I own a 2014 Grand cherokee V6. Recommended oil is 5w-20. As I live in the tropics where ambient temp. is between 20-40 degrees celcius all year round. Can I change the oil grade to 5w-30 or 10w-30. It seems to me that I can even use single grade 30. Can somebody comment?
Changing recommended oil grade
- Thread starter Tjulo
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That’s the case with all manuals.
You really don’t know why it’s presented that way?
I appreciate your pointing this out. This is what is shown in the "Specification" portion of the manual.
Cross marketing? If not, please enlighten me.
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That is a Honda manual he's showing.
The manual is ambiguous - "recommended" used at the top, and "Specified" used at the bottom of the same page.
I guess you can't split hairs with that one.
The manual is ambiguous - "recommended" used at the top, and "Specified" used at the bottom of the same page.
I guess you can't split hairs with that one.
OVERKILL
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CAFE regulations effectively require the OEM to ONLY recommend/list the grade used to qualify for the CAFE rating in the owner's manual.
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In my new chipper/shredder - didn’t figure that Chonda was pickyMonograde oils can be desirable if your starting temperatures allow it. Multi-grade oils are a convenience, nothing else. But good luck finding a VW 504 00 monograde
Of course! The answer was so obvious I couldn't see the forest for the trees. Thank you.
OVERKILL
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This also explains why we often see manuals for the same equipment in other countries with the traditional oil grade chart that we used to see before CAFE became the way it is currently in North America.
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Even more ambiguous evidence.
Son of a gun. I should have thought to check other countries, too. Do you happen to know if the Pilot sold in Mexico is also produced in the US?
And to actively discourage the use of any other grade, along with ensuring marketing materials in the dealership also do the same.
What difference would that make?
That’s the thing. It’s not about the engine really, it’s about the physics of film thickness and HT/HS. Engines can be designed to tolerate thinner oils without excessive wear, but it doesn’t preclude the use of a thicker grade. Insufficient film thickness is what causes wear and possible damage.
I looked at using mongrade, or even 10W-30 - but it appears that the SDS shows there pretty much pure group 2 at best (not talking about boutiques that may exist). For example valvoline SDS on 10W-30 below? I did actually run this for a couple OCI. It was super cheap on Amazon at the time.Monograde oils can be desirable if your starting temperatures allow it. Multi-grade oils are a convenience, nothing else. But good luck finding a VW 504 00 monograde
Now I understand that its really the formulation and I am in no way knowledgeable about chemistry, but it seems to me like the high volume grades - like 5W-30 - are simply better base stocks. I am more than happy to be told how I am wrong.
That is how attorneys write things - so they can argue both sides as needed. Not a joke - but only funny because its true.
Ambiguity = $$$$$
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