Ditching 0W20?

[IndyFan]

Originally Posted by philipp10
When I first discovered BITOG, I read all the educational BITOG had attached to the site. I remember one in particular paper all about engine wear and start up. It stated that cold starts (and not necessarily Minnesota cold) is where almost all engine wear occurred. I have not been able to find this area of BITOG since. What I do have to ask though is why do BITOG members ignore cold start engine wear but recommend heavier oils? Studies are at least not based on "feelings"....lol


Oil companies have advertised may times over the years how most wear occurs at start-up. I don't think they made that up. I also don't think auto makers who have a reputation for long-lived engines would be going to 0w16 if it couldn't protect the engines and their reputation.

Fact is, I've seen engines on 5w20 with 300,000 plus miles on them. I'd like to keep a vehicle that long, but I just don't put the miles on fast enough. I'm highly confident the 0w oils will cover me. Btw, I'm running 0w20 exclusively in my new Jeep. I run it hard, tow, and play off-road frequently with it. We'll see how she does, but I'm not worried in the slightest. My F150 has run 5w20 since new in 2001. It doesn't have a huge amount of miles on it, but it runs great. It spent the first few years of its life in Houston Texas, then Charlotte, NC until just a few years ago. Lots of heat. No issues.

 

[StevieC]

As long as you aren't beating on the car at a track or towing heavy trailers I see no reason not to use a quality 0w20 in that vehicle.

 

[Toto]

Don't try to fix something that isn't broke and find something else that really needs your worry and concern.
TOTO.

 

[alarmguy]

0/20 no -

5/30 for sure

 

[Bryanccfshr]

You can run a 5-10w30 synthetic no problem.
Concerning startup wear, The oil pumps just as fast at startup, it is viscosity that protects parts solely until the oil is warmed up and the antiwear additives activate, I would disregard anyone who says thinner oils "flow faster"they all pump and flow at the speed the oil pump moves them, unless you are down to the minimum pumping temperature of the oil(you won't in California) this concern is moot.
This opens you up to many more oils. There are some great 5-10w30sanf 5-0w40s to try.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I would keep running the 0-20 or 5-20. I see no reason to run a thicker oil other than trying to out guess the owners manual. I have had Hondas for many years and go by the owners manual and have never had one that used a drop of oil.

 

[Artem]

I'd run 5w30 in the summer and use 0w20 for the colder temps, even if it's only 50F's at night. Haha.

Other then that, I doubt that engine is wearing out from Lube related wear. You'll easily get 300k miles out of it even with 0w16 if you wanted too.

As long as the engine isn't stressed on a daily basis, then the thin oil can handle it.

 

[andyd]

Yup. Next change, the Fridge will be put on 5w30. synthetic .Down under, it is recommended for the same temp range as 0w20. My first car, a 5$ Ford, came to me with 90W gear oil in the sump. So .I'm bent that way

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by Georgiey22
The car in question is my 2013 Acura TL 3.5L, which now has 54,000 miles and is outside of my factory warranty. I have changed the oil every 5,000 miles with M1 0W20 and a Honda A01 oil filter. I've owned since new and I'm the only person to service the car. It has been a great sports sedan and plan to keep it for another 10 years.

The oil question...would you make the switch to 0W30 and/or 5W30 or would you keep running the factory recommended oil? I live in Southern California where the temps range from 50-105 annually and the car is garaged 100% of the time.

I'm aware there are a number of Honda vehicles that run a similar motor, the variant in the TL is a high compression motor and requires premium fuel. My primary concern is a long healthy life and less concerned about fuel economy, it doesn't get good MPG to begin with but the speed and power it has is worth it.

Thanks for all the hot tips in advance.

-George


Move up to a 0W30. No reason to go thicker than that.

 

[KCJeep]

Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
You can run a 5-10w30 synthetic no problem.
Concerning startup wear, The oil pumps just as fast at startup, it is viscosity that protects parts solely until the oil is warmed up and the antiwear additives activate, I would disregard anyone who says thinner oils "flow faster"they all pump and flow at the speed the oil pump moves them, unless you are down to the minimum pumping temperature of the oil(you won't in California) this concern is moot.
This opens you up to many more oils. There are some great 5-10w30sanf 5-0w40s to try.


This.

Simply no reason to run an 0w20 in CA once you are out of warranty concerns. I'd be looking for a full syn 10w30 with good base stocks and low VII's personally.

I have dealt with a LOT of vehicles through various employers that spec'd and therefore used 20 grades. If you don't have consumption now, I'd expect it to appear if you keep running the 20's. We have had one notable exception, a small 2.0 Ford that used 20's well over 100k and still doesn't use any oil. Larger engines, and the foreign stuff all have over time.

 

[carviewsonic]

For my 2007 K24 Honda I use 0-20 in the winter, and 5-30 in the summer. My wife can't plug the block heater in where she works, and some starts are at -30 deg. Summer can be hot here, with temps often up to 35 deg C (95 F). So I figure it's worthwhile to use the two different viscosities.

 

[dave1251]

10W30 on sale. If it's "conventional" change at 7K. If it's synthetic 10K.

 

[tig1]

M1 0-20 has lubed my engines for several years with outstanding results. It's my oil of choice.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by Shannow
Originally Posted by IndyFan
Even in a warm climate, that 0w20 will get flowing quicker than a thicker oil. People used to believe most engine wear comes at startup..


sigh...for a long timer, you keep re-iterating the same wrong stuff.

It's "warmup" wear...first 20 minutes is about equivalent to the next few hours.

"getting flowing" in Ca is meaningless...


So many people read and believe Dr Hass oil 101.

 

[IndyFan]

Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
You can run a 5-10w30 synthetic no problem.
Concerning startup wear, The oil pumps just as fast at startup, it is viscosity that protects parts solely until the oil is warmed up and the antiwear additives activate, I would disregard anyone who says thinner oils "flow faster"they all pump and flow at the speed the oil pump moves them, unless you are down to the minimum pumping temperature of the oil(you won't in California) this concern is moot.
This opens you up to many more oils. There are some great 5-10w30sanf 5-0w40s to try.


But why? What is the problem with what he's doing? What evidence is there that 0w20 is causing any harm? I could see looking at a thicker oil if there was oil consumption or bad UOA's, or something causing concern. But we don't see that here.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted by IndyFan
Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
You can run a 5-10w30 synthetic no problem.
Concerning startup wear, The oil pumps just as fast at startup, it is viscosity that protects parts solely until the oil is warmed up and the antiwear additives activate, I would disregard anyone who says thinner oils "flow faster"they all pump and flow at the speed the oil pump moves them, unless you are down to the minimum pumping temperature of the oil(you won't in California) this concern is moot.
This opens you up to many more oils. There are some great 5-10w30sanf 5-0w40s to try.


But why? What is the problem with what he's doing? What evidence is there that 0w20 is causing any harm? I could see looking at a thicker oil if there was oil consumption or bad UOA's, or something causing concern. But we don't see that here.


I do it as a hedge against timing chain wear and it is better suited for high load severe applications per the Toyota owners manual.
Then there is the counter regulatory bias I have, I won't go into that rabbit hole but people should be able to make upmtheir minds on what they spend 30-50k on in a basic vehicle.

Looking what is recomended overseas and they recomend A3 oils with an HTHS of 3.5 or greater in the same applications.
Then there are no negative consequences. My mileage is unaffected.

 

[chainblu]

Honestly, you'd be hard pressed to see any difference in fuel economy between 0w20 and 5w30 with the TL 3.5. They are both thin oils. If using 5 or 10w30 makes you sleep better at night, I say go ahead.

If you had a less powerful car and you did care about fuel economy, I would say stick with an Xw20.

 

[andyd]

In a perfect engine, 0w20 is fine.Until something goes a little bad and for whatever reason gas is diluting the oil. Or a bad traffic on the hottest day in 500 yrs. Times like that, I'd prefer a thicker oil

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr


Looking what is recomended overseas and they recomend A3 oils with an HTHS of 3.5 or greater in the same applications.
Then there are no negative consequences. My mileage is unaffected.


This!
Personally I dont get low HTHS oils...and all that CAFE drama...

If we would talk about some experimental vehicle then ok....but super-duper BIO-ECO oil in something like 3.5L V6 or 5.0L V8 is nuisance

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted by IndyFan
Your Acura has a radiator and thermostat. It will run at the same operating temperature in southern CA as it would in Maine.............People used to believe most engine wear comes at startup.


And that radiator and thermostat won't do you much good in a Maine winter at -30 deg F. Then you do need the 0w-20 oil. In California? Never. And this of course assumes your radiator and thermostat are working at 100%. What happens as both age? How about a 100 deg F day in Sunny California bumper to bumper freeway traffic. The 0W-20 oil isn't the best choice for that.

Most engine wear does come at startup/engine warmup.....until engine oil temp reaches approx 160-175 degF. That could take a while depending on your engine rpms and ambient temps, Startup or Warmup....it's the same thing....engine wear/corrosion.