Engine Damage caused from 0W20/5W20?

[bighead2586]

Who cares? Clearly people like arguing about it. If you see a thick/thin debate and you are over it, just scroll to one that's more interesting to you.

This is not a forum frequented by normal people, you shouldn't expect normal behavior.

 

[kschachn]

Who cares? Clearly people like arguing about it. If you see a thick/thin debate and you are over it, just scroll to one that's more interesting to you.

This is not a forum frequented by normal people, you shouldn't expect normal behavior.

You got us there.

 

[bighead2586]

I got myself too. Always been an overanalyzer. It is what it is.

 

[ZeeOSix]

It's good there are 1000 threads about thick vs thin, because someone can spend half their life reading them and eventually come to their own conclusion ... maybe, lol.

 

[bighead2586]

It’s tricky because if you really want to do what’s best for your car, then you want a solid answer for what exactly is the right thing to do for your car. Apparently there isn’t a definitive correct answer. I have a V6 accord and a four-cylinder CRV, and even though they both ask for 0/20, in my heart, I feel like I wanna change to 5/30. I guess the good news is that neither one is going to do any real damage.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Stepping up from xW-20 to xW-30 is a move in the right direction. A bit more HTHS viscosity never hurt anything, but will give more wear protection headroom. That has always been the conclusion of thick vs thin discussions. The physics of Tribology never changes.

 

[KanishGX550]

I would trust 0w8 in a Toyota than 0w40 in a Chrysler lol. It all comes to what kind motor you have. Thicker oil can't fix stupid and some motors are just stupid

 

[KanishGX550]

It’s tricky because if you really want to do what’s best for your car, then you want a solid answer for what exactly is the right thing to do for your car. Apparently there isn’t a definitive correct answer. I have a V6 accord and a four-cylinder CRV, and even though they both ask for 0/20, in my heart, I feel like I wanna change to 5/30. I guess the good news is that neither one is going to do any real damage.

CRV and Accord are no work trucks lol. Run what the oil cap says

 

[bighead2586]

Stepping up from xW-20 to xW-30 is a move in the right direction. A bit more HTHS viscosity never hurt anything, but will give more wear protection headroom. That has always been the conclusion of thick vs thin discussions. The physics of Tribology never changes.

CRV and Accord are no work trucks lol. Run what the oil cap says

See? Classic example. Who to believe?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Believe data based on controlled testing studies and the science of Tribology, not people's opinion based on nothing.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

CRV and Accord are no work trucks lol. Run what the oil cap says

Oil cap says 'give me CAFE'. Your engine says 'give me best protection'
Don;t do what's best for you (non-financially). Do what's best for your engine.

Example: My junk Hyunkia engines need the best. So I currently give them Amsoil and HPL (because it's best for them). But in the meantime, I give myself what's best for my head these past 50 years and continue with short OCIs......... not caring if many members here disapprove.

 

[demarpaint]

It's good there are 1000 threads about thick vs thin, because someone can spend half their life reading them and eventually come to their own conclusion ... maybe, lol.

One would hope people would come to their own conclusion, but judging from how often this topic comes up I have my doubts.

 

[yowps3]

5w30 is a very good balance.

 

[javacontour]

Who cares? Clearly people like arguing about it. If you see a thick/thin debate and you are over it, just scroll to one that's more interesting to you.

This is not a forum frequented by normal people, you shouldn't expect normal behavior.

Normal is just an appliance setting.

 

[kschachn]

It’s tricky because if you really want to do what’s best for your car, then you want a solid answer for what exactly is the right thing to do for your car. Apparently there isn’t a definitive correct answer. I have a V6 accord and a four-cylinder CRV, and even though they both ask for 0/20, in my heart, I feel like I wanna change to 5/30. I guess the good news is that neither one is going to do any real damage.

It's not really tricky at all. An oil with a higher HT/HS reduces wear. Whether it is enough to matter to you is your decision. For my vehicles it is easy, I keep them for a long time and my Tiguan is prone to fuel dilution.

Also an oil with a demanding approval such as VW 504 00 has better proven performance in areas such as deposit formation and sludge resistance than an oil with just an API license.

So it's not tricky, the only thing a thinner oil is good at is a tiny decrease in fuel consumption. If that is your sole and overriding objective then go for it.

 

[JavierH19]

See? Classic example. Who to believe?

ZeeOsix didn't give a definitive answer. Only stated that having more wear protection headroom never hurts which is true. It doesn't guarantee it always will.

 

[ZeeOSix]

One would hope people would come to their own conclusion, but judging from how often this topic comes up I have my doubts.

The clinker is that many people can't seem to make their own conclusion even with tons of information and data because they haven't done the research themselves - people just don't tend to believe everything other people say without proving it to themselves.

 

[ZeeOSix]

ZeeOsix didn't give a definitive answer. Only stated that having more wear protection headroom never hurts which is true. It doesn't guarantee it always will.

The fact that more viscosity keeps moving parts separated better has been true ever since two moving part with oil between them happened. The study of Tribology has been around for over 100 years. More wear protection is better than not. It's up to each person to decide if that's something they want.

I feel much better about hammering my vehicles when I do with 5W-30 in the sump vs 5W-20. If I owned a bad fuel diluting engine I'd run xW-30 in it instead of xW-20 even if I was driving it only to the grocery store at 2000 RPM max. Fuel dilution just further decreases the viscosity and wear protection of the oil.

 

[demarpaint]

The clinker is that many people can't seem to make their own conclusion even with tons of information and data because they haven't done the research themselves - people just don't tend to believe everything other people say without proving it to themselves.

Good point, proving it to themselves can be a long process, probably costly too. The info and data is there and it seems compelling enough.

 

[tojo1968]

My 2 cents.....Our fleet at work consists of Prius and Corollas. Their OCI is 10k using 0W20 synthetic. We have 5 cars that are over 500k miles that are driven daily and one Prius that is over 600k miles that is used locally.