truth-5W-20 better mileage thyan 5W-30?

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Most driving events are 20 minutes or less. The use of a 20 weight reduces the parasitic losses during that time. The bigger the difference in visc, and the shorter the duration of the event, the more pronounced the difference in parasitic losses.

20 weights are closer to operating visc than 30 weights. It's about that simple.
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Most driving events are 20 minutes or less. The use of a 20 weight reduces the parasitic losses during that time. The bigger the difference in visc, and the shorter the duration of the event, the more pronounced the difference in parasitic losses.

20 weights are closer to operating visc than 30 weights. It's about that simple.


We're actually seeing the opposite right now... that it's the people who get the oil warm enough on longer drives to see the 20 / 30 properties that see the most difference. In winter in cold climates, your coolant may reach operating temperature in 3 to 5 minutes of gentle driving, but it will take two to ten minutes more (depending on driving style and speed) before your oil reaches temperature. If your oil is still below freezing, a 5W20 and 5W30 should be behaving relatively the same. It's once they get up to operating temperature that you see more viscosity difference.

That's our theory, anyway, to explain why our commuters see more benefit than the local guys by going to 0W20.
 
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