Good evening all!
My 5.7L V-8 2007 Toyota Tundra is coming up on its first oil change.
Manual recommends 5W-20 or 0W-20, noting that the 0W-20 is preferred for better fuel economy. I'm tempted to use something synthetic in the 0W-20 viscosity range, probably Mobil 1 as it can be bought at the local Wally World. BUT, I've also come across vitriolic posts on other boards noting that 0W-20 results in increased engine wear.
I'm a mechanical engineer with some knowledge of tribology but at no where near the expert (or even mediocre!) level. It seems that if Toyota designed the engine for 0W-20 or 5W-20, neither should cause any harm.
Additionally, viscosity at operating temperature of the two oils should be very similar, with 0W-20 having lower cold viscosity. Yet, all that said, how does 0W-20 save fuel? It would seem that the only way it would save fuel is to be less viscous, lowering parasitic drag. Yet, it would then make sense that this thinner oil would have less film strength, leading to engine wear. Where am I going wrong here?
FWIW, truck generally runs mostly highway with some under 2 mile trips during the workday, doesn't tow anything more than a few thousand pound trailer for less than 100 miles, and I generally change oil at the 4k mark, but am trying to get myself used to a 5k mile OCI.
thanks much!
-ben
My 5.7L V-8 2007 Toyota Tundra is coming up on its first oil change.
Manual recommends 5W-20 or 0W-20, noting that the 0W-20 is preferred for better fuel economy. I'm tempted to use something synthetic in the 0W-20 viscosity range, probably Mobil 1 as it can be bought at the local Wally World. BUT, I've also come across vitriolic posts on other boards noting that 0W-20 results in increased engine wear.
I'm a mechanical engineer with some knowledge of tribology but at no where near the expert (or even mediocre!) level. It seems that if Toyota designed the engine for 0W-20 or 5W-20, neither should cause any harm.
Additionally, viscosity at operating temperature of the two oils should be very similar, with 0W-20 having lower cold viscosity. Yet, all that said, how does 0W-20 save fuel? It would seem that the only way it would save fuel is to be less viscous, lowering parasitic drag. Yet, it would then make sense that this thinner oil would have less film strength, leading to engine wear. Where am I going wrong here?
FWIW, truck generally runs mostly highway with some under 2 mile trips during the workday, doesn't tow anything more than a few thousand pound trailer for less than 100 miles, and I generally change oil at the 4k mark, but am trying to get myself used to a 5k mile OCI.
thanks much!
-ben