Is 0W40 The New 5W20, 5W30?

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
Specifications as in the technical properties put out on the company data sheet. It does not yet carry any certifications/approvals that I'm aware of. I agree that it is a "me too" oil thus far, and unproven. Maybe I'll do an OCI with it and post the results.


What will that show?

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Specifications as in the technical properties put out on the company data sheet. It does not yet carry any certifications/approvals that I'm aware of. I agree that it is a "me too" oil thus far, and unproven. Maybe I'll do an OCI with it and post the results.
What will that show?
If the results are the same as the other myriad of oils that have been used and tested, it will show that it performs the same as oils which have been certified/have approvals or maybe not.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Shark
I just switched my Cadillac to it M1 0W40. I thought it seemed thick pouring in. And darker than I expected.


Does the engine sound any different ? Quieter ?

 

[Panzerman]

I tried it last time in my Dodge Ram 2500 and that engine was never so smooth and quiet. Gas mileage stayed the same as with 5w20, 5w30 and 10w30. So Id say 0w40 is my new favorite. I am going to try it in the Ford with the 5.4 next. I am probably leave the other Ford and Lincoln alone just to use up my stash of 5w20, 5w30 and 10w30. Like a lot of people on here brazen enough to venture outside the realm of their owners manual, I ve found oil weight has little to do with performance and gas mileage. I just like how much quieter and smoother the Dodge is.

 

[tig1]

When I first bought both Fords I used M1 5-30, and both engines ran fine and quite. I changed to M1 0-20 a little later and still both engines run quite, but I did notice both engines rev quicker. I guess that's the right word. Interstate MPG did increase from about 32MPG to, at times I get 33.5 in the Fusion. Of course conditions will change MPG very easily. After using 0-20 for over 100K, I see no reason to use thicker oils as obviously longer engine life doesn't come with thicker oils or engine performance.

 

[Swift101]

I've been using M1 or Castrol 0W-40 in my Sonata turbo for over a year now. No problems so far, nice and quiet. No noticeable oil consumption even when driven hard.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Shark
I just switched my Cadillac to it M1 0W40. I thought it seemed thick pouring in. And darker than I expected.


Does the engine sound any different ? Quieter ?



Sounds the same. I've run PU 5w30, PP 5w30, M1EP 10W30, Rotella T6 5w40. The only oil I even thought it ran quieter on was the old G-Oil 5w30.

 

[DriveHard]

I run 5w-30 in the winter, and 0W-40 in the summer in my truck. 0w-40 in the BMW year round. I ran the numbers, and the cold starting temps we get here in Iowa, the 5w-30 is less viscous than the 0w-40.

 

[Hokiefyd]

My Ridgeline is, perhaps, one of the better examples demonstrating how the oil grade the manufacturer specifies will do the job just fine. I have the complete service history on it, and it's used either Pennzoil or Formula Shell in 5W-20 from Jiffy Lube for its entire life. In the relatively hot climate of Phoenix, AZ. It's a V-6 engine with a 4.5 qt sump dragging 4,500 pounds around. It was changed at Maintenance Minder intervals, which were anywhere from about 6-10k miles. They used Purolator clone filters, and the one on it when I bought it was leaking oil passed an unglued portion of the media. So I'd say that, from an oil environment perspective, it was less than optimal.

The engine still pulls like a train. There is no measurable oil consumption. The upper cylinder head area, seen through the oil fill cap, is remarkably clean. It returns better than EPA rated mileage.

Beyond tearing the engine down to measure tolerances, I'm not sure how one could better demonstrate the effectiveness of the factory-recommended oil.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I run 5w-30 in the winter, and 0W-40 in the summer in my truck. 0w-40 in the BMW year round. I ran the numbers, and the cold starting temps we get here in Iowa, the 5w-30 is less viscous than the 0w-40.

Is it really worth bothering with a seasonal switch. In case you didn't hear, I really hate switching oil by seasons.

 

[bbhero]

Ahh your a tough Canadian who can handle the -35°C temps with ease while changing the oil in your car. Piece of cake for ya

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I run 5w-30 in the winter, and 0W-40 in the summer in my truck. 0w-40 in the BMW year round. I ran the numbers, and the cold starting temps we get here in Iowa, the 5w-30 is less viscous than the 0w-40.

Is it really worth bothering with a seasonal switch. In case you didn't hear, I really hate switching oil by seasons.

Why not just stick with one weight oil all year round? Kind of similar to, why not change the oil filter at every OCI?

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The engine still pulls like a train.

Why don't you modify your truck into a hi-rail vehicle and work as a tow operator for your regional railroad company? You can then report here your UOAs with 0W-20 while towing trains.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Ahh your a tough Canadian who can handle the -35°C temps with ease while changing the oil in your car. Piece of cake for ya

I'm a baby, and will be doing any such stuff in my heated garage.

BlueOvalFitter: Yes, I do that, too!

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I run 5w-30 in the winter, and 0W-40 in the summer in my truck. 0w-40 in the BMW year round. I ran the numbers, and the cold starting temps we get here in Iowa, the 5w-30 is less viscous than the 0w-40.

Is it really worth bothering with a seasonal switch. In case you didn't hear, I really hate switching oil by seasons.

I change the oil twice a year regardless of miles, so it works perfect for me. Once in the spring, and once in the fall.

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I run 5w-30 in the winter, and 0W-40 in the summer in my truck. 0w-40 in the BMW year round. I ran the numbers, and the cold starting temps we get here in Iowa, the 5w-30 is less viscous than the 0w-40.

Is it really worth bothering with a seasonal switch. In case you didn't hear, I really hate switching oil by seasons.

Why not just stick with one weight oil all year round? Kind of similar to, why not change the oil filter at every OCI?

I change the oil twice a year...with zero regard to miles. Why not change the weight of the oil to better match the season, since I am already doing it?

I put around 15,000 miles a year on my vehicles...so it works out just fine. Slightly thinner oil in the winter, and slightly thicker oil in the summer when I am towing my boat, and whatever else.

I came to this arrangement one especially cold January when I was trying to change the oil in my un-heated garage that was well below zero. I now never have to worry about changing the oil in the dead of winter just because it is time. I do it on a nice spring day, and a nice fall day when the sun is out, and the weather is nice.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I change the oil twice a year regardless of miles, so it works perfect for me. Once in the spring, and once in the fall.

I don't doubt it works. But, we do have multigrades for a reason. 5w-30 is a great year round oil, as is 0w-40. Of course, I'm more than a little bit finicky about mixing even marginally different additive packages.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted By: Shark
I just switched my Cadillac to it M1 0W40. I thought it seemed thick pouring in. And darker than I expected.

Base oils have nearly clear color. Additive package gives the color. Darker an oil, stronger the additive package is. Therefore, dark color is a good thing. Mobil 1 0W-40 SN has an extremely strong additive package.

M1 0W-40 SN KV40 = 75 cSt, VI = 185
PYB 5W-30 SN KV40 = 63 cst, VI = 158

Can you really distinguish the viscosity of the two while pouring? I don't think so. In fact, when it gets colder, 0W-40 will eventually be thinner than 5W-30 because (1) it has a larger VI and (2) it's a 0W-x oil. There is really no significant difference between 0W-40 and 5W-30 as far as cold starts are concerned and 0W-40 eventually wins in extremely cold weather.

M1 0W-40 SN feels almost too thin in my engine but that's probably because of its excellent trinuclear moly + nonmetal organic friction modifier package that reduces the engine friction a lot.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Why don't you modify your truck into a hi-rail vehicle and work as a tow operator for your regional railroad company? You can then report here your UOAs with 0W-20 while towing trains.


I already have a job, that's way outside the design envelope of the vehicle, and I don't spend money on UOAs. But it's a great suggestion nonetheless!