On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap - what would be the mileage factor (if any) for you to want to change from 5W20 to 5W30 ? My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ... Your experiences ?
Switch From 5W20 To 5W30 : Mileage Factor ?
- Thread starter ChrisD46
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I switched my Focus and Mountaineer from 5w-20 to 0w-30 (AZ Clearances) and haven't noted any significant changes.
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap - what would be the mileage factor (if any) for you to want to change from 5W20 to 5W30 ? My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ... Your experiences ?
Just change over to a thicker grade when you want to. Many members don't like a 20 weight in their engines.
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap - what would be the mileage factor (if any) for you to want to change from 5W20 to 5W30 ? My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ... Your experiences ?
Just change over to a thicker grade when you want to. Many members don't like a 20 weight in their engines.
Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap - what would be the mileage factor (if any) for you to want to change from 5W20 to 5W30 ? My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ... Your experiences ?
Just change over to a thicker grade when you want to. Many members don't like a 20 weight in their engines.
+1 No need to wait for anything.
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap - what would be the mileage factor (if any) for you to want to change from 5W20 to 5W30 ? My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ... Your experiences ?
Just change over to a thicker grade when you want to. Many members don't like a 20 weight in their engines.
+1 No need to wait for anything.
I'd say it depends on the engine - for some 5/20 is borderline too thin when they're brand new, others will never truly need anything thicker. But more often than not, it won't make any negligible difference in longevity nor will it hurt a whole lot. I'd dare say you'd have to use lab-grade testing processes discern any difference in fuel mileage on most rigs, too.
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what vehicle and engine are you talking about?
In GA, using 5-30 from DAY ONE would have been an excellent idea. The 5-20 is a CAFE thing.
I usually use 5W-30 or 0W-30 in my engines that are spec'd for 5W-20.
The telling point for me was Honda's recommendation of a xW-20 for most of their engines, but an xW-30 weight in their 'performance' models (same or similar engines). And, I DO like to run near redline...it's FUN.
The telling point for me was Honda's recommendation of a xW-20 for most of their engines, but an xW-30 weight in their 'performance' models (same or similar engines). And, I DO like to run near redline...it's FUN.
I don't believe you will see any difference. My Honda says 0w20 which I am using, but if you go to the Mobil site it says either 0w20 or 0w30. As far as longevity, you will never see any difference in that either. My last F150 spec'd a 5w20 and I would switch back and forth between that and 5w30. Never saw any difference in mileage.
Switched from dealer conventional 5W20 to synthetic (PUP) 5W30 on a 2.4L GDI. Valvetrain noise was noticeably reduced (especially at cold startup) with less concern about fuel dilution with thicker oil.
I gradually switched from 5w-20 to 5w-30 in my pre-GDI 2.4L I4 in 2009 Hyundai Sonata. No obvious difference except UOA wear numbers are better.
The oil I've been using in this engine as of late has been Castrol GTX synthetic blend I got on clearance from AutoZone. It has been discontinued and replaced with Castrol Magnatec GTX in 2015.
The oil I've been using in this engine as of late has been Castrol GTX synthetic blend I got on clearance from AutoZone. It has been discontinued and replaced with Castrol Magnatec GTX in 2015.
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap....
If the engine was originally designed to run 5w-30 then make the switch immediately. See if any of your engines were back specced from 30 to 20. Oil fill cap is not stamped by the engine designers. Rather, it's an overall company decision based on CAFE vs. warranty, marketing, and the engineers input.
On a vehicle engine with 5W20 printed on the oil fill cap....
If the engine was originally designed to run 5w-30 then make the switch immediately. See if any of your engines were back specced from 30 to 20. Oil fill cap is not stamped by the engine designers. Rather, it's an overall company decision based on CAFE vs. warranty, marketing, and the engineers input.
Odds are, the difference will be negligible. I've run straight 5w20, mixed 5w20 and 5w30, straight 5w30, and mixes of 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, and 15w40, etc.. in my Fusion over the past 2 years, and the MPG numbers have stayed pretty consistent.
Heck, I see more variation in my economy depending on where I buy my gasoline, and what the weather is like on any given week.
Heck, I see more variation in my economy depending on where I buy my gasoline, and what the weather is like on any given week.
Thanks for the replies - the engines I am concerned with at tis time are the Elanta and Sedona mini van in my signature . The Sedona has 173,000 miles and I recently switched it over from 5W20 syn to 5W30 syn . It has a minor leak now plus a timing chain so I thought the switch is fitting . This 3.8L V-6 handled the 30 weight just fine . On the other hand , my Elantra has 84,000 mils and I recently tried a 5W30 syn which seemed to create some drag on this engine (I-4) . I went back to 5W20 syn by same manufacturer and the engine runs more free again so I'm thinking this engine which has run 5W20 syn all it's life does better on 5W20 vs. 5W30 . As for my new Sonata - who knows ... Factory fill was probably 5W20 (as stamped on oil fill cap) but with posible GDI fuel delution issues I'm sure there are many fans of 5W30 immediately for this engine (regardless of miles) .
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
Thanks for the replies - the engines I am concerned with at tis time are the Elanta and Sedona mini van in my signature . The Sedona has 173,000 miles and I recently switched it over from 5W20 syn to 5W30 syn . It has a minor leak now plus a timing chain so I thought the switch is fitting . This 3.8L V-6 handled the 30 weight just fine . On the other hand , my Elantra has 84,000 mils and I recently tried a 5W30 syn which seemed to create some drag on this engine (I-4) . I went back to 5W20 syn by same manufacturer and the engine runs more free again so I'm thinking this engine which has run 5W20 syn all it's life does better on 5W20 vs. 5W30 .
I don't know what to say. That difference should be virtually impossible to detect. Somebody will surely come in and say how "in tune" they are with their cars that they would be able to tell the difference.
I can synch twin SU carbs in my sleep. I can do a head gasket in a parking lot in an hour. If you can tell the difference between a 20wt and a synthetic 30wt in a Korean economy car by how "free" the engine feels then by all means you are a better mechanic than me.
Thanks for the replies - the engines I am concerned with at tis time are the Elanta and Sedona mini van in my signature . The Sedona has 173,000 miles and I recently switched it over from 5W20 syn to 5W30 syn . It has a minor leak now plus a timing chain so I thought the switch is fitting . This 3.8L V-6 handled the 30 weight just fine . On the other hand , my Elantra has 84,000 mils and I recently tried a 5W30 syn which seemed to create some drag on this engine (I-4) . I went back to 5W20 syn by same manufacturer and the engine runs more free again so I'm thinking this engine which has run 5W20 syn all it's life does better on 5W20 vs. 5W30 .
I don't know what to say. That difference should be virtually impossible to detect. Somebody will surely come in and say how "in tune" they are with their cars that they would be able to tell the difference.
I can synch twin SU carbs in my sleep. I can do a head gasket in a parking lot in an hour. If you can tell the difference between a 20wt and a synthetic 30wt in a Korean economy car by how "free" the engine feels then by all means you are a better mechanic than me.
Jayg : Not sure what to say except I went from a M1 5W20 to M1 5W30 in the I-4 Elantra and after driving it for a couple of days I couldn't wait to get the 5W30 out of that engine as the sluggishness was noticible ( no other changes such as gas , etc. ) . I ended up repurposing the oil into a GM SUV which was happy to receive !
Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
Thanks for the replies - the engines I am concerned with at tis time are the Elanta and Sedona mini van in my signature . The Sedona has 173,000 miles and I recently switched it over from 5W20 syn to 5W30 syn . It has a minor leak now plus a timing chain so I thought the switch is fitting . This 3.8L V-6 handled the 30 weight just fine . On the other hand , my Elantra has 84,000 mils and I recently tried a 5W30 syn which seemed to create some drag on this engine (I-4) . I went back to 5W20 syn by same manufacturer and the engine runs more free again so I'm thinking this engine which has run 5W20 syn all it's life does better on 5W20 vs. 5W30 .
I don't know what to say. That difference should be virtually impossible to detect. Somebody will surely come in and say how "in tune" they are with their cars that they would be able to tell the difference.
I can synch twin SU carbs in my sleep. I can do a head gasket in a parking lot in an hour. If you can tell the difference between a 20wt and a synthetic 30wt in a Korean economy car by how "free" the engine feels then by all means you are a better mechanic than me.
Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
Thanks for the replies - the engines I am concerned with at tis time are the Elanta and Sedona mini van in my signature . The Sedona has 173,000 miles and I recently switched it over from 5W20 syn to 5W30 syn . It has a minor leak now plus a timing chain so I thought the switch is fitting . This 3.8L V-6 handled the 30 weight just fine . On the other hand , my Elantra has 84,000 mils and I recently tried a 5W30 syn which seemed to create some drag on this engine (I-4) . I went back to 5W20 syn by same manufacturer and the engine runs more free again so I'm thinking this engine which has run 5W20 syn all it's life does better on 5W20 vs. 5W30 .
I don't know what to say. That difference should be virtually impossible to detect. Somebody will surely come in and say how "in tune" they are with their cars that they would be able to tell the difference.
I can synch twin SU carbs in my sleep. I can do a head gasket in a parking lot in an hour. If you can tell the difference between a 20wt and a synthetic 30wt in a Korean economy car by how "free" the engine feels then by all means you are a better mechanic than me.
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ...
Well, if 5w30 gives better wear protection than 5w20, it stands to reason that 10w40 will give even better protection than 5w30.
Therefore... if 10w40 gives better wear protection than 5w30, it just makes sense that 20w50 will make your engine last forever.
All perceived of course...
My question relates to engine wear over x amount of miles making a switch to a thicker 5W30 a perceived better choice ...
Well, if 5w30 gives better wear protection than 5w20, it stands to reason that 10w40 will give even better protection than 5w30.
Therefore... if 10w40 gives better wear protection than 5w30, it just makes sense that 20w50 will make your engine last forever.
All perceived of course...
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