Yes, another Oil Question.
02-13-2006, 07:41 PM
#11
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"The digit 20 in 5W-20 oil grade stands for 20 degrees Fahrenhiet."
That's a good one.
The 20 or 30 or 40 is the SAE viscosity at +212f...operating temp.
The "W" is the "winter" rating and is a measurment of how cold a temp the oil will allow an engine to crank at.
Cars that spec 20 weight oil do perfectly fine on it. Used Oil (lab) Analysis of the wear metals in 20 weight oil shows no abnormal wear. After all, cheap 30 weight oil from a drum shears down to a 20 pretty quick anyway.
Newer SM-spec oils do a very good job at engine protection, be it 20 or 30 weight...or thicker for Euro cars.
Mobil Clean
Havoline/Chevron
Motorcraft
Castrol GTX
...alll are great oils.
In my Honda, I use Mobil 1 0w-30 and Saab Synth 0w-30 (Euro mobil 1)because I have a bunch of it stocked. Great oil, cranks at -30f. There is a nice imported Syntec, from Germany the 0w-30 that is a thick 30. They take their oils very seriously in Germany and this is the best of the best...unique chemistry. Available at AutoZone and O'Rieleys. Euro specs for it are based on 18,000 mile intervals.
Bob's is the place to learn a lot about a subject which few people know much about...
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...&f=1&submit=Go
That's a good one.
The 20 or 30 or 40 is the SAE viscosity at +212f...operating temp.
The "W" is the "winter" rating and is a measurment of how cold a temp the oil will allow an engine to crank at.
Cars that spec 20 weight oil do perfectly fine on it. Used Oil (lab) Analysis of the wear metals in 20 weight oil shows no abnormal wear. After all, cheap 30 weight oil from a drum shears down to a 20 pretty quick anyway.
Newer SM-spec oils do a very good job at engine protection, be it 20 or 30 weight...or thicker for Euro cars.
Mobil Clean
Havoline/Chevron
Motorcraft
Castrol GTX
...alll are great oils.
In my Honda, I use Mobil 1 0w-30 and Saab Synth 0w-30 (Euro mobil 1)because I have a bunch of it stocked. Great oil, cranks at -30f. There is a nice imported Syntec, from Germany the 0w-30 that is a thick 30. They take their oils very seriously in Germany and this is the best of the best...unique chemistry. Available at AutoZone and O'Rieleys. Euro specs for it are based on 18,000 mile intervals.
Bob's is the place to learn a lot about a subject which few people know much about...
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...&f=1&submit=Go
02-13-2006, 07:54 PM
#12
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That nordic site provides a good summary for oil changes. I'd like to add that picking an exact mileage for a change is..silly and inexact. I change on a time schedule and pick an oil that allows me to go that much time. ie: Mobil Clean 5000/7500 (blend) Personally, I don't want to do OC in the cold weather, so that means going 4 months from Dec-Mar...that's about 7500mi, so an oil that can go that distance is used. 2-3-4 times a year is ideal and changing on time schedule allows a visc change for summer/winter if desired. Honestly, my wife's CR-V gets 6 month changes on Mobil 1....9000miles + or -.
