IS it bad to use 15 w 40 in engines that state use 5 w 30 or Fords new 5 w 20? Just wondering.
?? About using 15w40 in gas engines
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The heavier oil may interfere with the correct functioning of a variable cam timing system when cold or warming up [even in summer], and can cause lifter buckets to be sluggish and sticky when cold.
The constituents of the 15-40 are great, and will not hurt your engine - I think that's what you were asking about.
The constituents of the 15-40 are great, and will not hurt your engine - I think that's what you were asking about.
Nonwithstanding warranty considerations, perhaps using a dino 15W-40 HDEO in an engine spec'ed by the manufacturer for 5W-20 might be a little bit of an overkill in cooler climates, a 10W-30 HDEO being a more logical choice...
In a warmer climate (and I think GA, CA, OR, FLA, LA, etc. would qualify) using a 15W-40 HDEO in a vehicle spec'ed for 5W-30 is probably not a source for concern, especially if it is a 100% synthetic. Amsoil AME or their semi-synthetic product or Schaeffer's fine oil also come to mind.
Not something one needs to do year-round in the Great White North, though...
Again, only IMHO.
Cheers!
In a warmer climate (and I think GA, CA, OR, FLA, LA, etc. would qualify) using a 15W-40 HDEO in a vehicle spec'ed for 5W-30 is probably not a source for concern, especially if it is a 100% synthetic. Amsoil AME or their semi-synthetic product or Schaeffer's fine oil also come to mind.
Not something one needs to do year-round in the Great White North, though...
Again, only IMHO.
Cheers!
Toyo,
One good idicator is to look at lubricant recommendation web sites from other countries. For example, Valvoline's Australian web site recommends 10W-30 for the modern Ford 5.4 V-8. I would feel OK using 10W-30 but not 15W-40.
For the Toyota 2UZ-FE 4.7L V-8 used in the Tundra, Sequoia, and Landcruiser, '98 to 2000 calls for 20W-50, and post-2000 calls for 10W-30. They call for 5W-30 here.
The Honda VTEC 3.0L V-6 calls for 5W-20 here and 15W-40 in Australia, '97-2004.
Are these different engines? I don't think so. I think it is a combination of EPA pressure here for 1 or 2% better fuel mileage and public perception...folks in some other countries want higher viscosity oil, maybe for no good reason.
Ken
One good idicator is to look at lubricant recommendation web sites from other countries. For example, Valvoline's Australian web site recommends 10W-30 for the modern Ford 5.4 V-8. I would feel OK using 10W-30 but not 15W-40.
For the Toyota 2UZ-FE 4.7L V-8 used in the Tundra, Sequoia, and Landcruiser, '98 to 2000 calls for 20W-50, and post-2000 calls for 10W-30. They call for 5W-30 here.
The Honda VTEC 3.0L V-6 calls for 5W-20 here and 15W-40 in Australia, '97-2004.
Are these different engines? I don't think so. I think it is a combination of EPA pressure here for 1 or 2% better fuel mileage and public perception...folks in some other countries want higher viscosity oil, maybe for no good reason.
Ken
You will not have any issues at all! In some applications you might key word here is might notice a drop in gas milage. If you do mostly short trip city type driveing a thicker oil like 15W40 really is not ideal even in Ga. Now if you make trips that are 20 miles or more normaly or do a lot of sustained high speed driveing or heavy towing 15W40 is ideal. 15W40 is usualy a HDDO/HDEO and has an excellent additive package and is almost always shear stable. Delo 400 is my favorite in 15W40. Now a qood synthetic or semi-synthetic 5W40 would do everything listed above and would also work well for short trip city driveing!
You are not going to see any accelerated start-up wear especialy in Ga.! 15W40 is a much better fit then 20W50 wich was the mainstain in Ga. when I lived their.
If you do mostly short trip city driveing a good 10W30 like Chevron Supreme or M1 10W30EP would be a better fit. My Mom only drove 2 miles from home to work when we lived in Ga. and almost never say speeds above 45MPH so in her car I always used a 10W30 synthetic. My car say 50,000 miles a year and mostly 100MPH high trips so I used M1 15W50 most of the time in it. WHen I was not driveing it on the HWY I was usualy raceing it. So the oil choice has to match the application and ambient temp.'s!
Until you get a thicker (by U.S. standards) oil up to operateing temp it can be a liability if you start hammering on the engine.
You could run 15W40 even if you mostly do short trip inner city driveing but it truly would not be the best choice!
You are not going to see any accelerated start-up wear especialy in Ga.! 15W40 is a much better fit then 20W50 wich was the mainstain in Ga. when I lived their.
If you do mostly short trip city driveing a good 10W30 like Chevron Supreme or M1 10W30EP would be a better fit. My Mom only drove 2 miles from home to work when we lived in Ga. and almost never say speeds above 45MPH so in her car I always used a 10W30 synthetic. My car say 50,000 miles a year and mostly 100MPH high trips so I used M1 15W50 most of the time in it. WHen I was not driveing it on the HWY I was usualy raceing it. So the oil choice has to match the application and ambient temp.'s!
Until you get a thicker (by U.S. standards) oil up to operateing temp it can be a liability if you start hammering on the engine.
You could run 15W40 even if you mostly do short trip inner city driveing but it truly would not be the best choice!
I've still got dirty hands as I type this...
I just changed the 5W30 Motorcraft out of my '93 Escort. I put in Shell Rotella 15W40 for the summer.
I get a little smoking on start up when the weather gets hot. By switching to the 15W40, oil consumption stops. I didn't get any consumption issues last year with Chevron Delo 400 15W40. I bought the Rotella this year because it was about a buck a gallon cheaper. A good run last year on the Delo also seemed to improve my consumption issues even after switching to the 5W30... maybe it cleaned the piston ring sludge out a bit. I don't know.
The most significant thing you'll notice is it'll be a little harder to crank your engine. Maybe a little harder on the starter, but certainly no harder than a 30 weight in the middle of winter...
I plan on switching back to 10W30 Castrol Start Up this winter (found the Castrol on close out at Wally's for a buck a quart!).
But for hot weather driving, I think--at least in this 170,000 mile+ engine, the HDEO will serve me a bit better.
Dan
I get a little smoking on start up when the weather gets hot. By switching to the 15W40, oil consumption stops. I didn't get any consumption issues last year with Chevron Delo 400 15W40. I bought the Rotella this year because it was about a buck a gallon cheaper. A good run last year on the Delo also seemed to improve my consumption issues even after switching to the 5W30... maybe it cleaned the piston ring sludge out a bit. I don't know.
The most significant thing you'll notice is it'll be a little harder to crank your engine. Maybe a little harder on the starter, but certainly no harder than a 30 weight in the middle of winter...
I plan on switching back to 10W30 Castrol Start Up this winter (found the Castrol on close out at Wally's for a buck a quart!).
But for hot weather driving, I think--at least in this 170,000 mile+ engine, the HDEO will serve me a bit better.
Dan
Which Ford engines use variable valve timing?
The newest 3-valve/cyl Triton V-8 in the F-150.
http://www.f150online.com/fordnews/view.cfm?nnum=142
I think the new Mustang engine also uses some sort of VVT.
I just don't understand. The car maker has tested all kinds of oil and comes to the conclusion that 5w20 is the recommended oil. They know it is hot in the south and cold in the north. They know the folks occasionally tow a trailer. They know all this and now we decide that 15w40 is what is "really" needed. It just makes no sense to me.
The thinest oil you can find (0w or 5w) is too thick at startup and we think a 15w is better.
The car maker says w20 is fine for the engine. Millions of engines ran on 20 weight oil in the 50's and 60's, they didn't blow up. When Mobil 1 came out in the 70's it was 5w20 because they did a study and determined that w20 was fine for the vast majority of applications. Now we, with our infinate wisdom say they are all wrong and start running w30 and w40 oils.
Old perseptions die hard.
[ May 08, 2005, 01:36 AM: Message edited by: Ugly3 ]
The thinest oil you can find (0w or 5w) is too thick at startup and we think a 15w is better.
The car maker says w20 is fine for the engine. Millions of engines ran on 20 weight oil in the 50's and 60's, they didn't blow up. When Mobil 1 came out in the 70's it was 5w20 because they did a study and determined that w20 was fine for the vast majority of applications. Now we, with our infinate wisdom say they are all wrong and start running w30 and w40 oils.
Old perseptions die hard.
[ May 08, 2005, 01:36 AM: Message edited by: Ugly3 ]
I concur Ugly3.
I have an owners manual from a late 1960s Pontiac Parisienne with a humungous motor sitting in my library here.
5W-20 is spec'ed as the oil to run.
I have an owners manual from an early 1980s Oldsmobile Cutlass here.
Once again, 5W-20 is the oil of choice.
Yet strangely, until the recent rennaissance of 5W-20 in Hondas and Fords, the viscosity has been virtually unavailable here. Even laying my hands on 0W-30 oils is quite difficult at the retail level.
I have an owners manual from a late 1960s Pontiac Parisienne with a humungous motor sitting in my library here.
5W-20 is spec'ed as the oil to run.
I have an owners manual from an early 1980s Oldsmobile Cutlass here.
Once again, 5W-20 is the oil of choice.
Yet strangely, until the recent rennaissance of 5W-20 in Hondas and Fords, the viscosity has been virtually unavailable here. Even laying my hands on 0W-30 oils is quite difficult at the retail level.
Yep. These engines shouldn't deviate from the factory oil specs. Also engines with with Multi Displacement technology cannot use oils other than factory spec either.....my buddy with a new Hemi just found this out because the oil psi to the lifter "shut off/turn on" mechanism needs to see a specific oil psi to work right.....thicker oil raises the oil psi and the lifters flake out. Dodge uses the lifters to control what cylinders are running or not.
Diesel oil is great oil though. If you have to run dino, Diesel is the stuff to run. I run it in both of my gas engine'd daily drivers. Shell Rotella T synthetic is a 5W40 and would work if a 15w40 is too thick. Walmart is the only place that readily carries it.
Thanks for all the replys. The reason I ask the ?? is I have a mobile lube business. On my van I have two fresh oil tanks, they are linked to one another. I do alot of diesel oil changes. I buy ALOT of 15/40 oil, and get a very good price on it. I have a drum of 10/30 on my van also. I got to thinking one day. "what if I could use 15/40 in all these **** cars, it sure would be easier. But for now I dont care what the manual calls for, it gets Chevron 10/30. Unless of course it calls for synetic or its a diesel. My father in law has been using 15/40 in his Toyota Avalon for 210k miles with no problems as of date. And he even has the sludge monster.
Toyo - While I would speculate that 10W-30 is actually the preferred viscosity, do any customers request 5W-30? Do you indicate on the invoice that the grade is 10W-30?
Also, a bit off-topic, but does the Chevron bulk oil in your area of Georgia get shipped in all the way from California?
Also, a bit off-topic, but does the Chevron bulk oil in your area of Georgia get shipped in all the way from California?
The first was the 2.0L Zetec starting in 1998 or 1999 (not sure of the exact year) on the exhaust cam to do away with the need for an EGR valve.
I only have one customer out of 600 that request a specific oil. My customers have got no idea or dont care what I put in. Its amazing. I get a couple of people ask what filters I use.
My local oil distributor sells my oil. I dont know where they get it from.
My local oil distributor sells my oil. I dont know where they get it from.
Yep, simply amazing! This is the segment of the population that just wants to put the key in the ignition & drive.
At least it makes it easier to provide your service. My compliments on providing your customers with quality lubricants!
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