Long time reader, first time poster -
I drive a 2018 3.5L 2WD Tacoma, 25K miles, just out of toyota care. I rarely haul, and it's my daily driver over flat terrain. It's never seen a hard day's work, and couldn't crawl over a (already flattened) Coke can in the grocery store parking lot. I don't hypermile, but I do limit my speed, and drive like my grandpa on the way home from a fishing trip. Lifetime average MPG is 23.5, with recent fuel economy nearing 25 MPG after the change in driving habits. I live in the SE, hot AF in the summers, but fuel economy usually increases through July in this truck. I'm always looking for something to try, and that led me to a question that I would like a few opinions on.
With the availability of 0w16, and the upcoming change to GF6, why shouldn't I use 0w16 to improve fuel economy?
I'm ready to be burned at the stake, but hear me out. Pennzoil's 0w16 100C viscosity is stated at 7.4, which puts it firmly in the 20 grade category. The low temperature viscosity is near that of Mobil 1's cold temperature rating (low 4K's). The difference is of course in the HTHS, at 2.3 instead of 2.6.
I've read in multiple posts here that 0w16 requires a variable displacement oil pump. I'm not sure I fully understand why that is necessary, when a fixed displacement pump will move the same volume of fluid, regardless of the viscosity. It seems as if the oil pump should move the same amount of 100C 16 grade, as 100C 20 grade at any given temperature, the difference being the energy required to do so. Can someone offer a quick explanation as to why this is so?
My other reasoning is that I can use pretty much any oil that's commonly available and not suffer any realizable consequences. I can run XwY up to {10,40} and be fine, from what I've read on TW and other forums with UAO. Why is this case really different? There's also my wife's 5th gen CR-V, which can (her's doesn't) suffer from fuel dilution, and come out with perfectly fine UOA, starting from 0w20, and that's with a GDI/turbo!
Alternatively, what's the lowest 100C viscosity 0w20 on the market? I've sorted through PQIA's database a few times, but they all seem to generally be in the 8.4 range.
Thanks,
Kyle
I drive a 2018 3.5L 2WD Tacoma, 25K miles, just out of toyota care. I rarely haul, and it's my daily driver over flat terrain. It's never seen a hard day's work, and couldn't crawl over a (already flattened) Coke can in the grocery store parking lot. I don't hypermile, but I do limit my speed, and drive like my grandpa on the way home from a fishing trip. Lifetime average MPG is 23.5, with recent fuel economy nearing 25 MPG after the change in driving habits. I live in the SE, hot AF in the summers, but fuel economy usually increases through July in this truck. I'm always looking for something to try, and that led me to a question that I would like a few opinions on.
With the availability of 0w16, and the upcoming change to GF6, why shouldn't I use 0w16 to improve fuel economy?
I'm ready to be burned at the stake, but hear me out. Pennzoil's 0w16 100C viscosity is stated at 7.4, which puts it firmly in the 20 grade category. The low temperature viscosity is near that of Mobil 1's cold temperature rating (low 4K's). The difference is of course in the HTHS, at 2.3 instead of 2.6.
I've read in multiple posts here that 0w16 requires a variable displacement oil pump. I'm not sure I fully understand why that is necessary, when a fixed displacement pump will move the same volume of fluid, regardless of the viscosity. It seems as if the oil pump should move the same amount of 100C 16 grade, as 100C 20 grade at any given temperature, the difference being the energy required to do so. Can someone offer a quick explanation as to why this is so?
My other reasoning is that I can use pretty much any oil that's commonly available and not suffer any realizable consequences. I can run XwY up to {10,40} and be fine, from what I've read on TW and other forums with UAO. Why is this case really different? There's also my wife's 5th gen CR-V, which can (her's doesn't) suffer from fuel dilution, and come out with perfectly fine UOA, starting from 0w20, and that's with a GDI/turbo!
Alternatively, what's the lowest 100C viscosity 0w20 on the market? I've sorted through PQIA's database a few times, but they all seem to generally be in the 8.4 range.
Thanks,
Kyle