5w20 wt and other propaganda

[ToyotaNSaturn]

A lot has changed since the inception of this topic.

And some things haven't changed, either.

5w-20 in a car that doesn't call for it:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=003052#000000

I'm thinking that unless the loads require a thicker oil (heavy duty hauling, etc), it probably doesn't matter too much in most applications. YMMV.

 

[Matt89]

Thank you Alan for offering some sanity into this discussion.

Anybody can make a mediocre yet astronomically expensive car that needs synthetic oil to save it from sludge. The guy who can mass produce decent, cheap cars that run well on conventional 5W-20 from Alaska to Arizona is the real innovator, no.

[ February 07, 2006, 09:14 PM: Message edited by: Matt89 ]

 

[Zaedock]

TallPaul
Member # 2671
Icon 1 posted February 07, 2006 02:59 AM "I have no problem with running 20 weight oil-- 20w50 that is."

AMEN Brother!

I'll stick to my Delo SAE30 and 15W40.
Jeeps hate 20 weight.

 

[boxcartommie22]

its the long term affects of 5w20 oils that will ruin your cam shafts

 

[MC5W20]

Who can provide any proof or facts of a motor that was ruined or destroyed by 5w20 oil?

To the other poster. Most Oem's do very little testing past the 150k mark. There are a host of reason's for this, but realisticly most vehicles sucumb to other problems before the 150k mark eg: rust, accidents, theft, neglected maintenance, etc...

 

[martyi]

I have a 2006 Honda truck and it calls for 5w20 for general service. It recommends 5w30 if you tow heavy loads all the time. In any event, you change oil according to the OLM rather than X number of miles (the manual does state that if you put so few miles on that the service light never comes on then go ahead and change oil once a year).

This all seems to make sense given the super oil packs of today and the tight tolerances of Honda motors. Me thinks they are covering all the bases pretty well. So why not follow their recommendations? The engineers that built these engines are pretty bright fellows and they tested their product under conditions that even police vehicles seldom see. If they say use 5w20 (under normal conditions) I see no reason why I should second guess them.

 

[Auto-Union]

Two points.

20 is not included in overseas recommendations. Could be that it's not available...but how hard is it to bring an oil to market?

Secondly, is it not true that many apps shear 5w-30 down into the 20 range rapidly? If so, that means there a a lot more cars runnig 20 weight than is apparent.

 

[ZiTS]

I can not believe that this debate is still going on after 5 years! 5 YEARS!! Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of an engine failure that was proven to have been caused by using 5w-20 motor oil? Careful now, I'm talking about an engine that specified 5w-20. I would think that after 5 years!! of this killer oil being used that there would be numerous documented cases of death and destruction, but I personally haven't seen one.

I could go on, but I suspect that I'm not going to be the deciding factor in this 5 YEAR!! debate. The simple reality is to use what the manufacturer recommends, based on your usage needs (normal/severe), and catch some ZZZ's. And to the poster who mentioned that Jeep's don't like 5w-20, I don't think Jeep has ever specified 5w-20 in their 4.0L, nor the 4 banger. My 2004 Wrangler calls for 10w-30, my 2003 Focus calls for 5w-20, and my 2005 CVPI calls for 5w-20. The Wrangler and Focus get the weight they require, and both run perfectly. The shop that maintains our CVPI's uses cheap, bulk 5w-30, for the very simple fact that they are a backwoods outfit, and don't carry the 5w-20 for bulk usage. We still haven't had any problems, though. However, this brings me to ask: Is it better to use a low quality 5w-30, or a stoutly built 5w-20 in engines calling for 5w-20? I already know my answer.

 

[hominid7]

You will not void the warranty in a new Ford, Mazda, or Honda by using 5w30 instead of 5w20 as long as the oil meets the required specs.

I personally think 5w20 is too thin for my car. Then again, Mazda/Ford has specifically not back-spec'd my car to use 5w20, so i will not use it.

It IS all about gas mileage, but then again, that does not mean its a bad thing. Afterall, we all want better gas mileage dont we? The question is, at what cost. I will be intersted to see (when/if) cars roll past 200,000 miles with strick diets of 5w20. I suspect in engines that specifically call for it, it will work out ok.

 

[bar1]

hominid7: I think your right. Why else would those US spec xxW-20 engines use xxW-30 or thicker in all other markets?
But then again, those engines that has been approved with xxW-20 oil, will run fine on that.

 

[MIAMI-DADE]

Buzzsaw said it beat.Use 5w20 with confidence.Don't forget he is using a blend not plain old dino.I am using the same in my 05 Vic in Miami heat.

 

[Ray H]

They'll have to tear my TropArtic 10W-30 synthetic blend out of my cold, dead hands...

 

[Schism]

Hmm, well I used to think 5w20's weren't all that great. Now though I don't really see many problems in uoa or stories of failure with proof that it was the oils fault or that it even happened.

As it has been said before, honda is expanding their 5w20 recommendation to japan, and as far as I know, they aren't doing it because anyone told them to.


I plan to put 5w20 in my moms E150 with the 4.6L, and see if consumption increases. Currently uses 1-1+ qts per 1000 miles with 5w30-10w30, or about half that with 10w40HM. We'll see if it goes up, probably will, but ya never know till it's done.

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

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I plan to put 5w20 in my moms E150 with the 4.6L, and see if consumption increases.

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That's smart. Experiment on someone else's car.

 

[STSinNYC]

Emotions instead of facts, fiction instead of hard data...the worldview of the 5W-20 haters.

Has anyone here had an engine blow using 5W-20 oil? Or using any appropriate weight/grade oil in a properly maintained engine? Have we seen any truly bad 5W-20 UOAs?

Some of these people never made the mental transition from 10W-30, and maybe never will. Mola, Terry and others will real knowledge have told us how much better the additive packs are in modern oils, but some people will never accept facts.

 

[Da Game]

A buddy of mine just got his 03 marauder back in October with 32600 miles. He had the dealer preform the oil change using the recommended 5W-20. Some how the engine blew. The cause was the crank bearings and a piston rod gaveway, they couldn't tell if the oil was the cause or inferior engine design. The engine was replaced under warranty.

 

[Brons2]

quote:

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The recommended oil weight in Europe is xxW-30 for those Honda engines. I'm happy this question is left to the car industry with no government or EU intervention (for now).

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The Acura TSX I was recently under the hood of said 5w30 on the cap. Higher performing engine, thicker oil eh? hmm.

 

[427Z06]

So Da Game, did you drain that Mobil 1 0W-20 out of your 2004 Mercury Marauder right after your buddy's engine made like a grenade?

 

[1sttruck]

Emotions instead of facts, fiction instead of hard data...the worldview of the 5W-20 lovers...

One needs to use light oil because the clearances are tighter (not, as the makers use heavier oils outside of the US and in the higher output engines)

5W20 is used for it's better performance (not, the makers state that it's being used for increased mileage)

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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The Acura TSX I was recently under the hood of said 5w30 on the cap. Higher performing engine, thicker oil eh? hmm.

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Maybe the engine was designed and tested on 5w30, eh? Recall that Ford back spec'ed 5w20 on engines that were originally speced for 5w30, eh? The logical fallacies that are continually repeated on this subject is really, really boring. I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.