Why does Toyota recommend 0W-20?

[buster]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by ndfergy
I have no qualms using 5w20 in the wife's car instead of 0w20 for a couple of reasons:

1. Mobil Super 1000 5w20 is a mix of group II, II+, and III+(GTL). This makes it a synthetic mix although not marketed as such. It may very well excede 120 VI to classify it as synthetic but not done at the descretion of Mobil on a good, better, best marketing decision.

2. Winter interruptus. The wife and I drive the Camry roughly 25,000 km per year. Of that our winters would classify as severe duty. So the choice is 2 oil changes at $115 ea. w/0w20 or 3 oil changes at $65 ea. w/5w20.

Pretty obvious to us what the best choice is.

I'm only aware of Shell, Sasol and Chevron (using Sasol tech) having GTL plants and Chevron's plant in Nigeria mfgs GTL diesel, leaving Shell and Sasol as the only two producers of GTL base oil. I believe XOM's grp3 is mineral oil based, VISOM.




The Distillates heavy C18-50 refers to a Fischer Tropsch process. That is GTL.

I didn't catch that. So are they sourcing it from Shell or Sasol?..I wasn't aware that XOM went online with a production level GTL plant. Where is it?.. Last i knew they abandoned that project several years ago.


Likely Shell's Pearl Plant. They are business partners to some extent, as they both jointly own Infineum.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by buster
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

I didn't catch that. So are they sourcing it from Shell or Sasol?..I wasn't aware that XOM went online with a production level GTL plant. Where is it?.. Last i knew they abandoned that project several years ago.

Likely Shell's Pearl Plant. They are business partners to some extent, as they both jointly own Infineum.

But XOM doesn't have a stake in Pearl, right? Because they (XOM) don't list GTL in their portfolio last i looked.

I find interesting, XOM buying GTL base from Shell. Partnerships aren't unusual as I pointed out ConocoPhillips and Chevron partner in producing grp4/5..but I guess I just didn't see that one coming.

(good on XOM, as Shell's GTL Grp3+ is a phenomenal product no doubt...cheaper to produce than PAO's with grp4 like performance)

 

[Rav4H2019]

My 2019 rav4 hybrid specs only 0w16 but in Australia you can go upto 15w40. Even for USA it sayes higher viscosity for better protection under extreme driving conditions. SN is the only spec that is relevant. If you use thick oil keeping temperature in mind and don't care about cafe then you can ignore all the fancy approvals.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Rav4H2019
My 2019 rav4 hybrid specs only 0w16 but in Australia you can go upto 15w40. Even for USA it sayes higher viscosity for better protection under extreme driving conditions.


Another example that modern engines are not designed for low viscosity oil. Engine clearances are no different today then they were 40 years ago.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by Rav4H2019
My 2019 rav4 hybrid specs only 0w16 but in Australia you can go upto 15w40. Even for USA it sayes higher viscosity for better protection under extreme driving conditions.


Another example that modern engines are not designed for low viscosity oil. Engine clearances are no different today then they were 40 years ago.

At least not where it matters...i'd use an 0w20 or 16 or even an 0w8...if I had a huge sump with an oil cooler the size of a radiator and maybe I'm tearing down the engine once a year to replace things like bearings, rings, valve guides, cams and such.. just like race/funny car teams do after a day at the track....