Moving to Yuma Az with temps in the 110 range. I have a 2012 4 cyl Camry and a 2019 Honda Odyssey van with a V6. Do I need to go any higher weight oils then the factory specs for them in this area ?
Oil in hot temps
- Thread starter mtlineman
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In all honesty, the operating temps inside your engine far exceed 110 degrees F, even during the winter, and your car's cooling system is designed to maintain a particular range of temperatures, so whether it's 80 degrees or 110 degrees won't really make much difference in terms of what temps the oil experiences.
Having said that, I live in Phoenix, and we regularly see temps well over 110F during the summer, and generally speaking, I like to up my oil weight for my oil change right before summer.. not always, but frequently.. Does it genuinely make a difference? Probably not, but for some reason, I feel better doing so. Doesn't seem to impact anything besides perhaps a ~5% drop in fuel economy, which could just as easily be due to A/C usage.
Having said that, I live in Phoenix, and we regularly see temps well over 110F during the summer, and generally speaking, I like to up my oil weight for my oil change right before summer.. not always, but frequently.. Does it genuinely make a difference? Probably not, but for some reason, I feel better doing so. Doesn't seem to impact anything besides perhaps a ~5% drop in fuel economy, which could just as easily be due to A/C usage.
The traditional viscosity/climate charts seem to tell us that you need minimum 30 preferably 40 in 110f ambient. Does the car have an oil temp monitor in the in-car systems? If not it may be a good idea to fit an external oil temp gauge, if it regularly goes over 100c or 212f your oil will be thinner than the labelling suggests and possibly too thin, depending on what you used and how hot it got.
I'm not advocating a 40w70 used in Australia, but I certainly wouldn't trust a 20 for hard use in those temps.
Maybe 30 for daily, 40 for toys that get used harder?
I'm not advocating a 40w70 used in Australia, but I certainly wouldn't trust a 20 for hard use in those temps.
Maybe 30 for daily, 40 for toys that get used harder?
0W-30/5W-30 synthetic.
Oil temperature isn't always correlated with outside air temp. It more closely correlates with coolant temperature, which can vary with outside air temperature, but engine and cooling system design impact the oil temperature more than simple environment.
Originally Posted by Astro14
Oil temperature isn't always correlated with outside air temp. It more closely correlates with coolant temperature, which can vary with outside air temperature, but engine and cooling system design impact the oil temperature more than simple environment.
+1
Oil temperature isn't always correlated with outside air temp. It more closely correlates with coolant temperature, which can vary with outside air temperature, but engine and cooling system design impact the oil temperature more than simple environment.
+1
There are many viscosity graphs you can easily find. Look and see what viscosities are recommended for best protection at 110 degrees. (Hint: thicker is better for very hot temps, thin oil is for CAFE)
You'll be fine with the OEM-speced weight. AZ is where the automakers have their test tracks as well.
Originally Posted by mtlineman
Moving to Yuma Az with temps in the 110 range. I have a 2012 4 cyl Camry and a 2019 Honda Odyssey van with a V6. Do I need to go any higher weight oils then the factory specs for them in this area ?
Do I need to run the thin oil the manu says I do since there are no freezing consierations? What would be the benefit of running 20 weight oil that is perfect for the snow belt since I will be in the sun belt?
I fixed the question for ya...
Moving to Yuma Az with temps in the 110 range. I have a 2012 4 cyl Camry and a 2019 Honda Odyssey van with a V6. Do I need to go any higher weight oils then the factory specs for them in this area ?
Do I need to run the thin oil the manu says I do since there are no freezing consierations? What would be the benefit of running 20 weight oil that is perfect for the snow belt since I will be in the sun belt?
I fixed the question for ya...
The OEMs spec their oils for a wide range of climates. You're on one end of that extreme....which tells me you could use a grade bump during the summer. And those climates in other nations that are similar to yours (parts of Australia, Mexico, etc) are using the higher grade already as the "norm" all year round.
Anyone in engineering knows that one size never fits all. Nature runs on a continuum of values. The car mfg's try to simplify their oil specs into a step function. It's a fair substitute....but not ideal. If the engineers could flip a switch and give you the ideal "variable" oil viscosity in your vehicle for the precise operating environment you are in on that day....they would do it...assuming it were cost effective.
Anyone in engineering knows that one size never fits all. Nature runs on a continuum of values. The car mfg's try to simplify their oil specs into a step function. It's a fair substitute....but not ideal. If the engineers could flip a switch and give you the ideal "variable" oil viscosity in your vehicle for the precise operating environment you are in on that day....they would do it...assuming it were cost effective.
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Originally Posted by mtlineman
Moving to Yuma Az with temps in the 110 range. I have a 2012 4 cyl Camry and a 2019 Honda Odyssey van with a V6. Do I need to go any higher weight oils then the factory specs for them in this area ?
No.
Use what it says on the cap.
Moving to Yuma Az with temps in the 110 range. I have a 2012 4 cyl Camry and a 2019 Honda Odyssey van with a V6. Do I need to go any higher weight oils then the factory specs for them in this area ?
No.
Use what it says on the cap.
I agree that any good oil will normally work ....but use the oil that you'd want if you were to get stuck in a 4 hour traffic jam. The highways here are roads to nowhere and if an accident happens there's usually not an alternate route. So stuck in the desert with engine idling and low/er oil pressure and your AC on the heat soak is massive. I use M1 15w50 year round with no issues in a Chevy Silverado. Min I would do is 5w30 ...0w20 that would be an lol
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Originally Posted by Kawiguy454
I agree that any good oil will normally work ....but use the oil that you'd want if you were to get stuck in a 4 hour traffic jam. The highways here are roads to nowhere and if an accident happens there's usually not an alternate route. So stuck in the desert with engine idling and low/er oil pressure and your AC on the heat soak is massive. I use M1 15w50 year round with no issues in a Chevy Silverado. Min I would do is 5w30 ...0w20 that would be an lol
0W-20 is a decent percentage or even fully synthetic for it to be that designation, synthetic oil stays very stable in heat and as far as I know does not shear down past or under a 20, if it is spec'd then it can be used.. quickly: In the traffic jam, the cooling fans will be screaming and probably aided by the air condition but even if not. It will be flowing great if your oil light is not on. Maybe going up in grade won't hurt anything, but on engines with VVT it will. There is a lot that goes into this before you out-engineer who made your car, it is not always CAFE I used to think that way, there's more to it. That is one of the most cited things..
Just use what it says on the cap, submitted.
I agree that any good oil will normally work ....but use the oil that you'd want if you were to get stuck in a 4 hour traffic jam. The highways here are roads to nowhere and if an accident happens there's usually not an alternate route. So stuck in the desert with engine idling and low/er oil pressure and your AC on the heat soak is massive. I use M1 15w50 year round with no issues in a Chevy Silverado. Min I would do is 5w30 ...0w20 that would be an lol
0W-20 is a decent percentage or even fully synthetic for it to be that designation, synthetic oil stays very stable in heat and as far as I know does not shear down past or under a 20, if it is spec'd then it can be used.. quickly: In the traffic jam, the cooling fans will be screaming and probably aided by the air condition but even if not. It will be flowing great if your oil light is not on. Maybe going up in grade won't hurt anything, but on engines with VVT it will. There is a lot that goes into this before you out-engineer who made your car, it is not always CAFE I used to think that way, there's more to it. That is one of the most cited things..
Just use what it says on the cap, submitted.
I have to actively try to make my oil temps go above 195F, so I just run 0w20.
Warm air is less dense and contains less oxygen and effects the combustion process and can result in higher cylinder temps. Additionally, when it's hot out people run their A/C which increases the load on the engine (think heat). Your thermostat measures the temp of the coolant, not the oil. Oil, coolant, engine fans, the engine case itself all help to keep your engine operating in the optimal range. So as ambient temperature rises the engines cooling system becomes less efficient (think heat transfer) resulting in higher internal engine temps and hotter/thinner oil.
Originally Posted by 69GTX
The OEMs spec their oils for a wide range of climates. You're on one end of that extreme....which tells me you could use a grade bump during the summer. And those climates in other nations that are similar to yours (parts of Australia, Mexico, etc) are using the higher grade already as the "norm" all year round.
ðŸ‘
Originally Posted by 69GTX
The OEMs spec their oils for a wide range of climates. You're on one end of that extreme....which tells me you could use a grade bump during the summer. And those climates in other nations that are similar to yours (parts of Australia, Mexico, etc) are using the higher grade already as the "norm" all year round.
ðŸ‘
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Most modern engines operate at about 210 F regardless of the where the car is. 100 F is a nice day compared to the engine temp. The car doesn't care what the ambient temperature is. It it's hot it keeps the thermostat(s) open and runs the electric fan(s) at the highest speed. If it overheats in a traffic jam it has cooling problems that no oil will solve. The oil itself needs high rpm to overheat. If oil temps are above 220 F you would be correct to chose a higher weight. Do what makes you feel good.
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Toyota specifically says a higher viscosity may be better suited in certain situations in your owners manual.
Run 5w30 or 10w30 ILSAC oil,the engine oil that the engine was designed for it loses no operability and you gain some buffer from higher wear rates..
Run 5w30 or 10w30 ILSAC oil,the engine oil that the engine was designed for it loses no operability and you gain some buffer from higher wear rates..
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