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

[mechtech2]

In smaller engines, going from 5-20 to 5-30 is noticeable.
Goimng to a 40 is even more so.
Variable cam systems and tensioners may need the 5-20 [at least until it's hot].
You oil probably will run HOTTER with the thicker oil on the highway.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: callbay
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.


Just because a lubricant is of high quality, doesn't mean it's suitable in every application. The HTHS of this oil is 35% higher than that specified by the manufacturer. That's significant.

Originally Posted By: callbay
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.


I'm sorry, but this just doesn't seem like rational thought to me. If you want to thumb your nose at the government and CAFE standards, then sure, toss in the thickest oil you can find. But keep in mind you aren't going to be doing your engine any favors in the process.

 

[ammolab]

Originally Posted By: glum
Does the owner's manual say "Use 5W-20, unless the BITOG folks say 5W-40 is OK"?


You know on some cars the USA manual says use "5W-20" while the Romanian Manual says "5W-40"!

But then you will say Honda makes "romanian spec" engines just for that market, right?

No harm running that oil.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: ammolab
Originally Posted By: glum
Does the owner's manual say "Use 5W-20, unless the BITOG folks say 5W-40 is OK"?


You know on some cars the USA manual says use "5W-20" while the Romanian Manual says "5W-40"!

But then you will say Honda makes "romanian spec" engines just for that market, right?

No harm running that oil.


The OP doesn't live in Romania. Finding 5W20 in the US really isn't that difficult, and availability is one of the major determining factors in MFG suggestions in other countries. 3-4 years ago I have difficulty finding 5W20 locally, and I live in a major city.

If he moves him and his car to Romania, maybe this would be a consideration.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: JOD
availability is one of the major determining factors in MFG suggestions in other countries.

Xw-20 may not be readily available in Romania, but Xw-30 certainly is and has been for decades. So why do they still call for Xw-40 in the manual? Or was that just a hypothetical situation that ammolab mentioned?

 

[ammolab]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: JOD
availability is one of the major determining factors in MFG suggestions in other countries.

Xw-20 may not be readily available in Romania, but Xw-30 certainly is and has been for decades. So why do they still call for Xw-40 in the manual? Or was that just a hypothetical situation that ammolab mentioned?




Just hypothetical....I get tired of pointing out the much thicker oil Honda recommends in Australia. So I threw Romania in there this time.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: ammolab

Just hypothetical....I get tired of pointing out the much thicker oil Honda recommends in Australia. So I threw Romania in there this time.


Why does is matter, and why should I care??

10 years ago, the deniers of thin oil prattled on about how the government was trying to destroy our engines...just go look at some of the oldest posts archived on this forum. The strawman about "well XXX uses XW40" was parroted back then frequently as well.

Fast forward to today. Where is the evidence that 20W oil doesn't protect at least as well in engines which specify it? The proof is in the pudding, and there's a mountain of evidence, and miles, to suggest that 20W oils perform very, very well.

I don't think it's a coincidence that every car I owned which ran thicker oil also developed leaks as it aged. Cam seal replacement on some Euro engines is standard maintenance practice. I don't miss that, at all. At 100K my engine has the same compression as new, runs flawlessly and doesn't leak a drop of oil. Going outside the manufacturer's recommendations just because I'm mad at the gub'ment just doesn't make sense to me. Enjoy your freedom and your thick oil, but I'll stick with what the manufacturer recommends, and what has worked very well for me so far.

 

[levi]

If it was in my company's fleet of vehicles, it would get Delvac 15w40. And it would be fine.

Rotella 5w40 will work just fine. The next owner will never know unless you tell them. And the engine will be in excellent condition barring abuse.

 

[Texan4Life]

Originally Posted By: levi
If it was in my company's fleet of vehicles, it would get Delvac 15w40. And it would be fine.

Rotella 5w40 will work just fine. The next owner will never know unless you tell them. And the engine will be in excellent condition barring abuse.


good point

 

[Rob_Roy]

This thread is getting pretty "spicy". The original poster didn't ask if 5w40 was the best choice, within the owner's manual recommendations, or what everyone's personal view was on govt. CAFE regulations. His specific question was...

Quote:
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)?

 

[Eddie]

I would expect the variable valve time mechanism will not work as designed. I think because of that, the engine will be sluggish and have poor response. I expect fuel mileage & power to suffer. I would not do it.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: Rob_Roy


Quote:
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)?




define "problem"

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Radman
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.


Exactly, that's the least of your worries by going to a thick HDEO in a vehicle designed for a 20 multi-grade PCMO.

Now, Rotella T 5w-40 or T6? Either way, using perhaps only a quart or two at most, but I wouldn't do a straight fill for long and DEFINITELY wouldn't drive it WOT if you filled the entire sump with it. Just the way I feel about it anyway...

Use T5 10w-30 instead as a 'trial', any negative symptoms would be worse with T6 or regular T 5w-40 I'd never go thicker unless it was on it's last leg. Then, who'd pay for a synthetic like T6 anyway in a vehicle needing a rebuild or junkyard?

 

[ac_tc]

How thick is 0w-20 in a
"short trip never get up to operating temperature" engine?
How many experience problems with these engines
when they are luke warm?
Im pretty sure no one does and the 0w-20 used is at that temperature thicker than a xw-40 hdeo at operating temp.

 

[rslifkin]

I'd try to find oil specs for that engine elsewhere in the world. If they spec or allow a 40 weight there, then even if it's not ideal, the manufacturer is probably pretty convinced that it won't hurt the engine.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: ac_tc
How thick is 0w-20 in a
"short trip never get up to operating temperature" engine?
How many experience problems with these engines
when they are luke warm?
Im pretty sure no one does and the 0w-20 used is at that temperature thicker than a xw-40 hdeo at operating temp.


??

There's a reason why engines which see nothing but short trips wear faster, even when they're properly maintained for their conditions. Constantly pumping oil which is thicker than ideal is one of those reasons.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Now, Rotella T 5w-40 or T6?

What difference does it make? They're nearly identical.

 

[kkreit01]

I don't see why this is even being asked about in the Fusion? 5 years from now, RT 5w40 might not even be any good

. I personally wouldn't do it. I do have it in my mower though.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: kkreit01
I don't see why this is even being asked about in the Fusion?

Re-read his original post. He explained why he would consider it.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Now, Rotella T 5w-40 or T6?

What difference does it make? They're nearly identical.


Price. I was asking to make sure he's only considering T 5w-40 and not T6 for now.