Pls Read - Auto Tech: Oils that save fuel

[Chemical]

Automobile manufacturers use many methods to improve fuel economy. One that you may not have considered is the use of lighter-viscosity engine oils. Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda and Mitsubishi are some of the manufacturers that are specifying the use of 0W-20 synthetic engine oils in some of their vehicles. Toyota has even been using 0W-20 synthetic motor oil as a factory fill in several models since 2006; if your vehicle currently uses 5W-20 conventional oil, then the 0W-20 synthetic oil is an option.

So why would you use 0W-20 oil? First of all, this synthetic oil has excellent stability through a wide temperature range. For example, Mobil1 0W-20 oil pours at temperatures as low as –47 degrees Celsius and protects at oil temperatures as high as 205 degrees Celsius. This is far outside the normal operating range for almost all vehicles.

Vehicles in past decades needed thicker conventional oil with viscosity ratings of 10W-30 or higher. As temperatures went up, the oil would thin out but by having a thicker initial viscosity the oil could still keep moving parts protected. There are many car owners and automotive technicians too who still think you need high viscosity oils to protect engine parts. This may have been true when engine parts were not as precisely made, but now more precise engine parts and the advanced chemistry in 0W-20 oil provides this same protection and has additional benefits as well.

Because 0W-20 flows so well at cold temperatures, it lubricates parts faster during cold starts. Most engine wear occurs during the first couple of minutes after a cold start and fast flowing oil protects sooner; it also allows the engine to crank faster so it can start more quickly. These are real benefits on a cold Canadian winter morning.

Another benefit of 0W20 is reduced internal engine friction, which improves fuel economy in the range of 0.5 to two per cent. This may not seem like much, but improving fuel economy is done in small steps. Every little bit helps and it could save you several hundreds of dollars in fuel costs over the life of the vehicle.

Some of the fuel economy savings result from less power needed to drive the oil pump in the engine – the lighter viscosity oil just flows more easily. Internal engine changes over the years have been made to accommodate thinner viscosity oils. Different oil ring design and roller contact points for the valvetrain reduce a lot of sliding friction.

Engine oil prevents wear by separating moving parts from each other. The oil forms a boundary layer so the parts don’t touch but high spots on the parts can penetrate the oil film and cause wear. More precise tolerances and more accurate machining processes for engine parts help the thinner viscosity oil protect the parts.

0W-20 oil provides the best lubrication under all temperature conditions, reduces engine combustion chamber deposits, reduces vehicle emissions and improves fuel economy. That’s a lot to ask of engine oil, but 0W-20 synthetic is up to the task.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/07/2 ... e-fuel.htm

[Big Z]

Its unfortunate that Trinidadians insist on 20W50 oil.
It wastes both fuel and power.
Hopefully people will start using the lower viscousities that their vehicle manufacturer recommend.

[Hook]

Lemme play Devil's advocate here.

With age and wear, I think the use of a higher viscosity oil is justified. As well as in some applications where oil loss can occur at high rpms.
I've an older engine that swings past 8000rpm (tach stops at 8 lol) and I lose about a half qt every 2mths or 1200-1500km. Mobil1 5W-30 actually disappears in there so it's an expensive habit to maintain over time. What I save in fuel I spend on oil? At ~$70/qt I don't mind skipping the Mobil.

But the winter rating for multiweight oils is for viscosity at 0*C. In our climate where ambient temperatures rarely dip below 20*C and can get as high as 37*C (under controlled conditions, actual road temperatures can be much higher), do we really need an oil that thin?
TTTL actually uses Castrol 10W-30. Should we really opt for something thinner if the dealership uses that?

[Big Z]

I agree that for an older car in which the engine tolerances have been exceeded, that it is justifiable to use a thicker oil. That's why Castrol offers 25W60!!
However, you wont see any new car coming with 20W50, nor will you see the relevant dealer using or recommending 20W50.
I believe the newer Hondas call for 0W20, but I would generally recommend a 10W30 due to lower price, availability and compatibility.

[~Vēġó~]

good read....interesting!

[CD4Accord]

beware... the 20w-50 crew from a certain brand will soon swoop on you and tell you that "dem oil too tin for we weather" "use we oil cause it does wok bess"

I'm well aware of the 0w-20 oils in the US but I don't really consider the fuel savings to be worth the trouble.. I will stick with my 5w-40 at the moment.. Truth be told, you will save more from properly inflating tyres or just driving a little more human..


Hook: I can't agree with you there.. The first number is the winter viscosity.. aka 10w or 5w or 0w.. As you mentioned that is the viscosity at 0 degrees.. The whole purpose of multigrade oil was to extend the operating temperature range of oils, and in doing so, the second viscosity number would become the only one relevant to us here in Trinidad..
The only reason that the w viscosity increases in the case of 20w-50 etc is that it would be borderline impossible to do an oil with such an extreme range of operation .. eg. 0w-50

Basically what im saying is, the W viscosity can be ignored completely for our purposes..

[yakuza]

beware... the 20w-50 crew from a certain brand will soon swoop on you and tell you that "dem oil too tin for we weather" "use we oil cause it does wok bess"

I'm well aware of the 0w-20 oils in the US but I don't really consider the fuel savings to be worth the trouble.. I will stick with my 5w-40 at the moment.. Truth be told, you will save more from properly inflating tyres or just driving a little more human..


Hook: I can't agree with you there.. The first number is the winter viscosity.. aka 10w or 5w or 0w.. As you mentioned that is the viscosity at 0 degrees.. The whole purpose of multigrade oil was to extend the operating temperature range of oils, and in doing so, the second viscosity number would become the only one relevant to us here in Trinidad..
The only reason that the w viscosity increases in the case of 20w-50 etc is that it would be borderline impossible to do an oil with such an extreme range of operation .. eg. 5w-50

Basically what im saying is, the W viscosity can be ignored completely for our purposes..

ENEOS has 0W50.

[CD4Accord]

You call me out there.. didnt know about that one from ENEOS.. props to them

Just remember you paying $$ for all that quality... haha

I like the fact that the 0w-20 doesnt void factory warranty in the states .. in the end it not much different to the 5w-20 honda using anyway

[Hook]

I agree for newer engines, it's cool, but I'd stick with a 5W-30 or 10W-30 as this is what the firms here usually go with.

For me, in our dusty conditions and my start n' stop driving, I change oil fairly often (3000km actually), so the benefits of a synthetic with a long change interval is wasted, ergo, I use mineral oil. What's important to me is filtration and my choice of oil really depends on other things besides viscosity, such as flash point, sulphur content, detergent content etc. if I could get spec sheets online. I won't get into brand etc...there's a thread for that already.

But in the interest of giving advice to not-so-knowledgeable folks, for our climate, which body oil is recommended for engines below 100,000km and which oil for engines over that?
And for those running high compression N/A or turbo applications, which weight and what do we look out for?

[Big Z]

Please Please dont take the chainup that in Trinidad we have severe conditions. We have minimal temperature fluctuation (18*C to 40*C) , we have minimal dust (when last you see a dust storm).

The best oils to use would be one that meets a diesel rating, especially CI. These have alot more detergents, hence better particle holding capacity. Also, the additives dont break down as fast as the oils are designed to withstand the higher stresses of a diesel engine.
3000 km is way too short for an oil change.

I strongly recommend using the thinnest oil recommended by your manufacturer. This tends to be 10W30 or 5W30 for most vehicles.
If you have oil consumption issues, ensure that you are not exceeding your OEM change interval.
Also ensure that you PCV valve is functioning correctly. It is standard practice, in North America, to replace this at almost every oil change.

100k km is nothing to talk about. Stick with the manufacturer specified oil.
If you have a vehicle in which the oil still needs to be topped up after a full maintenance service has been completed, you can try the higher viscousity oil.
Please note that it is normal for oil to burn off. Your real concern should be the rate at which it burns off.


Hook, I would love to have you as a customer!

[Hook]

Don't get sassy with me n'guh.

Remember I said this at the beginning:

Lemme play Devil's advocate here.

I actually use 10W-30 Castrol GTx because it's cheap and available everywhere, has the highest amount of detergents than most other mineral oils, low sulphur, low flash point, doesn't sludge and I don't think half quart every 3000km is too much to ask w.r.t. burn-off rate.
I am, however interested in your filters, but that's for another thread.

oh and lol @ your comment on dust (dust and weather is my field, don't try to school me lol)

As you were.

[EVA Unit-01]

oh and lol @ your comment on dust (dust and weather is my field, don't try to school me lol)

as is mine, kinda... where u doz get so much dust???

neway, i use d 5w40 recommended by my dealership, yet no1 seems 2 tink it worthy of use... some PowerSellers ain't even stocking it *wink wink*

high fluidity at cold start, high temp tolerance 4 runnin,. can't say 4 fuel efficiency as it's d only oil i've ever used in my car... i tink 5w40's good nuf 4 local conditions, no?

[Big Z]

Them power sellers must be biased...

Extracted from the Royal Purple Catalog

Oil - cST@ 40*C - cST@ 100*C - Flash Point - ASTM Tests
5W40 - 93.7 - 15.7 - 440*C - SL
15W40 - 110 - 15.3 - 450*C - SL/CI-4

Not much difference there in viscousity.
Royal Purple is claimed to be one of the best flowing oils.. Not that big a difference between the 5W40 and the 15W40

[yakuza]

Biased you say?

[Big Z]

Lol.. he was referring to me

[yakuza]

LOL, yeah I know..... anyway I always have 5W40 in stock.

[chris1388]

eneos ftw ppl

[slow323]

I agree that for an older car in which the engine tolerances have been exceeded, that it is justifiable to use a thicker oil. That's why Castrol offers 25W60!!
However, you wont see any new car coming with 20W50, nor will you see the relevant dealer using or recommending 20W50.
I believe the newer Hondas call for 0W20, but I would generally recommend a 10W30 due to lower price, availability and compatibility.

classic motors uses 10w-30 synthetic with change intervals at 10,000kms supposedly honda fluids

[cryotec]

so in the new swift (non turbo)/hybrid from japan, 0w-16 is one of the oil recommendations. anyone tried this grade of oil?