Would you use 0W30 instead of 0W20?

[Escape08]

Where's the "gamble" it's well established that the difference between 20 grade and resource conserving 30 grade is next to nill, the only way you'll damage an engine running oil thicker than specified is if you do something blatantly stupid like put straight SAE50 or 25W60 in a car in the dead of the northern winter and floor it hard while it's cold.

You will get a much wider swing in viscosity between morning and afternoon starting temps. I honestly don't think many people comprehend how much oil viscosity (even of multigrade) changes with variation in temp. The difference between a 20 and 30 Grade is miniscule in comparison.

As as long as the oil has the required pumpability for minimum temps and the required minimum HTHS for the engine design and oil temps I don't see it as a gamble at all.

Putting 40 Grade in your car in a Death Valley Summer or a 0W-20 in a car in a Wiseman AK winter is unlikely to be an issue just because a car has a 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil cap. My car says SJ on the oil cap and I don't use that either.

Thanks for the input. You are entitled to your opinion, but I stand by to mine.
My Jaguar requires 0W-20 and I will keep it that way.

 

[Gene K]

Thanks for the input. You are entitled to your opinion, but I stand by to mine.
My Jaguar requires 0W-20 and I will keep it that way.

As long as you know to use a 0W-20 that meets the Jaguar Specs (Usually labeled as a 0W-20 Euro). The typical US Spec 0W-20 can fall below the minimum required HTHS during use.

 

[GreySky]

There is no doubt that 0w30 is better than 0w20 in almost all engines and temperatures but its hard to find in many places and its usually more expensive. I've recently started to use M1 0w40 after my warranty expired and the dealer always used Dexos 0w20 despite living in an area that never gets below 20c in much of the year because thats what the car manual says so they use it. The one problem with 0w40 is its expensive. It cost where I live 13 or $14 a quart and its made in Germany or France. Most car manufactures now spec 0w20, 5w20 or 5w30 which are all winter grades and supposedly lower fuel consumption.

 

[kschachn]

There is no doubt that 0w30 is better than 0w20 in almost all engines and temperatures but its hard to find in many places and its usually more expensive. I've recently started to use M1 0w40 after my warranty expired and the dealer always used Dexos 0w20 despite living in an area that never gets below 20c in much of the year because thats what the car manual says so they use it. The one problem with 0w40 is its expensive. It cost where I live 13 or $14 a quart and its made in Germany or France. Most car manufactures now spec 0w20, 5w20 or 5w30 which are all winter grades and supposedly lower fuel consumption.

The 0W-40 you're using is also a "winter grade".

 

[PimTac]

The one problem with 0w40 is its expensive. It cost where I live 13 or $14 a quart and its made in Germany or France.

Where is this place that you live?

 

[ZeeOSix]

As long as you know to use a 0W-20 that meets the Jaguar Specs (Usually labeled as a 0W-20 Euro). The typical US Spec 0W-20 can fall below the minimum required HTHS during use.

What's the minimum HTHS viscosity for Euro spec 0W-20 ? Most US spec xW-30 is around 3.0 to 3.2 cP HTHS viscosity.

 

[Gene K]

What's the minimum HTHS viscosity for Euro spec 0W-20 ? Most US spec xW-30 is around 3.0 to 3.2 cP HTHS viscosity.

It's 2.6 Virgin for 0W-20 but the Jaguar FSB says that 0W-20 that have not been tested to their spec may drop below minimum to avoid damage after use. I believe one of their test may be intended to insure a minimum of 2.6 AFTER a full OCI.

My point about 0W-20 Euro was that's usually how oils that have Jaguar approval (among other European Marks) will be labeled.

PS FSB is Jaguar speak for TSB.

 

[GreySky]

The 0W-40 you're using is also a "winter grade".

I didn't know that. I was told its good for all temperatures hot and cold. Its the FS version and for some reason its says for European cars. I see on Mobil website that there is 5w40 FS but thats hard to find outside the US right now. I would use that as soon as I find it. I have some black Castrol Edge (made in USA) 5w30 left that I used once in my other cars. I read a lot here in BISTG that only the Belgian or German are worth buying not this one but this too ive never seen before.

 

[OVERKILL]

I didn't know that. I was told its good for all temperatures hot and cold. Its the FS version and for some reason its says for European cars. I see on Mobil website that there is 5w40 FS but thats hard to find outside the US right now. I would use that as soon as I find it. I have some black Castrol Edge (made in USA) 5w30 left that I used once in my other cars. I read a lot here in BISTG that only the Belgian or German are worth buying not this one but this too ive never seen before.

The "W" in 0W-40 stands for Winter. It means the oil passes the performance criteria for the lowest Winter rating, which has criteria for pumpability at -40C and Cold Cranking simulation at -35C.

 

[GreySky]

Where is this place that you live?

Its really far away in in the middle of nowhere where it almost never gets cold and the summer it reaches 50c. Not many places like that so i'll let you guess that one.

 

[Gene K]

I didn't know that. I was told its good for all temperatures hot and cold. Its the FS version and for some reason its says for European cars. I see on Mobil website that there is 5w40 FS but thats hard to find outside the US right now. I would use that as soon as I find it. I have some black Castrol Edge (made in USA) 5w30 left that I used once in my other cars. I read a lot here in BISTG that only the Belgian or German are worth buying not this one but this too ive never seen before.

The 0W means it passed the pumping test at -40 and crsnking test at -35C. It's the same test whether it's a 0W-16 or 0W-40.

 

[PimTac]

Its really far away in in the middle of nowhere where it almost never gets cold and the summer it reaches 50c. Not many places like that so i'll let you guess that one.

It’s the guy from Egypt. Welcome back again.

 

[Escape08]

As long as you know to use a 0W-20 that meets the Jaguar Specs (Usually labeled as a 0W-20 Euro). The typical US Spec 0W-20 can fall below the minimum required HTHS during use.

Correct Sir. The last Castrol I used 0W-20 has ST.JLR 51.5122 specs to it and those are hard to find now. The car is still under warranty. I might end buying Motul on my next oil change at Amazon

 

[jmillet]

My 2.5T powered Sonata N Line calls for 0W-30 full synthetic so while under warranty that's what I'll use.

 

[AEHaas]

"The 0W means it passed the pumping test at -40 and crsnking test at -35C. It's the same test whether it's a 0W-16 or 0W-40."

Actually I believe the requirements to meet the 0W rating are different for a 16 or 20 compared to a 40 grade oil.

Ali

 

[blufeb95]

"The 0W means it passed the pumping test at -40 and crsnking test at -35C. It's the same test whether it's a 0W-16 or 0W-40."

Actually I believe the requirements to meet the 0W rating are different for a 16 or 20 compared to a 40 grade oil.

Ali

So you choose to believe something that is 100% factually inaccurate. All 0W means is it's below a certain threshold of pumpability at -40C or -35C, it's much more likely that a 0W40 is closer to maximum allowed than a 0W16 but the requirements are the same, all 0W means is that at -40C the MRV is below 60,000cP and the CCS at -35C is below 6200cP?

 

[NuttCase]

"The 0W means it passed the pumping test at -40 and crsnking test at -35C. It's the same test whether it's a 0W-16 or 0W-40."

Actually I believe the requirements to meet the 0W rating are different for a 16 or 20 compared to a 40 grade oil.

Ali

No they are the same. You are probably thinking of the HTHS requirements which are different for e.g. a 5W-40 vs a 15W-40

 

[OVERKILL]

"The 0W means it passed the pumping test at -40 and crsnking test at -35C. It's the same test whether it's a 0W-16 or 0W-40."

Actually I believe the requirements to meet the 0W rating are different for a 16 or 20 compared to a 40 grade oil.

Ali

Nope.

 

[4WD]

Nope.
View attachment 89638

Yeah - some of the reasons I stick with 0W20 during warranty is that you really can’t make it without a quality base oil - and it keeps the VM content low. If I decide to switch to 5W30 at 60K … I’m starting with a very clean engine …

 

[Mephy]

My car calls for 5-30w I put 0-40w since it had 150k km now I have 356k km and the engine goes great.
When I went to the mechanic he used to say to me that 0-20w is the right oil for that engine and I would break the car.
This thin oils I think is more political than science.