If you had to choose between 5w-20 or 5w-30?

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I have an '03 EP3 and I am having a debate with some fellow Si owners about which oil to use. After reading quite a bit on this forum I feel like I am protecting my engine by running 5w-20 but they keep arguing that Honda only specs 5w-20 for fuel mileage. My engine (K20A3) has the same bore and stroke as the engine found in the RSX-S but has a different head, lower compression, lower redline, and a different style of VTEC. Their argument is basically that because the RSX-S and my engine share the same bore and stroke and the RSX-S specs 5w-30 that 5w-30 will protect better. I feel that the difference in redline (mine is 1300rpm lower), head design, and type of VTEC (mine, although labeled i-VTEC is really more a type of E-VTEC) will mitigate any similarity between the bore and stroke. I did run 5w-30 M1 last OCI but didn't notice any difference except for slightly lower fuel mileage. Are either of us right and is there really any way to tell other than running a UOA?
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Jon
 
Curiousity question, on the mileage, how much lower was it running the 5w30 vs. the 5w20? I ask because as I stated in another topic, I've used everything from 0w20 to 10w30 in a Honda engine, and only noticed a couple of tenths of mileage difference. But, unfortunately, since I don't always fill up at the same station, that could have contributed to the difference just as well as the different viscosity oil.
 
I think 5w20 is for CAFE reasons without a doubt, I also think it is adequete protection. With that thought, I think a 5w30 or 10w30 would exceed adequete protection and provide better protection under severe conditions, but these are my opinions.
 
Quote:

10W-30 would be my choice for operating above 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Yes, and make that a high mileage version. Only place I give in to 5w30 is Maxlife Synthetic. When a 5w30 has HTHS of 3.5 it's good enough for me.
 
2 Hondas in my family now:

Dad's 01 7th gen civic (D17A1 block) got the typical 5W20/5W30 dino oil, whichever is the cheepest in the market (formula Shell, Esso Protec, occasionally Esso full syn or motomaster gold bottle full sync 5W30/5W20). It now has in excess of 128,000kms to date and it's still running like new.

My GD3 just got past 5800kms and I've already changed out my factory fill @3000kms with crrappy tires motomaster full syn 5W20 and my next round shall be syntec 5W20.

Am I worried about it being too "thin"??! Hexll no! In fact, I luv 20wt oil betta than anything else, and I'm not a bit worried about ILSAC GF-4 approved 5W20 oil at all.
 
Quote:

I think 5w20 is for CAFE reasons without a doubt, I also think it is adequete protection. With that thought, I think a 5w30 or 10w30 would exceed adequete protection and provide better protection under severe conditions, but these are my opinions.

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+1
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Quote:

Curiousity question, on the mileage, how much lower was it running the 5w30 vs. the 5w20? I ask because as I stated in another topic, I've used everything from 0w20 to 10w30 in a Honda engine, and only noticed a couple of tenths of mileage difference. But, unfortunately, since I don't always fill up at the same station, that could have contributed to the difference just as well as the different viscosity oil.

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Same pump same station every time for me and it was about 1 mpg difference. Really this could be attributable to many things other than the oil so don't read into it too much I guess. My driving varies widely due to my job so I am guessing that had more to do with it.

Jon
 
Truth is no one can show you that 5W-30 actually produces less wear than a 0W/5W-20. There may be a mental safety margin, but there is no documented evidence that the slightly higher viscosity protects better in a Honda engine calling for XW-20. And on the contrary, over the last 2-3 years the anecdotal tendency is to see better wear numbers with XW-20.

There have been no catastrophic failures, no early wear outs, no unusual wear patterns from XW-20 oils in Honda products requiring this SAE viscosity.

I would choose a good XW-20, tell your mates exactly why, and enjoy the more power to the ground and the better MPG.
 
Well, even with my above statement, I'm running a 0w30 right now in my Honda, which in viscosity numbers comes in at a high 20 weight at operating temps.

Don't worry, be happy
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Either one will be fine. Just buy whatever's on sale. There'd be millions of PO'd Honda owners by now if 20 weights didn't work. I think it'd be a tad worse than Toyota sludge.
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Quote:

Their argument is basically that because the RSX-S and my engine share the same bore and stroke and the RSX-S specs 5w-30 that 5w-30 will protect better. I feel that the difference in redline (mine is 1300rpm lower), head design, and type of VTEC (mine, although labeled i-VTEC is really more a type of E-VTEC) will mitigate any similarity between the bore and stroke. Jon

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I guess I have a lot to learn from your friends. The same bore and stroke makes the engines the same? You are on the right track with your thinking around design differences, engine wear, and driving habits.

Check out our viscosity chart at http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/visc.html
If you have any fuel dilution or water contamination and the viscosity in the 20 wt drops further, well, you get the idea.

But hey! Honda engines lubricate with water! Watch this to the end, it is great! Just when you thought the engine was dead...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D2BavfShtZU
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As far as dino oils are concerned, read the blend chart in the following link:

http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/BaseOils/gf4.shtml

5W-20/5W-30: blend of Group II+/Group II 20 weight oils
10W-30/10W-40: blend of Group II/Group II 20 weight oils
20W-50: blend of Group II 20 weight/ Group II 30 weight oil

So where does the added protection from using a thicker oil come from? This makes synthetic/blends attractive.
 
No brainer for me. When the specs allow for 5W-20 I would use it. UAOs have proven out that they provide excellent protection and from the reports here are generally made from high quality base oils.
 
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