5w/20-5w/30

[mjsparky363]

I did a search with not much luck so, anyone using 5/20 full syn. motor oil instead of 5/30? Any downsides to using the lighter weight ? My reason is I can get 5/20 for about 1/2 price ( my truck and volvo and suv use 5/20) from a friend.

[newapocalypse]

Personally i dont think there is much of a difference, specially seeing some of the newer honda vehicles all use 5w-20 since its supposed to help with gas mileage. I wouldnt do it, you save 10 bucks every 5-10 k miles, whoopiiiieee.... total savings... maybe 100-150 (assuming you keep ur car for a while) Replacing your engine .... 4k plus

[EuroRspec]

You should be perfectly fine since 5w is for 5 winter, the higher number is for summer.

[ShzaTSX]

I believe they actually changed factory oil spec for tsx to 5w-20. If you get it done at a dealership it should be.

I throw in 0w-30 synthetic for the same reason, I find it cheaper.

Either way, won't be an issue.

[curls]

Originally Posted by EuroRspec

You should be perfectly fine since 5w is for 5 winter, the higher number is for summer.

Actually that is incorrect. Most oils these days are multi-weight oils (hence the 2 numbers, such as 5w-30).

From HowStuffWorks "Measuring Motor Oil Viscosity"

"Multi-weight oils (such as 10W-30) are a new invention made possible by adding polymers to oil. The polymers allow the oil to have different weights at different temperatures. The first number indicates the viscosity of the oil at a cold temperature, while the second number indicates the viscosity at operating temperature."

So, at non-operating temperature, such as starting your engine in the morning, the oil is very thin (first number weight) so that it can reach the tiny places in the engine that need it most -- between bearings and crankshaft, between valves and cam lobes, and between the pistons and the cylinder walls. But at a higher temperature, such as when the car is warmed up and driving, this thin of an oil would not protect the engine at all, so the addition of polymers and the addition of heat (from combustion), causes the oil to thicken up to the 2nd number weight.

Ideally you'd want a very low first number (0w or 5w) to protect on startup, and a higher but not prohibitively high 2nd number (20 for some cars and CAFE (fuel economy) requirements, 30 for most cars, and 40 or higher for higher-heat applications such as a turbo).

The TSX specs 5w-30 for the K24 and that is what you should run. However, any xw-30 should be fine as long as its a good quality oil. I used to run a 0w-30 Esso full synthetic group IV oil that was stellar, but its hard to find and I now use Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 which tests as good or better than Mobil1, for about 1/2 - 2/3 of the price.

[tsxklap]

curls, i love you!!!!! (in a non homosexual way, of course) brilliant and right on as always
-deadlyklappy87 from azine

[EuroRspec]

Originally Posted by curls

Actually that is incorrect. Most oils these days are multi-weight oils (hence the 2 numbers, such as 5w-30).

From HowStuffWorks "Measuring Motor Oil Viscosity"

"Multi-weight oils (such as 10W-30) are a new invention made possible by adding polymers to oil. The polymers allow the oil to have different weights at different temperatures. The first number indicates the viscosity of the oil at a cold temperature, while the second number indicates the viscosity at operating temperature."

So, at non-operating temperature, such as starting your engine in the morning, the oil is very thin (first number weight) so that it can reach the tiny places in the engine that need it most -- between bearings and crankshaft, between valves and cam lobes, and between the pistons and the cylinder walls. But at a higher temperature, such as when the car is warmed up and driving, this thin of an oil would not protect the engine at all, so the addition of polymers and the addition of heat (from combustion), causes the oil to thicken up to the 2nd number weight.

Ideally you'd want a very low first number (0w or 5w) to protect on startup, and a higher but not prohibitively high 2nd number (20 for some cars and CAFE (fuel economy) requirements, 30 for most cars, and 40 or higher for higher-heat applications such as a turbo).

The TSX specs 5w-30 for the K24 and that is what you should run. However, any xw-30 should be fine as long as its a good quality oil. I used to run a 0w-30 Esso full synthetic group IV oil that was stellar, but its hard to find and I now use Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 which tests as good or better than Mobil1, for about 1/2 - 2/3 of the price.

Yes I already know. It doesn't say anything different from what I said.

[curls]

Originally Posted by EuroRspec

Yes I already know. It doesn't say anything different from what I said.

Actually the way I interpreted your statement was that the first number was the winter weight, and the 2nd number was the summer weight. We both (?) know that is incorrect as the numbers have nothing to do with the season and everything to do with the engine temperature.

[CalgaryTSX]

You guys are saying the same thing!


In theory 5W/30 is the same as straight 30 at hot temperatures but in reality it doesn't work that way.
Multi-grade oils are a compromise.

While the trend today is to run as thin as oil as possible to get another miniscule amount of mpg & hp, how does this really thin oil affect engine protection & longevity?
Especially in a high revving 4 cylinder engine?

In addition, today's modern "catalytic & environment friendly" engine oils are worse than ever.

I prefer thicker oils in my engines in the summer, running 10W-40 in our TSX and my 5.0L Mustang & 10W-30 in the TSX in the winter.

...Joe

[harmonichonda]

I love how oil definitions always spark some epeen controversy on forums..
Though personally I use 0w 30 amsoil year round unless torco has a sale in which case I get their 5w30+zinc