0W-20 in an Ecotec?

[Winterpeg]

Hi all.Just thought i'd throw this out for some expert feedback.
Do you think running this oil from october to march in Canada
would pose any problems with my motor? I recently looked at a Toyota Red bottle virgin VOA and was impressed by the numbers.
The driving habits during this fill would be mostly 10 mile trips.
Thanks for your feedback.

 

[chad8]

I am running toyota 0w20 synthetic in my suzuki aerio. It is a 2.0 144 hp. Mine only has 77000 miles. runs great. If you have lots of miles or burn oil I would use a blend or something heavier , but overall it is great oil.
In your climate , I would not hesitate to use it.

 

[daves87rs]

You could....

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Does GM use 20w oils? I don't know so I don't want to guess. If they do, use it in your COLD climate. It will be awesome.
If not, go with 0w-30 whatever you choose.

 

[Eddie]

If that is the factory recomended weight then yes, if not, then no.

 

[Colt45ws]

I don't believe it will be a problem in that climate.

 

[Bluestream]

You can use 0W20 in cold weather and its fine, in fact it will still be thicker than the 5W30 you use in the summer due to the lower oil temps

 

[lui]

i have been running toyota 0w20 in the wife's 04 cavalier with the 2.2 ecotec with no issues.... on it's second oil change with the same oil..and it calls for a 5w30.

 

[PhillyJoe]

It's a solid engine and would run on just about anything.

 

[JTK]

I know I ran 5w20 in my 2007 Chevy Cobalt's 2.2L Ecotec all year round. No undue noises or consumption. I'd run it down 'till ~10% on the OLM as well, which would typically be ~8000mi between OCIs.

 

[fsskier]

I would not run anything else in a northern winter..... actually its been my number one fill year around for about 15 years in a variety of cars, including severe towing duty, etc. Engines running like new after 300,000 miles...... what more could one want??

 

[virginoil]

How can a recommendation be made for a GM vehicle given the limited data provided by the poster of the thread ?

Come on guys admit you are stabbing the dark.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: virginoil


Come on guys admit you are stabbing the dark.


What's your point?

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: virginoil

How can a recommendation be made for a GM vehicle given the limited data provided by the poster of the thread ?

Come on guys admit you are stabbing the dark.


G.m. calls for 5w30 . In winter , I would not hesitate to use a great 0w20 oil. Toyota has their oil blended by exxon-mobil so you are basically getting a better version of m1.
Who cares what G.M. thought 5 years ago. If this was a 2011 car , g.m. probably would recommend 0w20 for winter use. 0w oils are going to be the new cold weather standard for years to come. They just were not all that common 5 years ago . Plus , the oil recommendations from the engineers were probably made years before that and not changed.
I bet that almost all 4 banger 2011 cars have a 0 weight for winter use option.
So , yes , we know what we are talking about.

 

[A_Harman]

Check your owner's manual to see if GM allows 20-weights for temperatures below 60F. Normally there will be a chart showing what viscosity is required at what temperatures. I doubt that GM would have spec'ed anything but 5w30 for that engine. If you want improved cold weather starting, go with a 0w30.

 

[Bluestream]

Viscosity is dependent on oil temperature to a great degree, That would be the proper way to spec the oil. GM wants one spec for all of NA, because consumers are easily confused by oil weights and seasons, and you cant count ob them doing the right thing. In winter the oil will not be the same temp as in the summer, so the 0W20 will be thicker than a 5W30 would be in the summer. However, the only way to be 100% on this would be with an oil temp gauge. I would say its a very safe bet.

Even using a 0W20 in a Canadian summer is not going to damags this engine.

 

[Rand]

I'd stick with a 30weight
0w30 perhaps.

Whats the advantage of using a xw20 weight in an engine that calls for 30weight? .2mpg better? Not worth it.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Rand
I'd stick with a 30weight
0w30 perhaps.

Whats the advantage of using a xw20 weight in an engine that calls for 30weight? .2mpg better? Not worth it.


I think in this case, the advantage is that the car would start a lot easier in the -40 degree weather! It could be the difference between starting and not starting one cold morning. And I would be willing to bet that 0w20 would show considerably better MPG than just 0.2 in the cold winter time compared to a 5w30. That's when a 0w20 really shines, it's MPG advantage is not going to be as high in warm weather.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: virginoil

How can a recommendation be made for a GM vehicle given the limited data provided by the poster of the thread ?
Come on guys admit you are stabbing the dark.

The OP provided plenty of info.
Winter in Winnepeg (Oct to March)and only
a 10 mile commute.
Frankly the lightest 0W-20 will still be too thick.

BTW, as much as I like the Toyota 0W-20, for extreme cold unaided starts the recently available in Canada (at Cdn Tire) M1 0W-20 is a better choice with it's 9,200cP MRV (@-40) vs Toyota's 18,000cP.

 

[CATERHAM]

Also, M1 is 25% off this week at Cdn Tire.