Choosing between 0W40 and 5W40

[riggaz]

Follow the recommendation in the manual.

On my data system it confirms that the preferred viscosity is the 5w-30 so stick with that. All other viscosities are listed as alternatives so you've done no harm using the 5w40 but there is no sense in not using the preferred viscosity. The great thing is you have an almost endless choice of 5w-30 oils that meet the performance spec for your engine.

Personally I would avoid the C2, C3 oils as they are low saps which you do not need.

 

[volodymyr]

glxpassat,

Originally Posted By: glxpassat
My engine uses less Castrol than it does M1, but my engine has consumed a little oil since new. If your motor doesn't do it now, it probably will not using Castrol.


The only time I remember using Castrol (I guess it was Magnatec) in one of my cars in 2006 it actually consumed the oil. But I don't know if it was car engine's fault or Castrol's ...

 

[volodymyr]

riggaz,

Originally Posted By: riggaz


On my data system it confirms that the preferred viscosity is the 5w-30 so stick with that. All other viscosities are listed as alternatives so you've done no harm using the 5w40 but there is no sense in not using the preferred viscosity.



Well, we went through this topic already in the previous pages of discussion. Somehow I feel that in CH the 5W-40 is more popular than 5W-30 due to the climate differences. I am sure in UK you have less sun and heat during the summer, so the operating temp of the engine during the summer will be higher.

Almost in every store they only sell 5W-40 and nothing else, which, I believe, is an indicator ...

 

[riggaz]

Yeah judging by the list of oils it's probably due to fuel economy number crunching anyway. Have a look at this list of possibilities for a laugh.

Engine oil (Preferred specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil (Preferred specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil (Preferred specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil (Preferred specification) ACEA C2 SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil (Preferred specification) ACEA C3 SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 10W-30 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 10W-40 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 10W-50 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 10W-30 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 10W-40 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 10W-50 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 10W-30 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 10W-40 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 10W-50 Above -20 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 15W-40 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 15W-50 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 15W-40 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 15W-50 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 15W-40 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 15W-50 Above -15 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 20W-40 Above -10 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A1/B1 SAE 20W-50 Above -10 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 20W-40 Above -10 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A3/B3 SAE 20W-50 Above -10 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 20W-40 Above -10 °C
Engine oil (Alternative specification) ACEA A5/B5 SAE 20W-50 Above -10 °C

I think the person responsible for writing up the recommendations was having a brain dump day, ever heard of a 10w-40 A5, B5?

 

[volodymyr]

Just for my education: where did you take the list?

 

[volodymyr]

I had also a chance to visit France today to see what kind of oils they sell in stores.

Most of them are 5W-40s and of course are french made (Total, ELF). On the back of each oil package they make comparison between different oils of the same brand in the following criteria: engine wear protection, fuel efficiency, environment pollution, etc.

According to these comparisons ELF Excellium 5W-40 with A3/B4 is better than ELF Excellium 5W-30 A5/B5 in terms of engine wear protection but worse in terms of fuel efficiency.

 

[riggaz]

It's a technical data system we use at out workshop, it has manufacturer service schedules, procedures, repairs times, guided fault finding (via fault codes etc), component test procedures and so on. It also has manufacturer technical bulletins and recalls for the car. You just type in the registration number to find the car usually but with yours i looked it up manually obviously.

The main dealer used the 5w40 because thats what they had in stock, they like to rationalise to as few oils as possible to avoid keeping all the different ones. The 5w40 is not the wrong oil, it just looks to me like nissan prefer the 5w30.

 

[volodymyr]

riggaz,

Originally Posted By: riggaz

The main dealer used the 5w40 because thats what they had in stock, they like to rationalise to as few oils as possible to avoid keeping all the different ones. The 5w40 is not the wrong oil, it just looks to me like nissan prefer the 5w30.


Thanks for your comments. I took a look at invoice of the last visit to the garage and I see that they specified Nissan 5W-30 oil in facture ... However in service book they stampted 5W-40

 

[riggaz]

Go with the 5w-30, don't worry about group 3 vs group 4 nonsense as it is meaningless to engine wear, mineral oils have given lower wear numbers than synthetics so it's all about getting the application right and choosing a high quality oil that meets it.

 

[volodymyr]

Originally Posted By: riggaz
Go with the 5w-30, don't worry about group 3 vs group 4 nonsense as it is meaningless to engine wear, mineral oils have given lower wear numbers than synthetics so it's all about getting the application right and choosing a high quality oil that meets it.


Yes, I understand that. The only mystery still out there is wether low SAPS oil (ACEA C3) are worse or better in terms of engine wear protection than ACEA A3/B4. Some say better to avoid low saps, some other say it is okay, here is comment from Shell:

Well formulated Low SAPS oil can protect engine after treatment devices and keep the same or even better performance compared with traditional engine oil.

 

[chrisri]

Originally Posted By: volodymyr
Originally Posted By: riggaz
Go with the 5w-30, don't worry about group 3 vs group 4 nonsense as it is meaningless to engine wear, mineral oils have given lower wear numbers than synthetics so it's all about getting the application right and choosing a high quality oil that meets it.


Yes, I understand that. The only mystery still out there is wether low SAPS oil (ACEA C3) are worse or better in terms of engine wear protection than ACEA A3/B4. Some say better to avoid low saps, some other say it is okay, here is comment from Shell:

Well formulated Low SAPS oil can protect engine after treatment devices and keep the same or even better performance compared with traditional engine oil.


Well, C3 oils are introduced to protect cat's and DPF's, both on petrol and diesel modern cars. They are good oils with good properties, but somewhat a compromise between emission device life and engine wear. A3/B4 specification is better in terms of engine protection so if your car manufacturer doesn't insist on using C3 oil, a A3/B4 would be better idea.

 

[volodymyr]

That is a second person saying that ACEA C3 is worse than ACEA A3 in this topic.

I am getting more and more convinced to skip ACEA C3 from my list. Should I consider any other oils from group A as better than A3? I.e., A1 or A5.

 

[chrisri]

For engine protection against wear A3 for petrol, and B4 for diesels are best specification, but this oils cannot be used in cars with DPF. A1/B1 and A5/B5 do not provide the same anti wear protection, but they are better for fuel economy. This is in general, same car manufacturers (Volvo, Ford ) specify only A5/B5 oils for their cars for better economy.

 

[volodymyr]

riggaz,

Originally Posted By: riggaz
It's a technical data system we use at out workshop


Would it be possible for you to take a look also at Peugeot 107 recommended oil viscosity?

 

[riggaz]

Ah now I have experience with these engines because we are a Daihatsu dealership and that engine is a Daihatsu engine. We've had two engine failures due excessive piston ring wear when using 10w-40 semi synthetic oil. Stick to the Daihatsu recommendation of 5w-30 oil in these engines if I were you.

Peugeot 107 1KR-FE

Engine oil ACEA A3/B4 SAE 15W-40 From -15 °C to 50 °C
Engine oil ACEA A3/B4 SAE 10W-40 From -20 °C to 50 °C
Engine oil ACEA A3/B4 SAE 5W-40 From -30 °C to 50 °C
Engine oil ACEA A3/B4 SAE 0W-30 From -45 °C to 45 °C

Daihatsu Sirion 1KR-FE

Engine oil API SH SAE 0W-20 All temperatures
Engine oil API SH SAE 5W-30 All temperatures

Toyota Aygo 1KR-FE

Engine oil API SJ SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil API SL SAE 5W-30 All temperatures
(Alternative specification
Engine oil API SL SAE 10W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil API SM SAE 10W-30 All temperatures
Engine oil API SL SAE 15W-40 All temperatures
Engine oil API SM SAE 15W-40 All temperatures

 

[volodymyr]

riggaz,

Thanks. This is very appreciated!

 

[volodymyr]

So ... to have some closure regarding the original topic question. Thanks to your advices and suggestions I have decided to go with Valvoline SynPower 5W–30.

The reasons are the following:

1. Vollsynthetik (PAO)

2. I want to have both my cars to run viscosity which is recommended by car manufacture (5W-30)

3. Quite popular oil in local stores, so I can buy it easily it I need to add some oil to engine

4. It is ACEA A3/B4-10 and therefore not "low SAPS" as for example Valvoline SynPower XL-III 5W–30 (actually I can buy SynPower XL-III 5W–30 for the same price, but since it is low saps I think I will have less engine "wear protection")

5. Good price (in fact it is exactly the same as Castrol EDGE Titanium FST 0W-40 A3/B4 howver I did not find any good arguments to move to 0W-40 as well as I did not find any arguments that Edge FST is better than Valvoline SynPower 5W–30)

Thanks guys for all your advices. I really appreciate this.

 

[riggaz]

An excellent oil and application wise perfect for both engines, you literally need no other oil.

 

[Shannow]

Agreed