Summer... 5W-30 ; What grade for extreme Manitoba cold? Old Car

[asker123]

Hi, 2003 Accord 236K kms.

approx 7000km per year nowadays

It always had 5W20 till 2021 and had 2 oil changes per year.
Since 2021, I started putting Mobil1 EP 0W20 and only did one oil change per year.

Mechanic just reported that exhaust Cam lobe for Cyl 1 has some pitting so I am turning back to 2 oil changes per year and I am going to do xW30 instead of xW20 to get better film strength to help reduce Cam lobe wear.

In Summer I am thinking Mobil1 5W30 or even Mobil1 5W30 EP

What do I do in winter? Here in Manitoba Winters are very cold ( many weeks of -25C) and while at home I have block heater, I dont have that at workplace.
Mobil1 EP 0W20 noticeably started the car very easily.

Only 0W30 I get in Manitoba from Mobil1 is AFE.

 

[kschachn]

Any oil with a 5W or a 0W rating is acceptable at that temperature.

If you're trying to mitigate a defect then HT/HS is your friend if anything will help. I would use a Euro 0W-40, available at Walmart for a good price.

And it's not film strength that helps here, it is film thickness.

 

[asker123]

Any oil with a 5W or a 0W rating is acceptable at that temperature.

If you're trying to mitigate a defect then HT/HS is your friend if anything will help. I would use a Euro 0W-40, available at Walmart for a good price.

And it's not film strength that helps here, it is film thickness.

OEM Specified is 5W20 so I was just thinking to go only one grade up to xW30. Will 0W40 not be too thick causing some other issues on this old car?

Mobil1 Euro 0W40 is available and even on sale right now.

I thought film strength and thickness are same but fine.

 

[edyvw]

Repackaged Pennzoil Platinum Euro LX:
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...-synthetic-engine-motor-oil-5-l-0287962p.html

 

[kschachn]

OEM Specified is 5W20 so I was just thinking to go only one grade up to xW30. Will 0W40 not be too thick causing some other issues on this old car?

Mobil1 Euro 0W40 is available and even on sale right now.

I thought film strength and thickness are same but fine.

No it won’t hurt. If anything it will help.

 

[userfriendly]

Portage and Main 35 below.

 

[dubber09]

Pennzoil Platinum Euro LX may be a better buy vs MotoMaster as Pennzoil is running rebate till end of Aug making it about $5 a jug cheaper than MM.
Edit: Pennzoil will send you a virtual MasterCard CC in the amount of qualified promotion. I had to put it on my phone and used it for smaller purchases, some stores would allow you to make partial payments toward your total, e.g. your total is $32 and your Pennzoil promotional CC amount is $20, so you pay $20 with your phone (has to have NFC) and the rest with another payment type.

 

[asker123]

Portage and Main 35 below.

Means?

 

[userfriendly]

Means?

Sorry, 50 below. A Randy Bachman and Neil Young song from the 70s.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You can use 0w20 year-round with no problems

 

[asker123]

You can use 0w20 year-round with no problems

Trying to go thicker due to Cam lobe wearing out

 

[facility1]

0w-30 ss Amsoil would be a good choice. and Fram ultra filter.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Trying to go thicker due to Cam lobe wearing out

VTEC not kicking in as fast anymore?

No really though, the M1 AFE 0w30 should work great for you. It is a very good oil. Very underrated IMO

 

[Oliveoil2]

It’s a manufacturing defect unrelated to oil. Yet 5w-30, 2x a year, is a good choice. Any full synthetic. Don't over think it.

 

[userfriendly]

It’s a manufacturing defect unrelated to oil. Yet 5w-30, 2x a year, is a good choice. Any full synthetic. Don't over think it.

Is 5w30 good down to minus 50F?

 

[Oliveoil2]

No

Is 5w30 good down to minus 50F?

yes With an engine block heater. But if you’ve been running 0w-20, at -50, without a block heater, then I’d continue doing that. Summer 5w-30, no problem.

 

[asker123]

0w-30 ss Amsoil would be a good choice. and Fram ultra filter.

Here in Canada, Amsoil SS 0W30 is 3 times more expensive than lets say Mobil1 0W30 AFE (when on Sale).
I am big fan of Amsoil and I use those oils in my small engines exclusively. If it would be yearly OCI , I dont mind paying that much but the oil will be dumped in 6 months ( approx 4000kms) then why pay that much. Unless it is extremely good compared to mobil1 0W30 AFE.

In summer I am thinking to use Mobil1 5W30 EP.

Someone suggested Mobil1 Euro 0W40. I am still researching if that will work better for my lobes and overall engine compared to 0W30