OW-16 vs 0W-20 viscosity specs - does it really matter.

[SC Maintenance]

You need bb to read the whole section in The owners manual when it comes to oil. It can say things like if start and stops are frequent, or dust roads use a higher viscosity and more frequent changes. Personally I wouldn’t run 0w16 or 0w20 it’s all because of C.A.F.E. I would find a stout 30 weight and run that, but that’s just me.

All the manual says is if your harsh duty change the oil at 5000 OCI, at the same 0w-16 viscosity.

5,000 miles or 6 months

Additional Maintenance Items for
Special Operating Conditions
Extensive idling and/or low speed driving
for a long distance such as police, taxi
or door-to-door delivery use:
Replace engine oil and oil filter-

The Australian manual says more or less the same - 6 months or 7500km for severe duty, but it also lists anything between 0w-16 and 15w40 as acceptable.

The next time I pour oil into it it will be 5W-30 Mobil1 EP.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

How would the average Joe know the difference?

Average Joe DIY Oil Change Guy goes to Walmart and sees Mobil in the proper viscosity is like “yep - good to go.” Not like “hang on second, where is the PDS? What is the flash point and density on this mama jama?”

Who I addressed my question to, is not your average Joe.

But after posting that question to billt, my digging seemed to uncover that the thinning of all gasoline motor oils, albeit SP and gen 3, seems to be generating more brands with lowered virgin viscosities in 0w20.

The new norm seems to be creeping down into the 7.9 neighborhood for the 0w20s these days. So therefore, I withdrawl my question to billt.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

I dumped the 0w16 at 500 miles and went in with ESP 0w30. Your engine will thank you.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

I seriously doubt that Toyota puts "Crap" quality oil in their vehicles as the op stated.

They use bulk oil at the dealers.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

Isn't the engine specifically designed to run on 0W-16 using special materials/coatings?

An engine is not designed or built to run a specific weight. For this engine outside of USA it calls for anything from 0w16 to 15w40. It says for fuel efficiency use 0w16.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

My dealer claims to use bulk TGMO 0W-20, even on "free" oil changes.

They do not. They use the cheapest oil they can get.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

You took the car to a Toyota dealer and you think they just put in the cheapest crap around? They put in genuine Toyota oil. Why do people think this stuff?

No they don’t. I have worked at a whole lot of manufacturers as a tech and still do. Dealerships don’t use the oem branded oil. Only manufacturer that I have seen is BMW and ford

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

If you go to a Toyota dealer and you are shocked that you get TGMO I feel sorry for you. I am getting TGMO. 100%, every time, every day. I guess you have dealers that operate like the wild west. Who knows what is going in your car? They're competing with Jiffy Lube! Whatever. I guess you guys live in Afghanistan or something.

They list on the customer RO the oem oil part number but your not getting it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ Engines are designed to use 0W-8 and 0W-16 with less risk of wear than engines that are not using design aspects (wider bearings, different materials & coatings, etc) to use oils that thin. The API logo and ILSAC designation on the oil bottle are different for 0W-8 and 0W-16 because they don't want people using it in engines not specifying oil that thin - ie, not designed to go that thin.

Engines designed to use 0W-8 and 0W-16 certainly can use thicker oil viscosiy without issues, as seen by same engines used in other areas of the world specifying a range of viscosity up to xW-40. But using 0W-8 or 0W-16 in an engine not specifying it could have issues. Going up in viscosity poses no real risks, but going down in viscosity could.

 

[OilyOrangutan]

No they don’t. I have worked at a whole lot of manufacturers as a tech and still do. Dealerships don’t use the oem branded oil. Only manufacturer that I have seen is BMW and ford

I am not contesting your experiences. You sound like a knowledgeable and skilled tech. However I can assure you that my Toyota dealership here in Vancouver Canada uses the Toyota Branded 0W-20 motor oil, as confirmed by multiple UOA where additives packages confirm it's their blend. I am not saying this is the norm, but saying there are dealerships that don't use the cheapest bulk they can fine.

 

[Titan]

No they don’t. I have worked at a whole lot of manufacturers as a tech and still do. Dealerships don’t use the oem branded oil. Only manufacturer that I have seen is BMW and ford

Again, you painted with a broad brush. No way can you have knowledge about what "they" do. You stated that the Honda engine valvetrain I posted on another thread is not a direct injection engine....but it is direct injection. You aren't as all-knowing as you present yourself.

 

[ATex7239]

I dumped the 0w16 at 500 miles and went in with ESP 0w30. Your engine will thank you.

I left the factory fill in until 3500 miles (only changed it a little early because I was going on a road trip) and kept using 16… my engine wrote me a scathing email and called my manager to complain.

 

[ChrisD46]

Does the OM indicate if 0W20 can be used ? Tough to consider using 0W16 for more than a 3 month / 3K miles OCI or above 3500 - 4000 RPM’s . Hard to think of 0W20 as the new “thick” oil (lol !)

 

[ATex7239]

Does the OM indicate if 0W20 can be used ? Tough to consider using 0W16 for more than a 3 month / 3K miles OCI or above 3500 - 4000 RPM’s . Hard to think of 0W20 as the new “thick” oil (lol !)

Why would it be considered good enough for 2500 miles or 3000 RPM but not a little more?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Why would it be considered good enough for 2500 miles or 3000 RPM but not a little more?

Make it 3000 miles and 3500 RPM.

 

[ATex7239]

Make it 3000 miles and 3500 RPM.

If you’re lucky!

 

[CR94]

They do not. They use the cheapest oil they can get.

As if you have evidence that all dealers are as disreputable as the ones you work with ...

 

[ozric]

Haven't found a Mazda dealer yet that uses the Mazda branded oil. Sure they will sell it you but they don't use it themselves because customers won't pay the premium for the oil change. When I asked one tech about the Mazda 0w-20 oil, he said they would sell it to me, but not to pay for it if they did the oil change, because I'd get bulk Castrol 5w-20 no matter what was on the work order. At a different dealer they only had a few Mazda bottles on the display shelf, they would have had to order it if I wanted to purchase some. They said they use bulk Castrol 5w-20 in everything.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

Again, you painted with a broad brush. No way can you have knowledge about what "they" do. You stated that the Honda engine valvetrain I posted on another thread is not a direct injection engine....but it is direct injection. You aren't as all-knowing as you present yourself.

Call it what you want but the fact of the matter is I don’t care what you think, it is what I know and I know that I have replaced a whole lot of engines that were destroyed from 10,000 mile OCI. The Honda L15BE and L15B7 gets destroyed from going over 5,000 mile OCI, especially when the 0w20 is used. I have replaced a whole lot of Toyota 2ARFE short blocks due to extended OCI over 5,000 OCI. I have replaced more Kia and Hyundai engines than any other engine ever, they last longer if the oil was changed 5,000 miles or sooner, the ones that did 7500 miles had to be replaced way sooner. Ford 3.5 eco boost don’t make it without issues guess when? When the oil is extended, you guessed it past 5,000 miles. Nissan VQ35 don’t like extended drains either replaced those engines too. Yeah Illmsay he seen a whole lot. You keep doing those extended drains pal. I’m forgetting some engines to I know I am. Fact is I’ve forgot more about these engines than you know.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

As if you have evidence that all dealers are as disreputable as the ones you work with ...

I have worked at a whole lot of dealerships and they all do the same thing. Matter of fact at ford I would get into it with parts bc they order 15w40 for the 6.7 power stroke and that’s an issue for that engine. It wears out the main bearings and rod bearings bc of how long it takes the oil to get to the top of the engine especially in colder weather. Only time that oil should be used is when biodiesel is used due to the dilution. Dealerships make absolutely no money on oil changes, that’s why they buy the cheapest oil but use the oem filter. If they didn’t have the oem filter due to being out of stock they got a aftermarket from down the street meaning a parts house. They make money on getting customers in and upselling not on oil changes.