I hope the following is not to disputable. 5w20 are at upper end of the 20 range, 8.5 to 9 range working temp visc, lets say 8.75. A typical mormal 5w30 is about 10 and HM versions 11-12. Now 11.5/10= 15% difference and considered the same thing 30wt., and 10/8.75= 14% difference. Now if a +15 is the same thing then a -14 should be the same also, despite the change of grade rating, which are arbitrary anyway, a 5w20 is effectively a 30wt. grade thing, just the low end as the HM is the high end.
thinner oil
- Thread starter t retired
- Start date
- Status
Rationalize it all you want, but an oil with a cSt @ 100°C of 9.30 or more is no longer in the 20 range. I definitely appreciate your point--there is little operational difference between a current 5w-20 and "thinner" 5w30. Still, you've gotta draw the line somewhere. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of that line while having my oil-related failure reviewed for warranty work.
@OP: My brother is running Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 in his 2002 Tacoma 3.4L V6 right now. He likes it a lot (he's a city driver), but I cannot give you a glowing report until he's done a few used oil analysis and avoided having his engine grenade.
@OP: My brother is running Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 in his 2002 Tacoma 3.4L V6 right now. He likes it a lot (he's a city driver), but I cannot give you a glowing report until he's done a few used oil analysis and avoided having his engine grenade.
Kudos to all for a well-reasoned debate over the merits and demerits of 5w-20 oil. I'll have no worries stocking up on 20 weight oils to replenish the stash after the current stuff runs out.
The cars to be serviced with these oils are my 99 Buick LeSabre (many highway miles and gently driven around town) and the 09 Honda Fit coming in a few months.
The cars to be serviced with these oils are my 99 Buick LeSabre (many highway miles and gently driven around town) and the 09 Honda Fit coming in a few months.
Where do all 5w20 oil come from? Over here, even 30 weights are a bit rare and you could argue that Sweden is colder than Florida too. Seems like everyone uses 5w40 or 0w40 and the BMW crowd pour 50 and 60 weihghts. All cars seem to make it to 150 or 200k (miles) and the oci's are generally 15000 miles.
Other than that, I can see the reasoning above. If you can run a sheared 5w30, you could just as well use a stouter 5w20 all the oci. But you can't really stack intervals to prove they are the same. With that reasoning, I would be 30, not 38
)
Other than that, I can see the reasoning above. If you can run a sheared 5w30, you could just as well use a stouter 5w20 all the oci. But you can't really stack intervals to prove they are the same. With that reasoning, I would be 30, not 38
)FWIW, I'm rather leery of this recent "Use 0W-20 everywhere!" fad. At the least, I'd look for an oil with decent HTHS (high-temp-high-shear) specs.
I've seen a few synthetics, Redline being the most notable, that combine 20w bulk shear with stout HTHS values. If I were gonna switch I'd run one of those oils for about a thousand miles, then drain a little and perform a used oil analysis, looking for signs of bearing wear.
IMO
I've seen a few synthetics, Redline being the most notable, that combine 20w bulk shear with stout HTHS values. If I were gonna switch I'd run one of those oils for about a thousand miles, then drain a little and perform a used oil analysis, looking for signs of bearing wear.
IMO
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Messages
- 39,793
Quote:
Seems like everyone uses 5w40 or 0w40../.... All cars seem to make it to 150 or 200k (miles) and the oci's are generally 15000 miles.
That's why they use that grade ..so they can account for the most likely variables over that duration of use. Most of us that use water weights typically don't go that far.
Seems like everyone uses 5w40 or 0w40../.... All cars seem to make it to 150 or 200k (miles) and the oci's are generally 15000 miles.
That's why they use that grade ..so they can account for the most likely variables over that duration of use. Most of us that use water weights typically don't go that far.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
My car`s manual and fsm says in bold print to NOT use 5W30/5W20. It lists 10W30 to be used for fuel economy and then lists 15W40,15W50,20W40,and 20W50 for high speed driving and racing.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
- Locked