Would you use 5w30 in place of 0w20 oil?

[afterburn 549]

Argh HaR argh hARargh...Pirates laugh

[Tobra]

0W-20 is for fuel economy. I would not use it in my car

[dewolf]

Not 0W20 but interesting nonetheless.

[A930Rocket]

My 14 F150 calls for 5W-20 and that’s what I’ve been using for 208k miles. The truck has an onboard calculator for oil changes and when I do change the oil, I usually set it for 80%, to change it a little early.

[RANDY P]

Probably wouldn't hurt anything but if it's under warranty then no. 5w30 just give it away if nothing in the household uses it.

With that said I upped to 5w40 in my Subaru (5w30) since I had a bunch left from the Benz.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Lake Jr- is supposedly an Oil engineer of some sorts?

Well you sure know your stuff alright.

Yup, if I only had a nickel.....

[Superman]

Originally Posted by Tobra

0W-20 is for fuel economy. I would not use it in my car

I have reason to believe you and afterburn are incorrect. And reason also to believe you are not and will not be listening.

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

My 14 F150 calls for 5W-20 and that’s what I’ve been using for 208k miles. The truck has an onboard calculator for oil changes and when I do change the oil, I usually set it for 80%, to change it a little early.

Check with Tobra and AB. There, you may hear that 20w50 is better. And that the engineers did not design your truck to use 5w20.

[afterburn 549]

OK supey, all you offer is sophmoric answers.
Emotional answers, which means you have nothing.
Now, most of us want real answers.
Do you have any real ansers?
I put dwn real facts.
See the difference?
Your gobermnet has mandated a percentile increase in fuel milage .
The manufatureres anwser to this was engines that stop and start and stop at trafic lights, and a very light oil.
There is not any difference in engines sold here where mandated 0W20 is recomeneded and other places where 5W30 is recomeneded.
See the diffeeence little fellow?
Any engineer will tell you heat cycles, stops and starts are what kills an engine!!
But you wear a red cape, get naked in a phone booth, and bring nothing to the table but childish anwrs as from a 6th grader.
Like a ford cheby argument.
Why?
Why turn this into a drinking, drunkin sorority thing?
Is this your standard SOP?
There was no need.
This is not th e polirical forum (that you are so used to)
Congrtes on your childish antics and no subatance .
I do supose that is the best you have.......??
Have a portion back.
I think we all interested in real answers.
Not a bunch of BS .
Just type it out of you have any.
Thanx
PS-
I do supose you are calling L&N engineering all wrong too?

[afterburn 549]

This is a great study!

Copied From the article-
One point worth mentioning is that it’s not a good idea to arbitrarily choose thin viscosity oil based on a whim without knowing the consequences. A thin oil used in applications where oil temperature exceeds 225 degrees (which is not unusual even for street engines under high ambient temperatures) could expose the bearings to additional wear that could have been prevented with a thicker viscosity.
End of paste.


(And EZ about 2 minutes) about oil viscosity, temps, and bearing clearnce .
SO, now all need to know is the bearing clearance, block material - Al or iron, , and running temps.
No guess werok required.
https://www.enginelabs.com/news/what-i-learned-today-bearing-clearances-vs-oil-viscosities/

[porsche tech]

Fact: more than one poster has said they’ve used the manufacturer’s recommendation of 0/20 for over 150k or 200k miles without issue. That must be worth something? I also used Castro 20/50 for well over 100K miles (on a 1973 vehicle). Times change and so has oil.

As one poster says, “trying to outsmart factory engineers” usually doesn’t work. After 42 years of Porsche wrenching I have seen many Porsche owners change shocks, springs, sway bars, etc only to make an ill handling, rough riding, squeaking, clanking mess. It only takes money to mess up a nice car.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by porsche tech

I also used Castro 20/50 for well over 100K miles (on a 1973 vehicle). Times change and so has oil.

+1 Castrol GTX 20W-50 is on my shelf for a old odd ball car I have.

I would say if you use a thicker oil, start-up very easily until it flows "better". I think in some way-back Porsche/VW manual or tech discussion they said let the car idle the amount of time to roll a cigarette.

FWIW, I did not bolt down a VVT solenoid once as I was going to replace it (few weeks ago - summertime). I started the cold car to move it and the pressure blew the solenoid out of the hole and half emptied the crankcase in a matter of a few seconds. There is a lot of pressure and even thicker oil will move fast. That's a layman talking.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Punk-If you could keep up, pay atn, the same exact engines in other countries does not come with 0W 20 oils!
Why?
Why not, if they are so good?.
Here in the USA, It is goberment mandated for the fleet.
What do I mean?
The 1 to 1.5 % more fuel economy is measured as a whole .
Not individually.
Your assertion and propagation of the word "probably" is NOT a scientific test.
It is your opinion.
As for me looking at the whole picture-
As I stated if you are looking for authority to dispute it , go read up On Lake Speed jr, L&N and others.
Spend a few days on oil analysis reports.
As I stated- our little turbo Honda 1.5 turbo with way over 200K is some kind of proof that 5W30 is at least not bad for it, when, most of these engines die at 50K and for sure at 100K blown injectors, and other parts like pistons.
So, the 5W30 is not very scary and it works in other countries, savvy?

because use conditions and climate are different around the world.

you think maybe the use case of a car in Florida, that never sees below 40 degrees start ups might take a different oil to a car that 6 months out of the year, every year, starts in below 40 degree weather?

think for 5 seconds afterburn. please.

notice how the recommendation change is always on the cold rating, not the hot rating of the oil? hummmm might be a reason for that. might want to take a moment and have a thought or two about that.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Now, most of us want real answers.

Yes, I'd like some answers and I will get to that. Meanwhile, here is an explanation of why lighter viscosity oils make more sense. There are lots more like this, and I'll get to that also.

https://www.eneos.us/blog/why-use-low-viscosity-0w-20-synthetic-oil/

Here is a very interesting and nonpolitical discussion of oil viscosities and formulations. It's really something you and the OP should read. It includes input from at least one relevant mechanical engineer. Also, it mentions that 0w20 is formulated to a different specifications than other oils such as for anti-sludge and long-interval application. It's not just ordinary oil that is lighter. It is a different kind of oil.

https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-with-0w-20-oil/86451/12

And here is a discussion that the moderator jumped all over early-on to avoid insults and politics. It appears as though there is not shortage of ....umm.....'editorial'.... on this topic. Conjecture. Such as we find in your posts.


https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMechanics/comments/1c0479i/does_anyone_know_the_real_story_behind_0w20/

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

I put dwn real facts.

You put down assertions, not facts. You continue to repeat your conclusions about no indication whatsoever as to what actual information you are using to draw those conclusions and where you found such information. more on this later

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Your gobermnet has mandated a percentile increase in fuel milage .

What is a "percentile increase" and what is "milage?"

Also....since you state without evidence that Euro engines are the same as USA engines....please also tell us that Euro fuel mileage and environmental regulations are more permissive than USA regulations. I'll give you a hint. They are more controlling, not more permissive and if gubmit regulation is driving all this as you assert without evidence, then manufacture would be forced to specify 0w20 there also. As I stated, the reasons why we should suspect Euro engines are different from USA engines outstrip the reasons why we should assume they are the same. More on this later.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

The manufatureres anwser to this was engines that stop and start and stop at trafic lights, and a very light oil.

0w20 is specified for my car which is not a hybrid. Hybrids are the ones that stop at stop lights, then restart. The number of non-hybrid cars out there calling for 0w20 oil is far, far greater than the number of hybrids.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

There is not any difference in engines sold here where mandated 0W20 is recomeneded and other places where 5W30 is recomeneded.

Okay. Here we go. You've made this unsupported assertion many times here. Please show us that you are not guessing. in fact, please show us a link that reports those engines are different than 5w30 engines, same manufacturer, same engine displacement. And please, when you give us a URL cite, make sure it is not social media. I suspect your conclusions actually came from someone else, on social media, who is also making unsupported assertions.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

little fellow?

Here we have a PARF-style insult.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Any engineer will tell you heat cycles, stops and starts are what kills an engine!!

ibid. Those stoplight stops and starts are hybrid cars. Most 0w20 cars are not hybrids. The best reasons for why manufacturers specify 0w20 is not, as you suggest, because of stops and starts OR heat.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

..... childish anwrs as from a 6th grader.

More PARF-is name-calling.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

This is not th e polirical forum

Actually it is. No sooner do I complain....again....that PARF stinks up PPOT, than Shaun starts a thread about how magical and wonderful this PPOT community used to be and that almost nobody even comes here anymore. And then I watch several more PPOT threads get blown up by bored PARF'ers coming over here looking for a fight or a new place to insert politics. Gubmit-bashing is indeed politics.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

. your childish antics ....

Another insult.

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

PS-
I do supose you are calling L&N engineering all wrong too?

What is "L&N engineering" and what does it have to do with the topic at hand?

As with so many topics under discussion these days, oil viscosity is not so simple and also not gubmit's fault. I wish the world were as simple to me as it is to so many others, but it is factually not that simple. It just seems simple to some people.

I would like you, afterburn 549, to show us some non-social-media sites offering facts that would support your assertions. But i kinda don't care, either. I hope the OP (cantdrv55) does his homework. Why? Because he's the one asking the question. He's curious. His mind is open and he does need to understand that 0w20 oil should be used in engines spec'd for 0w20 oil, and he's likely to find those reasons interesting.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

....
think for 5 seconds afterburn. please.

notice how the recommendation change is always on the cold rating, not the hot rating of the oil? hummmm might be a reason for that. might want to take a moment and have a thought or two about that.

CP, I think questions are not in his mind and will not appear there.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by Superman

CP, I think questions are not in his mind and will not appear there.

sorry for the misfire response, my mistake.

[john70t]

There are trade-offs:
0-20/30W gets to surfaces faster on startup. Including cylinder walls and behind rings. That's where most of the engine wear occurs to my understanding. It has lower viscosity and a lower total load to pump through an engine so should be better MPG.

It does not remain on surfaces as a thick film for a long time in crevices at critical points. It will not hold a surface as well under heavy torque.


I did put 5-30W in a Prius Atkinson cycle with 0-30W recommendation which 'sounded' louder to me at startup idle, and quickly changed back.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by john70t

There are trade-offs:
0-20W gets to surfaces faster on startup. Including cylinder walls and behind rings. That's where most of the engine wear occurs to my understanding. It has lower viscosity and a lower total load to pump through an engine so should be better MPG.

It does not remain on surfaces as a thick film for a long time in crevices at critical points. It will not hold a surface as well under heavy torque.


I did put 5-30W in a Prius Atkinson cycle which 'sounded' louder to me at startup idle, and quickly changed back.

modern oils have much better film coatings than older oils.

and, again, hot viscosity will be the same between 5w20 and 0w20. so you get the same hot performance, with the increase in protection on start up

[911 Rod]

Did I miss the part about "why would you?"
I didn't read all the babble with you guys and personal bickering.

[afterburn 549]

I pointed out the real "Why would I " and even facts.
I am done.

[908/930]

I will stick with oil on the thicker side of 0w20. I find it interesting that performance motorcycles run thicker oil, my RC8R recommends 10w50, newer Ducati oil is 15w50, and quite sure the tolerances in there are very tight, and they spin at least twice as fast as most car engines.

I like what BMW specs for the F30 4cyl turbo, 0w-30 or 0w20, alternative listed viscosity grades 5w-20, 5w-30, 0W-40, 5W40 so just about anything.