Thats the minimum viscosity i will run in anything.
The real gains are in anticipating, not accelerating up to a stop, maintain a constant throttle opening and speed, taking your foot off the gas early for lights etc.
Thinnest possible oil you can put in a car?
- Thread starter Flyingdutchman
- Start date
The real gains are in anticipating, not accelerating up to a stop, maintain a constant throttle opening and speed, taking your foot off the gas early for lights etc.
You will never be able to measure the difference in mpgs if at all measurable by going to the thinnest oil. What oil does the manufacture recommend?
That's what I didJust pretend CAFE hit your county, and back-spec the oil to 5W-20. Millions of cars here run 5W-20 and don't blow-up.
Hell, I put 0w20 PP in a Vulcan V6 Taurus
I'd try a Ford WSS-M2C913D oil. It will be filly synthetic with a minium ZDDP of 1000ppm. Should be around 2.9 HTHS too
he should stay away from 20 if he drives anything like you!
also fuel savings will pay for a cup of coffee or maybe half a cup.
Yeah I can see your logic, if you did decide to go thin, a Ford 913D oil is a very thin 5W30 A5/B5 synthetic oil, but with extra ZDDP (~ 1000 ppm Zn) to combat the extra wear.
OP, don’t forget the old racing trick, and remove the spare tire and jack from the boot. If he gets a flat, tell him to use his phone and auto club membership. In fact strip the car back as much as you can get away with, while still staying safe and legal: air-con, radio, noise proofing, maybe the rear seat. Moving all those kilograms from a stationary start to up to highway speed takes energy and fuel.
Heck, I put 0w-20 in my 2000 4Runner. Going back into the F150 in the Spring!That's what I did
Hell, I put 0w20 PP in a Vulcan V6 Taurus
I would use M1 AFE 0w16 that’s a good nice low friction motor oil
Based on the race engine builder rule of thumb, any vis that gives you 10 psi (70kPa) oil pressure per 1000 revs will be fine for durability. So if 0W16 gives you 7-8 psi oil pressure at idle and 20 psi at 2000 revs on your hot days, should be fine.
Drive no faster than 80 kph / 50 mph, drive as if there is an egg under the accelerator pedal, don't use the brakes, proper tire inflation +10%, time the traffic lights.
Or take public transit.
These are the most effective ways to improve fuel economy.
Or take public transit.
These are the most effective ways to improve fuel economy.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I believe that old "rule of thumb" was specifically geared toward the SBC and was just a general guideline, I would certainly not be using it as a validation mechanism for deviating significantly from spec. Honda went with wider bearings and journals for example when they started going thinner, and this was discussed on here at some length a while back as the Japanese OEM's were the first to really chase the ultra-thin oil thing.
I would never want the following exchange to play-out as a result of advice received here:
Bob: Gee Fred, how'd you toss that rod through the side of the block?
Fred: Well you know Bob, I was on this message board and I was told as long as 0w-16 gave me 10psi per 1,000RPM, I'd be fine, so I put it in and I had 10psi at 1,000RPM so off I went. Engine started knocking after I ran it hard up an on-ramp and then we had a big 'ol cloud of smoke and here we are!
Bob: Doesn't your engine spec like 5w-40?
Fred: Yes, but these boys were really convincing, they really seemed know their stuff!
Bob: Are they going to be paying to fix this?
*crickets*
That's what I did
Hell, I put 0w20 PP in a Vulcan V6 Taurus
If it ran good... no, I shouldn't do that. LOL
Why do I feel like I've done that a few times.
I'm sure you posted it if you did. You could search back but that would take some time, considering all the years.
I learned it in the 60s from an engine builder in Cleveland who did flathead Fords for stock cars. So it goes back many decades. And with oil formulas and metallurgy so much better now, I have to think it's still a good number.
Similar threads
- Locked
