I have a 2006 Nissan Frontier, 4.0 V6. I am running Mobil 1, 5w30 as the manual calls for. What would be my anvantages or disadvantages of running 5w20, or 0w20?
5w30 or 5w20
- Thread starter kevin01
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Not enough to worry about.
You probably have more 5w30 choices and better prices.
Advantages of running a 5W-20:
- Better fuel economy in short trip situations during the 3-10 minutes required for the engine to reach full operating temperature.
- Approximately a 1-2% fuel economy gain when the engine is running at full operating temperature.
- Lower cold start MRV pumping viscosity.
Advantages of running 5w30:
- At 3.0 to 3.1 HTHS, has a higher film thickness rating & hot temperature performance than a 5W-20, which is typically 2.6 HTHS.
- In general, price, selection & availabilty are better.
- Better fuel economy in short trip situations during the 3-10 minutes required for the engine to reach full operating temperature.
- Approximately a 1-2% fuel economy gain when the engine is running at full operating temperature.
- Lower cold start MRV pumping viscosity.
Advantages of running 5w30:
- At 3.0 to 3.1 HTHS, has a higher film thickness rating & hot temperature performance than a 5W-20, which is typically 2.6 HTHS.
- In general, price, selection & availabilty are better.
Which one pumps and flows easier at normal operating temp?
Which one supports the bearings better at normal operating temperature or for that matter under extreme loading conditions?
Rickey.
Triple_Se7en
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In your climate - with what's written in your owners manual regarding oil weights, I ould only be using 5/10W-30
I say that any car that is specced for 5W20 will do just fine on longevity. Heck, way back in the 1950's, I drove a 1954 Ford from 0 to 140,000 miles by 1959 on the straight 20 weights of that era. I was going to college and was in the Army all of those years, and I ran that car pretty hard. That car never smoked or used any oil in 140,000 miles. It was customary in those days to change over to 30 weight oil when the engine began to consume oil, and I never have to use 30 weight in that car.
Today's engines, with fuel injection for less fuel dilution of the oil, and unleaded fuel, are much easier on oil, and the oils themselves are much better. XXW20 oils should be no problem in most any engine.
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Try it and do a used oil analysis. Use it for your normal full OCI without fear of destroying your engine. It won't happen. If you see anything out of whack to some alarming degree, you'll know that you're a smart man to test such explorations.
I think you'll find nothing unusual. So what if you see a little elevated wear for ONE OCI?? There are probably 10's of thousands of units that will have that every OCI.
We don't know why they spec a 30 weight. It probably has nothing to do with bearing surfaces and whatnot. It may be due to lousy oiling to their timing chain(s) if so equipped.
I think you'll find nothing unusual. So what if you see a little elevated wear for ONE OCI?? There are probably 10's of thousands of units that will have that every OCI.
We don't know why they spec a 30 weight. It probably has nothing to do with bearing surfaces and whatnot. It may be due to lousy oiling to their timing chain(s) if so equipped.
I do think that a new car, or most any car, will last a while on 5w-20... but if 5w30, or especially 10w30 offer better protection hands down, why bother with 20 weights? Not flaming or anything, it's just how I see it. I don't like thinking 'it 'shouldn't' be a problem'.. I like thinking '10w-30 offers the best protection'.
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The VAST majority of new cars last just as long as any other evolution of cars made to date. Keep in mind that most cars from the mid-late 70's through the 90's were running 20 weight oils without even knowing it if they were using 5w30 being as shear prone as it was. The "fear" of 20 weight oils, for the most part, is really irrational.
If a SBC spec's a 5w30 ...even when towing ...knowing full well that oil temps will send viscosity below a 20 weight ..and no one "worries" ..what does that tell you? They only recommend changing it out sooner. They don't say "Well, if you tow, full time, get a 20w-70 oil so that your engine doesn't grenade ...". They also don't say "The 5w30 spec'd oil "should work" under all conditions ..even those that will reduce it's viscosity radically". They just say use it.
If you apply the appropriate reasoning ..and back it up with testing (making sure that it's not a "hold my beer and watch this" type event)I don't see the act as "foolish". You can also live in an underground concrete bunker to avoid cosmic radiation that we hear is bad for our genetic material. That's "added protection", is it not?
I too have been debating this in my Integra. Most Honda engines are very easy on oil and many newer ones are using 5w20, which is why someday i'd like to try some in my car
I was thinking about changing to it sometime this weekend but I don't think it would be smart to try something like this before I leave on a long vacation.
Exactly what proof is there that 5/10w-30 offers better protection. used oil analysis usually give very good results using 5w-20's. Fleet service usually shows very good results in those Ford 4.6's that are specced for 5w-20. Honda would really have no reason to specify an inferior oil just to get a better gas mileage rating. Heck, they specify a 10,000 mile OCI with conventional, and 20,000 for the oil filter. Do we know more than the Honda engineers?
This site was my proof that 5/10w-30 is better than 5w-20. I dunno, maybe there's lots of mixed info. A 30 weight oil is going to give better oil pressure than a 20 weight oil, so that's a plus. I have a ford 4.6, except they used to recommend 5w/10w-30. I know that a car isn't going to immediately blow up due to 5w-20, but that stuff is too thin for my tastes at 212F. It's nothing compared to 30 weight oils. http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/s...ge=0#Post811297
Look at the chart on that page. Redline is the only good 5w-20 I see on there, but it more characteristics of a 30 weight oil.
Look at the chart on that page. Redline is the only good 5w-20 I see on there, but it more characteristics of a 30 weight oil.
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