Viscosity rec for my fleet

[ruxCYtable]

Hi folks, been gone a while!

Just added a car to the fleet for a teenage driver, an '09 Corolla. Recommended viscosity is 5w-20. Other cars are '14 Mazda 6, 0w-20 recommended; and an '09 RAV4, 5w30 recommended.

Was considering, purely for my own convenience, of running 0w-30 in everything. Anyone see a problem with that?

 

[69GTX]

Only possible glitch is that some of the 0w-30 grades can be fairly close to a 40 grade. So you'd be 1-1/2 grades higher up from the 20.

 

[Kuato]

I don't see an issue with the Toyotas, since the owner's manual recommends a heavier grade for hot, towing, mountains, sustained high speed, etc so the oiling system will be fine with it.

The Mazda should be fine as well, especially if you use M1 AFE which IIRC is a lighter 0w30.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
I don't see an issue with the Toyotas, since the owner's manual recommends a heavier grade for hot, towing, mountains, sustained high speed, etc so the oiling system will be fine with it.

The Mazda should be fine as well, especially if you use M1 AFE which IIRC is a lighter 0w30.


+1

 

[4WD]

Towed my Mako many a mile with that same oil (bought a huge stash of it when folks first danced around 0w) ...

 

[jongies3]

No problems, run it and don't worry. Warranty shouldn't be a issue on a car that old so go for it! The only time I recommend against it is if it's a new car with warranty, running the wrong grade can come back and bite you later at the most least convenient of times.

 

[The Critic]

I would use 0W20 as your fleet oil. The 09 Corollas can use either 5w-20 or 0w-20. The newer Toyota 3.5 V6 (2gr-fe) all take 0W20.

 

[UltrafanUK]

Originally Posted By: ruxCYtable
Hi folks, been gone a while!

Just added a car to the fleet for a teenage driver, an '09 Corolla. Recommended viscosity is 5w-20. Other cars are '14 Mazda 6, 0w-20 recommended; and an '09 RAV4, 5w30 recommended.

Was considering, purely for my own convenience, of running 0w-30 in everything. Anyone see a problem with that?


No, but the thin oil fans will get upset!

I would try and find a major brand (Mobil, Castrol, Shell group especially Penn or Liqui Moly) full synthetic that is not too far up the 30 range.

 

[Rolla07]

The Rav4 isnt back spec'd? Id say 0w20 like The Critic said. Although..why not just use 0w20 and 0w30..whats the challenge with stocking both?

 

[WillsYoda]

1. Any of those oils will work with all of those cars.
2. One idea: PP 5w30 for all, since PP is a bit thin. In other countries those engines are specd for thicker oils anyway.
3. Another idea: just buy two oils, and use 0w20 for the Mazda and 5w30 for the Rav4. Then use any mix of the leftovers of the 0w20 & 5w30 in the Corolla. You can top up any car with either oil.

 

[tig1]

M1 0-30 has a HTHS of 3.0. M1 0-20 is 2.7.

 

[FCD]

Sure, 0W-30 won't hurt and M1 0w30 AFE is a light 30 so should be good for all those engines, anyway the only reason they spec 0W-20 is because they get 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000001 more MPG with that.

 

[WillsYoda]

PP 5w30 is thinner both at startup and at full operating temps than Mobil 1 0w30. You could use either for all cars all would be well.


________________PP 5w30 ____Mobil 1 0w-30

40c cst _________ 57.5 _______________ 63.1

100c cst _________ 10.3 ________________11.0

 

[WillsYoda]

Originally Posted By: WillsYoda
PP 5w30 is thinner both at startup and at full operating temps than Mobil 1 0w30. You could use either for all cars all would be well.


________________PP 5w30 ____Mobil 1 0w-30

40c cst _________ 57.5 _______________ 63.1

100c cst _________ 10.3 ________________11.0


At 0c the Mobil 1 0w30 is a bit thinner.

 

[fdcg27]

...and in real cold, M1 AFE 0W-30 is a lot thinner.
The OP does live in a cold enough place that a 0W qualifying oil might be useful over the winter, but you do as well.
Also, where in MN do you see 40C startup temperatures?

 

[HKPolice]

Use M1 0w30 for the whole fleet. Mazda 6's DI engine is known to dilute the oil a lot with excess fuel so the 0w30 will shear/dilute down to 0w20 by the end of a cycle.

 

[WillsYoda]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
...and in real cold, M1 AFE 0W-30 is a lot thinner.
The OP does live in a cold enough place that a 0W qualifying oil might be useful over the winter, but you do as well.
Also, where in MN do you see 40C startup temperatures?


In the summer we have 30c startups. At 0c most any oil flows well enough. Even at 0f any 5w30 flows well at startup. At -30f they synthetic PP 5w30 flows well but dino does not.

Iowa, the OP's state, is very warm by comparison. Any synthetic 5w30 will be fine for the OP if it is fine for me at -30f. Of course, 0w30 is fine too.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Sure, 0W-30 won't hurt and M1 0w30 AFE is a light 30 so should be good for all those engines, anyway the only reason they spec 0W-20 is because they get 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000001 more MPG with that.

Not true. I first used M1 5-30EP i my Fusion and Focus for the first few OCs. After changing to 0-20AFE I got about 1 MPG better. Just my experience.