From 0w20 to 5w30 lost 4-5mpg??

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Every one blows up at 70,000 miles? Wow who would have known.

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Yes, actually. Every Ford Modular that specifies 5w-20 blows up at 70K miles because 5w-20 doesn't provide enough lubrication for truck engines ...


My sarcasm didn't come through online haha.

There are quite a few that get worked hard every day on 20 grade oil and live to see 300K miles.

 

[kschachn]

No it came through. It was mine that didn't

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Every one blows up at 70,000 miles? Wow who would have known.

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Yes, actually. Every Ford Modular that specifies 5w-20 blows up at 70K miles because 5w-20 doesn't provide enough lubrication for truck engines ...


My sarcasm didn't come through online haha.

There are quite a few that get worked hard every day on 20 grade oil and live to see 300K miles.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: blackman777

I've worked enough jobs to realize politics often trumps engineering. It would not surprise me one bit if the engineers said, "0w-40 would be the best choice for longevity & minimize wear," but they were overruled by management trying to attain the new 55 MPG CAFE (politics).



Or maybe the engineers said "0w20 would be best for uniformity of flow and maximum cooling," and the managers said "European buyers would never accept that, will it run on 5w40?"

Both speculations are equally valid. We all know that engineers and management don't always agree, and what winds up in the owners manual is a mix-mash of both. But it usually doesn't make any real world difference... except for some BMW engines that can't seem to survive with less than 60-wt oil :-/

 

[racin4ds]

Ok fellas lets not turn this into a thick vs thin debate again

I was ok with the dealer using the 5w30 because the manual clearly says it is an acceptable grade if 0w20 is not available.

The more I think about it the more I agree that its this cold snap thats affecting my mpg's more than anything. I DO check tire pressures regularly so that is NOT an issue. It can only be the combined cold weather, thicker (conventional) oil and the winter blend gas. My driving habits or roads have changed at all, same commute day in and day out.

 

[Smokescreen]

I have had the same commute since 2009, 95% highway travelling in a SSE to NNW direction and return. It is as close to a real life laboratory as you can get. I can change absolutely nothing (eg middle of summer, tire pressure, fuel at same location, oil, speed(always 55mph), traffic (which is sparse and zero effect), passengers, etc all the same) in the period of two weeks have my mileage fluctuate 2-3 mpg. Air pressure, wind direction and velocity can itself account for variations in fuel economy. Throw ANY other variable (even driver mood) into the mix and it truly is your mileage will vary. Heck you can hardly get 5 exact same cars going the same route following each other to agree on fuel consumption.

Unless you are in a closed clean room lab, car on rollers, hooked to diagnostics, monitoring accurately measuring fuel consumption by the gram, there is no way you can detect the mileage difference between a 20wt oil and a 30wt oil in the real world. This is the only way CAFE has any grounds for claims...in the lab.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen


Unless you are in a closed clean room lab, car on rollers, hooked to diagnostics, monitoring accurately measuring fuel consumption by the gram, there is no way you can detect the mileage difference between a 20wt oil and a 30wt oil in the real world. This is the only way CAFE has any grounds for claims...in the lab.


Exactly so...which also belies the nits that people pick here over trivial differences found in uncontrolled comparisons made on TiTOG...

 

[Kuato]

Winter blend. My brother lives in Centreville and he has recently gone from 36 down to 32 mpg in his Toyota, and he hasn't changed anything recently.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

It seems that gas mileage is much more picky on smaller , higher gas mileage cars.

My Cherokee gets the same gas mileage regardless of temperature, speed, head wind.

The Focus can get 43MPG driving to my parents or 35 depending on conditions, tires, weight.