Yes, I just want to use up a stash of Valvoline 5w20 dino in the Civic in my signature for 2 short OCI's, Summer to Autumn.
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Forget about warranty for this question
- Thread starter CharBaby
- Start date
A lot of these newer small car engines have gone to variable valve timing (VVT) to provide improved fuel efficiency and better engine response.
Most I know of (I have two such engines), are very specific to oil viscosity and type (synthetic or other) because of the VVT. Not to mention running the engines hotter.
This is because the VVT system uses engine oil as a hydraulic oil to actuate the valve timing cam phaser mechanism. Using engine oil as a hydraulic oil is problematic as we know from Navistar's HEUI injection engines.
Engine oil gets dirty from byproducts of combustion blowby past the piston rings. High VII additized oils shear down and create deposits that can stick and interfere with the VVT operating valves. Incorrect viscosity won't actuate the mechanism properly.
I don't recommend using up non-recommended oils in such an engine. I'd advise checking to see if your engine does have an oil-actuated VVT system 1st. If it does, don't do it. These are expensive to repair.
Most I know of (I have two such engines), are very specific to oil viscosity and type (synthetic or other) because of the VVT. Not to mention running the engines hotter.
This is because the VVT system uses engine oil as a hydraulic oil to actuate the valve timing cam phaser mechanism. Using engine oil as a hydraulic oil is problematic as we know from Navistar's HEUI injection engines.
Engine oil gets dirty from byproducts of combustion blowby past the piston rings. High VII additized oils shear down and create deposits that can stick and interfere with the VVT operating valves. Incorrect viscosity won't actuate the mechanism properly.
I don't recommend using up non-recommended oils in such an engine. I'd advise checking to see if your engine does have an oil-actuated VVT system 1st. If it does, don't do it. These are expensive to repair.
Using 5W20/30 in an engine that specs 0W20 will not hurt it.
Thanks to Covid, I haven't seen my daughter since early Feb. She lives down in CT. Her 200 with the 2.4L Multiair engine runs great, but uses a bit of oil when run on 0W20 (doesn't matter the brand - Idemitsu, Valv Synpower, and other 0W20's). 0W20 is the recommended viscosity in the owners manual, but to curb the consumption, I started using 5W30 as I had a bunch in my stash. Actually, I used a jug of PP10W30 last summer and it ran smooth and all consumption stopped.
Fortunately, I changed to Castrol Edge EP 5W30 back in Feb, as she is not a quick lube fan (and save $80) and I have a good stash at the house.
I'm not sure of her current mileage, but the EP is rated for 20K, so hopefully this mess is behind us and she can stop in. My Blackstone Labs sample bottle is ready to go.
Thanks to Covid, I haven't seen my daughter since early Feb. She lives down in CT. Her 200 with the 2.4L Multiair engine runs great, but uses a bit of oil when run on 0W20 (doesn't matter the brand - Idemitsu, Valv Synpower, and other 0W20's). 0W20 is the recommended viscosity in the owners manual, but to curb the consumption, I started using 5W30 as I had a bunch in my stash. Actually, I used a jug of PP10W30 last summer and it ran smooth and all consumption stopped.
Fortunately, I changed to Castrol Edge EP 5W30 back in Feb, as she is not a quick lube fan (and save $80) and I have a good stash at the house.
I'm not sure of her current mileage, but the EP is rated for 20K, so hopefully this mess is behind us and she can stop in. My Blackstone Labs sample bottle is ready to go.
NO
Yes, the Civic does have VVT-i.
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As others have suggested, as long as you don't venture too far from the recommendation, you are likely to be fine. After all, how many engines run for years on the same oil, not changed, and so on.
If you are changing your oil in a timely fashion, you are probably ahead of the game.
Now I wouldn't go with some 20W50 or similar oil that is far from the recommendation given all the oil controlled variable valve timing and what not modern engines have.
Certainly, in the summer, a 5W20 or 5W30 would be fine in all but the most persnickety engines.
If you are changing your oil in a timely fashion, you are probably ahead of the game.
Now I wouldn't go with some 20W50 or similar oil that is far from the recommendation given all the oil controlled variable valve timing and what not modern engines have.
Certainly, in the summer, a 5W20 or 5W30 would be fine in all but the most persnickety engines.
You can always check what the manufacturer sets as the requirement for that same engine in different markets. Assuming warranty is tossed out the window and you are in the US, check and see what that same engine calls for in Australia or England and what the OCI requirements are there.
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
You can always check what the manufacturer sets as the requirement for that same engine in different markets. Assuming warranty is tossed out the window and you are in the US, check and see what that same engine calls for in Australia or England and what the OCI requirements are there.
Yes thank you.
However I just want to reiterate that it isn't just 5w20/5w30 that I want to use up(I already used eith success, a full synthetic 5w20 in the Civic), I want to use up 5w20/5w30 DINO...A.K.A. synblend.
You can always check what the manufacturer sets as the requirement for that same engine in different markets. Assuming warranty is tossed out the window and you are in the US, check and see what that same engine calls for in Australia or England and what the OCI requirements are there.
Yes thank you.
However I just want to reiterate that it isn't just 5w20/5w30 that I want to use up(I already used eith success, a full synthetic 5w20 in the Civic), I want to use up 5w20/5w30 DINO...A.K.A. synblend.
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As we've seen before, synthetic is a meaningless term. A highly refined group III oil can be called synthetic. Even a synthetic blend with 1% "synthetic" and 99% conventional probably qualifies as synthetic.
I think today, the term synthetic is largely meaningless.
Is it an SN service category oil? If so, use it without losing a bit of sleep.
Originally Posted by Char Baby
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
You can always check what the manufacturer sets as the requirement for that same engine in different markets. Assuming warranty is tossed out the window and you are in the US, check and see what that same engine calls for in Australia or England and what the OCI requirements are there.
Yes thank you.
However I just want to reiterate that it isn't just 5w20/5w30 that I want to use up(I already used eith success, a full synthetic 5w20 in the Civic), I want to use up 5w20/5w30 DINO...A.K.A. synblend.
I think today, the term synthetic is largely meaningless.
Is it an SN service category oil? If so, use it without losing a bit of sleep.
Originally Posted by Char Baby
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
You can always check what the manufacturer sets as the requirement for that same engine in different markets. Assuming warranty is tossed out the window and you are in the US, check and see what that same engine calls for in Australia or England and what the OCI requirements are there.
Yes thank you.
However I just want to reiterate that it isn't just 5w20/5w30 that I want to use up(I already used eith success, a full synthetic 5w20 in the Civic), I want to use up 5w20/5w30 DINO...A.K.A. synblend.
It's not that people don't believe the engineers. The car maker, not just the engineering department, has a say in what is recommended.
It's not unreasonable to think that they just might recommend a 0W20 because it improves their fuel economy numbers a few tenths of an MPG. So what is the rationale behind making that recommendation?
Both can be true. The car maker can recommend 0W20 AND there are other oils that are also safe to use, but may not tick all the boxes as far as why the oil is chosen. I.E. that engine where 0W20 was recommended also runs safely on 5W30, but might get slightly worse fuel economy.
Therefore, it's not that we think they are stupid. We might have different objectives we are trying to meet and have an equally rational reason for choosing a different oil.
I don't think anyone is saying they are stupid. It's more, do their goals as car makers match our goals as owners?
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
It's not unreasonable to think that they just might recommend a 0W20 because it improves their fuel economy numbers a few tenths of an MPG. So what is the rationale behind making that recommendation?
Both can be true. The car maker can recommend 0W20 AND there are other oils that are also safe to use, but may not tick all the boxes as far as why the oil is chosen. I.E. that engine where 0W20 was recommended also runs safely on 5W30, but might get slightly worse fuel economy.
Therefore, it's not that we think they are stupid. We might have different objectives we are trying to meet and have an equally rational reason for choosing a different oil.
I don't think anyone is saying they are stupid. It's more, do their goals as car makers match our goals as owners?
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
Originally Posted by Char Baby
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
Thanks,
CB
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
Thanks,
CB
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
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Originally Posted by Char Baby
Originally Posted by Char Baby
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
Thanks,
CB
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
100% fail on my part but I don't care..hahahaha
Originally Posted by Char Baby
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
Thanks,
CB
Originally Posted by TiGeo
Why are people intent on not believing that the engineers that develop these engines and oil specs are stupid.
100% fail on my part but I don't care..hahahaha
Originally Posted by javacontour
It's not that people don't believe the engineers. The car maker, not just the engineering department, has a say in what is recommended.
I can see something like this in many products, I cannot envision where it would apply to an oil in an engine.
I have definitely dealt with corporate, marketing and legal before but I have never heard or seen where things like lubricants, required voltages, fuel mixtures and so forth were ever specified for any other reason that a code (law) or actual requirement of the machine.
Is there an example of one?
It's not that people don't believe the engineers. The car maker, not just the engineering department, has a say in what is recommended.
I can see something like this in many products, I cannot envision where it would apply to an oil in an engine.
I have definitely dealt with corporate, marketing and legal before but I have never heard or seen where things like lubricants, required voltages, fuel mixtures and so forth were ever specified for any other reason that a code (law) or actual requirement of the machine.
Is there an example of one?
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz
Which year and model is the OP talking about? I don't know any domestic models that REQUIRE 0w-20 engine oil. Honda only RECOMMENDS 0w-20. It seems that it's mostly German cars that REQUIRE specific motor oils.
Personally in a temperate climate like NC and FL, where my vehicles are used, I use 5w-20 in my Camry and Ridgeline, even though the Ridgeline was back specced for 0w-20. I keep my intervals between 5K and 7K miles. Full syn and syn blend=yes. Dino=no.
Not really much 5w20 dino left even if they call it conventional.
Which year and model is the OP talking about? I don't know any domestic models that REQUIRE 0w-20 engine oil. Honda only RECOMMENDS 0w-20. It seems that it's mostly German cars that REQUIRE specific motor oils.
Personally in a temperate climate like NC and FL, where my vehicles are used, I use 5w-20 in my Camry and Ridgeline, even though the Ridgeline was back specced for 0w-20. I keep my intervals between 5K and 7K miles. Full syn and syn blend=yes. Dino=no.
Not really much 5w20 dino left even if they call it conventional.
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Originally Posted by cristo
No, it won't hurt the engine.
I probably wouldn't pick 5w30 as alternative
to the specified 0w20 for an OCI that includes
an extreme winter, but otherwise, I'd expect NO
problems.
No winter use... Just Summer- early Autumn
No, it won't hurt the engine.
I probably wouldn't pick 5w30 as alternative
to the specified 0w20 for an OCI that includes
an extreme winter, but otherwise, I'd expect NO
problems.
No winter use... Just Summer- early Autumn
A timely topic. My 2019 Wrangler with the 3.6L RECOMMENDS 0w-20 oil. I'm seriously considering a 5w-30 Synthetic for summer.
Reason: It gets hot here in NV and it sees off road use and I haul a small travel trailer on a regular basis. Coolant and oil temps can get up there.
Reason: It gets hot here in NV and it sees off road use and I haul a small travel trailer on a regular basis. Coolant and oil temps can get up there.
Originally Posted by Char Baby
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
If an engine & owner's manual require ONLY 0W20 motor oil and no other optional oil grades listed in the OM, will using a 5W20 or 5W30 conventional(which are actually a synblend), hurt the engine for the occasional OCI?
OK, maybe don't run this OCI on dino 5W20 or 5W30 for the full length synthetic OCI(6k-8k miles) but maybe for 3k-4k miles?
This has been a question that has haunted me since there are so many newer vehicles/engines that require the 0W20 and NOTHING ELSE.
Thanks,
CB
Only the engineers who designed the engine have a definitive answer to your question.
and PLEASE focus on the question itself. And no other questions about..."why would anyone want to do this"? or "what are you NUTS"? etc.
If an engine & owner's manual require ONLY 0W20 motor oil and no other optional oil grades listed in the OM, will using a 5W20 or 5W30 conventional(which are actually a synblend), hurt the engine for the occasional OCI?
OK, maybe don't run this OCI on dino 5W20 or 5W30 for the full length synthetic OCI(6k-8k miles) but maybe for 3k-4k miles?
This has been a question that has haunted me since there are so many newer vehicles/engines that require the 0W20 and NOTHING ELSE.
Thanks,
CB
Only the engineers who designed the engine have a definitive answer to your question.
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