Mechanic used thick oil

[svdb71]

Greetings from Australia. I'm new to the forum.

I recently bought a 2014 Honda CRV 2.0L Petrol. (R20 engine). I've checked through the service records and discovered that the previous owners mechanic has been using 10W-40 oil. The manual states that this engine should run 0W-20 or 5W-20.

I plan to do my own servicing going forwards and wondering if I should change back to the recommended stuff or keep using the 10W-40. It's only got 105,000km (65,000 miles).

I often hear advice about using thicker oils with older engines but can one go back to thinner oils? Where I am, it never gets below freezing in winter and in summer it's not uncommon to get 40C+ for weeks at a time.

 

[demarpaint]

You can run 0w20 or 5w20, no need for the 0W part in any oil where you are. I'd probably use either 5W30 or 5W40 synthetic oil in it. FTR there's nothing wrong with the 10W40 the mechanic who serviced it was using.

 

[RooflessVW]

10W-40 should work great in your climate. I'd use synthetic if you follow the maintenance minder.

 

[Pablo]

I would worry a bit more about the quality of the 10W-40 rather than the viscosity. Some of the old school formulas were just too much viscosity enhancers which left for grubby engines

If I were you I would go synthetic 10W-30.

 

[kschachn]

It’s fine.

 

[JavierH19]

You can use up to 20w-50 in the owners manual I believe so 10w-40 is good to use.

 

[Kira]

You can use up to 20w-50 in the owners manual I believe

Running a 20W-50 in THAT ENGINE is something better KNOWN than 'believed in'.

Don't get me wrong, 20W-50 is found on many oil spec charts...it just helps to be dead certain for each application.

A friend's 1985 Subaru (1.7l) called for 20W-50. For funzies, I used 20W-50 in my 1976 Chevy Nova 250 (straight six) and all the engine did was click a lot, so I restored the usual oil.

 

[ATex7239]

5w-20 or 5w-30 full synthetic. Summers get 100F around here and neither has done me wrong.

 

[berniedd]

You are good with 10W-40. In my 2012 CRV (same generation engine as your 2014) I have run a fully synthetic 5W-40 since new and it has been trouble free from day 1.

 

[fen1]

If I was in the market for a good used car I would all in for one that has used a 10W-40 motor oil. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

[Accent Abuser]

If it never gets below freezing and you're satisfied with the fuel economy and power you get with 10w-40 there's no reason to go thinner. Heck you could even use a 15w-40 if one is available for extra shear stability.

 

[oil pan 4]

Greetings from Australia. I'm new to the forum.

I recently bought a 2014 Honda CRV 2.0L Petrol. (R20 engine). I've checked through the service records and discovered that the previous owners mechanic has been using 10W-40 oil. The manual states that this engine should run 0W-20 or 5W-20.

I plan to do my own servicing going forwards and wondering if I should change back to the recommended stuff or keep using the 10W-40. It's only got 105,000km (65,000 miles).

I often hear advice about using thicker oils with older engines but can one go back to thinner oils? Where I am, it never gets below freezing in winter and in summer it's not uncommon to get 40C+ for weeks at a time.

Never gets below freezing you could probably run a straight 30wt and be done with it.
It never gets below freezing and weeks of 40c sounds like you wouldn't want 20wt oil in your engine at all.
It get almost 40c where I am but also tries for -10c so I use 5w-30 and 10w-30 in all my liquid cooled engines.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Greetings from Australia. I'm new to the forum.

...

I plan to do my own servicing going forwards and wondering if I should change back to the recommended stuff or keep using the 10W-40. It's only got 105,000km (65,000 miles).

..

A quality 10W30.

 

[wemay]

You will truly be fine with any viscosity in question. I'd run with Xw20 or Xw30 without giving it another thought.

 

[Gladiator007]

I would be very grateful to that mechanic.

 

[addyguy]

10W-40 isn’t very common anymore here in NA.
But in Auz, it is still a very common grade; so ‘most’ of your modern 10W-40’s are probably syn-blends, like 5W-30 is over here. An example would be Castrol Magnatec 10W-40.
So, on a fuel-diluting Honda, a quality 10W-40 would be a great oil to use.

 

[tblt44]

Ben running 40 weight
0w/5w 40 as already mentioned would be a good choice

 

[svdb71]

Thanks all for your helpful insights. From what I have read so far, oil viscosity doesn't matter that much.

All of my previous cars have required 5w-30, I've still got a full bottle of this stuff in the garage and will used it for the next service.

 

[Japanese]

I haven't seen that oil in US, but I found its data sheet and looks a robust oil. It's VW 504 00/507 00 approved and exceed ACEA C3, which means it's not ACEA C3 certified, but that should be fine.
https://penriteoil.com.au/assets/pis_pdfs/ENVIRO+ 5W-30 (FULL SYN.).pdf

There are might be two reasons for the mechanic to use 10W40:
- the car burns oil
- because of the Australian climate

With the 5W30 you'll find out which of the two is. Run the oil for no more than 8000 km and check after 2500 km to see if the car burns any oil. Just make sure you run full synthetic oils.
Any of these will be fine 5W30, 10W30, 5W40, 0W40. Preferably on the back label of the oils should say ACEA C2 or C3 or A3/B4. Or any of these MB-Approval 229.31, MB-Approval 229.51, MB-Approval 229.52, BMW Longlife 04, Porsche C30, VW 504 00, VW 507 00.
Your oil already covers the bolded specifications, so the oil is a good stuff. This oil is much better than the one the mechanic was using, for sure.

 

[SR5]

OP, Australian mechanics use 10W40 in everything, most people never notice. Your car is fine, no damage done.

They would have used a 10W40 semi-synthetic that is both API (American) SN or SP and also ACEA (European) A3/B4 rated. These are affordable but high quality oils that everybody makes in Australia. Stuff like Castrol Magnatec 10W40, Valvoline DuraBlend 10W40, Shell Helix HX7 10W40 etc. I use them all the time.

Yes your car takes 0W20 or 5W20, but it will be fine on thicker stuff.
That Penrite Enviro+ 5W30 full synthetic will be fine to use in your Honda.
Me, I would use 5W30 synthetic going forward.