0W-20, switch to something thicker?

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Originally Posted by vq40
So climate has nothing to do with the viscosity.

Climate can have a significant impact on viscosity. That's why it was, before CAFE, pretty much standard to have viscosity tables in owner's manuals, which you still see in most other parts of the world. That's why you don't run 20w-50 in Winnipeg in January.

Originally Posted by vq40
Thinner oil is better due to it dissipates heat way better than thicker,

Talk about hyperbole. Thinner oil takes away heat SLIGHTLY better than a heavier oil. The difference is so small it is barely worth mentioning. Contrarily, heavier oil heats up faster (marginally) than thinner oil because the action of shearing generates heat.

Originally Posted by vq40
lower drag,

Slightly lower drag, yes.
Originally Posted by vq40
flows better,

Given that oil pumps are positive displacement, that's incorrect. Actually, a thinner oil will have more "slip" in the oil pump and, if the relief is not open, actually flow LESS.

Originally Posted by vq40
and with today's engines the oil pump is a low volume oil pump designed for 0w20 oil, oil won't flow correctly with the thicker oil.

That's completely backwards. Thinner oils require more volume to make up for increased side leakage. This is why thinner oils result in lower oil pressure. Engines that spec thinner oils typically have HIGHER volume pumps.

Originally Posted by vq40
Do yourself a favor and follow what that owners manual says.

That, we can agree on. It is always a safe bet to follow the verbiage laid out in the manual.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
More 🛥🎣



A good day for it I see
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A cold front approaching and the bass are just off the spawning beds ready to eat
lol.gif
 
My 2011 Mazda3 lists 0w-20 in the manual. The 2010 with same engine listed 5w-20 in its manual. The UK manual for my car had the old style temperature range graphic with everything from 0w-20 to 20w-50 listed, depending on the temp. I'm sure I could have used 5w-30 with no issue, but I have used 0w-20 with no problems.
 
For example,The 2014 2.4 Russian Honda Accord's owner's manual specs 0W30 or 5W30.

The Honda K24 was not built around a W20 oil. It's only the US spec.
 
Originally Posted by Fifty150
Stop right there. None of the opinions on the internet, are from engineers who built your car. Your engine is suppose to use an oil grade specified by the engineers who built your car. Stay with that recommendation.

I have no problems with the notion of following the manual recommendations. I do have a great deal of difficulty believing that the oil recommendation was written by an engineer. I have even more difficulty believing the doom and gloom wording and dire warnings in many manuals (and internet posts) that engines are so viscosity sensitive that only one viscosity of oil can be used year round and in all climate and usage conditions. And this is coming from someone who will almost never consider using an oil that cannot be used year round.

The viscosity of oil that the engine experiences from a cold start to hot running is a far wider swing than anything we can throw at it by way of any sensible viscosity choice (in other words, not SAE 40 in -40). The notion that a 5w-30 A5/B5 cannot or should not be used in place of an API 0w-20 is nothing more than silly. Cripes, the difference in HTHS between M1 0w-20 and an ILSAC 5w-30 is less than the difference in HTHS between an ILSAC 5w-30 and an E6 5w-30, both of which fit within my engine's manual requirements.

If someone is concerned about manual requirements from a warranty perspective, or simply wants to follow OEM directions verbatim, that's fine. I just don't see a big worry over selecting an oil an the identical additive package that happens to have HTHS bumped up by 0.2. That's nutty and OCD even by BITOG standards.
 
Originally Posted by Garak
I have even more difficulty believing the doom and gloom wording and dire warnings in many manuals (and internet posts).



All tongue in cheek, and in fun. If you read the internet, and believe everyone who is always posting the same things.......without independent findings, validated published results, or any science & logic! Every fan of whichever manufacturer, will repeatedly post over & over again, to stick to the OEM everything. For anything and everything! Only use Honda transmission fluid. Only use Ford MotorCraft spark plugs. Never use an AC Delco anything under the hood of a Japanese car. Amsoil fans who drank the Kool-Aid. Look at how many people are against Fram filters, and how many people swear by K&N Filter. Even Hyundai owners who will only use Hyundai oil filters. You can't do any better than Hyundai. Unforgivable to use Denso under the hood of a Ford; even if Denso is the producer of the OEM part.

The entire automotive aftermarket world may as well not exist - except for Amsoil, of course. And K&N Filters.
 
I would prefer the 5w20 option. Same viscosity at operating temps and would do well year round in San Antonio. I live in Central Iowa and would use a 5w20 year round. A lower NOACK than a 0w20.
 
Nowadays Manufacturers that require 0w 20 PCMO , most likely have a heat exchanger incorporated . Stay course till warranty expire .
 
The 2014 Accord has a direct injection engine with some tendencies for fuel dilution of engine oil. If this is the case with the OP's car and driving conditions, an xx/30 oil may have some benefit and do no harm. If I were the OP, I'd get a UOA from a quality lab like OAI and see if fuel dilution was an issue and if viscosity was appropriate for a 20 weight.

I have the same basic engine in a 2015 CRV and will be moving to a 5 or 0w/30 when the warranty expires because of fuel dilution.
 
Summary: You can go up one grade, no problem. Anything more is unnecessary, and will reduce MPG. OK, I'd go up 2 grades (20 to a 40) if I had a fuel diluter & was racing or towing.
On engines with hydraulic VVT (almost all these days), going too thick could have consequences. Although, I'm not clear if the famous OBDII code set by Chrysler Hemi V8s for "wrong oil viscosity" just means its too thin, not too thick....

Reasons to go up one grade:
1. city driving in hot weather
2. towing or hauling heavy loads
3. racing
4. fuel dilution
.... two or more of those together, take it up even further, like add HTHS +1.0 (normally a +0.5 HTHS is enough).

From another thread, and that graph below does shift a little left or right depending on the engiine model, not much likely.
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Wear benefits taper off. It won't hurt your engine to have extremely high levels of HTHS like that, yet there is no benefit, as the graph shows. ( https://www.stle.org/images/pdf/STL...and%20Lubricity_tlt%20article_July09.pdf )
[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by sasilverbullet
Currently using Mobil 1 0W-20 in a 2014 Accord with 90K miles on it.

After reading myriads of threads here on BITOG about that oil being too thin I'm thinking of switching to 10W-30.

What say you? (I don't care about mpg)


Summer heat in TX, I would try a good 10Wx30. 5Wx30 or 0Wx30 are good also. The lower the W part, the less chance of getting a poor quality oil but there is also vii to consider so there maybe some trade off ... That's why i said "good 10Wx30" because 0Wx20 oils are forced to be good.
I would use 0Wx20 over an inferior quality 10Wx30 if I the conditions were right. For example 10Wx30 can be full dino but i don't think you can find a dino 0Wx30.
 
Seems to me you'd use the thinnest oil recommended for the engine, since "most wear occurs at startup". I'm oversimplifying it but does this not make sense?
 
Originally Posted by Fifty150
All tongue in cheek, and in fun. If you read the internet, and believe everyone who is always posting the same things......

Of course, I was clueless, but my point still stands, as does yours. Incidentally, my LTD used a lot of AC Delco filters, and my G37 has used Motorcraft ones.
wink.gif
 
When in the warranty period use the weight that the mfr's specify.

However, if you look at the ROW specs for things you'll see that these very thin oils they specify in the USA are NOT recommended.

In fact most of the engines were built around different weights in the ROW...usually slightly heavier.
 
Originally Posted by sasilverbullet
Currently using Mobil 1 0W-20 in a 2014 Accord with 90K miles on it.

After reading myriads of threads here on BITOG about that oil being too thin I'm thinking of switching to 10W-30.

What say you? (I don't care about mpg)


I'd say 99 percent of all passenger cars would do just fine on 10W-30 and probably better.

The other 1 percent are the cars that specify a 40 weight.
 
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Originally Posted by sasilverbullet
Currently using Mobil 1 0W-20 in a 2014 Accord with 90K miles on it.

After reading myriads of threads here on BITOG about that oil being too thin I'm thinking of switching to 10W-30.

What say you? (I don't care about mpg)


I'd say 99 percent of all passenger cars would do just fine on 10W-30 and probably better.

The other 1 percent are the cars that specify a 40 weight.


This because two months ago I made my semiannual change from a thin 5w-30 to a 10w-30 Havoline Pro DS and the MPG change is zero or so little its really undetectable.
 
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