Heh. Just seems like many people have this huge beef with CAFE. *shrugs*
CAFE and 5W-20 - The Truth
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Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I'd say our biggest "pig" aspects are emissions and safety gear....
Nailed it.
I'd say our biggest "pig" aspects are emissions and safety gear....
Nailed it.
Patman
Staff member
I used to think that 5w20 oils were going to cause a lot of engines to wear out sooner, but I think we can safely say that this isn't true, after seeing a ton of cars on the road that have gone high mileage with this viscosity. And if you think about it, the actual operating viscosity of most 5w20s isn't that far off from most 5w30s. If you look at a lot of conventional 5w30 UOAs on here you see that the oil will thin out from 10 cst at 100c down to around 8.5 to 9. And most 5w20s start out around that point and stay there for the entire interval. The added benefit of the 5w20 is that it's got a lower viscosity at 40c, so during the warmup period it's going to flow better than 5w30s will. So 5w20 is especially good at keeping engine wear lower on short trip vehicles.
My wife's 2000 Civic was the last year that Honda recommended 5w30 in the owner's manual, they started specifying 5w20 a year later. I still decided to switch her car over to 5w20 a couple of years ago and the wear numbers have shown it to be a perfectly safe choice. My only beef with using 5w20 is that there aren't as many good sales out there, most of the best bargains I see up here are for big jugs of 5w30 or 10w30.
My wife's 2000 Civic was the last year that Honda recommended 5w30 in the owner's manual, they started specifying 5w20 a year later. I still decided to switch her car over to 5w20 a couple of years ago and the wear numbers have shown it to be a perfectly safe choice. My only beef with using 5w20 is that there aren't as many good sales out there, most of the best bargains I see up here are for big jugs of 5w30 or 10w30.
Originally Posted By: Patman
My only beef with using 5w20 is that there aren't as many good sales out there, most of the best bargains I see up here are for big jugs of 5w30 or 10w30.
I find the same thing. Recently QS has been stocked and I saw a couple jugs of Maxlife Full Synthetic in WM, which surprised me.
My only beef with using 5w20 is that there aren't as many good sales out there, most of the best bargains I see up here are for big jugs of 5w30 or 10w30.
I find the same thing. Recently QS has been stocked and I saw a couple jugs of Maxlife Full Synthetic in WM, which surprised me.
The problem with CAFE is it's a preverse way to reduce fuel consumption. CAFE or not, gas hogs are still available and being purchased, and many people/shops don't use the specified 5w20 anyway. I thought fuel prices would be a better way to reduce fuel consumption, as it seems to work in Europe, but our $4+ a gallon gasoline didn't seem to curb fuel consumption that much, as least among those who have enough cash to keep on filling up. I guess our high gas prices was too short term to see a real effect.
Originally Posted By: tig1
Who did high fuel prices hurt? The average working man. That's all.
God bless the working stiff!
Who did high fuel prices hurt? The average working man. That's all.
God bless the working stiff!
I heard that oil is going down to $1 a quart now that obama is in. Thank God we are finally going to get relief.
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/austral...-5w-20-a-4.html
"Just ordered 300C Hemi. 2006 user manual manual specifies 5W30 oil.
2005 user manual specifies 5W20 oil.
I'm going with 5W30 oil because it's in the latter publication. Also 5W30 is easier to get in Oz."
"Just ordered 300C Hemi. 2006 user manual manual specifies 5W30 oil.
2005 user manual specifies 5W20 oil.
I'm going with 5W30 oil because it's in the latter publication. Also 5W30 is easier to get in Oz."
Originally Posted By: nooil
I heard that oil is going down to $1 a quart now that obama is in. Thank God we are finally going to get relief.
Huh?
I heard that oil is going down to $1 a quart now that obama is in. Thank God we are finally going to get relief.
Huh?
I'm seeing some sarcasm around here....
Originally Posted By: Liquid_Turbo
As for the hypothetical priority courier..In a typical owner's manual with the viscosity recommendations,
Interesting chart, but are those typical recommendations? Who uses 5w-20 only in temperatures below 20F? Honda specifies 5W-20 year round. I'm pretty sure that most cars that use 5W-20 do so year round.
As for the hypothetical priority courier..In a typical owner's manual with the viscosity recommendations,
Interesting chart, but are those typical recommendations? Who uses 5w-20 only in temperatures below 20F? Honda specifies 5W-20 year round. I'm pretty sure that most cars that use 5W-20 do so year round.
I highly doubt that Honda would ask you to use something that would hurt their incredibly well designed engines. I might have some second thoughts in a ford vehicle because FORD has been known to lie to the american public and place its own interests ahead of the consumer. ( and before you start with the hate mail, I am a big ford fan and have had several ford's but truth is truth..)
Honda has superior engineering. I seriously doubt that if they say 5w20 will work and work well, that it would be bad for the engine.
Honda has superior engineering. I seriously doubt that if they say 5w20 will work and work well, that it would be bad for the engine.
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Fuel for the fire.
http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showpos...19&postcount=12
Scott Whitehead, one of the engineers that worked on the Ford 4.6 modular, indicating use of 5W-20 is a no-no.
http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showpos...19&postcount=12
Scott Whitehead, one of the engineers that worked on the Ford 4.6 modular, indicating use of 5W-20 is a no-no.
Originally Posted By: Riptide
Fuel for the fire.
http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showpos...19&postcount=12
Scott Whitehead, one of the engineers that worked on the Ford 4.6 modular, indicating use of 5W-20 is a no-no.
He works for Michael Waltrip Racing. I'd take anything he says with a grain of salt.
Fuel for the fire.
http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showpos...19&postcount=12
Scott Whitehead, one of the engineers that worked on the Ford 4.6 modular, indicating use of 5W-20 is a no-no.
He works for Michael Waltrip Racing. I'd take anything he says with a grain of salt.
Some things never change. From page 2,410, BITOG during it's infancy in 2002.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=260#Post260
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=260#Post260
Kestas
Staff member
One sometimes wonders how the manufacturers come up with the temperature/viscosity recommendations in the owners manual. Do the run the engine for life at each oil grade for each temperature?... then run the whole matrix of testing for each engine they offer? I think not. They dont have the resources to do that. They probably just pull some reasonable numbers out of the air.
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
I've thought about this before and have to wonder what's in it for the manufacturer to back spec. It wouldn't surprise me if CAFE has a hand in this, persuading manufacturers to back spec.
Increase the demand for the new spec so it will be more in demand, higher production volume, and thus cheaper for the auto makers and dealers.
I've thought about this before and have to wonder what's in it for the manufacturer to back spec. It wouldn't surprise me if CAFE has a hand in this, persuading manufacturers to back spec.
Increase the demand for the new spec so it will be more in demand, higher production volume, and thus cheaper for the auto makers and dealers.
Originally Posted By: peterdaniel
I highly doubt that Honda would ask you to use something that would hurt their incredibly well designed engines. I might have some second thoughts in a ford vehicle because FORD has been known to lie to the american public and place its own interests ahead of the consumer. ( and before you start with the hate mail, I am a big ford fan and have had several ford's but truth is truth..)
Honda has superior engineering. I seriously doubt that if they say 5w20 will work and work well, that it would be bad for the engine.
I guess it's the type of engineering you're talking about.
If it's strength of stock components, you can't compare Ford and Honda. My TL starts putting rods through the block at ~340whp and that's one of the largest engines they produce. Then you have Ford's modular that in some forms can nearly touch 1,000hp on stock parts.
I highly doubt that Honda would ask you to use something that would hurt their incredibly well designed engines. I might have some second thoughts in a ford vehicle because FORD has been known to lie to the american public and place its own interests ahead of the consumer. ( and before you start with the hate mail, I am a big ford fan and have had several ford's but truth is truth..)
Honda has superior engineering. I seriously doubt that if they say 5w20 will work and work well, that it would be bad for the engine.
I guess it's the type of engineering you're talking about.
If it's strength of stock components, you can't compare Ford and Honda. My TL starts putting rods through the block at ~340whp and that's one of the largest engines they produce. Then you have Ford's modular that in some forms can nearly touch 1,000hp on stock parts.
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