Anyone run 5w-20 in the new Hondas that spec 0w-20

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

Islandvic

Joined
Feb 1, 2005
Messages
1,339
Location
South Texas
I just bought my wife a 2013 Honda Pilot EX-L.

It specs 0w-20. It has a OLM and according to the service manual, the filter should only be changed every other OCI.

I'll be changing the filter every OCI...

I heard that the Honda OLM may not request an oil change for 7-10k miles in some instances.

In hot South Texas, I am worried about the 0w-20 shearing down to much after 7-10k miles.

Is the Ow-20 only for fuel economy and reduced parasitic drag?

Or is the tolerances so tight in the engine, Honda engineers had to spec a new weight?

Will the cylinder de-activation (or whatever Honda calls it) still work properly with 5w-20?

Supposedly the 0w-20 is backwards compatible to all Hondas requiring 5w-20.

Your thoughts and experiences welcome.
 
my thoughts are use what honda says because they know what is best.
My cousin has a honda pilot 2013 i think and the rear wheels had to be aligned twice you can see them bowing out and she has only 9,000 miles on it. One of my santa fes looks that way also.
 
When Honda recommends 5W20 they mean conventional not synthetic. Other than Honda itself, nobody has conventional 0W20. This means either you use Honda semi-syn 0W20 or full syn 0W20. For full syn, I don't see any reason to use 5W20 in place of 0W20.
 
I feel your pain on the thin oil with your climate. Automakers seem to just make a one-viscosity blanket recommendation regardless of climate or season [in the US at least]. I guess it's to simplify things or rather dumb it down? Or somehow improve mpg's since they refuse [or forgot] how to make light cars.

Surely going up not even a full grade [from 0w20 to 5w20] in southern Texas should be easily handled by such a great engine builder like Honda.

Another option is run Red Line 0w20 or another true ester synthetic. These are very sheer-proof and often end up thickening if you look at some of the UOA's done here.
 
No, but I run 0w20 in a Honda that originally called for 5w20 =P But seriously, 0w20 will perform well for you, even in the heat. Just change on time, if not sooner if you are worried about shearing. Or have a UOA done to see if it has sheared too much. Most 0w20's are excellent oils. Some better than 5w20/
 
Use 0w-20 during warranty.

Keep the factory fill until 5% (or 12 months) as instructed by the manual.

After that, follow the OLM and change when it lights up at 5-15%. If you are paranoid, add an extra change at 60% without resetting the OLM.

After warranty, feel free to use your favorite 5w-20 or 5w-30 if don't like 0w-20.

And read this thread:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2708315&page=1
 
Last edited:
Your engine wont notice the difference between the two, especially in Texas.

If you follow the maintenance minder, it will likely go 8K-10K miles before needing a change, so use a syn blend or synthetic.
 
High ambient temperatures don't "require" something different, but the "allow" a different compromise in the lubricant that the user chooses to best fit his needs.

Aiming for the highest VI because it is "better everywhere" ignores an awful lot of what an oil does "eberywhere else"

A 5W-20 (and Ford have tested their engines and oils for a bajillion miles) might be a better compromise in a location where the 0W just really isn't that important.
 
smile.gif
It seem as though, there are folks such as myself, that are a bit concerned about the initial cost of oil. That why they ask questions refering to...5W20 compared to 0W20 as we can get 5W20 all day long on the less expensive side but, most or any synthetic oil is usually more expensive.

Especially for a Honda engine which can usually run on just about any SAE oil. Not everyone wants to put in their engine or spend the money on... Mobil 1, Amsoil, PennUltra, when Mobil 5K, PYB, QSGB will do the trick in the 5W20 grade and 5W30 may work well too.

I do understand that DI and Turbo engines require the synthetic oils but, what about the regular everyday OHC & V-Tech engines?

Am I wrong here?
smirk.gif
 
Last edited:
As a vocal member said the other day about 20 weights in an engine that specifies 30s...It's fine, as long as you don't warm the engine up

To the OP, if your engine is already part warmed up (compared to winter in Sumggsville Ontario), the 0W doesn't mean a great deal. Even if you live in a
Quote:
third world
country, you don't really need a 0W.

By proving that you are changing the oil, and with a "recommended" rather than "required" specification, you should be god to go.
 
Originally Posted By: Brule
I feel your pain on the thin oil with your climate. Automakers seem to just make a one-viscosity blanket recommendation regardless of climate or season [in the US at least]. I guess it's to simplify things or rather dumb it down? Or somehow improve mpg's since they refuse [or forgot] how to make light cars.

Brule, I agree. My '95 Acura Legend recommends either 10W30 or 5W30 depending on the circumstances while my '07 Honda Ridgeline recommends only 5W20 (backspeced to 0W20) irregardless of location, temperature, etc. I like to know that I can use a different weight in the summer (it gets over 100 degrees 35+ times here) than in the winter if necessary.

By the way, previous generations of the Pilot all recommended 5W20 with 0W20 being acceptable. While under warranty just use what is recommended and then use 5W20 when out of warranty, if desired. Shouldn't harm that great Honda engine in the least.
 
A 0W oil will result in less engine abuse during a cold start, even in the deep South. Just use a good oil.
 
Originally Posted By: rfeir
A 0W oil will result in less engine abuse during a cold start, even in the deep South. Just use a good oil.


Only in theory, do you know for a fact that 50* 0W-20 is lighter than a good synthetic 5W-20???
 
Originally Posted By: rfeir
A 0W oil will result in less engine abuse during a cold start, even in the deep South. Just use a good oil.


And a properly working cooling system should keep the oil temp reasonable, although I understand oil temps tend to scale marginally higher with higher oil temps. Does the current Pilot have a oil cooler that taps into the cooling system?

The protection of most 0W-20 "synthetics" should be superior for extreme conditions such as cooling failure. I've had my cooling fan refuse to turn on temporarily as well as a blown coolant hose, so it can happen.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
As a vocal member said the other day about 20 weights in an engine that specifies 30s...It's fine, as long as you don't warm the engine up

To the OP, if your engine is already part warmed up (compared to winter in Sumggsville Ontario), the 0W doesn't mean a great deal. Even if you live in a
Quote:
third world
country, you don't really need a 0W.

By proving that you are changing the oil, and with a "recommended" rather than "required" specification, you should be god to go.

Pretty poor advise from someone who is more interested in pushing his own agenda than providing a solid recommendation to the OP.
The 0W-20 is only grade recommended for the 2013 Pilot, the 5W-20 grade is not an option.

For the OP, use the synthetic 0W-20 grade with confidence. It will provide all the high temperature protection your engine requires.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
High ambient temperatures don't "require" something different, but the "allow" a different compromise in the lubricant that the user chooses to best fit his needs.

Aiming for the highest VI because it is "better everywhere" ignores an awful lot of what an oil does "eberywhere else"

A 5W-20 (and Ford have tested their engines and oils for a bajillion miles) might be a better compromise in a location where the 0W just really isn't that important.

Do you know where car manufactures test their vehicles ? Google the term "car test death valley" you will find some articles about car testing. Below is some excerpts of an article in 2007:

"The team ran two tests. In one, the SUVs hauled various heavy loads up a hill while temperature readings were taken. In the other, readings were taken in the cabin of the baking crossover and its rival as their air conditioners gradually cooled them.

To get those readings, engineers climbed into cars whose interiors approached 160 degrees. Then they followed a routine: Every few minutes, they would let the car idle, then check the temperature monitors, then head down the road for quarter mile, turn around and come back, then take another reading.

Some findings are subjective. Foster, for instance, recorded how hot he felt on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being the most sweltering, as the car cooled.

The SUVs, meanwhile, pounded up and down the 5,000-foot grade from the Devil's Cornfield, an odd Death Valley landmark near Stovepipe, to the top of Townes Pass. They towed trailers weighing as much as 7,000 pounds in a brutal demonstration of their ability to handle heat and loads.

That's the secret of Death Valley, Foster says. It's not just the heat: It's the hills. Engineers pay careful attention to temperatures of transmission fluid and engine oil all the way up.
...
The Kia engineers say they're proud of what they accomplish during their summer desert forays. By overtaxing vehicles, they say, they help ensure customers will never have problems with them in normal service."

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-09-04-autos-test_N.htm
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Hillbilly Deluxe
Moving from 0W-20 to 5W-30 in late model Toyotas
3 4 5
Replies
86
Views
14K
ARCOgraphite
G
Is this oil too old? Recs for a 2019 Subaru Outback, 2022 Lexus RX450h . . .
2
Replies
27
Views
4K
silversport
N
2024 Civic w/NA 2.0 - Honda recommends 0w-20 - Suggestions and thoughts?
7 8 9
Replies
163
Views
16K
NattyBoh
B
New car - 2023 Mazda 3 2.5, same old questions.
2
Replies
36
Views
3K
Nesterenko
G
Kirkland 5W-20 vs 0W-20
4 5 6
Replies
104
Views
12K
OVERKILL
Back
Top