My Experience Moving Up A Grade (5W20 -> 0W30)

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2010 Hyundai Elantra calls for 5W20 on the oil cap (manual says 5W30 ok for summer fill) ... Last fill was PP 5W20 and new fill is M1 0W30 . My thoughts : While start up is nice with M1 0W30 , once I get up to operating temp this oil makes the engine feel a bit restrictive and not as responsive versus the previous fill of PP 5W20 . I understand PP in a given grade is at the lower end of the given weight range while M1 tends to be at the higher end of the weight range . So in essence , the M1 0W30 is at the higher end of the 30 weight range (versus say a PP 5W30) which has to be a contributing factor in the engine performance I noted above . *If I had it to do over again the high for weight class M1 0W20 would most likely make a darn fine oil to use year round while the current M1 0W30 (even for a proposed summer fill) feels just a little too thick at operating temp for my tastes . * I half jokingly say this is one case where I would welcome this 0W30 oil to shear down a bit ! Since going to the M1 0W30 I have been beating on it pretty good (at operating temp) by winding out the engine closer to red line as I go through the gears - still the engine feels closer to a earlier time when it wasn't broken in good yet versus the 60K miles it has on it now ... Lastly , no energy savings to be expected with my current fill antics romping on the engine more - but at least I know I'm getting decent M1 protection !
 
Three things:

1. Give the 0W-30 a little time in the Georgia summer heat and report back (on this thread) in a couple thousand miles.

2. Create a 50/50 blend for the summer months of a 20 and 30 weights for a happy medium viscosity in the 2.9 HTHS range.

3. Run the 20-weight in the cooler winter months.
 
To get the perfect comparison imo,try PP in a 30 weight and compare it to the previous PP in the 20 weight.
 
My 14 Rogue must have come with 5w20 in the sump, cause when I put an "average" 5w30syn in there it felt like I was towing a 2000lb trailer.

Still does 4K miles later!'

How come the Altima is 0w20 and Im 5w30? Like someones mama is going to go all jeep trail-rated romping on a rogue?!
 
I'd like to do an experiment with someone like you who thinks they can feel a performance difference between oil weights.

I'll put the oil in and you can tell me only if it's thick or thin.

I'll use a 20W-50 and a 0W-5.

But there's always a 50/50 chance you'll get lucky.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I'd like to do an experiment with someone like you who thinks they can feel a performance difference between oil weights.

I'll put the oil in and you can tell me only if it's thick or thin.

I'll use a 20W-50 and a 0W-5.

But there's always a 50/50 chance you'll get lucky.




Exactly. I've run 15W-50 and 5W-30 in my Suburban and couldn't tell the difference. Years ago my buddy ran 20W-50 in his 84 Honda Accord. It was running smooth when he traded it in with 260k miles.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Most likely placebo effect and nothing else.


thumbsup2.gif
 
I ran 20W50 in the Tracker one summer and didn't notice anything either compared to 5W30. I ran 15W40 in the Neon a summer as well, and it didn't cross my mind other than to let the thing warm up a bit before bouncing off the limiter for autocross.

What does pay though is running syn driveline fluids in the winter in a little 4x4. There no placebo effect there, 80W90 is like molasses at -20C.

I bet at redline rpms, there is something like a 1% difference in hp between a grade of oil, but at normal rpms its probably less, so are you going to notice the difference between 50hp and 50.25hp pulling away from a light in your 3500lb car? I doubt it.
 
I would never personally run M1 0w30 on a vehicle spec'd for Xw20, I'd run M1 0w20. It appears to be considerably more shear stable than 0w30, and probably a better base oil. They wind up at close to the same vis pretty soon, so just start with the 20-wt.
 
Yes , M1 0W30 is DEXOS 1 approved (with the additional approvals that M1 0W20 doesn't meet) .
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Your DEXOS1 5w30 is pretty much a turbo 4/6 oil these days.

Is M1 0w30 dexos1?
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Recalibrate your butt-dyno and try again...

Sure, I'd never had this "drag" for "brake hp" problem even with a M1 15w50 ...
 
Perhaps might end up being a placebo effect - but as of today for now and for over a week I can tell the little Elantra 4 banger engine is simply not as "free feeling" and instead feels more restrictive when giving it the gas pedal running M1 0W30. Worse things to be concerned with though such as over filling , etc.
 
i mean it would have to be a really weak engine to feel the difference from slightly thicker oil. the difference is there, but if you don't see mpg difference, there should be no driving difference. could it be just engine running quieter and smoother feels less screaming?

are you just revving up the engine in neutral or talking about general driving?
 
To be truly measurable on a "Butt Dyno" the hp difference would have to be significant. If the hp difference was significant, there would be technical documents proving this to be true.
 
Neither M1 AFE 30 or 20 are thick for grade. Iirc the pp 20 CST about 8.5ish, M1 30 CST 10ish.
I often run thicker oil in summer but just to use stuff I've got on clearance, never noticed difference with many brands and vehicles.
 
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