Got stuck in Oregon and had a quick lube use 5w20 Valvoline. I know this 1.8l engine calls 0w20.
Ok to use it? I added some MMO afterwards.
GL
Ok to use it? I added some MMO afterwards.
GL
5w20 Conventional ok in a Prius?
- Thread starter Greg L
- Start date
- Status
After belonging to BITOG since 2006 you even have to ask this question LOL.
Always used synthetic before. Not conventional on this car
drive on.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted by Greg L
Always used synthetic before. Not conventional on this car
If the owners manual does not forbid conventional, then carry-on with it.
Always used synthetic before. Not conventional on this car
If the owners manual does not forbid conventional, then carry-on with it.
Your good I believe your owners manual states use the API certification current for your model year and if you use 5W20 use 0W20. It's really does not matter if you used Valvoline 5W20 the entire life of your car it would not be any different then using 0W20 if you follow the factory OCI recommendation.
All 5W-20s have to be at least semi-synthetic, even if they're not marked as such.
Not ideal to have it if the engine normally takes 0W-20, but I wouldn't worry about it at all. Just switch back to your usual oil at your next oil change.
I wouldn't have added the MMO though.
Not ideal to have it if the engine normally takes 0W-20, but I wouldn't worry about it at all. Just switch back to your usual oil at your next oil change.
I wouldn't have added the MMO though.
Last edited:
Cool. Thanks.
No problem at all.
As I'm sure you've read, many Prius owners have oil consumption issues at high miles. This seems to be due to the low tension piston rings simply not sealing well. There "seems" to be a connection between frequent oil changes, the use of quality oil and better results.
Some, but not all, Prius owners with oil consumption issues get some relief with higher viscosity oils (it's not a fix) There are even guys running 20W-50 in warm climates with good results! 5W-20 will be just fine.
I'd disagree with the above statement of "not ideal". I'd say it's a very good choice.
So, I'd say you are doing very well to be changing the oil.
As I'm sure you've read, many Prius owners have oil consumption issues at high miles. This seems to be due to the low tension piston rings simply not sealing well. There "seems" to be a connection between frequent oil changes, the use of quality oil and better results.
Some, but not all, Prius owners with oil consumption issues get some relief with higher viscosity oils (it's not a fix) There are even guys running 20W-50 in warm climates with good results! 5W-20 will be just fine.
I'd disagree with the above statement of "not ideal". I'd say it's a very good choice.
So, I'd say you are doing very well to be changing the oil.
Last edited:
By the time you do it again VWB will be a semi syn even though it's the same. New labels have been ordered.
It should work, but the possibility of a violent explosion resulting from the new kind of oil is enough to scare me away from trying something so foolhardy.
If it was the winter I'd change it for 0w20 only for the fact that the engine can go from the off state to full tilt so I'd want as best of flow as possible for that situation.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
Originally Posted by StevieC
If it was the winter I'd change it for 0w20 only for the fact that the engine can go from the off state to full tilt so I'd want as best of flow as possible for that situation.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
If it was the winter I'd change it for 0w20 only for the fact that the engine can go from the off state to full tilt so I'd want as best of flow as possible for that situation.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
I wouldn't have bothered with the MMO.
I can't see where this is a problem, but I wouldn't go out to 10k on it either--for a single OCI I can't see it being a problem, but my OCD would prevent me from doing that. I'd run the 5W20 until I felt like changing it. Which might be 5k if I was doing 5k OCI's in general, or 2.5k if I was doing 10k OCI's (thinking being, run 5W20 for 2,500, then 0W20 for 7,500, then back onto 10k OCI's where the odometer dictates when the oil is changed--as I said, OCD...).
I can't see where this is a problem, but I wouldn't go out to 10k on it either--for a single OCI I can't see it being a problem, but my OCD would prevent me from doing that. I'd run the 5W20 until I felt like changing it. Which might be 5k if I was doing 5k OCI's in general, or 2.5k if I was doing 10k OCI's (thinking being, run 5W20 for 2,500, then 0W20 for 7,500, then back onto 10k OCI's where the odometer dictates when the oil is changed--as I said, OCD...).
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Originally Posted by StevieC
If it was the winter I'd change it for 0w20 only for the fact that the engine can go from the off state to full tilt so I'd want as best of flow as possible for that situation.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
Not sure... I'd have to look at service information.
Originally Posted by StevieC
If it was the winter I'd change it for 0w20 only for the fact that the engine can go from the off state to full tilt so I'd want as best of flow as possible for that situation.
But being where you are and the time of year it's no issue using the 5w20.
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
Not sure... I'd have to look at service information.
Go 5000 miles on it.
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
Ha-ha! That's a new one!
If only people read manuals! In this case (as for most Toyotas of the past decade), it says you may use conventional 5W-20 if 0W-20 is unavailable, but not farther than 5000 miles, and not for consecutive oil changes. It doesn't specify the 5W-20 must be synthetic, so conventional is implied to be acceptable too, subject to those restrictions.
Bear in mind that those restrictions are heavily influenced by pressure to recommend the oil used in EPA testing. I use synthetic 5W-20.
Doesn't the Prius have an insulated pocket of oil somewhere in the system to (try to) keep some warm oil available at all times? I thought I read that somewhere...
Ha-ha! That's a new one!
If only people read manuals! In this case (as for most Toyotas of the past decade), it says you may use conventional 5W-20 if 0W-20 is unavailable, but not farther than 5000 miles, and not for consecutive oil changes. It doesn't specify the 5W-20 must be synthetic, so conventional is implied to be acceptable too, subject to those restrictions.
Bear in mind that those restrictions are heavily influenced by pressure to recommend the oil used in EPA testing. I use synthetic 5W-20.
5w20 conventional will be fine - the manual says so (but for a reduced service interval).
Why didn't you ask the quick lube to install 0w20 synthetic? Most quick lubes sell the product nowadays.
Why didn't you ask the quick lube to install 0w20 synthetic? Most quick lubes sell the product nowadays.
Run it 5k and dump it. You're prob did the car a favor using Valvoline conventional since the car prob won't burn it as quick as it would with a full synthetic.
- Status
Similar threads
