Are 5w20 & 0w20 Interchangeable?

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Big O Dave

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I've been around here for a long time, but I find this to be somewhat perplexing.

Toyota wants their vehicles to use 0w20. If you can't find it, you can use 5w20, but then that must be replaced with 0w20 at the next oil change.

I just bought a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and the preferred oil is 5w20, with 5w30 and 10w30 being approved alternates. No mention is made regarding 0w20.

Both 0w20 and 5w20 should have the same kinematic viscosity at operating temperature and the same HTHS, so what would be the issue?
 
Yes they are totally interchangeable, the only time I could see it worth going out of your way to find the 0w20 is if you live far far north, otherwise the difference between 0w20 and 5w20 is minimal.
 
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Toyota's requirement is to insure you use a synthetic oil if you want the 10,000 mile maintenance intervals.

Yes, they are more or less interchangeable. SN specs require 0w-20 to have a slightly better fuel efficiency than a 5-20 in addition to the cold weather pumpability.
 
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Originally Posted By: Big O Dave
Both 0w20 and 5w20 should have the same kinematic viscosity at operating temperature and the same HTHS, so what would be the issue?


If you're asking about Toyota, I think the reason they insist on swapping the 5W-20 out is because they like the 10,000 mile OCIs now (without OLMs), and 5W-20 is not guaranteed to be "synthetic" or even "semi-synthetic". I think if 0W-20 is used, it's most reasonably a high quality oil. I don't think they want any ol' 5W-20 in there for 10,000 miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Big O Dave
Both 0w20 and 5w20 should have the same kinematic viscosity at operating temperature and the same HTHS, so what would be the issue?


If you're asking about Toyota, I think the reason they insist on swapping the 5W-20 out is because they like the 10,000 mile OCIs now (without OLMs), and 5W-20 is not guaranteed to be "synthetic" or even "semi-synthetic". I think if 0W-20 is used, it's most reasonably a high quality oil. I don't think they want any ol' 5W-20 in there for 10,000 miles.


Makes sense but on my Lexus they said a similar thing about 5w30 and 10w30 when there was no synthetic requirement.

Ie you can use 10w30 but swap to 5w30 at the next change.
 
I can't imagine a warranty claim being denied because the oil flowed too well between start-up and operating temperature. I'd use 0W-20 in a car that spec'ed 5W-20 without hesitation.
 
From Mobil website, comparing Mobil 1 0W20 and 5W20:

SAE Grade 0W-20 5W20
Viscosity @ 100ºC 8.7 8.9
Viscosity @ 40ºC 44.8 49.8
Viscosity Index 173 160
HTHS Viscosity 2.7 2.75
Flash Point 224 230
TBN 8.8 NA
MRV @ -40ºc 9200 NA

M1 AFE 0W20 is very slightly thinner than 5W20 at operating temperature, but much thinner at start up therefore lubricate engine better every time you start your cold engine. Similar for other brands.

No reason to use M1 5W20 if you can find AFE 0W20 easily.
 
Yeah. I want to swap my QSUD 5w20 to 0w20 for the same reason.

Didn't know that Walmart sold it in 0w20 until someone posted it up.
 
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On my car, I saw a chart that said it could use 5W-20 but not 0w-20. It is a 1996 Avalon.

I wonder why that is. Some say that the 0W-20 oils shear down to a 0W-10 though.
 
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
On my car, I saw a chart that said it could use 5W-20 but not 0w-20. It is a 1996 Avalon.

I wonder why that is.


Well, there is no engineering-based reason.

Originally Posted By: Cristobal
Some say that the 0W-20 oils shear down to a 0W-10 though.


Xw20 oils are remarkably shear-stable, so IMO that's a pretty bogus claim too.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
On my car, I saw a chart that said it could use 5W-20 but not 0w-20. It is a 1996 Avalon.

I wonder why that is.


Well, there is no engineering-based reason.


Why do you say that? The chart was more confusing because of the hard to understand exceptions. It would have been easy for them to have made it more consistent. It looks like it is precisely for engineering reasons that there are the confusing exceptions!

Remember, the engineers have far greater information than us on materials used, design elements, and how oil formulations interact with that. The devil is often in the detail, detail that we don't have.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
On my car, I saw a chart that said it could use 5W-20 but not 0w-20. It is a 1996 Avalon.

I wonder why that is. Some say that the 0W-20 oils shear down to a 0W-10 though.


There have been huge advances in Viscosity Index Improvers since that Avalon's manual was written. I'm pretty sure it's safe now.
 
Originally Posted By: Big O Dave
I live in the mountains; we get snow and night time temps in the 20's & teens.


The difference is insignificant at moderate temperatures like that.

But yeah, 0W-20 is just a 5W-20 with better cold flow. A few decades ago, they'd have labelled it 0W-5W-20 to increase their potential market. I'd still stick with 5W-20 in such a warm climate to avoid any potential warranty hassle, or buy 5W-20 for the receipts if you have another use for it.
 
i have a 2011 sienna which says 0w20 all over the place, but the same engine 5 years ago called for 5w30. whatever i have on my shelf will go down its gullet once my free oil changes are done.
 
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Originally Posted By: RedCorvette
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
On my car, I saw a chart that said it could use 5W-20 but not 0w-20. It is a 1996 Avalon.

I wonder why that is.


Well, there is no engineering-based reason.


Why do you say that? The chart was more confusing because of the hard to understand exceptions. It would have been easy for them to have made it more consistent. It looks like it is precisely for engineering reasons that there are the confusing exceptions!

Remember, the engineers have far greater information than us on materials used, design elements, and how oil formulations interact with that. The devil is often in the detail, detail that we don't have.


Phooey.

A) 0w20 oils completely encompass and exceed the performance of 5w20 oils. There's absolutely no reason to exclude a 0w20 when a 5w20 is allowed... other than the fact that the manual is now badly outdated. I've got manuals that say to use absolutely nothing but SG rated oils, too. :p

B) Engineers may generate the basic input for the manual, but marketing and legal get final say and put in a lot of CYA nonsense (legal) or ridiculous things like "no service required unless used for severe duty" (marketing- to make the car look like a toaster and be more 'appealing' to certain buyers).
 
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