Dealer using 5W20 in Phoenix AZ!!!!

[FastSUV]

Chysler Jeep loves to do this crAAp. MY Mom's Compass 2.4L says 5w20 on the cap but the manual allows for 5w30 in my climate range. She won't let me change the oil for her on it so it gets whatever the quick lube puts in of the Durablend flavor. (probably 5w30).

My dad's SRT8 says 0w40 on the cap, but the manual says 5w40 I think for our climate. The dealer uses 0w40 M1 in it anyway even though the manual allows for 5w40 in this climate!!!

I wish it was the good old days where one grade did the trick in ALL cars & trucks.

I bet 5w30 dino or 10w30 synthetic would be fine in 90% of cars in the USA despite what the dealer or OEM says!

That is pretty pathetic of that Chryler dealer to be so incompetent.

 

[ZiTS]

Guys, all this talk about 5w-20 being used due to the temps in Arizona is pure [censored]!!! I posted this exact same ordeal several months ago. I have a 2009 Dodge Journey with the 3.5L engine. I took it to my dealership for the first of my free "Two years worth of free oil changes!" It states on the oil filler cap and the owner's manual that this engine is spec'ed for 10w-30. When I pick the car up and look at the paperwork, it shows that they had put in 5w-20. I then get into an argument with the service manager, who tries to tell me that it's a mistake on the engine and owner's manual, and it should be 5w-20. However, his own tech's said that they knew of other 3.5L's that use 10w-30. But because the stupid Chrysler computer said it should be using 5w-20, he wanted to continue to argue that there is no difference between 5w-20 and 10w-30, and that he was right. I was having none of it, and made them change it out again. Feel free to do a search for this posting.

My opinion - Chrysler is still spec'ing the 3.5L engine for 10w-30, but someone put "5w-20" into the ALL-KNOWING service computer that dictates how the service dept's will do the job. Until Chrysler gets this fixed from the Corporate end, it won't stop. More than likely, 99.9% of 3.5L owners will never catch this, or take the service manager's word for it. But us BITOG'ers are the only one's that know better!

 

[mmmmoil]

This'll solve your problem:

go to wally get 6 qts of PP and a filter and........DIY!!!

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: mmmmoil
This'll solve your problem:

go to wally get 6 qts of PP and a filter and........DIY!!!


That's not as fun as whining about dealer service!

 

[Geonerd]

Originally Posted By: M1Ark
I'm not seeing the 1 mpg


You won't, unless you were previously running something silly like 25W-70!

 

[Propflux01]

I think most dealers look at it through Cost factor. In most cases, the engines in vehicles are the same for different years, Take for example, my old 2003 elantra, it spec'd 10w-30 for use, however, now, in 2009, they spec a 5w-20. The engines are identical, nothing different except the oil weight, so dealers naturally buy their bulk in one weight, as it saves costs for them, and as everyone knows, a business is there to make money. the less different weights they have the less it costs them to do business. Now that may not mean anything to average Joe consumer, because he is only worried about himself, but if the same engine can safely be run on 5w-20 now, I personally don't see a problem with running it in the older, mechanically sound engine. If it blows up, your dealer cannot blame anything on you since you took it there to have maintenance done.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Tim H.
I think most dealers look at it through Cost factor. In most cases, the engines in vehicles are the same for different years, Take for example, my old 2003 elantra, it spec'd 10w-30 for use, however, now, in 2009, they spec a 5w-20. The engines are identical, nothing different except the oil weight, so dealers naturally buy their bulk in one weight, as it saves costs for them, and as everyone knows, a business is there to make money. the less different weights they have the less it costs them to do business. Now that may not mean anything to average Joe consumer, because he is only worried about himself, but if the same engine can safely be run on 5w-20 now, I personally don't see a problem with running it in the older, mechanically sound engine. If it blows up, your dealer cannot blame anything on you since you took it there to have maintenance done.

That would be fine IF all engines serviced by that cost-cutting dealership were indeed back spec'd or currently spec'd for 5w-20.....AND before using the bulk oil they ASKED the vehicle owner permission. I'm all pro-business and making a buck....but NEVER at the cost of not providing superior service. While any business is there to make money (why anyone would think otherwise is beyond me), the best way to do that is reputaion and service....not buying bulk oil and having low selection/choices for the consumer.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: Tim H.
I think most dealers look at it through Cost factor. In most cases, the engines in vehicles are the same for different years, Take for example, my old 2003 elantra, it spec'd 10w-30 for use, however, now, in 2009, they spec a 5w-20. The engines are identical, nothing different except the oil weight, so dealers naturally buy their bulk in one weight, as it saves costs for them, and as everyone knows, a business is there to make money. the less different weights they have the less it costs them to do business. Now that may not mean anything to average Joe consumer, because he is only worried about himself, but if the same engine can safely be run on 5w-20 now, I personally don't see a problem with running it in the older, mechanically sound engine. If it blows up, your dealer cannot blame anything on you since you took it there to have maintenance done.

That would be fine IF all engines serviced by that cost-cutting dealership were indeed back spec'd or currently spec'd for 5w-20.....AND before using the bulk oil they ASKED the vehicle owner permission. I'm all pro-business and making a buck....but NEVER at the cost of not providing superior service. While any business is there to make money (why anyone would think otherwise is beyond me), the best way to do that is reputaion and service....not buying bulk oil and having low selection/choices for the consumer.


But the avg american soccer mom has no clue nor do they care so that is why they can get away with it. If enough people were really aware of what they were doing then it would not happen, but for now they can silence any dissent from any citizen that gives them a problem.

Hmmm sounds familiar to me..oh yeah things like the Agriculture Dept wanting to take a little unessescary field trip to Australia with tax money (just one of many examples).

Watch the movie Soylent Green & learn

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, let's employ the totally tasteless and low life cheap shot comment here.

Are engines seizing on a routine basis with origins traced to this dealer?

I mean, can any of us fault someone for wanting to

 

[javacontour]

On the back spec'ing. I doubt a car maker would do it.

Why? Well they would have to TEST a used engine to see if it would hold up to the new oil.

Testing a new engine, even if it was made the same isn't the same as testing an engine that has seen 6 years of service with who knows what lurking in the crankcase.

So I can understand why an automaker might be reluctant to back-spec a 5W20 oil in an older car like a 6 year old Hyundai.

Not saying it wouldn't work. I'm simply saying that there is no pay off in back spec'ing the newer oil in an older car for Hyundai.

Of course, from the dealer perspective, regardless of who they are, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, etc, there is little benefit to keeping every "flavor" of oil on hand. A bulk tank of 5W30 or 5W20 probably "is good enough" for 99% of the customers who get their oil changed there.

You were the 1% who had a preference. Not saying that's bad. I'm just saying it matters to you. It doesn't matter to most folks. They simply swipe their credit card, take a receipt and come back in 3mo/3k miles and repeat.

The take away from this is if you care, ask BEFORE they do the oil change.

Also, be grateful that they didn't just say, "oh, we used xW-y, but our computer puts xW-z on all the tickets.

But ask before if you have a preference, that's my unsolicited advice for this rant

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Geonerd
Originally Posted By: M1Ark
I'm not seeing the 1 mpg


You won't, unless you were previously running something silly like 25W-70!


25-70 Holy!!

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
On the back spec'ing. I doubt a car maker would do it.


Why not, is Ford some unique magic entity? They did it with a buttload of units.

Quote:
Well they would have to TEST a used engine to see if it would hold up to the new oil.


I don't think this is the case. They already tested the current engine to the point of failure MANY TIMES. If the current engine and the former engine are technically identical in terms of power density and whatnot in terms of lubrication requirements ..there's nothing to test.

 

[M1Ark]

2006

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Geonerd
Originally Posted By: M1Ark
I'm not seeing the 1 mpg


You won't, unless you were previously running something silly like 25W-70!


25-70 Holy!!

Man that`s the thin stuff! Go getcha some Fuchs 40W70

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: M1Ark
I need advice on whether to continue using my Chrysler dealer. I drive a Chrysler Pacifica with a 3.5 litre HO motor that is clearly labeled on the oil filler cap as 10W-30. The Chrysler dealer here in Phoenix only has bulk 5W-20 and that's it. It's been around 115F for the past month and 5W-20 seems too light of a grade for the car. What do you guys think. I've read a lot on this forum but still unable to decide. I'm a 3k OCI kind of guy.

Need advice...Please


Wait till you see my mechanic, he seems to stack only 20W50 in his shop, yet another reason I change my own oil.

 

[M1Ark]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan


That is, while ambient plays a role in oil temp, it's not a direct relationship.



What? Just look at a basic Carnot Engine. If the heat sink temp goes up then input temp must go up for the same power production. Seems pretty direct to me.

Summer driving in AZ is not the same as summer driving in MI. I don't care how good your thermostat, radiator or any other component happens to be.

 

[M1Ark]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I still want my car to be dealer serviced vice Jiffy Lube or Walmart. I think I might just add a pint of STP after each oil change to thicken the oil. I did some research on STP and it's basically a 50 weight oil with detergents and zddp (basically harmless). It should raise the 5W-20 the dealer is putting in my car closer to the 10W-30 the car is spec'd for. 5W-20 in Arizona summers is probably just fine but the $2.50 for STP at each oil change will give me a little peace of mind. Also, my dads been using it since the 70's with no adverse effects.

 

[360kid]

Originally Posted By: M1Ark
I need advice on whether to continue using my Chrysler dealer. I drive a Chrysler Pacifica with a 3.5 litre HO motor that is clearly labeled on the oil filler cap as 10W-30. The Chrysler dealer here in Phoenix only has bulk 5W-20 and that's it. It's been around 115F for the past month and 5W-20 seems too light of a grade for the car. What do you guys think. I've read a lot on this forum but still unable to decide. I'm a 3k OCI kind of guy.

Need advice...Please


That oil will probably be fine for your car. With that being said, I would be royally ticked off if I took my car in for service and they knowingly put in the wrong weight oil just because they are too cheap or lazy to carry multiple weights. I would ask to see the manager and demand a full refund. Then I would find another place to take my car. Because of [censored] like this, this is why I change my own oil. You can't trust anyone these days.

Reading stuff like this makes me soooo mad. I know the oil probably won't damage the engine. But, if they don't have the specified weight, then they should let the customer know ahead of time and let them decide if they still want the oil change.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: M1Ark
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan


That is, while ambient plays a role in oil temp, it's not a direct relationship.



What? Just look at a basic Carnot Engine. If the heat sink temp goes up then input temp must go up for the same power production. Seems pretty direct to me.

Summer driving in AZ is not the same as summer driving in MI. I don't care how good your thermostat, radiator or any other component happens to be.


Can you quantify the btu throughput of the radiator? Any radiator ..at -23F ..40F.......75F.........95F? All (as qualified) with an adequate capacity cooling system? Won't that be some variable mass of heat being processed by the cooling system ..all the while being regulated in a narrow range????

The oil has no such forced circulation cooling in most cars. Hence it will show higher temps at higher output levels. It will process as much as it can via the losses seen on the various surfaces that it comes in contact with. This will vary somewhat with ambient ..but as it is elevated, it's also providing thermal back pressure that inhibits btu throughput. If the cooling system is of adequate capacity, that increased oil temp HAS to force more btu's through the cooling jacket. It's harder for them to migrate.

Pretty straight forward to me. Take it one more step back up the chain from oil:ambient relationship. If ambient inhibits oil cooling..higher oil must inhibit total cooling. If the coolant remains stable ..it's carrying that shared load.

..and that's why there isn't a direct relationship between ambient and oil temp.

 

[Pablo]

I would use the correct viscosity which is - Yes required - 5W-30/10W-30. I wouldn't try to get there via STP. Find a new shop if necessary.