0W20 oil

[hibb]

Getting ready for the first oil change in my 2009 Matrix and read the owner's manual and found that they recommend 0W20 oil fer this thang.

K-Mart doesn't carry it. Menards doesn't carry it. Napa dealer didn't have it but they did have the filter for the car.

I plan, for the time being, to start changing my own oil again. Oil change places tend to tear up the undercarriage cover to get to the oil filter. So, where is a good source to get the oil and filter and still get a decent price. Right now, it looks like the cost of the oil and filter is about what I would pay to get the oil changed by somebody else.

Thanks, David

[Frank]

Interesting post because I did not think there was any such animal as

0W20 oil but googling shows that there is.

I would imagine that unless you are living in someplace like Alaska, you would not need it:

[dpb]

For what outside temperature range?

That seems incredible; only place I've ever heard of that range would be in Arctic-like climate/temperatures.

The only reason for it I can think of otherwise is its how they managed to get mileage ratings boost by lowering oil viscosity so much.

Tried to get to an owners' manual online; stinkin' Toyota site wouldn't let one at it w/o "registering"--what's up w/ that just to look at a publication??? :( Anyway, wasn't able to check on what the recommendations are or alternatives, sorry.

I'd surely do some more checking though...

--

[Ed Pawlowski]

For the first couple of changes, if you have to , pay the price and get the oil. After that, if I could not easily find it I'd use 5W20 as the engine is better broken in. The low viscosity is more for fuel mileage than anything.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Only in synthetic oil I believe. I don't think dino juice can go down to

0 viscoity.

[Shy Picker]

The owner's manual recommends 0W20 for best performance for starting and mileage. I will go with 5W20 for this oil change because that is all that I can find in the stores except for synthetic at nearly $7 a quart.

[Shy Picker]

The only two viscosity ranges mentioned in the owner's manual is 0W20 and 5W20. Surprised the hell out of me when I saw that.

David

[Shy Picker]

Well, so far I have only seen it in synthetic.

[dpb]

Tony Hwang wrote: ...

...

The SAE rating isn't an actual viscosity; ergo, 0W-30 oil doesn't have zero viscosity at the colder test temperature (0C iirc, 100C (~210F)) for the higher.

There's a chart of a range of performance conditions by which the shorthand rating is determined for any given oil. Roughly, at least originally, the lower rating was roughly the "pour point" in C; that has become more refined and includes things like max cranking power. The actual viscosity part of the test is still performed at 100C but is a test for the minimum time (that is, the oil can't run at a lower rate than that specified as the grade standard) as opposed to a min/max time range for the high temp rating.

Use of pour point depressant additives can make any oil base perform to the tests; what is chosen to be used is a combination of design parameters as well as cost. Adding more additives raises cost as well as can shorten life as additives wear out during use.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I think 5W-20 will do OK and for normal driving it'll last over 20K miles. Even up here where I am, no one uses 0W-20. Further up North, they never shut off engine in dead winter all day long once started in the morning. My son's turbo engine(mod'd Subaru WRX STI) uses Mobil 1

5W-30 and oil/filter change once a year. He drives the car pretty hard.

[mm]

If they make oil that is SAE 0, what is the viscosity of water?

[mm]

Maybe this the best time to use synthetic, when the engine is new and doesn't dribble over the highway, or burn oil (although if it's going to burn oil, SAE 0 will burn the most.)

And synthetic lasts longer, I forget how long, althought does one want to do that with a new engine?

[mm]

But where are you? Canada, but where?

[Ed Pawlowski]

Depends on temperature

32F 1.79

60F 1.129

70F 0.982

200F 0.305

[Grandpa]

Well, if you have any engine trouble that might be covered by the warranty, they might just check to see what viscosity you actually used. If you didn't follow their requirements, there goes your warranty. Try getting a flat fixed with the new TPMS systems.

[mm]

Come on, you made that up. You must have.

Why would 70 degree water be thinner than 60 degree, and how could either be thicker than oil of any sort?

[clare]

5W20 will be OK, but I would not use a non-synthetic5W20 or 0W20 in that engine. Particularly on the "normal" schedule. Using synth at "normal" or regular at "extreme" is about the same cost and is better.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I am in Calgary Alberta smack in the Chinook belt.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, By law of physics. Won't matter at temp. engine is running water will boil(evaporate).

[SMS]

You'll want to avoid non-API certified oils at all costs, and that includes most Amsoil products.

You can see a list of all the 0W-20 oils able to meet the API standards at "

". In general, Amsoil products cannot meet the API standards because the level of phosphorus is too high. The API, and vehicle manufacturers, have determined that high levels of phosphorus will cause early catalytic converter failure.