Does Valvoline 5w-30 Synpower meet 0w-30 specs?

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Hello all, I have relied on BITOG forums for the last 5 or 6 years via google searches for all of my oiling and filter questions, but this will be my first post. I tried searching previous subjects, but couldn't find this one anywhere, so I apologize ahead of time if this subject has already been covered. I recall reading on a previous post that one of the Pennzoil Synthetics (can't remember if it was Ultra or Platinum) 5w-30 oils, actually meets the specs to be called a 0W-30, but the consensus seemed to be that for marketing purposes, they labeled it the more widely known 5W-30. I have used Mobil 1 0W-30 in my previous Toyota Tacoma, and found it to be a fine product, but I have always been a Valvoline guy, but unfortunately they do not have a 0W-30 in the U.S. , so I am just curious if anyone happens to know if Valvoline Synpower 5W-30 is thin enough on startup to be a 0W-30? I'm sure I can use it with great results, but for some reason, I would sleep better at night knowing it's a little thinner when it's cold, I obsess over the simplest things
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Thank you in advance for any thoughts and info on this subject.
 
1) If it meets the criteria for the "0" rating it would have to be labeled as such. PP 5W-30 is a light 30-grade oil, lighter than some 0W-30's until we're discussing stupid-low temperatures.

2) According to Valvoline, their products meet or exceed every specification under the sun. Don't believe it.

3) I'm sorry you're a Valvoline guy.

4) PP or M1 5W-30/0W-30 will easily handle any winter temperature you are likely to ever see in your area of the world.
 
Originally Posted By: Trashman
so I am just curious if anyone happens to know if Valvoline Synpower 5W-30 is thin enough on startup to be a 0W-30? I'm sure I can use it with great results, but for some reason, I would sleep better at night knowing it's a little thinner when it's cold, I obsess over the simplest things
smile.gif


Yes, you do obsess about the simplest things, as is common here on BITOG.
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0W-, 5W- ratings are obtained at -40C and -35C temperatures respectively. Do your temperatures reach such low extremes where you live? If not, then this is mostly irrelevant to you. On the other hand, Synpower 5w-30 has a pretty high VI (172), which helps ensure the oil flows well at cold startup temps.

But to answer your question, I agree with the previous poster: if an oil could meet 0W- requirements, then it would have to be labeled as such. If I recall correctly, there is some API rule that mandates this.
 
Thanks all for the responses.

dernp,

Good to hear from a fellow Toyota truck owner using the same stuff with good results, and I'm thinking you folks probably see colder temps than we do over here in the NW,so I should have no issues. Thank you for your help.
 
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Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
1) If it meets the criteria for the "0" rating it would have to be labeled as such. PP 5W-30 is a light 30-grade oil, lighter than some 0W-30's until we're discussing stupid-low temperatures.

2) According to Valvoline, their products meet or exceed every specification under the sun. Don't believe it.

3) I'm sorry you're a Valvoline guy.

4) PP or M1 5W-30/0W-30 will easily handle any winter temperature you are likely to ever see in your area of the world.


I'm sorry your personal prejudice against a certain manufacturer/product caused you to be a jerk.

But I agree with your point #1, except that since 0w30 wasn't popular until recently, perhaps there ARE 5w30s that should be labelled as such. But I can see OP's point that, for marketing purposes, a company would report a 0w as being a 5w due to consumer perception.

And QP, while I am sure that API requires an oil to meet standards prior to being labelled a 0w, it may allow manufacturers to under report their oil as mentioned above. I am on phone here,but maybe posting up some API rules and the CST of the Valvoline will get us closer to the truth in the matter.
 
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Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
1) If it meets the criteria for the "0" rating it would have to be labeled as such. PP 5W-30 is a light 30-grade oil, lighter than some 0W-30's until we're discussing stupid-low temperatures.

2) According to Valvoline, their products meet or exceed every specification under the sun. Don't believe it.

3) I'm sorry you're a Valvoline guy.

4) PP or M1 5W-30/0W-30 will easily handle any winter temperature you are likely to ever see in your area of the world.



A new member asked an honest question and you have to reply like this? Wow
 
He asked an honest question and got an honest answer. Everything I wrote is true.

Originally Posted By: Jocephus
A new member asked an honest question and you have to reply like this? Wow
 
Hi Trashman,
welcome2.gif


No the 5w30 would not meet the 0w 30 specs or they would label it as such. However in your area of the US I don't think the temp ever gets that cold to have to worry about that. With that being said, the Valvoling Syn Power you have in 5w30 would meet your requirements and is still light on start up.

If you want something lighter, buy an oil with the 0wxx rating. Castrol in the 0w30 is a fine oil, maybe hard to find, as well as other oils out there.

Glad you enjoy the site enough to join and ask questions. There are many people here with strong opinions about one product or another. Don't worry about them
 
Welcome. Nothing wrong with Synpower, I run it, or napa syn, in my dad's tundra. Picked some up for him with the Walmart coupon deal last month. Any way, what year is your tacoma?

If cold weather performance is what your after TMGO 0w-20 seems like a no brainier. That is if your spec'd for a 20. I guess if you don't have a Toyota dealer near by that could be an issue. Our's is an hour away. But a 5w-30 is fine for him here, plus at 83, he mostly stays in on colder mornings.

If you need to or want to run a 30 weight, then there is always the option of blending.

FYI, havoline 5w-30 is one of the lightest 30's out there, so, might want to look at that as an option?
 
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd

FYI, havoline 5w-30 is one of the lightest 30's out there, so, might want to look at that as an option?


Thank you 05LGTLtd, that is the kind of information that I'm very interested in! Is that the Havoline dino or synthetic? For some reason Havoline is becoming dang near impossible to find in my neck of the woods, but it's always worth a shot!


Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd


If you need to or want to run a 30 weight, then there is always the option of blending.


05LGTLdt, please excuse my ignorance on this one :), but how would this work? Would 3 quarts of 0W-20 plus 3 quarts of 0W-40 become 0W-30? Or something like 3 quarts of 5W-20 plus 3 quarts of 5W-30 make a 5W-25? Or is it more complex than that? I have wanted to try something like that, but once I tried a homemade blend on our 2000 Saturn SL2 and it knocked like crazy, so I've been a little skittish ever since, but I most likely didn't do my homework on that one (2 quarts 5W-20 Castrol GTX and 2 quarts 5W-30 Castrol GTX if I remember correctly, and it didn't like it, but of course it called for 5W-30, oops)

Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
Welcome. Any way, what year is your tacoma?


It's a 2014 Access Cab, SR5, 4x4, with the 2.7 and 5 speed manual, I have yet to figure out how to put my vehicle info down at the bottom like everyone else.......

Originally Posted By: toneydoc
Hi Trashman,
welcome2.gif


Glad you enjoy the site enough to join and ask questions. There are many people here with strong opinions about one product or another. Don't worry about them


Thank you for that bit of wisdom, for a bit I thought I stirred a hornet's nest, all because I mentioned a certain brand of oil, I never bashed any other brand, in fact, info like 05LGTLtd provided about thinner 30 weights is what I was after, I just don't understand how to read all of those numbers, and was wondering about some thinner oils, thanks again all for your insights, it is greatly appreciated...... And thanks for all of the friendly welcomes to the site!
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'm sorry your personal prejudice against a certain manufacturer/product caused you to be a jerk.

In fairness, he was quite up front about his prejudice against Valvoline. He didn't claim anything like it would wreck his engine or so forth.
 
This might help - here's a tabulation of 5W-30 synthetics tested by PQIA.

http://www.pqiamerica.com/March2013PCMO/Marchsyntheticsallfinal.html

See the row for Viscosity @ -30°C?

Havoline Full Synthetic has the second lowest value of all these 5W-30's tested & tabulated by PQIA. It'll have the second lowest resistance to flow at that temperature of all these oils tested.

The Pennzoil Ultra has a value just a tad lower than the Havoline, and is the lowest in this set of oils tested & tabulated by PQIA.

They're basically neck & neck on viscosity within the test parameters and batch to batch variations - this is also true at operating temperature range (viscosity @ 100°C).

Both have a manufacturer's rebate available right now. The Pennzoil Ultra also has a gasoline discount reward at Shell stations.

The Havoline full synthetic is on sale at O'Reilly's and AAP right now.
 
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