0W20 oil

[Ed Pawlowski]

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

I would double check the owner's manual to make sure it does not specify synthetic oil, directly or indirectly. Assuming you have a gasoline car what is the number after the "S" in the specification (Diesel cars will have an "C" rather than the "S"

Some cars need synthetic oils and may only indirectly specifiy them.

[Bob-tx]

I would go to the dealer. Filter would probably cost a bit more, but you know you have a good one, or at least one recommended by the mfg. Bob-tx

[ransley]

My 0-20 synthetic Mobil 1 with filter was 60$ at Jiffy Lube, Here Auto Zone and sears has the oil but I would only save 15$ doing it myself, I bet even walmart has the oil.

[trader4]

Yep, that's what the dealers would like you to do. If you can find a good aftermarket filter for Porsches there is no reason you can't find one for a Toyota too. After all, I doubt Toyota is making the filter and oil.

[George]

I think it is specifying it directly. I don't know of any multi-viscosity organic oils with "0" as their lowest viscosity.

[Van Chocstraw]

It's obviously too new to be widely distributed. Mobil makes it. See here:

[Retirednoguilt]

Went to the Toyota dealer where we purchased our 2009 Corolla for the 5,000 mile "Class A" service. Our owner's manual also specifies 0W20 oil. The itemized work list shows that they used 5W20. We live in the Washington, D.C. metro area. I assume that the dealer used factory authorized oil.

[dpb]

mm wrote: ...

The SAE rating is _NOT_ the viscosity itself; it's simply a rating system related to viscosity at two reference temperatures (0 and 100 C)

Initially, the lower number roughly correlated w/ the "pour point" of the oil in C; now it's more sophisticated set of tests; see other posting for a (very) brief summary or google it for details.

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[Don Phillipson]

If you moved away from the dealer who sold you this car, ask the nearest vendor of Matrix vehicles.

[LouB]

That is nothing more than a Toyota Corolla wagon

Lou

[dpb]

Actually, 5W and 0W are the same by the SAE Standard for the low-temperature viscosity rating; only the low temperature cranking effort is slightly lower for the 0W as opposed to the 5W.

So, you'll have no lubrication issues using a 5W-20.

Here's the SAE J300 chart for comparison purposes... Low-Shear-Rate SAE Low Temp. Low Temp. Kin. Visc-cSt Grade Cranking Pumping Min. Max

0W 6,200 @ -35 60,000 @ -40 3.8 5W 6,600 @ -30 60,000 @ -35 3.8 10W 7,000 @ -25 60,000 @ -30 4.1 15W 7,000 @ -20 60,000 @ -25 5.6 20W 9,500 @ -15 60,000 @ -20 5.6 25W 13,000 @ -10 60,000 @ -15 9.3 20 5.6 9.3 30 9.3 12.5 40 12.5 16.3 40 12.5 16.3 50 16.3 21.9 60 21.9 26.1

I truncated and additional column for the high-temp high-shear viscosity as it didn't fit well and the above seemed adequate to demonstrate the general nature of the rating system.

The Low Temp cranking and pumping columns are in cP(oise) @ the listed temperatures in C. The kinematic viscosities are in cSt(okes).

It's the low temperature lubrication before the engine is warm that the W rating is for anyway as once it gets to operating temperature the other end of the spectrum is the key item.

Upshot is, go w/ the 5W-x and you'll be fine (and as someone else noted, if you take it to the dealer for service in all likelihood that's what they'll use, anyway... :) )

[Steve Barker]

since most people are hell bent on using multiviscosity oil, just use good old 10w30. Personally, i use straight 30 in all my vehicles year 'round.

steve

[George]

Some people do care about compatibility issues etc because additives vary with viscosity. Running straight weight oil is a relic from the long ago past. A car engine isn't some industrial gear box that is always in the same temperature range. Using a lubricant that changes viscosity as required is quite sensible and good engineering. This is especially true where using a heavy straight weight oil would make the vehicle unusable for half the year because you could never start it.

[dpb]

George wrote: ...

Actually, that could be a major benefit under that scenario since if it isn't running at least it isn't running cold unlubricated because the oil is too viscous at low temperature to get to the upper parts of the engine. (wry :) )

This is particularly important w/ OHV engines...

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[gfretwell]

That is a blanket statement that doesn't take into account, some of us live in the tropics where 30w always flows.

[Jim]

[....]

[....]

"The main reason 5W-20 or 0W-20 oil was specified for your engine is to increase the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) reported to the Federal Government. CAFE is the combined average fuel economy of all of a vehicle manufacturers product line."

"This increased fuel economy is virtually undetectable to the average motorist without the use of specialized engine monitoring and testing equipment under strictly controlled test track driving when compared to a 5W-30, 10W-30 or a 0W-30 viscosity motor oil."

Larry, your thoughts please.

[clare]

It was an accurate statement. He said it was "especially true where using a heavy straight weight oil would make the vehicle unusable for half the year because you could never start it."

That's in about 1/2 to 2/3 of the world for 1/4 to 1/2 the time.

[Pat]

This is why I change the oil. I buy it at Walmart. My manual says 5W20 can be used in a pinch but it should be changed for 0W20 as soon as possible.

[Steve Barker]

blah blah blah. did you notice that the straight 30 still has the same sg or sh rating as your wonderful multi-vis? Also, multiple hundreds of thousands of miles on my '02, '03 and '04 vehicles with no ill effect. the multi-vis thing is a scam for gas mileage ratings only.