Personal Test; 5w-20 vs 20w-50

Pennzoil motor oil
Status
Not open for further replies.
Going from a 5w-20 to a 0w-40 my fuel mileage didn't change enough to notice however the engine didn't spin as freely and felt like it was dragging.
I'll be using euro 0w-40s during the summer. I tend to get into it and oil temps get high and stay there for a while.
5w-20 is great in the winter though
 
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
I full agree thin oil makes power. I just don't think in an average little commuter car that uses less than 50 HP for most of the time you'll ever notice a difference.


Exactly. If you're talking about a suffocated restrictor-plate NASCAR engine that is running flat out at its utter limit all the time and the vehicle is on the razor edge of available power matching aerodynamic drag and tire friction... then the oil can contribute enough to matter. But not so much every day.

But I still think factory recommendations are the best. If an engine was brought out spec'd for 5w30 and later versions were spec'd to 5w20 with no significant mechanical changes, then I think you're pretty safe with either.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

If an engine was brought out spec'd for 5w30 and later versions were spec'd to 5w20 with no significant mechanical changes, then I think you're pretty safe with either.


Exactly! There are a lot of cars on the road that fit that bill.
 
You guys had to wait til Caterham went hiatus didn't you?
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
I'm almost considering another fill of the Pennzoil Conventional 20w50 just so I can get a used oil analysis for you guys. I have like 200 quarts of the stuff.


^^Yes please :^) I had an impeccably perfect used oil analysis on RP Synerlec 20W50 a few years ago. Drove it like I stole it most of the time,saw an entire winter of cold starts to my 5 mile at the most commute to and from work every day,80-100+ mph 2 hr highway runs,etc. No wear metals in the used oil analysis whatsoever. I'd love to see a used oil analysis on your car with the Pennzoil Conventional 20w50.
 
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
Months were oct-Jan, and Jan to today. So a nice weather spread for both oils.


Using this as reference: http://www.homefacts.com/weather/Ohio/Mahoning-County/Youngstown.html

Average temp for Oct-Jan is 40F and the Jan-March is 31F.

Thus, you did not control for weather like I suspected.

There is no frigging way 20W50 will give you the same MPG as 0W20, or if it did, we would all be using it today.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I have also seen real world results on a dyno in a Neon R/T with minor mods. Gained about 6 hp on 0w30 versus 10W-40, same dyno same day.

There's a lot of comic hysteria around here...


I don't mean to offend, but there is simply no way that this oil change alone yielded a +6 hp difference. Most numbers for power differences are arguably within error range, and are in the area of (sometimes far) less than half of one percent. Same story for fuel economy.
 
It seems many are arguing over unscientific experiments.

Why not believe the manufacturer standards and testing that require fuel economy improvements to be demonstrated in SAE tests before an oil is approved?

Why not believe that when oil manufacturers make oil in any weight that is designated "FE" that there has been testing behind that?

How about the lower viscosity ATF and differential oils being used by more and more manufacturers to squeeze out fuel economy improvements?

Manufacturers are constantly squeezing out small amounts of mpg increases that individually you'll never notice. But they've run scientifically valid tests or used scientifically valid findings.

That's what continuous improvement is, its a feature of the industry and it's how we get an ever improving product.
 
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
I didn't say the MPG didn't change. I simply said it changed so little it was within statistical noise. A couple % change is likely.


Actually, if you are saying that a true change of a couple of percent is likely, that is not the case. If you are saying you observed a change of a couple of percent in one instance, and with properly defined error rates in place that this is a meaningless observed increase/decrease, then I am with you.
 
Read it. Filled the car with Valvoline maxlife 20w-50. Will used oil analysis in a couple months. $20 says the used oil analysis shows about the same wear as the ones on here running the specified lubes.
 
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
I didn't say the MPG didn't change. I simply said it changed so little it was within statistical noise. A couple % change is likely.


Actually, if you are saying that a true change of a couple of percent is likely, that is not the case. If you are saying you observed a change of a couple of percent in one instance, and with properly defined error rates in place that this is a meaningless observed increase/decrease, then I am with you.



Maybe I'm stupid. I think I'm following you. I recorded a 1% change over 3k miles. That's statistical noise to me. But logic tells me it should drop a small amount. So maybe it's no noise. No way to tell without a very accurate test. Over hundreds of thousands of miles.
 
I like your style GutsyGecko.

I got reamed on here for running a 0w30 mix in my Accord for crying out loud.
 
Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
Read it. Filled the car with Valvoline maxlife 20w-50. Will used oil analysis in a couple months. $20 says the used oil analysis shows about the same wear as the ones on here running the specified lubes.


I'd think it'll be a bit better!
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Phishin
I like your style GutsyGecko.

I got reamed on here for running a 0w30 mix in my Accord for crying out loud.



Thanks. Thin oil for my drag cars, Thick for the road race cars, and cheap for the commuters.
 
Dyno testing is not relevant to the operation of most vehicles. It is said the lower weight oils make more horsepower on a dyno. No surprise, because thicker oils create more friction and drag at high RPM where dynos do their testing. This doesn't mean thinner is better by itself. At lower RPM where "normal" vehicle engines operate, thicker oil may not create the drag that robs the vehicle of MPG, but it would provide a thicker film, which under increased loading provides better protection.
 
I think it is great that we all have this forum. Most of the time we argue, sometimes to the point of insanity, but this is truly a useful segment of a vastly corrupted Internet system. Just thought I'd say that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

J
  • Locked
oil mix ?- 5w-20 & 20w-50
Replies
8
Views
2K
jdw1222
U
  • Locked
20w-50 vs 5w-50 Oil Consumption
Replies
5
Views
3K
uconn1150
C
  • Locked
15w 50/20w 50, can it cause problems?
Replies
14
Views
15K
SIXSPEED
B
  • Locked
Castrol 20w-50 Syntec vs Others for Air-Cooled
2
Replies
32
Views
22K
JimPghPA
W
  • Locked
20w-50 in 2010 Outback 2.5
2 3
Replies
44
Views
7K
addyguy
Back
Top Bottom