5w-20 and 0w-20

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Jul 1, 2014
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Location
NY, USA
My CR-V calls for 0w-20. The wife's car is a 2009 Kia borrego v8 with 170k on it. Could I use the 0w-20 in both.
 
 
My Ford Edge should have been dead 200,000 miles ago for running HDEO 15w-40 oil in it since it was new. Has 250,000 on it now. Was supposed to have 5w-20 in it all theses years.. I just don't tell it that it has it in it. It is amazing what marketing can do.
 
IMO, mfg spec thinner viscosity to satisfy EPA for mpg requirements.
I don't think it is intended to have a longer engine life.
 
Originally Posted by JMJNet
IMO, mfg spec thinner viscosity to satisfy EPA for mpg requirements.
I don't think it is intended to have a longer engine life.

Amen. I went back and forth on it a few times, but the more I think about it - the more thicker oil makes sense. Not saying everyone should switch to 10w60, but 5w40/10w40/15w40 really can be ran in any vehicle without any oil grade related issues.
 
0w-20 is a spec predominately to get synthetic oil in the sump (seems there are very few 0w-20 "conventional" oils).
0w-20 in a 5w-20 spec vehicle is fine, gives it better cold start performance.

Or just use synthetic 5w-20 in both and you will be fine (or syn 5w-30, that is "allowed" by Hyundai).
 
Originally Posted by rideahorse
My Ford Edge should have been dead 200,000 miles ago for running HDEO 15w-40 oil in it since it was new. Has 250,000 on it now. Was supposed to have 5w-20 in it all theses years.. I just don't tell it that it has it in it. It is amazing what marketing can do.


Well there is proof right there folks. Obviously if this engine had run 5w20 from the beginning it would have lasted ten minutes.
 
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Originally Posted by blupupher
0w-20 is a spec predominately to get synthetic oil in the sump (seems there are very few 0w-20 "conventional" oils).

I don't know if that is true anymore. The prevalence of Exxon's EHC Group II+ base stock raises the possibility that budget Dexos1 0W-20 oils being sold at "Full Synthetic performance levels" are likely to be II+/III blends. The most recent EHC flier I have shows a 54% II+/46%III blend can satisfy Dexos requirements.
 
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
No gasoline American car built in the last 60 years needs a 40 grade oil.

Had a little chat with some Dodge techs in the past. Those guys said that they see less Hemi camshafts wiped out on 0w40/5w40 oils. There are still instances where that happens, as it is a factory defect. But overall they said Hemi's last a bit longer on thicker stuff.
Some Ford modular V8 gurus also swear that w40 is where it's at, but all their experience basically comes down to Grandma driven Crown Vics on 5w20, and Granpa driven F-150 on 5w20 vs Taxi, government, and police force driven modular V8s with fleet grade 15w40 in the sumps and half-a-million miles on the odo. So I guess take that with a grain of salt...
I'll just keep doing what I do with my 40 grade oils and enjoy the trouble-free results I'm getting. And, as crazy as it sounds, every other person in the world that owns a vehicle is free to run what they wish in it too.
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by blupupher
0w-20 is a spec predominately to get synthetic oil in the sump (seems there are very few 0w-20 "conventional" oils).

I don't know if that is true anymore. The prevalence of Exxon's EHC Group II+ base stock raises the possibility that budget Dexos1 0W-20 oils being sold at "Full Synthetic performance levels" are likely to be II+/III blends. The most recent EHC flier I have shows a 54% II+/46%III blend can satisfy Dexos requirements.


The thinking used to be that 'base oil' doesn't matter...it's the finished product that matters (in other words a Gr. III with great additives is just as good as a Gr. IV with average additives)
I'm not so sure this still applies with all that I've read about using the best base oil in a GDI engine to avoid IVD's. I'm wondering how all the GDI engines that get
the Walmart, Firestone, Midas etc...$25 dino special are going to fare? I'm thinking of using Gr.III or syn. blend in my Focus GDI and changing more often due to how dark the oil
turns in 3K....I'd do 6 to 7K on the syn.(QSUD, ST etc...) or 5K on the semi-syn/dino (QSGB, GTX, PYB..etc...)....
 
Originally Posted by JMJNet
IMO, mfg spec thinner viscosity to satisfy EPA for mpg requirements.
I don't think it is intended to have a longer engine life.


+1

I recall reading this in some of the industry trade mags when I was working. In addition, those that use oil for things other than lubrication, such as VVT cam phaser actuation, are concerned with a minimum oil flow across the ambient temperature range for North America. And minimal desposits.
 
Originally Posted by LubricatusObsess
Originally Posted by JMJNet
IMO, mfg spec thinner viscosity to satisfy EPA for mpg requirements.
I don't think it is intended to have a longer engine life.


+1

I recall reading this in some of the industry trade mags when I was working. In addition, those that use oil for things other than lubrication, such as VVT cam phaser actuation, are concerned with a minimum oil flow across the ambient temperature range for North America. And minimal desposits.

This is my only hang up when it comes to switching to a heavier oil, VVT cam phasers. I don't know enough about them. Do they need a "thin" oil to function properly?
Down in the 3rd party additive forum, a guy said that he put a bottle of Restore (thick) in his Acura and right away the MIL came on with VVT codes. He drained the oil and refilled without the Restore and all was well.
My 2012 Fusion with 2.5L has always made some valve train noise. Now I live in NC. In 2019 we had 89 days that were 90 degrees or hotter. I thought about switching it to 5W30, but I am concerned about the VVT.
On the other hand, I have always run MC SB 5W20. There is about 115k miles on it now. Last change I went 8k miles (20% OLM) and had a Blackstone UOA done. Everything was excellent, no issues. So, maybe I don't have anything to worry about?
My daughters 2013 Corolla 1.8L has 196k miles on it. I run Valvoline FSHM 0W20 in it. It burns about a quart and a half in 5k miles. So, I thought about switching it to 5W30 to see if that would slow down the consumption. Again, I was worried about the VVT though.
One other thought...my 06 Tacoma 2.7L calls for 5W30 and it has VVT. Is it the "same" system as the Corolla, or is the design somehow different to call for heavier oil?
So many questions, so few answers...
 
I've got a [ new to me ] truck a 2013 Tundra. It was just serviced with 0-20 oil, but, I have 2 cases of 5-20 left from when I had a 2016 XLT, thinking of using that to change the oil when it's ready. I don't think it will hurt anything, as the truck now has 74,000 miles on it.
 
Originally Posted by widetrax
I've got a [ new to me ] truck a 2013 Tundra. It was just serviced with 0-20 oil, but, I have 2 cases of 5-20 left from when I had a 2016 XLT, thinking of using that to change the oil when it's ready. I don't think it will hurt anything, as the truck now has 74,000 miles on it.


I have run 0w-20, 5w-20, and 5w-30 in my 2011 Tundra with the 5.7L engine. The oil cap list 5w-20 first, then 0w-20. When the truck was new it came with the free Toyota Care, the dealer serviced it with 5w-20.

If you look up the oil specs for the Lexus LX570 (uses the exact same 5.7L engine as the Tundra) that is sold over seas, you will see that 5w30 is the recommended oil. Mine currently has a sump full of Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30. I will probably continue running a 5w30 or 0w30 synthetic in mine.
 
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Originally Posted by mahanddeem
5w30 is a wise choice especially in engines with more tgan 50k miles

So you're saying, based on your training and experience, that vehicles that spec 0W-20 or 5W-20 by their manufacturer should switch to 5W-30 when they reach 50,000 miles? I've never seen this in an owners manual. Have you reached out to Honda, Ford, GM and the other manufacturers that have been specifying 0W and 5W-20 for the life of the vehicle and explained this to them? You owe it to the millions of people driving these vehicles that were never told this by the manufacturer.
 
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