0W-20 in summer?

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Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
Would it be terrible to use 0w20 in summer?

The car is an 05 Acura TL for which Honda recommends 5w20. So far it's been running on PP 5w20 year round, and I'm definitely going to switch to 0w20 (probably M1 due to lack of 0w20 options) for winter at least.

The reason I ask is because this car does short trips quite often (along with long highway drives few times a week).


Dont worry about the "0" weight,I'm running 0w30
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I don't see 0w-20 performing any differently than 5w-20 in your car during the summer months. Honest opinion. You won't see any changes in fuel economy or protection at all.

In fact I'm running Synpower 0w-20 in my Honda for the summer. I admit it's mostly for the novelty of using a non-Mobil 0w-20. I have a jug of Ultra 5w-20 that was supposed to go into the car, but the Synpower looked too tempting on the shelf at Wal-Mart.
 
Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
Would it be terrible to use 0w20 in summer?

The car is an 05 Acura TL for which Honda recommends 5w20. So far it's been running on PP 5w20 year round, and I'm definitely going to switch to 0w20 (probably M1 due to lack of 0w20 options) for winter at least.

The reason I ask is because this car does short trips quite often (along with long highway drives few times a week).


There is basically zero difference between a 0W-20 and a 5W-20 in terms of protection at operating temperature, all things being equal.

I have been experimenting with the Red Line 0W-20 and the Mobil 1 0W-20 myself for the last couple of years and they seem to do a dandy job even at highway speeds in the summer.
 
Originally Posted By: tropic
I don't see 0w-20 performing any differently than 5w-20 in your car during the summer months. Honest opinion. You won't see any changes in fuel economy or protection at all.

In fact I'm running Synpower 0w-20 in my Honda for the summer. I admit it's mostly for the novelty of using a non-Mobil 0w-20. I have a jug of Ultra 5w-20 that was supposed to go into the car, but the Synpower looked too tempting on the shelf at Wal-Mart.


I'm struggling with the same thing myself. I have some Ultra 5w-20 ready to go in my jeep next, but I keep eyeing up the synpower 0w-20 at wally world wanting to try it.
 
The question is, if you can buy 0W20 for the same price of 5W20 (same brand) which do you pick ? I pick 0W20 over 5W20 al the times.
 
Once normal operating temperature is reached (and maintained by the thermostat) does the engine really know the difference between summer and winter? 180F is 180F no matter the direction of Earth's axial tilt relative to the sun.

Some of a 0w20's *advantages* are not as obvious in warmer temperatures.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The question is, if you can buy 0W20 for the same price of 5W20 (same brand) which do you pick ? I pick 0W20 over 5W20 al the times.

One thing that seems odd to me is that some people will pour over oil information obsessively. Spend substantial quantities of time and effort reading reports and opinions, and interpreting other people's UOAs... and then base their oil buyng decisions on what happens to be on sale that week, or what happens to be a little cheaper.

OK. Probably anything with the starburst in the right viscosity is probably fine. But still, after all the research, I buy what I think is the best for my application, pretty much regardless of price. Within reasonable bounds, of course.

But I tend to keep my cars for decades, and hundreds of thousands of miles. Overhauls never seem to go without a hitch. Anything that *might* put an engine rebuild off for a few thousand, or tens of thousands of miles, is worth it in my book. When the engine needs one, it's my problem.

And besides, for most people, this is a two or three times a year investment.

Speaking very generally... the 0w20 is probably usually the higher quality oil. To the extent that there is a difference in quality.
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: PurplePride
Black or red bottle?



Up here all of our Toyota 0w20 comes in a black bottle, but apparently it's the same as the red bottle you guys get in the US (in other words it's not the stuff made by Exxon Mobil)


The stuff we are now getting in the US, at least in the NY area is the black bottle made by XOM.
 
Originally Posted By: tropic
I don't see 0w-20 performing any differently than 5w-20 in your car during the summer months. Honest opinion. You won't see any changes in fuel economy or protection at all.

In fact I'm running Synpower 0w-20 in my Honda for the summer. I admit it's mostly for the novelty of using a non-Mobil 0w-20. I have a jug of Ultra 5w-20 that was supposed to go into the car, but the Synpower looked too tempting on the shelf at Wal-Mart.


If there's no difference, then why is Honda slowly moving their line-up from 5w-20 to 0w-20, starting with the 2010 CRV?

There IS a difference in fuel economy between 5w-20 and 0w-20, but the difference is minimal. However, when millions of cars on the road make the switch, it can potentially result in a notable reduction in gasoline consumption.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
If there's no difference, then why is Honda slowly moving their line-up from 5w-20 to 0w-20, starting with the 2010 CRV?

More specifially, if they don't believe that it will make a difference in the EPA's testing, then why is Honda slowly moving their line-up from 5w-20 to 0w-20, starting with the 2010 CRV?

They believe that it will make a difference in their CAFE tests, which are conducted at shirtsleeve temperatures, right?
 
Originally Posted By: sbergman27
Originally Posted By: The Critic
If there's no difference, then why is Honda slowly moving their line-up from 5w-20 to 0w-20, starting with the 2010 CRV?

More specifially, if they don't believe that it will make a difference in the EPA's testing, then why is Honda slowly moving their line-up from 5w-20 to 0w-20, starting with the 2010 CRV?

They believe that it will make a difference in their CAFE tests, which are conducted at shirtsleeve temperatures, right?

EPA testing is done at conditions which are attempted to be as realistic as possible, so no, it was not done at -20F where 0w-20 would outshine 5w-20.
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The 0w requires it to be a synthetic. I don't think that there's any appreciable difference @ 70F. That was one (at least) of the alleged "cold start" scenarios for the EPA economy cycle.

Honda had no need to improve their CAFE numbers ..ever, iirc. It was entirely voluntary
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
EPA testing is done at conditions which are attempted to be as realistic as possible, so no, it was not done at -20F...

Hmmm. It occurs to me that Toyota has been talking about emissions certification WRT 0w20. I remember seeing, in a recent Q&A, them explaining why different cars with the same engines call for different oils. (Some requiring 0w20 synthetic and some not.) They said it had to do with what level of emissions certification the model carries. I'll bet the emissions certifications involve operation over a wide range of temperatures.
 
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It's a fixed test sequence across the board. You don't think that there would be a Ford EPA cycle do you?

It may be a compromise or articulated exclusion from or for some other trade off that involves the 0w oil (but I don't really think so)

For example, back somewhere in history, MB got a pass on too many particulates (or nox - whatever) since they certified their diesel for 100k instead of the mandated 80k.


I think that this is just an evolutionary creep to eeeeeeeeeeeeeeease the American consumer into having their off the lot car use stuff other than (formerly) OTR generic oil.

It's more of the collisions of contradictions. Now that there's less of a revolving market, and we need Mig's ..they're selling more and more F22's
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
It's a fixed test sequence across the board. You don't think that there would be a Ford EPA cycle do you?

My initial inclination was that Honda saw FE advantages to 0w20 vs 5w20 in mild temperatures. However, I now suspect that it's about doing better when going for better emissions certifications. These tests surely involve starting the car in winter temperatures, where emissions are at their worst.

Even at 40C, M1 0w20 is 45.5 cSt, compared to M1 5w20 at 48.3 cSt. A 6% difference. Most significant, because both oils at 40C would be rated as SAE 250 viscosity oils if they were that viscosity at normal operating temperature.
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Honda had no need to improve their CAFE numbers ..ever, iirc. It was entirely voluntary


Maybe not in terms of regulation, but Hyundai has commercials all over TV claiming to be the most fuel efficient car company in America. That's got to be a thorn in the sides of Honda and Toyota, especially since you can buy a Hyundai with a 10 year warranty for less than a Honda with a 3 year warranty. Maybe no need to improve their numbers for CAFE's sake, but they do have an image to uphold.
 
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