GTX 5w-20, 3056 mi., 1989 CRX, 270k mi engine

[Mr_Incredible]

Wear looks just as good as ever. Your Honda is no spring chicken but we see no signs of it slowing down, either. All wear read well within the normal range and the sample was again free of any harmful contaminants. The viscosity of the oil read right where it should for a 5W/20. No problems were found here.

01/23/10
Castrol GTX 5W/20
Miles on oil: 3056
Miles on engine: 270,756


This return /PP 5w-30/Universal Average
Aluminum...3/2/3
Chromium...0/0/1
Iron...6/7/8
Copper...6/2/3
Lead...4/2/3
Tin...3/1/1
Moly...58/48/67
Nickel...0/0/0
Manganese...0/0/0
Silver...0/0/0
Titanium...0/0/0
Potassium...2/1/4
Boron...14/14/44
Silicon...4/3/9
Sodium...172/63/24
Calcium...1768/2450/2205
Magnesium...8/9/101
Phosphorus...695/715/709
Zinc...855/866/844
Barium...0/0/0

This return / Should be...
SUS Visc @ 212*F...53.5/46-59
cST Visc @100*C...8.32/6.0-10.2
Flashpoint...390/>355
Fuel%... Antifreeze%...0.0/0.0
Water%...0.0/ Insolubles%...0.4/

---Tried some 5w-20 to see what happened. Nothing much it appears. A bit more bearing wear, perhaps. I tried GTX since it was on the higher end of the viscosity range. It didn't use but about a half-quart. Visibly very dirty. Started easy in the cold. Long idles. Didn't baby it. Didn't check mpgs, so couldn't say what the difference might have been...long idles and cold weather screwed that up.

 

[Johnny]

Looks good, stick with it or move it up to a 5W-30 this summer. Nothing wrong with GTX.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I like the Havoline DS for my Toyota. It originally called for 5W-30, but a TSB calls for 5W-20. The Havoline is on the thin side for a 5W-30, so I figure it does fair at "splitting the difference". It's my favorite conventional oil. You might try it in that CRX. It'd probably run real nice in it.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Thanks Johnny. The 20w experiment was just to see how it worked. I changed it back to 5w-30 PP during this change. I might go back to 5w-20 PP at a later date.

I've used DS in the past. I liked it. They don't have it at W-Mrt in my area any more and it's WAY too expensive at the Tractor Supply. I used it in my '98 LS1 and got some good numbers. Everyone seemed to believe an LS1 would self destruct with a thinner oil. In fact, the analysis numbers were extremely similar w/DS, GC, and M1 TSUV 5w-40. Couldn't really tell the difference except for the extra iron in the M1.

 

[addyguy]

Interesting that you said the oil looked dirtier than usual - for a 3k run, insols. are fairly high at 0.4. Engine would seem to be fairly dirty, and you're cleaning it out.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
Thanks Johnny. The 20w experiment was just to see how it worked. I changed it back to 5w-30 PP during this change. I might go back to 5w-20 PP at a later date.

I've used DS in the past. I liked it. They don't have it at W-Mrt in my area any more and it's WAY too expensive at the Tractor Supply. I used it in my '98 LS1 and got some good numbers. Everyone seemed to believe an LS1 would self destruct with a thinner oil. In fact, the analysis numbers were extremely similar w/DS, GC, and M1 TSUV 5w-40. Couldn't really tell the difference except for the extra iron in the M1.


I can only get the 10W-30 Chevron Supreme @ my local tractor supply.