0w20 vs 0w30 ?

Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
69
Location
NY
Hi!
Seems like many cars using 0w20 weight ...
For example if car specs require 0w20 but I want to use 0w30 at summer will it protect the engine better??
What if the main difference 0w20 vs 0w30 ?
Does 0w20 flow better ? I heard that thicker oil like Xw40 prtotect better ? Is the true ?
 
What kind of car are we talking about?

between the 3 that you have selected (0W20, 0W30 and 0W40) and a random passenger car, 0W30 would be more universal.
 
I have a 0W20 Toyota Tundra and it's getting 10W30. It doesn't go below 20°F where I live.

If I lived in NY and to be on the safe side with a new car, i would ditch the 10W and use 0W30 in N parts and maybe even 5W30 in S parts. Guessing highlander is also 0W20 ... I think x40 would be too heavy.

short of major towing, heavy loads and/or high speed, 0W20 should work as well. Isn't that what your owners manual says? OM recommends higher viscosity grade under heavy load or high speed driving ...
 
Yeah iam not thinkg use a Xw40 ... I just saying for an example ... the higher the last number the ticker the oil..
 
This is how it was explained to me

The main reason 5W-20 or 0W-20 oil was specified for your engine is to increase the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) reported to the Federal Government. CAFE is the combined average fuel economy of all of a vehicle manufacturers product line
.
Since I do not care about the Corporate Average Fuel Economy.. I never dip below 5w30 unless the oil is $1/qt on clearance.



To answer your question
The first number applies to how it flows at 0 degrees F and the second number is how it flows at 220 degrees F. Generally it's a good idea to have an oil with the smallest spread between the winter weight and operating weight as it will take more viscosity improvers in an oil with a large spread, even in synthetics to reach the operating weight the less it depends on viscosity improvers to reach it's wieght at temp, the longer it'll hold it's operating viscosity rather then shearing down to a thinner weight over time.
 
0w-20 will be just fine.

Considering I'm running it in my 2002 Silverado 5.3. Back when in 2002 0w-20 wasn't even on the market. My UOA's are just fine and I even tow a 4klbs trailer. Also here in eastern NC it gets up into the upper 90's in the summer and the humidity is 90%.

To each their own but to me thicker isn't always better. There are more and more vehicles out there running 0w-20 and getting into the 100k plus mileage with no issues.
 
My thoughts exactly

Originally Posted by krismoriah72
This is how it was explained to me

The main reason 5W-20 or 0W-20 oil was specified for your engine is to increase the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) reported to the Federal Government. CAFE is the combined average fuel economy of all of a vehicle manufacturers product line
.
Since I do not care about the Corporate Average Fuel Economy.. I never dip below 5w30 unless the oil is $1/qt on clearance.



To answer your question
The first number applies to how it flows at 0 degrees F and the second number is how it flows at 220 degrees F. Generally it's a good idea to have an oil with the smallest spread between the winter weight and operating weight as it will take more viscosity improvers in an oil with a large spread, even in synthetics to reach the operating weight the less it depends on viscosity improvers to reach it's wieght at temp, the longer it'll hold it's operating viscosity rather then shearing down to a thinner weight over time.
 
Just use what your vehicle specs. If that is 0w20, then so be it. Regardless of what others tell you, your engine will last just as long.
 
Unless one is in -40 consistently, I'd prefer 5w20 over 0w20, if only for the fact that most have less VIIs.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
5w30 is a product of CAFE.

Another dead horse thread trying to spout that "ticker" oil is better.



Funny you mention that because you're correct. I remember when "10W30 engines" got back spec'd to 5W30 for fuel economy reasons aka CAFE.
 
I run maxlife 0-20 synthetic and have no complaints. I also picked up quite a bit of Mobil 1 Ap on clearance and the numbers on it are phenomenal. If you wanna run 5-30 I'd recommend PP which has always seemed very thin to me.
 
Originally Posted by ofelas
Unless one is in -40 consistently, I'd prefer 5w20 over 0w20, if only for the fact that most have less VIIs.


Agreed.

Whereas most 0w30 and 5w30 have the same KV100 and KV40

0W20 departs in ILSAC and ACEA A1 with the lower margin KV40 and allowed higher moly (teost FAIL allowance)
than 5W20.
5W20 EP and dexos are very close to lower margin xw30 grade.
 
Not to mention a little lower NOACK, though I'm a bit hazy about what lowered values actually do in the real world.

Having said that, I *almost* considered 5w20 for a hot minute, before I chickened out & continued to use "thick" 5w30.

I couldn't see a compelling reason to choose the 5w20 over the 5w30, especially for a vehicle out of warranty.

My observations above were only with Amsoil's Signature Series gasoline oils, by the way, so not a comprehensive comparison of those grades in general, by any means.
 
I like the recommendation from Mazda "Use 0w-20 in the US and Canada, outside these areas use 5w-30". It means that we scored a little better in cold starting and short tripping using a 20 grade.

OP, keep in mind there is a large viscosity difference between an ILSAC 0w-20 and a ACEA 0w-30. Most ILSAC 30's are on the thin side.

Originally Posted by krismoriah72
The first number applies to how it flows at 0 degrees F and the second number is how it flows at 220 degrees F.

Oils get their winter rating based on testing at -30C to -40C
 
0w20, 5w20,0w30,5w30,10w30, 0w40,5w40, and 15w40 are all fine with that engine, choose based on service and climate.
I have 10 w30 in my Tacoma with the same engine right now and have run 0w40 in it.

Originally Posted by Cheburashka
Highlendar 2018 3.5
 
Last edited:
Run 0w-20 year round in your Highlander and be done with it. Both of my Toyota's run 0w-20 year round and the Blackstone lab tests show no higher wear metals.
 
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