W-20
API Service GF-4
Gravity, ºAPI 35.0
Specific Gravity, @ 60ºF (15.5ºC) 0.852
Density, lb/gal 7.10
Flash Point, COC, ºF(ºC) 365(185)
Viscosity:
cSt @ 40ºC 49
cSt @ 100ºC 8.8
Viscosity Index 161
HT/HS Viscosity, cP @ 150ºC 2.65
Pour Point, ºF(ºC) -49 (-45)
Sulfated Ash, Wt. % 0.94
Total Base Number (TBN) 7.5
ASTM Color 4.0

However the latest MSDS shows a change in flash point to 193*C. This makes me believe there may have been a reformulation so this may no longer be accurate.

I am sure most other brands are lower. If memory serves PP is 8.46 and Schaeffers 7000 is 7.5-8.5 (Sorry thats the way they list it). I think Torco is down around 7.8!

 

[Blue99]

That's old data at that website, we have discussed this many times.

Note that the 5W-20 spec, a couple of paragraphs above the 5W-20 data, is the older WWS-M2C153H spec and not the current WSS-M2C930-A.

Note that the 5w30 & 10w30 motor oils are listed as API SJ.

I do not know of any current listings on the web for Motorcraft PCMO's.

 

[Blue99]

Here's a list from current product data sheets:

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Exxon SuperFlo 5W-20 8.3

Pennzoil 5W-20 8.2

Valvoline All Climate 8.36

Havoline 5W-20 8.0

Trop Artic 5W-20 8.6

Citgo 5W-20 8.2

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[doubleshockpower]

If 5W-20 were available when your engines were made they would have specified 5W-20 especially the newer SM versions, it's just a better, newer engine oil. I run the Chevron .59 cent 5W-20 SM in my '03 accord, '98 civic, '97 CRV which tows occationally...none sound weird or burn any oil...couple more years we'll be running 5W-15 maybe 0W-10.

 

[Blue99]

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couple more years we'll be running 5W-15 maybe 0W-10.

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I doubt that...

This a prime example of "thinner is better" muddidly-think.

Actually, with the new tests on the slate for 2010 & GF-5, the bar will be raised for higher temperature and more resistance to sludge.

This makes more demands on base oil volatility & adding a higher % of light base oils to make a mythical "0W-10" is heading in the wrong direction to pass tougher volatility standards.

 

[Gene K]

I was told by a Conoco Rep that the reason Ford doesnt post current Product Data is its identical to Conoco Super All-Season Synthetic Blend. I was also told by the distributor that at least in bulk form the Motorcraft and Conoco deliveries are done from the same bulk supply.

I have no idea if they were blowing smoke or not. If so it would be 8.6 currently. But it also shows a (224*C)435*F which is way better than Fords 185-193*C I have seen.

 

[eshishlo]

Dr. Haas, uses 0w-20 in his Ferrari with no harm... I think that if a car like that can run 0w-20 than most cars that do not have high wear on the engine can run thin oils.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I still would like to see how his Toyota pickup does. I do wissh though that people would try an OTC 5W20 in vechiles recomending 5W30. THe Redline stuff is so close to a 5W30 and exceeded many 5W30's HTHS so it is hard to compare it to any other 5W20. I still rember TooSlick's negative experince with Synergen 5W20 and it ws not preety! THe wear rate on his Tacoma was out of sight!

 

[dave1251]

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couple more years we'll be running 5W-15 maybe 0W-10.

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I doubt that...




This a prime example of "thinner is better" muddidly-think.

Actually, with the new tests on the slate for 2010 & GF-5, the bar will be raised for higher temperature and more resistance to sludge.

This makes more demands on base oil volatility & adding a higher % of light base oils to make a mythical "0W-10" is heading in the wrong direction to pass tougher volatility standards.

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As I have tried to preach in the past. In a couple of years the spec's will change. The current 10WT will be 20WT. Current 20WT will become 30WT and so on and so and so on. That why when some one comes on here and say's that they want to run a modern day 40WT oil in there sump. And there car was spec'd for 30WT 10 years ago. The modern 40WT is the same as the spec'd 30WT was. Then you 10-15 people on here saying that no 40WT is too thick is will bog down your engine. I don't get it. Why people can't get out of the mindset that the viscosities are set in stone.

 

[dave1251]

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couple more years we'll be running 5W-15 maybe 0W-10.

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I doubt that...




This a prime example of "thinner is better" muddidly-think.

Actually, with the new tests on the slate for 2010 & GF-5, the bar will be raised for higher temperature and more resistance to sludge.

This makes more demands on base oil volatility & adding a higher % of light base oils to make a mythical "0W-10" is heading in the wrong direction to pass tougher volatility standards.

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As I have tried to preach in the past. In a couple of years the spec's will change. The current 10WT will be 20WT. Current 20WT will become 30WT and so on and so and so on. That why when some one comes on here and say's that they want to run a modern day 40WT oil in there sump. And there car was spec'd for 30WT 10 years ago. The modern 40WT is the same as the spec'd 30WT was. Then you 10-15 people on here saying that no 40WT is too thick is will bog down your engine. I don't get it. Why people can't get out of the mindset that the viscosities are not set in stone.

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[INDYMAC]

I think the question you have to ask yourself is "what mechanical ill effects am I experiencing with my current 5W30 weight oil that is recommended by the manufacturer, and how then can I improve upon my situation?".
Since you have four vehicles, you'll have to look at each one individually and determine what they are used for. Otherwise, you won't know what improvements have been made after your change of oil. Maybe it's a viscosity issue, or maybe it's a brand issue. I've found that "one size doesn't fit all" when it comes to lubricants. I own three vehicles right now and two of them like 5W30 and one likes 10W30. I'll stay with that arrangement for now.