Is M1 0w40 considered a long-drain or ext int oil?

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JoeFromPA

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Hey all,

Considering switching to M1 0w40 as an oil in my 2006 Civic SI (next oil change will be at 88k miles).

Pennzoil Platinum served me quite well for a 10k run, but sheared into a high 20 grade and didn't have alot more left to it.

So I'm considering switching to M1 0w40 (which is so close in viscosity to GC 0w30 that I don't even sweat it in this application), which if I remember correctly is a pretty nice long-drain oil. Thinking about trying it out for 12k intervals to start and maybe extending to 15k or beyond.

Just checking to confirm my memory.
 
Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA
Hey all,

Considering switching to M1 0w40 as an oil in my 2006 Civic SI (next oil change will be at 88k miles).

Pennzoil Platinum served me quite well for a 10k run, but sheared into a high 20 grade and didn't have alot more left to it.

So I'm considering switching to M1 0w40 (which is so close in viscosity to GC 0w30 that I don't even sweat it in this application), which if I remember correctly is a pretty nice long-drain oil. Thinking about trying it out for 12k intervals to start and maybe extending to 15k or beyond.

Just checking to confirm my memory.


Thats pretty thick for a Honda,isnt it?
 
Yep, but here's the plan on that:

1. I've got 8 quarts of Rotella T 5w40, 5 quarts of Quaker State 10w30, 7 quarts of PP 5w30, and 5 quarts of Castrol GTX 10w30. All of those are going towards the LGT at some point (the GTX is for an experiment to "prove" that a stock LGT can run 3500 miles on a solid dino oil and NOT shear it down a grade, though other dinos won't fair so well)

2. The LGT is getting 3750 mile or less intervals until warranty is up, another 24 miles. That's about 7 oil changes, and I've got about 5 oil changes for it listed above :)

3. I want something "cheap" and readily available to try for extended drains in the Civic.

M1 0w40 interests me because of how PP 5w30 sheared after 10k miles in my SI, because of it's reasonable cost nowadays (5 quarts for $26 for M1 vs. 5 quarts for $23 for PP 5w30), and because my car's driving habits and mileage indicate a borderline w30/w40 would be a good fit in my opinion.
 
Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA
"thick for a honda" is meaningless


If you say so.
smirk2.gif
 
My friends Saab 9-3 with the B205t specs Mobil 1 and 10k oci's so I would say yes. This being said, I only run it 5k.
Reason being, these engines are known sludgers, especially with the cat right next to the pan.
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA
"thick for a honda" is meaningless


If you say so.
smirk2.gif



Well, if it's not, why do you say so?
 
Lexus - Lots of people say anything different than 5w20 or 0/5/w30 is "thick for a Honda"

It's a meaningless statement. Cars can operate under wildly different environments with wildly different viscosities and do great. Further, many cars shear down or thicken up oils that continue to protect the vital bits even when they've crossed over into another viscosity grade.

Think about it this way: oil viscosity varies massively with temperature. But some cars run at operating temperature with oil at 180 degrees fahrenheit. Others at 215. Still others at 230-250, still considered normal operating temp.

Do you think that the oil is "too thick" at 180 or "too thin" at 250. No, it's doing just fine.

Similarly, almost any car can absorb a 1-grade difference in viscosity weight without any tangible effects whatsoever.

M1 0w40 is a low-end 40 weight that usually shears down to a nice 30 weight. My driving style is usually cruising at 3500-4000 rpms with about 6-10 trips per day to redline (and not in 1st gear, I'm talking 3rd and 4th gear trips to 8000 rpms).

It's going to be fine, viscosity wise.
 
"Too thick for a Honda" means outside the optimal range. It can't possibly be a meaningless statement.

What you could certainly say is that it doesn't apply to Mobil 1 0w-40 in particular. That's a different story.
 
U said it, d00d

Honda manual may say 5w30 (or whatever), but a thin-side 40 might work fine, or shear right into the sweet spot for a particular engine.

K
 
GM-LL-025-A and B are long-life long drain specs. They can go up to 36000kn on gas and 40k km on diesel, IIRC. Ive done it, and the oil remains clean and UOAs show it suitable for this sort of use (my OCI was 14k miles, IIRC).

That said, at the same time, NO oil is a long-drain oil or an extended life oil just by virtue of the product or what a manufacturer claims. There can be other limiting factors, such as filtration, sump size, etc. which have an effect. Extended drains can only be done in cars not designed for them with the basis of a UOA as guidance. People do speculate, but can also be making mistakes. And, in many situations, a regular oil will do. We had no need for M1 EP in our 94 previa for 14-15k OCIs.
 
I've seen a copy of a Honda Civic owner's manual from Europe. It was for the base 1.7L engine of the previous generation Civic (2001-2005). Over here, the engine specs 5W20 only.

The European manual showed all kinds of different grades. 0W20, 0W30, and 0W40 were all listed as suitable for ALL temps. 5W20, 5W30, and 5W40 were suitable from -30C and up (IIRC). 10W30, and 10W40 were also listed from -10C and up.

Given this info, I'd say the M1 0W40 is perfectly fine for your Honda. It may not be optimal, but it's fine. Optimal really depends on the driving situation as well as the car, not just the car alone. Ex... A person who drives across the street in a Civic Si may be wise to use a 20 weight, whereas someone who autocrosses a Civic Si can easily use a 40 weight.
 
IIRC the Honda K20Z3 motors in the SI spec a 5w30 oil. I would see no problems running a thicker oil in that motor, especially since many have a tendency to burn some oil.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
GM-LL-025-A and B are long-life long drain specs. They can go up to 36000kn on gas and 40k km on diesel, IIRC. Ive done it, and the oil remains clean and UOAs show it suitable for this sort of use (my OCI was 14k miles, IIRC).

That said, at the same time, NO oil is a long-drain oil or an extended life oil just by virtue of the product or what a manufacturer claims. There can be other limiting factors, such as filtration, sump size, etc. which have an effect. Extended drains can only be done in cars not designed for them with the basis of a UOA as guidance. People do speculate, but can also be making mistakes. And, in many situations, a regular oil will do. We had no need for M1 EP in our 94 previa for 14-15k OCIs.



Yes. The OEM spec is just about worthless if not in the OEM engine. I keep hearing "it's good for 30k/km or 18 months" ..but you never hear "yeah, but it's in a 8 quart sump" (or whatever) in a chassis where the engine was designed around that outcome with the refiner/blender working in concert.

Read the M1 0w-40 bottle. They tell you right there (paraphrased) YMMV if it's not according to your OEM spec's.

That said, I think the OP will do fine. Whether he'll get a lick of benefit out of it ..or be willing to use it to the point of economic balance over cheaper stuff, that's another story.
 
Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA
(...the GTX is for an experiment to "prove" that a stock LGT can run 3500 miles on a solid dino oil and NOT shear it down a grade, though other dinos won't fair so well)
...

32.gif

Save your uoa money. I think the chances of it remaining in grade are slim. Well, it didn't stay in grade in my wife's moderately driven '99 Outback anyway.
55.gif


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-Dennis
 
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