5-40 Rotella in vehicles calling for 5-20 oil?

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We use 5-40 Rotella in almost everything my family has. Trucks, heavy equipment, cars, boats, even small air cooled gas engines. We recently went 700 hours on an OCI for a Cat backhoe by mistake with no apparent problems. It only has an 8 quart capacity too.

The only thing we don't use it in is for cars calling for for 5-20.

Do you guys think there would be any problems using 5-40 Rotella in vehicles calling for for 5-20 other than a tad less mpg.(as long as they were out of warranty)?
 
In modern cars and their engines, gaps and passages are much smaller between parts than they used to be.
If engine is old, and worn out,gaps should increase, and 40 weight oil should flow as 20 when it was new. In case of new, or good maintained engine, 40 weight oil might flow worse in tiny gaps and delay lubrication, which will lead to excessive wear and drop in mpg.
JMO
 
Originally Posted By: callbay
Do you guys think there would be any problems using 5-40 Rotella in vehicles calling for for 5-20 other than a tad less mpg.(as long as they were out of warranty)?

I wouldn't expect any problems. T6 is API SM-rated after all.
 
The vehiles I am talking about are a 2007 Mazda MX5 (Miata) and a 2011 Ford Fusion 2.5 Liter 4 cyl when the warranty is up.
 
Originally Posted By: callbay
The vehiles I am talking about are a 2007 Mazda MX5 (Miata) and a 2011 Ford Fusion 2.5 Liter 4 cyl when the warranty is up.

I seriously doubt there will be any problem with your choice of oil. I personally would be using Castrol GTX 5W30 instead because it is cheaper both at purchase & at the pump.
 
Originally Posted By: ET16
Why do it? You would lose horsepower and mileage.

What do you think will be the result?
A Loss of 3HP at top end, and 1/2MPG in the city. Neither will be a devastating loss.
 
I doubt you'd have any problems, and might not even notice the difference, except for quieter operation.
Try it and see how it goes.
I'd bet you'd be fine.
How cold do you see over the winter in the Ozarks?
 
Just do it. You will in all honesty probably never know the difference.

Then again, 5w-20 dino juice can be had even cheaper than Rotella, so unless you want to pour Rotella T6 in everything just because it's on hand you can probably save a few bucks by buying PYB 5w-20 or Mobil Super 5000 5w-20 in 5qt jugs.
 
Originally Posted By: glum
Does the owner's manual say "Use 5W-20, unless the BITOG folks say 5W-40 is OK"?


I'm guessing that overseas manuals probably state that anything between 5W20 and 20W50 is fine. Think outside the CAFE box dude!
 
Originally Posted By: mongo161
Good question.....


+1 I don't think twice about going up a grade, but two? hmm

next OCI I'm going up to a 30 weight (probably T5) from the 20 spec'd for the vehicle in my sig since I found out it doesn't have MDS.

Can't decide if I want to run T6 or not.
 
These comments are absolutely hilarious. If someone asks about going the other direction, they're almost always met with scorn, even if they have a legitimate reason to do so (like short-tripping to death). Two grades thicker, and an oil for which the operating viscosity is 35% higher than spec'd by the manufacturer? Big thumbs-up! I guess this is the American way: more is better, thicker is better, it's all about CAFE....

Is it really that much of a hardship to keep the manufacturer's specified lubricant on hand? If it really is, and your standard of performance is "it probably won't blow up your engine", then sure, go for it. It probably won't blow up your engine.

However, if you don't live 400 miles from the nearest store, and you want the maximum performance and longevity from your engine, you're probably best off using a lubricant which meets the manufacturer's specifications, unless you have a good reason to do otherwise. Note: "thin oil is just for CAFE" is not a valid reason...
 
I am already running 5-30 Valvoline "synthetic" in the Mazda MX5. Can't tell any difference between it and the 5-20. It's time to change the oil so I will give the 5-40 Rotella a try. I have heard such great things about it. It's not thatI have a stash of it on hand or that I want to run something cheaper that will work fine. I know that a dino 5-20 will work fine but being a BITOGer I just want to use something that at least seems to be great from everything I read here. I guess too that I have never liked being told by a car company to use a certail oil for politcal reasons like cafe. I really like the freedom of choice we have.
 
After the warrant expires I would, personally, consider going with the Amsoil HDD 5W-30 and investigate a longer OCI.

All the benefits of an outstanding HDEO plus +++++++++++++++ !!

ONLY ONE GRADE UP AT THE BOTTOM & AT THE TOP!

Cheers!

p.s. a synthetic 5W-40 probably won't hurt a thing except maybe a little short trip, in town, winter gas mileage
 
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