0W20 in the US but 5W30 outside US for Mazda

[perryg114]

I was reading the Mazda 3 manual and it said 0W20 in US and Canada and 5W30 in other countries. This is telling me 0W20 is a compromise for mileage sake with a potential down side to engine longevity. It also tells me there is no harm in using the thicker oil other than a slight decrease in mileage. I posted another thread about 0W20 and I can't find it. Not sure if it got nuked by a moderator or not. I would think I would get an email at least.

Perry

 

[tig1]

Run for your life! It's thick VS Thin! Noticed you haven't posted for awhile. Thick-thin has been all over BITOG for quite a while.
Really, there is no loss of engine life that has been noticed with 0-20 oils.

 

[KingCake]

20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??


20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??


20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.
Oil 101 is mostly a unprofessional write up. I have spent my life working in engines and have made a good living.I know how oil travels in an engine.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??


20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.
Oil 101 is mostly a unprofessional write up. I have spent my life working in engines and have made a good living.I know how oil travels in an engine.



You believe 30 weight will flow faster when cold than a 20 weight? Yes or no.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??


20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.


Rubbish...

With a positive displacement oil pump, the galleries will fill at the same rate... Oil will get to the end at the same time with any remotely sensible choice.

 

[CT8]

0W-20 vs 5W-30 equal base oils, unless we are talking winters in the arctic there will not be enough if any difference to matter.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
...20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.


What about a 5w-20 vs. a 0w-30?

 

[Shannow]

The W rating doesn't mean much until the temps are getting g down to where they matter... Like - 25 or 30

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Originally Posted By: KingCake
...20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.


What about a 5w-20 vs. a 0w-30?
Again comparable base stocks and starting temps.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
20 weight oils have been around long enough to be proven. You won't get more wear.

You get less startup wear vs 30 weight.
Less startup where? In Alaska winters??


20 weight oil is always going to reach last in line components faster than 30 weight no matter the temp. I advise you to check the 101 threads for new members.


Rubbish...

With a positive displacement oil pump, the galleries will fill at the same rate... Oil will get to the end at the same time with any remotely sensible choice.



Pumps move fluids of different viscosities at the same rate?

 

[Shannow]

Yep, in fact, a typical gear pump will move slightly less volume when at pressure due to increased internal leakage.. Not much, but true.

 

[SavagePatch]

I've had the same question regarding a Mazda CX-9. It calls for 5w20 in the US but 5w30 and thicker in Australia. Same engine. I hope that this thread can get back on track and address the OP's original question about different oil recommendations for different counties for the same vehicle.

 

[NO2]

The 0w-xx oils are great when it is extremely cold and battery capacity is greatly reduced. Our vehicles start at -35 deg F even without an engine block heater. In addition they have superior base stocks which will (presumably) produce less sludge at high temperatures and last longer.

I think Mazda recommends 5w-30 for other countries because 0w-20 is not widely available or too expensive, temps are generally warmer, and other countries do not have the same stringent FE standards of the US and Canada. Between Death Valley and Ottawa you might see a 160 deg F difference between summer and winter temperatures so Mazda is recommending oil that would work in both conditions. I would not infer an increase in longevity with a heavier oil. I doubt it would matter either way in Florida.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
I've had the same question regarding a Mazda CX-9. It calls for 5w20 in the US but 5w30 and thicker in Australia. Same engine. I hope that this thread can get back on track and address the OP's original question about different oil recommendations for different counties for the same vehicle.


Australia, on average, is going to have much higher temps.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
The W rating doesn't mean much until the temps are getting g down to where they matter... Like - 25 or 30


But in reference to KingCake's comment, with the exact same brand of oil (ie same base stocks, additives, etc.), how can the 0W-30 be any worse for cold start/warmup than a 5w-20 grade? I would agree that 0w-20 or 5w-20 is essentially no different "cold" than 0w-30 or 5w-30 for the vast majority of the world's population.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Originally Posted By: Shannow
The W rating doesn't mean much until the temps are getting g down to where they matter... Like - 25 or 30


But in reference to KingCake's comment, with the exact same brand of oil (ie same base stocks, additives, etc.), how can the 0W-30 be any worse for cold start/warmup than a 5w-20 grade? I would agree that 0w-20 or 5w-20 is essentially no different "cold" than 0w-30 or 5w-30 for the vast majority of the world's population.


Thicker oil flows faster when cold according to Shannow. I believe he also has a perpetual motion machine and other physics defying wisdom.

 

[flatlander757]

My Mazda2 calls for 0W20, in other countries 5w30 up to 10w40 is even allowed.

I ran 0w20 PP and the wear numbers are so low vs universal average, I'm not really looking to switch to a thicker oil anymore. This is with multiple auto-x runs on every sample too(not CRAZY hard on the car, but it gets beaten on).



Now how the 1.5 differs from the Skyactiv Mazda3s, is I do not have direct injection, with the HPFP to go with it. I'd probably look for a 0 or 5w30 with the highest HTHS value and start with that as a baseline. They're very good engines with no major problems like many other mfrs have with their DI engines, so reality is 0w20 is probably just fine.