Any reason to not use 0w20 instead of 5w20 oil?

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Is there any disadvantage to 0w-20? I found a deal on 6 quarts of Amsoil 0w-20 on Ebay for $45! It was about time for an oil change so I figured better get it done before the snow. Right? And it was one of those days that it was not raining. When I poured it in, it looked thinner than the 5w20 I was used to seeing. Is that ok? Will that have any disadvantage? I would think that it would get to the engine quicker when cold and behave the same when hot. Am I missing something?
 
Mobil seems to think an 0w-20 is appropriate for any vehicle spec'd for 5w-20 and GM seems to agree. The only reason I'd hesitate is if I had a car spec'd for 5w-20 where the manufacturer had not come to this conclusion and the car was still under warranty. Ford would be one example; and even though the odds of 0w-20 causing a warranty issue are very small, why run the risk?
 
Originally Posted By: Danh
Mobil seems to think an 0w-20 is appropriate for any vehicle spec'd for 5w-20 and GM seems to agree. The only reason I'd hesitate is if I had a car spec'd for 5w-20 where the manufacturer had not come to this conclusion and the car was still under warranty. Ford would be one example; and even though the odds of 0w-20 causing a warranty issue are very small, why run the risk?
Thank you. So does that mean that it is at least as good?
 
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Originally Posted By: Danh
Mobil seems to think an 0w-20 is appropriate for any vehicle spec'd for 5w-20 and GM seems to agree. The only reason I'd hesitate is if I had a car spec'd for 5w-20 where the manufacturer had not come to this conclusion and the car was still under warranty. Ford would be one example; and even though the odds of 0w-20 causing a warranty issue are very small, why run the risk?
Thank you. So does that mean that it is at least as good?

It is definitely better in winter months!
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Originally Posted By: Danh
Mobil seems to think an 0w-20 is appropriate for any vehicle spec'd for 5w-20 and GM seems to agree. The only reason I'd hesitate is if I had a car spec'd for 5w-20 where the manufacturer had not come to this conclusion and the car was still under warranty. Ford would be one example; and even though the odds of 0w-20 causing a warranty issue are very small, why run the risk?
Thank you. So does that mean that it is at least as good?

It is definitely better in winter months!
Is it any better or worse in the summer?
 
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Originally Posted By: Danh
Mobil seems to think an 0w-20 is appropriate for any vehicle spec'd for 5w-20 and GM seems to agree. The only reason I'd hesitate is if I had a car spec'd for 5w-20 where the manufacturer had not come to this conclusion and the car was still under warranty. Ford would be one example; and even though the odds of 0w-20 causing a warranty issue are very small, why run the risk?
Thank you. So does that mean that it is at least as good?

It is definitely better in winter months!
Is it any better or worse in the summer?

No! If yu hypothetically use M1 0W20, it will provide same protetcion. W20 is what matters in the summer, 0W is what matters in the winter.
Lower first number: better cold pumpability.
Depending where you live. If you live in the Southeast, CA, TX, NM, AZ, no difference.
If you live in NY, MA, CO, MT etc, yes, there is difference.
 
Thank you so much! Does the higher noack volatility matter? I heard that the more simelar the 2 numbers are, the better the oil will lubricate due to less VI improvers, which supposedly do not lubricate. Is that true?
 
Would 0W16 be better than 0W20 on the dark side of the moon? If I blend 0W16 and 0W40 together will I get 0W28? Would a 50/50 blend of 15W30 and SAE 10W16 make 12.5W23?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Would 0W16 be better than 0W20 on the dark side of the moon? If I blend 0W16 and 0W40 together will I get 0W28? Would a 50/50 blend of 15W30 and SAE 10W16 make 12.5W23?


Just came across that had to bump it for the LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Thank you so much! Does the higher noack volatility matter? I heard that the more simelar the 2 numbers are, the better the oil will lubricate due to less VI improvers, which supposedly do not lubricate. Is that true?


The NOACK is what would concern me if I were considering a switch from 5WXX to 0WXX. I have only looked at a couple of oils for this and the 0Ws have had higher NOACK, and I have a turbo that can get crazy hot. I guess you'd have to compare the particular oils you are interested in and factor in the type of engine you have.
The M1 5W30 I have been using (sticking with that weight until my warranty is up) has a middle of the pack NOACK for synthetics of its type at about 10%. I am going to try some M1 5W30 ESP for my next (warm weather) change and it is supposed to be about 6%. Obviously, these oils are of very different composition despite both being M1...can't just say "M1 has good/back NOACK" without looking at the weight and if it is AFE/EP/HM/ESP/standard.
 
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Thank you so much! Does the higher noack volatility matter? I heard that the more simelar the 2 numbers are, the better the oil will lubricate due to less VI improvers, which supposedly do not lubricate. Is that true?


The NOACK is what would concern me if I were considering a switch from 5WXX to 0WXX. I have only looked at a couple of oils for this and the 0Ws have had higher NOACK, and I have a turbo that can get crazy hot. I guess you'd have to compare the particular oils you are interested in and factor in the type of engine you have.
The M1 5W30 I have been using (sticking with that weight until my warranty is up) has a middle of the pack NOACK for synthetics of its type at about 10%. I am going to try some M1 5W30 ESP for my next (warm weather) change and it is supposed to be about 6%. Obviously, these oils are of very different composition despite both being M1...can't just say "M1 has good/back NOACK" without looking at the weight and if it is AFE/EP/HM/ESP/standard.


M1 0w-40's NOACK is 8.8% FWIW, so lower than the 5w-30. The Mercedes limit is 10% IIRC, so this is well below that.
 
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Is there any disadvantage to 0w-20? I found a deal on 6 quarts of Amsoil 0w-20 on Ebay for $45! It was about time for an oil change so I figured better get it done before the snow. Right? And it was one of those days that it was not raining. When I poured it in, it looked thinner than the 5w20 I was used to seeing. Is that ok? Will that have any disadvantage? I would think that it would get to the engine quicker when cold and behave the same when hot. Am I missing something?


5w20's generally have a lower NOACK % (as others have said)... plus you may get less shearing over the course of the OCI since the viscosity spread is lower. Possibly a higher HTHS with 5w20 depending on the blender as well.
 
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