I have to make several round trips from Denver to Tucson this summer. I'm expecting 100 degree outdoor temps for most of the way. I will be driving my wife's 2014 Mazda6 (that only has 35K miles on it) because it gets close to 40 mpg on the interstate. I plan on driving straight thru (+/- 900 miles) stopping only for fuel. It has had a consistent diet of 0w20 Castrol Edge since new. Would there be any benefit of changing to something like 0w30 or 5w30 for these hot weather trips or would the 0w20 Castrol provide adequate protection?
Tucson Trips
- Thread starter GaryMX5
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Someone's going to ask you to define adequate but it's not me.
IMO using a 30 won't hurt and may help. Which engine does it have?
IMO using a 30 won't hurt and may help. Which engine does it have?
I plan on driving into the hot regions of Oregon and Washington this summer and I don’t plan on changing the oil from the 0w20 that’s in the crankcase.
Your cooling system should be the priority especially if it hasn’t been changed or checked since you’ve had the car.
Your cooling system should be the priority especially if it hasn’t been changed or checked since you’ve had the car.
Nick1994
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I live in Phoenix, which is hotter than Tucson.
While I don't use 20 weight oils, if I did I wouldn't be concerned about the heat making a difference.
While I don't use 20 weight oils, if I did I wouldn't be concerned about the heat making a difference.
As I said in another post, I've used 5W-20 in my Grand Marquis and made MANY trips from San Diego area to Phoenix - often in the summer time with Arizona and Ca. deserts having 115+ degree temperatures. Granted the Grand Marquis has a small V8, but still it's working fairly hard to go up some long hills at 80 MPH pulling a fair amount of weight (rough estimate of 4,600 pounds.)
Never any problems - car is over 140,000 miles. I tried 5W-30 one summer, and saw no real benefit. Didn't run better, didn't get better MPG, no real noticeable change at all.
As others have said here - if if it makes you sleep better by all means go for it.
Never any problems - car is over 140,000 miles. I tried 5W-30 one summer, and saw no real benefit. Didn't run better, didn't get better MPG, no real noticeable change at all.
As others have said here - if if it makes you sleep better by all means go for it.
As long as the cooling system is working properly, the 0w-20 will be fine. If it isn’t no oil will save you.
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
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Wabbout a transmission cooler?
Nick1994
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Originally Posted By: GaryMX5
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
While under warranty, stick with what the owner's manual calls for. When you're out of warranty, use whatever you'd like. 5w30 isn't going to hurt it one bit, but I'm not so sure that you'd get a lot of benefit out of it.
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
While under warranty, stick with what the owner's manual calls for. When you're out of warranty, use whatever you'd like. 5w30 isn't going to hurt it one bit, but I'm not so sure that you'd get a lot of benefit out of it.
Originally Posted By: GaryMX5
... any benefit of changing to something like 0w30 or 5w30 for these hot weather trips or would the 0w20 Castrol provide adequate protection?
use 0w-20 cousin and get the best of both worlds. i.e. use PPPP 5W-30
that's what I am doing to one of my 0W-20 speced cars!
... any benefit of changing to something like 0w30 or 5w30 for these hot weather trips or would the 0w20 Castrol provide adequate protection?
use 0w-20 cousin and get the best of both worlds. i.e. use PPPP 5W-30
that's what I am doing to one of my 0W-20 speced cars!
Depends on how hard you are going to beat on it. 80+ cruising with the A/C on is not happy time in 115* heat ... Is it a lease vehicle/ Or are you planning to keep it for many years?
HTHS is one measure of oils heat ability. The higher the number, the better. So if sump temps will be over 250* (likely), I'd be all over a premium 5W-30 full synthetic. You can go back to 0W-20 in the fall, for winter
HTHS is one measure of oils heat ability. The higher the number, the better. So if sump temps will be over 250* (likely), I'd be all over a premium 5W-30 full synthetic. You can go back to 0W-20 in the fall, for winter
Originally Posted By: GaryMX5
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
Bold is mine...I wonder why they do that? Hmmmm.
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
Bold is mine...I wonder why they do that? Hmmmm.
Originally Posted By: JLTD
Originally Posted By: GaryMX5
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
Bold is mine...I wonder why they do that? Hmmmm.
I'm only guessing, but I doubt Mexico has any fuel efficiency requirements and it maybe actually intended to address environmental conditions and impacts. This is what led me to ask my initial question. I'm leaning toward staying with the 0w20 I've been using. Another interesting scheduled maintenance item is that Mazda does not require coolant replacement for 5 years or 105,000 miles.
Originally Posted By: GaryMX5
The car has the stock 2.5 liter 4 cyl with auto trans. I ask about the oil viscosity only because I have not done much driving in the desert southwest when it is really hot. The owners manual seems to say that 0w20 should be OK but then it specifies 5w30 for Mexico. I will need to do a scheduled oil change before the first trip and was just wondering if going with a higher viscosity would be of any benefit. If not I'll just stick with 0w20.
Bold is mine...I wonder why they do that? Hmmmm.
I'm only guessing, but I doubt Mexico has any fuel efficiency requirements and it maybe actually intended to address environmental conditions and impacts. This is what led me to ask my initial question. I'm leaning toward staying with the 0w20 I've been using. Another interesting scheduled maintenance item is that Mazda does not require coolant replacement for 5 years or 105,000 miles.
0W20 is better then ok. I have used 20 grades towing, moutains, A.C. it really does not matter if your sump is full. I use 30 grade now because of price and convenience.
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