5w20 too thin for high speed drive?

[Throckmorton]

Originally Posted By: caravan
Hi would like you guys' opinions.
Planning on a trip and will be taking the highway. I intend to travel at an average speed of 150-160 km/h and regularly hitting up to 190+ km/h.
But my OCI is up and I have 5 quarts of Schaeffer 7000 semi-syn. Mobil 10w30 presently in the engine. Is this oil too thin for this kind of regularly full throttle driving? If it is, I figured the Shell Helix Ultra 10w40 at the dealer will have to do?
Btw it is a KIA 2.0 litre naturally aspirated engine(same as the I4 used in Hyundai Sonata).
They let you drive that fast in Singapore? Even if that's the case, how far do you plan on driving? I mean, the place is an island fer cryin' out loud.

 

[CrazyMike]

Originally Posted By: Throckmorton
Originally Posted By: caravan
Hi would like you guys' opinions.
Planning on a trip and will be taking the highway. I intend to travel at an average speed of 150-160 km/h and regularly hitting up to 190+ km/h.
But my OCI is up and I have 5 quarts of Schaeffer 7000 semi-syn. Mobil 10w30 presently in the engine. Is this oil too thin for this kind of regularly full throttle driving? If it is, I figured the Shell Helix Ultra 10w40 at the dealer will have to do?
Btw it is a KIA 2.0 litre naturally aspirated engine(same as the I4 used in Hyundai Sonata).
They let you drive that fast in Singapore? Even if that's the case, how far do you plan on driving? I mean, the place is an island fer cryin' out loud.



I thought it was Singapore, that's insane if they let you drive that fast there!!! At the same time, so is a family of 9 with a bunch of milk crates filled with produce balanced on a scooter and a few dogs perched on top weaving through rushour.....

 

[Yuk]

"that's insane if they let you drive that fast there!!! "

Driving, at all speeds, is inherently dangerous. People die at 10kph. That’s why driving is a privilege and not a right. Driving at 190kph, on the right roads, at the right time of day is not insane. What's more insane, is that most "safe" Canadian drivers, who rant against high speed highway driving, don't know to stay in the right lane except to pass. They also don't use their turn signals, mirrors, or pay attention to road conditions. If every Canadian driver simply paid attention to traffic conditions and how they are operation their own vehicle, we could all drive at 190 kph and have far fewer highway fatalities. Speed doesn’t kill, being unaware of your environment kills.

Just to ratchet the debate up a notch... I honestly believe that if you don’t know how to drive, safely, at 190kph you shouldn’t posses a Canadian drivers license.

 

[CrazyMike]

Quote:
Driving, at all speeds, is inherently dangerous.


True, but what are the odds of slicing a moose in half, scattering your car and yourself over 300 meters, and wiping out vanload of kids at 10km/h.

Quote:
That’s why driving is a privilege and not a right. Driving at 190kph, on the right roads, at the right time of day is not insane.


I agree absolutely. A closed course, the autobahn, I dunno if Montana has no speed limit still on some highways, these would be the right place/time for such speeds. Screaming along on a Sunday afternoon when families are coming back from a weekend spent out in Jasper, I would call that insane.

Quote:
What's more insane, is that most "safe" Canadian drivers, who rant against high speed highway driving, don't know to stay in the right lane except to pass. They also don't use their turn signals, mirrors, or pay attention to road conditions.


Amen to that, and no this doesn't apply to me, heheh. A few more for the Pot:

Drivers that set the cruise 10km/h under the speed limit, and run 40km/h over the speed limit when they get to a passing lane. Drivers that run 80km/h in a 100km/h zone, and do the same speed though towns where it's 50km/h. Drivers that use up the complete 5 or 8 km's of passing lane just passing a slow moving vehicle themselves.

Quote:
If every Canadian driver simply paid attention to traffic conditions and how they are operation their own vehicle, we could all drive at 190 kph and have far fewer highway fatalities.


Maybe in Alberta, but out BC roads are gross let me tell you, LOL!

Quote:
Speed doesn’t kill, being unaware of your environment kills.


No, speed does kill, but IMO it's not "just" speed, it's a factor combined with poorly maintained vehicle, lack of experience, night driving with wildlife around, etc. So many variables, but one thing for sure speed does not reduce the severity of an accident. You can take a professional driver, give him a Ferrari, dodging moose, slow moving cars, or a tire blowout is much more managable at 100km/h than 200km/h. Well, he may go to sleep putting along at 100km/h in a Ferrari, maybe not the best example, LOL.

Quote:
I honestly believe that if you don’t know how to drive, safely, at 190kph you shouldn’t posses a Canadian drivers license.


That would thin out the herd tremendously, I'd be all for that if it could be done. But, I would settle with mandatory 3-4 months Young Driver's of Canada training for all new DL applicants. In BC there's a longer term set up for new driver's, but the formal education should be deeper, more detailed. My parents made me take the course when I turned 16, I hated it for the first few weeks, but you get sooooo much out of the course it's worth every minute.

Great points Yuk, and sorry to everyone for the hijack!!!

 

[Gary Allan]

(1st to plea Nolo contendere )

This is for an oil recommendation. I think 5w-20 will do okay. 190kph is plenty fast for us mundanes ..and what else?? How do you manage 190kph in S'pore?

 

[theedge67]

I didn't know a Kia would go that fast in the first place.

 

[Titan]

Speed doesn't kill. It's how you come to stop that can be deadly. 5-20 will probably be fine for a couple of fast runs. If worried, I'd shorten your OCI.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I would nervious doing that volume of High Speed driveing with a 20Wt.. As the spped of the crank and rod's increases it is harder for a thin oil to float and seperate the part's! As heat goes up you compound this issue I am not talking engine temp either I am talking about the oil temp at the rod and main bearings.....

I know someone is going to bring up F1 car's turning 17,000+ RPM's on thing oil but these car's get new engines ever other race and sometimes every race is a fresh engine just depends onhow deep the team's pocket's are! You on the other hand will need to keep that engine in tact for 300,000-500,000 km's!!!!! I would toss in a 5W40 or 10W40 and call it good!!!In fact anyting with an HTHS of 3.3 or higher like 3.5-3.9 would work well.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I`ve had 2 Mits 3000GT`s and both of the owner`s manuals said to run 15W40-20W50 if you do alot of extended high speed driving.

 

[Saab9-3]

Does Kia even have tires on the car that can go up to 190 kph ? or do you have better tires on it. I would assume that it had T rated tires from the factory which do not support 190 kph.

 

[1sttruck]

5W20 is used for better fuel mileage, or in high performance applications for higher power output where engine life isn't a concern. If you don't drive in a manner that shows that you're concerned about better fuel mileage, why would you want to use it if it's not recommended for your engine ? You can't really use the US as an example as speed limits here are very low compared to some other parts of the world.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I know my 4 cylinder 2003 Camry when i bought it they had flashed the computer wrong at the factor since it super touchy on the accelerater wich is drive by wire, the RPM limiter did not work and I would hit 8000RPM's and not hit any limiter at all and it would burry the needle to the 146MPH mark... Now I took it back into the dealership becuase the throttle was was to touchy and asked them the check the ECU programming.... When I got it back the cam phaseing was no where near as agressive, the throttle responce and such was more normal and the RPM limiter kick's in now just under 7000RPM....So someone in Japan goofedup the initial programming on my ECU.. THe reason I am typeing all this is becuase it also happened on my 2001 Dodge Dakota I was not dumb enough to say anything back then though... THe fuel cut off did not work and my 4.7 V8 Dakota would hit 135 MPH floored it should have cut the fuel though at 105... SO my Truck took to KRC HO cam's and intake etc..... much better then most truck's without needing a reflash...

So if Dodge and Toyota can drop the ball on ECU flashing so can KIA!!! I have known quite a few people that have had flash issues with their ECU's and or a large variation from one vechile to another of the same year make and model!!! This is one area I am not so well educated on so I do not understand fully how mistakes like this can creep in to the programming of the ECU's unless they have different program's for different countries or diagnostic program with out limiters etc.... that accidentaly work their way into production by chance???

 

[theedge67]

Great story, but what does that have to do with 5-20 oil?

 

[JohnBrowning]

theedge67, Some doubted weather or not his car could actualy reach the speeds he mentioned! Mostly people being car snob's but....Even on vechiles that are supposed to be speed limited expceptions exsist due to programing error's and such! That is what it has to do with 5W20 since speed and rpm are relative to the oil in question!

 

[theedge67]

I understand now. I didn't make the connection to your story about pcm errors and the fact that his car may not be able to reach that speed.

 

[caravan]

hi all thanks for the reply.
I only have a water temp gauge, so how do I can know the oil temperature?
Ok for those who thinks it's not fast, I agree it's not as fast as many cars, but these are the speeds I am used to.
For those who thinks that it is too fast and that I am going around killing children, I won't be driving in Singapore. Anyway on that highway, such speeds are common and normal. The trip is done in daytime with good visibility. Have done it several times and the reason why I asked is that this is the 1st time I am trying 5w20.
5w20 and 5w30 are both recommended in the manual. Most of the I'm pottering about in the city, hence the emphasis on fuel economy. However if it means I can't go fast(or slow) occasionally, I may just stick to the w30 or w40.
The spec top speed of 195km/h is definitely attainable and it's not an ECU error.

 

[Titan]

Water temp gauge will not let you know what your oil temp is.

 

[gregmp]

go with w30 or w40 for extended high speed driving and be safe/have fun!