Recommended oil weights around the world.

[mightymousetech]

Since we have a world wide audience here, I thought I would ask what kind of oil weights the same cars use around the world. Here in North America, cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla spec a 0W20. What does the manufacturer recommend for these cars in places like England, EU, Asia, South America, AUS etc etc? Just for a data point, my 2010 Civic Si calls for a 5W30 here in NA, but I believe in the most of the rest of the world a 5W40 is recommended.

 

[Dumc87]

I'd bet the oil specs outside of the US are 5w30 and higher. Maybe in Japan the 0w20 is common?

 

[LeakySeals]

Australians on here use 15w40 commonly. On the same? engines we spec for 0w20,5w30 in US. Hmmm..

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

The 2018 Camry I4 I looked at last week used 0W-16. I haven't seen that oil on the shelves yet.

 

[benjy]

count me interested as i had seen info in the past on heavier oil specd in other countries. as long as it lasts during the warranty US sellers care less as they enjoy the 1/4 mpg gained to meet the mpg quotas!!

 

[kschachn]

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

 

[bigj_16]

Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje

The 2018 Camry I4 I looked at last week used 0W-16. I haven't seen that oil on the shelves yet.

That's interesting. The new GF-6 oils are not supposed to be out until April

 

[bigj_16]

Here's an interesting little piece by Ravenol http://www.ravenol.de/fileadmin/content/documents/pdfs/Ravenol_EFE_SAE_0W-16__en.pdf 0W-16, no pics, but apparently available: https://parts.stevinsontoyotawest.com/p/0W16-6X1-QUARTCASE/70023325/0027916QTE.html

 

[Dumc87]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

I think the engineers realize these engines will see anything from frozen tundra in Canada to scorching desert in the Australian outback. I've venture to guess that, for the most part, these engines were designed to run on anything. The variables come into performance increases like turbos, driving style both on and off the highway, oil technology advancing sporadically. So I think that, for the most part, any modern engine can run on any of the approved oils. I'm sure 0w20 nets better fuel economy and 15w50 protects the most, so in between it's about finding a balance that suits the owner; in particular, the owner's placebo as to what is best.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech

Here in North America, cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla spec a 0W20.

A family member in Europe drives a 2015 Civic 1.8. Both Castrol Europe as well as Mobil Europe seem to be recommending their 0w-30 oils for it. I'm not sure what the actual owner's manual states.

 

[bigj_16]

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

I think the engineers realize these engines will see anything from frozen tundra in Canada to scorching desert in the Australian outback. I've venture to guess that, for the most part, these engines were designed to run on anything. The variables come into performance increases like turbos, driving style both on and off the highway, oil technology advancing sporadically. So I think that, for the most part, any modern engine can run on any of the approved oils. I'm sure 0w20 nets better fuel economy and 15w50 protects the most, so in between it's about finding a balance that suits the owner; in particular, the owner's placebo as to what is best.

They need to come up with a new grade: 0-15w-20-50

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

+1 Always cracks me up when someone is asking about a thicker oil that still meets 5W30.

 

[Dumc87]

Originally Posted By: bigj_16

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

I think the engineers realize these engines will see anything from frozen tundra in Canada to scorching desert in the Australian outback. I've venture to guess that, for the most part, these engines were designed to run on anything. The variables come into performance increases like turbos, driving style both on and off the highway, oil technology advancing sporadically. So I think that, for the most part, any modern engine can run on any of the approved oils. I'm sure 0w20 nets better fuel economy and 15w50 protects the most, so in between it's about finding a balance that suits the owner; in particular, the owner's placebo as to what is best.

They need to come up with a new grade: 0-15w-20-50

It'd have to be made out of unicorn blood-base stock, obviously

 

[bigj_16]

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

Originally Posted By: bigj_16

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

I think the engineers realize these engines will see anything from frozen tundra in Canada to scorching desert in the Australian outback. I've venture to guess that, for the most part, these engines were designed to run on anything. The variables come into performance increases like turbos, driving style both on and off the highway, oil technology advancing sporadically. So I think that, for the most part, any modern engine can run on any of the approved oils. I'm sure 0w20 nets better fuel economy and 15w50 protects the most, so in between it's about finding a balance that suits the owner; in particular, the owner's placebo as to what is best.

They need to come up with a new grade: 0-15w-20-50

It'd have to be made out of unicorn blood-base stock, obviously

Synthetic unicorn blood-base stock, of course. No more blood for oil

 

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

I'd bet the oil specs outside of the US are 5w30 and higher. Maybe in Japan the 0w20 is common?

For Subaru at least, the viscosity recommended by Subaru Japan is based on the driving conditions and allows up to 5W40 in the BRZ which specs 0W20 here. They allow up to 10W50 in the STI which specs 5W30 here.

 

[Panzerman]

I still wonders me with all this evidence that oil weights really are not significant and have about as much variance as whole milk and skim milk that people still hold that owners manual to a religious status and will not allow any deviation from it. I love the answer when someone asks a opinion and there is always one that qoutes ,"What does the manual say" Dare not deviate.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Rather than some nefarious conspiracy theory, what it tells me is that the engines will operate on a range of grades and overall it isn't significant.

while this is correct, the USA recommendation is always the thinnest oil possible without any alternatives. it's clearly a fuel efficiency bias. case in point, most modern USA toyotas require 0W20 (with a caveat that this may not be good enough in severe conditions), while outside USA the options range from 0W20 all the way to 20W50 with a comment limiting minimum temps for each thicker oil.

 

[Dumc87]

Originally Posted By: Panzerman

I still wonders me with all this evidence that oil weights really are not significant and have about as much variance as whole milk and skim milk that people still hold that owners manual to a religious status and will not allow any deviation from it. I love the answer when someone asks a opinion and there is always one that qoutes ,"What does the manual say" Dare not deviate.

Perhaps the manual is more of an "at least" type guideline? I wouldn't run a thinner-than-spec'ed oil, but have yet to see any negligible effect using a thicker-than-spec'ed oil. Not that I'd go as thick as using M1 15w50 in the Matrix, but the 300ZX really seemed to like it. The 5.9 Magnum in the Jeep doesn't care. Feels the same with 10w30 as it does with the 15w40. I wouldn't even try running a 0w20 in the Jeep; way too much heat and mileage on the engine.

 

[OhOMG]

Originally Posted By: Dumc87

Perhaps the manual is more of an "at least" type guideline? I wouldn't run a thinner-than-spec'ed oil but have yet to see any negligible effect using a thicker-than-spec'ed oil. Not that I'd go as thick as using M1 15w50 in the Matrix, but the 300ZX really seemed to like it. The 5.9 Magnum in the Jeep doesn't care. Feels the same with 10w30 as it does with the 15w40. I wouldn't even try running a 0w20 in the Jeep; way too much heat and mileage on the engine.

Why not?

 

[Dumc87]

Originally Posted By: OhOMG

Why not?

For my applications, it doesn't make sense. I live in Florida, a hot and humid climate. I already run 0w20 or 5w20 in the Matrix. The G20 currently has 0w40, although I won't mind using 10w30. The Jeep has 282K miles, so I wouldn't venture to try a anything less than a 5w30 in that. The 300ZX notoriously runs well on 10w30+ grade oils as the VG30DE(TT) beats on oil, in a productive sense lol. The 5.9 Jeep runs hot by nature, which is why the hood has vents from the factory, so I wouldn't waste a 0w20 getting beat to shreds by 3K miles, versus running a synthetic 5w30 that could still be good at 5K. Just my thoughts.