Any harm in using 0w20 in a Kia that specifies 5w20?

[buster]

Originally Posted by Whammo
The Kia manual allows 5w20, 5w30, and 10w30 depending on climate. Would a 0w20 be a problem? I don't see how it could be... We can get down to -25f or even -30 where I'm at.


No, and your climate a 0w20 is preferable. I'd run any of the M1 0w20's.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by kschachn


Thinner oils do not provide better protection during cold starts, they just make it easier to start ...



And for me, when it's -20 F, that is a VERY IMPORTANT attribute. Sometimes you only get one shot to start the engine, as the battery is weakened at those low temps.

I always use an 0w oil in the winter, for this very reason ... the less energy consumed by trying to pump thick oil, the better.

 

[kschachn]

At -20F it won't make much difference if it is a 5W-XX or a 0W-XX. In fact depending on the grade and brand the 0W might be thicker.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by kschachn
At -20F it won't make much difference if it is a 5W-XX or a 0W-XX. In fact depending on the grade and brand the 0W might be thicker.


Not at -20*F ( -29*C ). Maybe at 0*F (-18*C) , but at that -30*c range, the viscosity curves are starting to go vertical. A 5w oil can pass the cold cranking test at -30*C, but it can't at -35*c, only 5 degrees colder.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by Whammo
Originally Posted by Loobit
Absolutely not. You want an 0w-xx oil for those temperatures. If I lived in that kind of climate with my current vehicles that use 5w-30, I'd go look for 0w-30. It will always be better for cold starts.


Do you have any conjecture as to why they wouldn't list that weight in the manual for those temps?

Members have posted here that Group 4 PAO-based 0W20s in the 2.4s don't tolerate lspi-events sufficiently. Wish I had saved and bookmarked those replies several months back.