5w20

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I have been trying to find a heavier 20 grade since I drive in Louisiana heat one day and cold days in same week. I always ran 5w30 for everything but for warranty purpose I wanted to stay in 20 grade. From the viscosity number I get Synthetic is thinner so I did some math. 5 qts of 5w20 and 1 qt of 5w30 which pushes the Synthetic to same grade of 20 but heavy as conventional. Kills 2 things in I buy 5 qt jug of 5w20
for van and 5 qt jug of 5w30 for lawn equipment so no 1qt jugs. Best part of it all is if the dealership sends a sample out it will come back as 20 grade. Van runs nice and quiet on 20 grade and what I drive it will take 25 or so years to get to 200k. Anything wrong with the assumption? Both oil have same additive package
 
Originally Posted by zfasts03
just run a light 5w-30 like pennzoil platinum

I am under warranty for 6 more years and 5w20 is recommended and 5w30 only when 5w20 is not available so a grey area. It takes 6 qts.
 
Unless you are tracking your daily driver the difference between the two ISLAC grades isn't worth worrying about. Unless you are concerned about the thickness of human hair.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by zfasts03
just run a light 5w-30 like pennzoil platinum

I am under warranty for 6 more years and 5w20 is recommended and 5w30 only when 5w20 is not available so a grey area. It takes 6 qts.


Manual says 5w30 is fine, you won't have any issues if you need warranty work. The Pentastar originally called for 5w30. You could try that new Pennzoil "Maximum Power" 0w30, as it has the MS-6395 spec. I was debating trying it, but I'm pleased with the Castrol 0w40 I put in both mine.
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by zfasts03
just run a light 5w-30 like pennzoil platinum

I am under warranty for 6 more years and 5w20 is recommended and 5w30 only when 5w20 is not available so a grey area. It takes 6 qts.


Manual says 5w30 is fine, you won't have any issues if you need warranty work. The Pentastar originally called for 5w30. You could try that new Pennzoil "Maximum Power" 0w30, as it has the MS-6395 spec. I was debating trying it, but I'm pleased with the Castrol 0w40 I put in both mine.

+1 I run 0W30 or 5W30 in mine, since about 1K miles IIRC. Many of the 5W30 oils carry the MS-6395 spec.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
From the viscosity number I get Synthetic is thinner so I did some math.


Huh?

You mean at -35C? Otherwise this makes no sense.

Viscosity in the oil ratings system is a range of measured values. There are theories about flow characteristics of syn, but that's not measured in the viscosity rating, at temperature.

You mentioned operating hot and cold, but are you routinely encountering far below freezing? If not, your math is suspect, because it's just a measured value.

I think as others have said, find a light 30wt oil and run that.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862

Will not run Havoline ProDs any more.


I don't blame you. I will not run Havoline anything again.
I can't feel at ease while hearing my engine rattle like it's got sewing machine oil in it.
 
No issues at all. I'm running mix of 5w30 and 0w20 Pennzoil in my '16 Honda Pilot specced for 0w20. Engine doesn't care, same sounds, same mpg.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by zfasts03
just run a light 5w-30 like pennzoil platinum

I am under warranty for 6 more years and 5w20 is recommended and 5w30 only when 5w20 is not available so a grey area. It takes 6 qts.

What are they going to do, run an analysis on the oil in your car? They can't void your warranty just because you used oil that was slightly heavier, anyways, as long as it met the necessary certifications.


FWIW - both of my Altimas call for 0w-20 as per the factory manual. I do the oil changes in my 2013 and I switch between 5w-20 and 5w-30 depending on the season - 5w-20 in cooler weather, and 5w-30 in warmer weather. The 2014 gets its maintenance at the dealership, since I worked out a service arrangement at part of its original purchase. THEY put 5w-30 in it, as per a Technical Bulletin they got from Nissan.

Do you really think that a quality 5w-30 oil is going to protect any worse than the 5w-20 oil you've been using previously?
Just run 5w-30 and be done with it... or do 3 quarts each of 5w-20 and 5w-30 from the same brand.
 
You are totally safe to use 5w30 in this case, as it's in the manual as ok to use! Same verbiage in my Rams owners manual. I'll probably use 5w30 at some point but just scored 4 ocis worth of RGT 5w20 so it will get that for awhile.
 
Originally Posted by IndyFan
Mobil 1 EP 5w20 has a 100 degree cSt of 8.9. That seems to be on the thicker end of the 20 weights.



If only it had the MS-6395 spec (for potential warranty purposes, of course).
 
We have a 2016 T&C. The first thing I did was looked for the thickest 20W that meeds MSxx whatever... the 'taxi cab' test. Not many choices. I went with Castrol Edge Titanium EP. It is one of the thickest 5w20's that meets the MS spec.

This engine was originally spec'd for 5W30.
 
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Originally Posted by SirTanon
tiger862 said:
zfasts03 said:
... or do 3 quarts each of 5w-20 and 5w-30 from the same brand.


That's what I do. With Pennzoil Platinum dexos1 Gen2, the calculators put it at a starting cSt around 9.2. And you have receipts for the "correct" oil. Fuel dilution brings it down to the mid-to-high 8 cSt range.
 
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