Why does Toyota recommend 0W-20?

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Why does Toyota recommend 0W? Most are 5W. In the manual it says 5W is OK if necessary, but that it should be changed to 0W the next oil change. I have a stash of 5W-20 that I plan to use. Are they going for increase MPG, or think that this little bit thinner oil might reduce start-up wear a bit?
 
I think some of it is gas mileage and start up wear in extreme conditions.

The other factor I think is that 0w20 is, with few exceptions, always full synthetic. It's their way of knowing that the oil in it is able to withstand the extended drain interval they recommend.
 
Mine say's pretty much the same. I'm having trouble finding 0W-16 both here, and when I was in Phoenix. So I used 0W-20. You're in Wisconsin and Winter is on it's way. So I'm guessing you will have an easier time finding it than I have. As far as why they're recommending it? There will be around 6 pages of posts coming along shortly, giving you the answer to that. Just make the popcorn and wait.
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Originally Posted by benhen77
I think some of it is gas mileage and start up wear in extreme conditions.

Reduced fuel consumption, yes. Reduced wear, no.
 
my thoughts as well. I know my Tundra in the US calls out to use 0W-20 but the same truck and engine in other countries calls to use 5W-30

Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by benhen77
I think some of it is gas mileage and start up wear in extreme conditions.

Reduced fuel consumption, yes. Reduced wear, no.
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by benhen77
I think some of it is gas mileage and start up wear in extreme conditions.

Reduced fuel consumption, yes. Reduced wear, no.

Are you suggesting that Toyota doesn't care about wear, or that a 0w20 is not objectively better than a 5w20 in extremely cold climates?
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by benhen77
I think some of it is gas mileage and start up wear in extreme conditions.

Reduced fuel consumption, yes. Reduced wear, no.


^^What kschachn said.
 
I think the 0w20 change coincided with them spec'ing 10k OCIs.

But my suspicion is they are caught between a rock and a hard place:

- Toyota reliability is still their core reputation, and as a result they can't be too innovative with their power trains. The top sellers like the 4Runner are using the exact same drivetrain from a decade+ ago.
- Older power trains just aren't all that efficient, or rather they aren't built around the concept of squeezing efficiency out of pump gas. (in contrast, see Ford who keeps making turbo engines that get really impressive MPG numbers)
- 0w20 is a way to bump up those CAFE numbers so they can either pay no penalties or less penalties for non-compliance
 
Originally Posted by benhen77
Are you suggesting that Toyota doesn't care about wear, or that a 0w20 is not objectively better than a 5w20 in extremely cold climates?

A better winter rating helps to allow the engine to start at colder temperatures. It improves cranking and helps to prevent oil gelling near the pickup tube. it does not reduce wear. Wear is influenced by the MOFT which is adequate in any oil at startup. All motor oil is thick at ambient temperatures.

Once again, 0W rated oil is not "thin". Wear is influenced by the other number in the grade, not the winter rating.
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by benhen77
Are you suggesting that Toyota doesn't care about wear, or that a 0w20 is not objectively better than a 5w20 in extremely cold climates?

A better winter rating helps to allow the engine to start at colder temperatures. It improves cranking and helps to prevent oil gelling near the pickup tube. it does not reduce wear.

Not sure I follow... If that oil gels, and you turn over the engine, would it not wear more than an engine where the oil didn't gel?
 
SAE J300 (and ASTM D4684) addressed a very specific issue where wax crystallization caused the oil to form a cavity around the pickup tube and prevent pumping. It illustrated a problem with the old pour point test. The oil is not gelling in the bearings or on the camshaft lobes but potentially in the sump.

And sorry I added a bit of detail to my original post later on.
 
My guess is they recommend 0w20 only to ensure efficacy in 16,000 km OCI. Since 5w20 is recommended only to 8,000 km, the "Must replace with 0w20 on your next oil change" stated in the owners manual is likely a safeguard to ensure compliance.

Given our driving conditions we use 5w20 in our 2014 Camry year round. Like someone already stated, I doubt wear protection is compromised.
 
I have run 5w30, 10w30 and 0w40 as well as 0w20 in my 18's.
Really no issue with any they all get about the same mileage, which is most dependent on driving style, conditions and speed than anything else. My Preference is a higher MOFT at high speeds/ high temperatures. If you are creeping around city traffic all the time and rarely go above 2k rpms that is hardly relevant and 0w20 works well there.
 
Originally Posted by benhen77
Are you suggesting that Toyota doesn't care about wear, or that a 0w20 is not objectively better than a 5w20 in extremely cold climates?

And to answer that directly, the primary concern is fuel economy. As Honda puts it, wear with XW-20 and thinner oils is "acceptable", not optimal. I have no problem with "acceptable", that doesn't mean it will significantly impact the engine longevity in and of itself.

And yes, in extreme cold a 0W rated oil is beneficial to starting but it has to be very cold for that to happen. It's one of the reasons I used 0W-40 in my old BMW when my daughter drove the car in northern Wisconsin for college. But even there it rarely got down below -30F so a 5W rated oil would perform much the same. The BMW had a large battery and never failed to start.
 
I see you live in Wisconsin. I live in central Nebraska. Our winters are often similar. Actual outdoor temps can easily fall to -10º and stay there for a week. I've seen -35º, but not as often in more recent times.

We bought a 2014 RAV4 from our daughter's family when the number of kids grew too large for that vehicle. She purchased it new and always used 0W20 as per spec.

When we got the vehicle I wanted to use my stash of 5W20 Phillips Choice syn blend, so after much worry and investigation online I took the plunge and began using it last May. When it's really hot I've been going 50/50 with 5W20 and 5W30.

I see no difference in startup noise, fuel consumption, or oil cleanliness between oil changes. The vehicle uses NO oil between changes with either oil, which are usually every 2,500 miles (we've put 27,000 miles on it in the past 18 months-total mileage is now 102,000.)

This winter I will switch back to 0W20 synthetic (QS) for the coldest months, as the car is stored in a detached, usually unheated garage.

I think much of my worry was for nothing.
 
Originally Posted by David2431
I see you live in Wisconsin. I live in central Nebraska. Our winters are often similar. Actual outdoor temps can easily fall to -10º and stay there for a week. I've seen -35º, but not as often in more recent times.

We bought a 2014 RAV4 from our daughter's family when the number of kids grew too large for that vehicle. She purchased it new and always used 0W20 as per spec.

When we got the vehicle I wanted to use my stash of 5W20 Phillips Choice syn blend, so after much worry and investigation online I took the plunge and began using it last May. When it's really hot I've been going 50/50 with 5W20 and 5W30.

I see no difference in startup noise, fuel consumption, or oil cleanliness between oil changes. The vehicle uses NO oil between changes with either oil, which are usually every 2,500 miles (we've put 27,000 miles on it in the past 18 months-total mileage is now 102,000.)

This winter I will switch back to 0W20 synthetic (QS) for the coldest months, as the car is stored in a detached, usually unheated garage.

I think much of my worry was for nothing.



You absolutely nailed it.
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