Whatever Happened to 20W-20 Motor Oil

[Shel_B]

I remember that many years ago a grade of 20W-20 was marketed by Quaker State, and probably some others as well. I even remember a 10W-20W-30 that QS sold, but for now, let's stick to the 20W-20.

I suppose I don't quite get it. It seems that it was a multi-viscosity single-grade oil. Can someone explain it, maybe offer some background or history, and why it disappeared as a motor oil? It crossed my mind around Grinnell Iowa, as I looked at The Critic's 10W-20 that I'm bringing to him from HPL.

Lubriplate makes a non-detergent 20W-20 ... what's that used for?

 

[Rmay635703]

UTF has taken the place of that stuff in the few real world applications still asking for 20w20.

https://www.yoderoil.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/KENDALL-NON-DETERGENT-MOTOR-OIL-PDS.pdf

Back in prehistoric times in better oils you had a winter rating and a summer rating otherwise it was mono grade which had no real winter rating.

We are talking the difference between SA and the later SB/SC oils

Which is basically pour point depresents which lowers the pour point.

Pennzoil 20w20?

Imagine if you will 20-20 oil with perfect vision!

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[2EHA]

monograde with acceptable winter performance. superseded by 10w30, 10w40, 15w40 and 20w50 in most applications

you can make a 0w20 with pretty much 0 VII (i.e monograde) if that clears it up

 

[Chris142]

About 25 years ago the local car quest had some Valvoline 20w-20 on the shelf. The bottles were plastic but turning yellow. I saw them on clearance so i bought it and ran it in my 89 jeep I had.

 

[c502cid]

When I was pumping gas in the 70's that was a grade we offered. In Southern California, no less.

 

[Scuder]

It disappeared because due to low demand sales dwindled to a point below profitability.

 

[ZeeOSix]

It disappeared because due to low demand sales dwindled to a point below profitability.

Not to mention why would someone want the W rating of 20 and the KV100 of a 20 ... it's like the worse combination of W and KV100 ... unless someone came out with a 25W-16.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I remember that many years ago a grade of 20W-20 was marketed by Quaker State, and probably some others as well. I even remember a 10W-20W-30 that QS sold, but for now, let's stick to the 20W-20.

You can still buy 20W-20 ... not many sources, but it's out there.

https://www.mystiklubes.com/Product.do?code=663112002&category=AGRICULTURE

"Mystik Non-Detergent General Purpose Oil is designed for use in non-critical applications where a general purpose oil is desired. This includes low-pressure hydraulic systems such as hydraulic jacks and air compressors requiring a non-detergent type lubricant. This oil is not recommended for use in gasoline or diesel engines."

 

[Ignatius]

Pennzoil 20w20?

I saw some pennzoil yellow bottle 20w20 in an Ace hardware yesterday. It says “for stop and go driving” on the front. I’ve never seen this or heard of it before. The quarts were pretty dusty. Is this old product or what? I googled it and didn’t come up with anything.

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[Rmay635703]

You can still buy 20W-20 ... not many sources, but it's out there.

https://www.mystiklubes.com/Product.do?code=663112002&category=AGRICULTURE

"Mystik Non-Detergent General Purpose Oil is designed for use in non-critical applications where a general purpose oil is desired. This includes low-pressure hydraulic systems such as hydraulic jacks and air compressors requiring a non-detergent type lubricant. This oil is not recommended for use in gasoline or diesel engines."

View attachment 111638

Yep Hydraulic oil, an application where you could contaminate or mess up equipment if you use real oil

 

[OVERKILL]

You can make a 5W-20 or a 10W-20 with no VII's using PAO, can probably even do a 10W-20 with GTL (just a guess there). So, it's essentially an obsolete grade at this juncture unless you wanted to use some real cheap basestocks up.

 

[PimTac]

You can make a 5W-20 or a 10W-20 with no VII's using PAO, can probably even do a 10W-20 with GTL (just a guess there). So, it's essentially an obsolete grade at this juncture unless you wanted to use some real cheap basestocks up.

Perhaps a dumb question but what is the purpose of a 20W-20 versus a SAE20 grade oil?

 

[OVERKILL]

Perhaps a dumb question but what is the purpose of a 20W-20 versus a SAE20 grade oil?

It just means it has passed the Winter requirements for the 20W designation, that's all. While an SAE 20 isn't required to.

 

[PimTac]

It just means it has passed the Winter requirements for the 20W designation, that's all. While an SAE 20 isn't required to.

Sounds like splitting hairs?

 

[92saturnsl2]

Sounds like splitting hairs?

These days, yes.

Back in the days when multi-grade oils were introduced, a 20W-20 had real benefits for use in cold weather.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Sounds like splitting hairs?

Depends on what W rating a straight SAE 20 comes in at. It may test as a 30W in the CCS and MRV tests.

 

[OVERKILL]

Sounds like splitting hairs?

Well, not really, as I said you could make an SAE20 using Group I and it might have absolutely awful Winter performance like @ZeeOSix noted, making it a 30W-20 for example (or worse). Anything that's a monograde doesn't have to call out a Winter rating. Some companies DO provide it, like some of the aforementioned examples. If it has VII in it, it's required to show both the regular 100C grade and the Winter rating.

 

[PimTac]

Well, not really, as I said you could make an SAE20 using Group I and it might have absolutely awful Winter performance like @ZeeOSix noted, making it a 30W-20 for example (or worse). Anything that's a monograde doesn't have to call out a Winter rating. Some companies DO provide it, like some of the aforementioned examples. If it has VII in it, it's required to show both the regular 100C grade and the Winter rating.

Okay. I was under the assumption that a straight 20 grade still had to fall within the range specified for it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Okay. I was under the assumption that a straight 20 grade still had to fall within the range specified for it.

Nope. If we look at J300:

You can see that for the SAE 20 designation, there's no CCS or MRV requirements, just a KV100 and HTHS. You have to add Winter rating testing if you want to advertise a Winter rating, but that's not required with a monograde, it's only for oils that contain VII.

 

[Rmay635703]

20w20 all season oil