Using a thicker oil than is called for

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
5w20 seems to work very well in some of the overhead cam modular engines also 5w20 flows better than 5w30 and cools the engine better especially the bearings which are pretty wide and like the thinner stuff as a general rule. We had a 5.4 modular engine here in november with 45,000 or so miles on it and it needed new bearings and we had to cut the crank because the owner used 10w40 in the winter and 20w50 in the summer. Usually when we get a 4.6 or 5.4 ford modular engine for rebuild they have over 175,000 miles and some over 300,000 miles unless of course they overheated or have run with no oil


I have heard this same scenario twice from people I know. One guy had a 5.4 [censored] out at 21,000 from running 10w30 in the Winter. Bearings were gone as well.

 

[Badlees]

yeah, running thicker oil is dumb.

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: Badlees
yeah, running thicker oil is dumb.


Very scientific.

 

[vxcalais]

lol. I like the Austrlian warning. Unfortunately our heat wave of 43+ degrees centigrade for 5 days prepared the perfect precursor to our killer bushfires ;~( . Smoke still lingering/blanketing where i am over Melbourne, i cant see the fires going out any time soon, may get worse. Really depressing. Alot of people died in their cars, last Saturday fire moved at 120km/hr. Can you believe it moved 30 kilometres in 15-16 minutes. People had no warning, and fires were around 1200 degrees centrigrade. Cars with Mag wheels, it can be seen melted on the ground.....

There are professionals in Australia, having good testing and results regimes and advise even 25W60 for some cars. With proven long drain and low wear. But this site has slowly converted me to thinner again, not too think, but 5W40 as a minimum hehe.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Badlees
yeah, running thicker oil is dumb.
Says who?

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Bambam
Lubrication = Flow not pressure.
what?????????????

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
There are professionals in Australia, having good testing and results regimes and advise even 25W60 for some cars. With proven long drain and low wear. But this site has slowly converted me to thinner again, not too think, but 5W40 as a minimum hehe.


Now you've done it. Once you walk on the wild and thin side ..there's no going back.

 

[jldcol]

Vxcalais you like the warming, but do you like the drying? I think one is related to the other.

 

[dbvettez061]

WHY why why do so many think that changing the manufactures specs is a good thing??? For years it has amazed me on how many people think it is better to run a 'thicker' oil....I guess the engineers must be out to lunch on engine lubrication and longevity...Sorry , just venting.....

 

[rshunter]

Uh, he wrote "warning", not "warming".

He was referring to Dominik's post where he wrote, "Oh and all 20W-50s shoulcome with a warning "Unless used in Australia during a heat wave, serious engine damage will result!""

Cheers

 

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted By: dbvettez061
WHY why why do so many think that changing the manufactures specs is a good thing??? For years it has amazed me on how many people think it is better to run a 'thicker' oil....I guess the engineers must be out to lunch on engine lubrication and longevity...Sorry , just venting.....


Point taken, but like i said, they are to blame as well for lack of information. As i posted previously, for my engine, exactly the same was speced 20W50 for approx 5 years, and all of a sudden 10W30....it was clear it was due to EPA regs and fuel eco to some extent, off course in that time oils did improve dramatically.

 

[Badlees]

Toyota put 5w30 on the fill cap of my 2007 Tacoma and came out with a TSB saying we could run 5w20 in that motor. Why didn't they just put that on the cap and in the manual in the first place.

 

[Smokescreen]

The same thing happened to a friend of mine. The TSB came out in 2006, and his 2007 Corolla still had 5w30 on the cap. Were they banking on lots of people coming in for dealer oil change service...how would the word get out? North America is the only area of the world pushing 20wts to meet CAFE as far as I can tell.

 

[vxcalais]

I think its near impossible to even get a W20 oil here in Australia. 5W30 lowers i have seen. Even importers of U.S oils don't bother with the thinner stuff.

 

[vxcalais]

A change from 20W50 to 10W30 is quite dramatic.

 

[BuickGN]

You guys are going to think I'm nuts but I've thrown around the idea of Redline straight 40wt in the TL. The only thing keeping me from doing it is the fact that when teardown time comes I want it to be on the ACD for it's entire life for definitive results of a straight 30wt and the extra ZDDP's effect (or lack thereof) on a roller valvetrain. Maybe ACD for winter and Redline for summer? Opinions?? Maybe I should start another thread on this...

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: vxcalais
Originally Posted By: dbvettez061
WHY why why do so many think that changing the manufactures specs is a good thing??? For years it has amazed me on how many people think it is better to run a 'thicker' oil....I guess the engineers must be out to lunch on engine lubrication and longevity...Sorry , just venting.....


Point taken, but like i said, they are to blame as well for lack of information. As i posted previously, for my engine, exactly the same was speced 20W50 for approx 5 years, and all of a sudden 10W30....it was clear it was due to EPA regs and fuel eco to some extent, off course in that time oils did improve dramatically.


which car? a VX calais? what engine

 

[vxcalais]

Yes Crinkles, from VS/VT was 20W50, VX started 10W30. same Ecotec engine.

 

[crinkles]

weird. I agree htere is a lack of information. my engine can take 5w-30 to 20w-50 for the temperatures where I am - yet apparently there are technical reasons for the 30wt oil (timin chain tensioner and VVTi mechanism). I just don't know.

Toyota uses and recommends 10w-30 on viturally all the pax car engines. I have heard holden dealerships using heavier oils for some reason even though holden may "require" lighter viscosities.

 

[afoulk]

I read over my Jeep's owners manual again the other day, and all it recommends is 5w-20. Every vehicle I've previously owned would recommend slightly different weights depending on the outside temperature. This thing only tells you to use 5w-20 for increased start up protection and fuel mileage.