I always use full synthetic in everything, even my push mower. I know this is over simplifying but, can I switch to 0w20 as an upgrade from 5w20? What is the downside? (Also from 5w30 to 0w30?)
0w 20 or 5w20?
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Thanks Farmer. And I wonder if the actual operating temp viscosity of the 0w20 isn't lower in the 20 range than the 5w20 at operating temp?
Some have speculated that a 0w-20 is made from a higher quality base stock. What do you think?
Some 0w20 is group 4 or 5 and lots of 5w is group 3 , but you have to check each oil.
Downside to thinner oils are that they will burn faster in an older engine.
I still use 5w30 in most small engines or straight 30. Never lost one yet and I have owned hundreds.
0w20 was created mostly for modern direct injected high pressure automobile engines.
Its not an upgrade in older ones .
Downside to thinner oils are that they will burn faster in an older engine.
I still use 5w30 in most small engines or straight 30. Never lost one yet and I have owned hundreds.
0w20 was created mostly for modern direct injected high pressure automobile engines.
Its not an upgrade in older ones .
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Some have speculated that a 0w-20 is made from a higher quality base stock. What do you think?
I think that's sometimes true, but not necessarily. 0W-20 is more likely to be full synthetic, but obviously some 5W-20 is, too.
Some have speculated that a 0w-20 is made from a higher quality base stock. What do you think?
I think that's sometimes true, but not necessarily. 0W-20 is more likely to be full synthetic, but obviously some 5W-20 is, too.
Are we talking a car or lawn mower? If you go synthetic, the 0W20 is fine to replace 5W20.
This SynPower data sheet lists 5W20 and 0W20 side by side.
(SynPower)
You appear to be swapping cold pumping for Noack. Unless you are starting your car at -30C or colder, I would go the 5W20 with it's lower volatility and probably more shear stable.
But yes, there is no problem switching from a 5W20 to a 0W20. But also probably no advantage either except in very cold weather, assuming identical base stock.
(SynPower)
You appear to be swapping cold pumping for Noack. Unless you are starting your car at -30C or colder, I would go the 5W20 with it's lower volatility and probably more shear stable.
But yes, there is no problem switching from a 5W20 to a 0W20. But also probably no advantage either except in very cold weather, assuming identical base stock.
Originally Posted By: SR5
This SynPower data sheet lists 5W20 and 0W20 side by side.
(SynPower)
You appear to be swapping cold pumping for Noack. Unless you are starting your car at -30C or colder, I would go the 5W20 with it's lower volatility and probably more shear stable.
But yes, there is no problem switching from a 5W20 to a 0W20. But also probably no advantage either except in very cold weather, assuming identical base stock.
That's how I look at it. I am not starting my vehicles at any temp that even 5w20 couldn't fully work. If i had a vehicle that called for one of the 20w oils, I would just use 5w20. Mine all call for 5w30, and I generally use 10w30 in all of them. If I ever move to an area that has some seriously cold temps and my vehicles sit outside in it all night long, then I will consider a colder rated oil.
This SynPower data sheet lists 5W20 and 0W20 side by side.
(SynPower)
You appear to be swapping cold pumping for Noack. Unless you are starting your car at -30C or colder, I would go the 5W20 with it's lower volatility and probably more shear stable.
But yes, there is no problem switching from a 5W20 to a 0W20. But also probably no advantage either except in very cold weather, assuming identical base stock.
That's how I look at it. I am not starting my vehicles at any temp that even 5w20 couldn't fully work. If i had a vehicle that called for one of the 20w oils, I would just use 5w20. Mine all call for 5w30, and I generally use 10w30 in all of them. If I ever move to an area that has some seriously cold temps and my vehicles sit outside in it all night long, then I will consider a colder rated oil.
Originally Posted By: Farmer
Better cold temperature flow, slight fuel economy gains. Sometimes the downside is a higher NOACK and a tendency to shear to a thinner oil.
I am not sure there are any advantages of 0W20 over 5W20 in lower 48 states. Canada? Yeah, I would go with 0W20 and some places in the U.S> lower 48 like Duluth, MN etc. But anything south of MN, ND etc. 5W20 will do just fine.
Better cold temperature flow, slight fuel economy gains. Sometimes the downside is a higher NOACK and a tendency to shear to a thinner oil.
I am not sure there are any advantages of 0W20 over 5W20 in lower 48 states. Canada? Yeah, I would go with 0W20 and some places in the U.S> lower 48 like Duluth, MN etc. But anything south of MN, ND etc. 5W20 will do just fine.
I think the fact is that you can't really make any blanket statements about 0w-20 vs. 5w-20 when, in most cases, the difference is negligible in terms of cold starting. I use PP 5w-20 and the pour point and KV @-40c is lower vs. the 0w-20 version on both counts but the opposite is true with Synpower. In either case, whether you're in Nunavut or Naples FL, your car probably won't perform much different at start up.
There's a big difference between the demands on oil between auto and lawnmower. The auto engine is water cooled and that water is air cooled by a massive radiator with fan. Therefore, the oil operates in a well defined range. Conversely, today's 4 stroke lawn mowers have neither water or forced air cooling. In addition, they are typically operated in the hottest ambient temps of the year. Tough job for any oil, and excellent reasons all for using synthetics only. My Honda mower specs 10W-30. I use M1 0W-40 primarily for its higher loading of anti-wear additives. I change oil sooner than specified.
Autos have proven to be extremely forgiving of oil experimentation (witness this website). Really, as long as there is oil on the crosshatches, your engine will survive.
Autos have proven to be extremely forgiving of oil experimentation (witness this website). Really, as long as there is oil on the crosshatches, your engine will survive.
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