SAE 5W30 or SAE 20W50 ?? (1 Viewer)

[Rice]

It's important to remember oil is not just a medium used to reduce friction. It also happens to be the medium used to remove heat from bearings. Another reason to think along the lines of keeping viscosity low and flow rate high.

 

[2KCruiser]

I use LubroMoly Fully Synthetic on all my cars. German oil

 

[murf]

I'm going to say it again. You ALL need to go read this article on oil viscosity. I think 95% of people think they know what they're talking about when it comes to oil weight, but don't. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

Very informative information! Everyone should read this all the way through for a better understanding.

 

[KS-Ryan]

This 3FE owner uses 10w-30 Valvoline Max Life oil and changes it every 3,000 miles.

 

[Gray Rider]

Moved Post from FAQ:
"It seems to me, that based on the conventional wisdom from this thread and from bob the oil guy info, startup viscosity trumps operating temp viscosity?"

BullElk Says:

I hear ya Mikray. My lack of wisdom always thought that the thicker oil would not drain down near as fast (similar to what I thought synthetic oil does) and thus coat the engine compartments better as it waits on start up. Is that not what is most desirable?

 

[Chester]

in my truck, the 0w and 5w stuff blows by enough that I can spray for mosquito's, it also blur's the vision of tail gators, throw in the passive undercarriage corrosion protection, and it is truly "multi-purpose.

 

[86tuning]

Fwiw it's not really bearing clearances that 'open up' on our motors. Every single Toyota engine that I've taken apart that wasn't broken had bearings that looked new.

It's the ring to wall clearance that I would worry about on a high miler. If you have blowby then a higher viscosity oil is required.

Otherwise the lower viscosity oils work fine. My LX450 with 65,000 miles runs 0w20 Toyota synthetic oil. Almost no consumption between services every 5,000 miles. But I'm in Vancouver, where the ambient temps are -5C to 20C (20-70F??) year round.

In warmer climates I would use 5w30 and not worry about it. For the OP, what is your year round temperature? Does it dip to freezing where you live? If its warm there you might as well use the popular 20w50 oil because it won't hurt anything.

 

[Howard705]

>.001

 

[Howard705]

Damn adds-.001 extra is 50% increase. I like the Australian recommendation chart that's not EPA influenced.

 

[Howard705]

And any time you don't have full oil pressure (hot at idle) anymore bearing clearances have opened up-that's where the pressure bleeds off.

 

[inkpot]

Fwiw it's not really bearing clearances that 'open up' on our motors. Every single Toyota engine that I've taken apart that wasn't broken had bearings that looked new.

It's the ring to wall clearance that I would worry about on a high miler. If you have blowby then a higher viscosity oil is required.

Otherwise the lower viscosity oils work fine. My LX450 with 65,000 miles runs 0w20 Toyota synthetic oil. Almost no consumption between services every 5,000 miles. But I'm in Vancouver, where the ambient temps are -5C to 20C (20-70F??) year round.

In warmer climates I would use 5w30 and not worry about it. For the OP, what is your year round temperature? Does it dip to freezing where you live? If its warm there you might as well use the popular 20w50 oil because it won't hurt anything.

Curious why you are on 5000 mile oil changes when you are running synthetic? John

 

[Gray Rider]

Ok, this is a tomato/tomatoe topic to a certain extent. (Fun though).

I'm going with 5w30 Mobil1 Extended Performance with the big honking M1-301 Mobil1 filter for the forseeable future.

On to other debates.........

 

[landtoy80]

Here is the non USA Oil Chart.

Here is what you don't want

 

[Gray Rider]

Here is the non USA Oil Chart.

Here is what you don't want

Ok, I don't think even penicillin will help with that...ouch!

Also, are you saying, by way of the chart, that 5w30 is no good over 50 degrees F??

 

[landtoy80]

Ok, I don't think even penicillin will help with that...ouch!

Also, are you saying, by way of the chart, that 5w30 is no good over 50 degrees F??

Thats what it says. I got the chart from a guy in AU. I would assume that the chart is for dino oil. Not sure how synthetic oil works into oil temp charts. I am not sure how it works with newer refined dino oils (if that makes any difference)

 

[Gray Rider]

Thats what it says. I got the chart from a guy in AU. I would assume that the chart is for dino oil. Not sure how synthetic oil works into oil temp charts. I am not sure how it works with newer refined dino oils (if that makes any difference)

Well maybe that makes no sense?? obviously we are going over 50F here and trying to conform to the mfg recommendation on the oil cap 5w30. What is your take?

 

[landtoy80]

5W30 is how car manufactures meet CAFA standards.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). They must recommend "energy conserving" oil.

and 5w30 and some 10w30 is an "energy conserving" oil along with the new 0w oils. Others are not.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

Oil lesson #1^^^

 

[Gray Rider]

5W30 is how car manufactures meet CAFA standards.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). They must recommend "energy conserving" oil.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/images/api2.gif and 5w30 and some 10w30 is an "energy conserving" oil along with the new 0w oils. Others are not.

So we have this recommendation in '96 (per my oil cap),from Mr T for engineering purposes, or, because Billy Clinton said it should be?? Confused here.....Please advise,

 

[landtoy80]

Well maybe that makes no sense?? obviously we are going over 50F here and trying to conform to the mfg recommendation on the oil cap 5w30. What is your take?

Here is the oil chart from my 94 Land Cruiser manual and it says 50 deg f is the max too.