For What It's Worth.....

[Silber Igel]

Had the Pennzoil Platinum 0W-20 changed today in the HyCam. The refill was Toyo 0W-20.

In the last 5K miles, using PP, the mpg hovered around 33-34... never higher than 36. The 'economy' meter would hang up about 30+ and stay there. Very frustrating.

On the way back from the Toy store, the 'economy' meter progressed up to 40 mpg. The tank AVG MPG moved from 33.4 up to 34.6 .... 1.2 mpg increase in about 35 miles of driving.

No idea what this means....

Same drive, only reverse, no winds, temp 90.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I don't doubt that you saw a fuel mileage increase, but I have my doubts that an oil change produced that much of a difference.

If the conditions were controlled and there were no other variables then I might believe that the oil could be the cause. In reality there are simply too many other variables in everyday driving to be able to point to the oil as the cause of a leap in fuel mileage.

I can change my mileage that much by slightly more judicious use of the brake pedal.

 

[Jim 5]

If the electric motor is powering the car for up to 50% of the time, isn't a 5k OCI really a 2.5k oci?

 

[sangyup81]

i know the toyota 0w20 is high in moly but i dont think ive ever heard that affects mpgs

 

[The Critic]

Perhaps the friction modifiers had worn out in the PP?

 

[Trav]

Lets see if i understand this correctly.
The fuel mileage averaged over 5k increased an average of 1.2 MPG in just 35 miles. I need to work the math but it seems like to increase the average 1.2 mpg over such a short distance the actual increase would have to be tremendous.

Pennzoil 0w-20 vs Toyota 0w-20 should produce a increase of zero or close to.
Something doesn't add up,if you said 15w40 vs 0w20 it would still be a large increase.
I don't doubt your mileage has increased the only question is why?

 

[Silber Igel]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
If the electric motor is powering the car for up to 50% of the time, isn't a 5k OCI really a 2.5k oci?


That would probably be low. I've heard that 60-70% would be closer... 3k to 3.5K more likely. How much the electric motor runs depends on how much it is driven below 40 mph and how much the gas motor has to run to keep battery charged when running A/C or the heater.

Still, it seems absurdly low considering its a synthetic oil.

 

[Silber Igel]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Lets see if i understand this correctly.
The fuel mileage averaged over 5k increased an average of 1.2 MPG in just 35 miles. I need to work the math but it seems like to increase the average 1.2 mpg over such a short distance the actual increase would have to be tremendous.

Pennzoil 0w-20 vs Toyota 0w-20 should produce a increase of zero or close to.
Something doesn't add up,if you said 15w40 vs 0w20 it would still be a large increase.
I don't doubt your mileage has increased the only question is why?


The increase was on a single trip not the overall average for 5K. Never the less, there was an increase and the "instant MPG" meter (O mpg to 60mpg/EV Mode) showed that the instant mpg use was less than before the change. E.G., going up hill before instant mpg might be 15-20mpg. After, it was 20-25mpg. And the trip mpg was up. All subjective and seat of the pants but the variables were very similar.

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
If the electric motor is powering the car for up to 50% of the time, isn't a 5k OCI really a 2.5k oci?


That would probably be low. I've heard that 60-70% would be closer... 3k to 3.5K more likely. How much the electric motor runs depends on how much it is driven below 40 mph and how much the gas motor has to run to keep battery charged when running A/C or the heater.

Still, it seems absurdly low considering its a synthetic oil.


You did the math backwards. If the electric motor is doing 60%-70% of the work, a 5k on the car is more like 1.5k to 2k on the gas motor.

 

[Pesca]

Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
On the way back from the Toy store, the 'economy' meter progressed up to 40 mpg. The tank AVG MPG moved from 33.4 up to 34.6 .... 1.2 mpg increase in about 35 miles of driving.


Too short trip to be conclusive, report back in 5Kmiles.

From what I remember about CATERHAM testing, the toyo 0W20 oil shears right away into 10wt territory after few miles in order to increase fuel economy, so that may be true. Is PP 0w20 oil more close to 30 wt viscosity?

 

[mechtech2]

According to your stats, your mileage went down.
"Never over 36" means it approached 36.
Now you went from 33-34 to 33-34?
No where is 1.2 MPG happening.

 

[Smokescreen]

There is a lot of ICE start ups in the equation, perhaps they are keeping those OCI's in compensation.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
There is a lot of ICE start ups in the equation, perhaps they are keeping those OCI's in compensation.


But, OTOH, the system spins the ICE up to about 1k rpms, no load, before the ECU orders up fuel and spark. In other words, the many starts all happen with full oil pressure already available. I suspect that the vast majority of these starts are no more stressful for an HSD car than is stepping on the gas for a "normal" car.