Thought going from 0W-20 to 5w-30?

[ApexEight]

In Europe, the manual states 0-20 or 5-30. I 've been using Mobil 1 5-30 without issues or oil consumption.Oil change internals every 5k km. A friend has a non-Si running 0-20 and burned half of it within 5k km. In general most dont have issues with 0-20 but they do change it more frequently than what the usermanual states.

I'm not necessarily anti-0W20, but if your friend is losing half of his oil within 5K km, I'm pretty sure he has issues other than his oil choice.

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[fenix-silver]

I'm not necessarily anti-0W20, but if your friend is losing half of his oil within 5K km, I'm pretty sure he has issues other than his oil choice.

Ha, sounds like a Subaru. There was a period in the early 2010s I believe where w/ one of their engines it wasn't uncommon to add a quart or 2 every 5000 miles, basically new from the factory. Subaru's response was that it was normal. (I'm not bashing Subaru necessarily, but that was some bull crap)

 

[fenix-silver]

Personally, if I did lots of hard driving or lived in a hot climate year round, I'd seriously consider a 0w-30. I feel like sticking w/ a 0w is somewhat important as that affects cold starts, but maybe in a hot climate where you're always at 70+ F, the difference between a 0w and 5w is minimal.

 

[IronFusion]

The folly in this is thinking that your car that was “made for sale in the USA“ is mechanically any different than one sold elsewhere in the world, and that the oil recommendations in the various manuals found in different territories aren’t influenced by local regulatory bodies and laws *cough* C.A.F.E. Standards *cough* more than by actual engineering difference that would necessitate a different grade of oil.

Perhaps. I was speaking to the specified instruction in the manual being catered to market of sale and intended use. Fuel could be a component leading to the manual for a different country specifying broader oils.
But if 0w-20 makes a sufficient different vs 5w-30 for fuel economy that it's compelled for CAFE... Doesnt that indicate that the engine design experiences less frictional losses with the 0w-20? Less friction lends to less wear.
In the end it is a personal choice. But if we as a community adopt anecdotes as truth in our discussions, folks will come in and assume we're operating on knowledge which they will then follow. My experience with dealerships leaves no doubt in my mind that if such a person takes their car in for warranty inspection and repair, having using oil outside the specs in the manual, and says they're using an off-spec oil the service and aspects of the warranty might very well be denied.

 

[IronFusion]

Ha, sounds like a Subaru. There was a period in the early 2010s I believe where w/ one of their engines it wasn't uncommon to add a quart or 2 every 5000 miles, basically new from the factory. Subaru's response was that it was normal. (I'm not bashing Subaru necessarily, but that was some bull crap)

No link in hand, but IIRC flat-4 designs experience different piston/wear characteristics that can contribute to greater oil consumption.

 

[BoxsterSteve]

I saw a thread where someone posted a owners manual of a 10th gen owners manual I believe from Japan and there they state 5w-30 was acceptable

Can use 5w30 without issues.
It’s OK for the rest of the world without engines grenading at an alarming rate.

In North America, we’re threatened that engine damage will occur or big rocks will fall from the sky as a result of using any other viscosity than 0w20.

If you want better oil protection, use 5w30.
If you want that extra 0.25mpg,use 0w20.

 

[fenix-silver]

Perhaps. I was speaking to the specified instruction in the manual being catered to market of sale and intended use. Fuel could be a component leading to the manual for a different country specifying broader oils.
But if 0w-20 makes a sufficient different vs 5w-30 for fuel economy that it's compelled for CAFE... Doesnt that indicate that the engine design experiences less frictional losses with the 0w-20? Less friction lends to less wear.
In the end it is a personal choice. But if we as a community adopt anecdotes as truth in our discussions, folks will come in and assume we're operating on knowledge which they will then follow. My experience with dealerships leaves no doubt in my mind that if such a person takes their car in for warranty inspection and repair, having using oil outside the specs in the manual, and says they're using an off-spec oil the service and aspects of the warranty might very well be denied.

0W-20 doesn't mean that the engine itself experiences less frictional wear, just that the lower viscosity has less drag on moving parts, which is why it leads to increase fuel economy. Typically, lower viscosity oils will lead to greater wear, but I'd have to assume the engineers took that into account. I totally agree that this is all anecdotal. In the end, Honda had to balance trying to meet CAFE standards with engineering for longevity. Without Honda engineers, we have no idea what may have been sacrificed.

 

[Design]

Perhaps. I was speaking to the specified instruction in the manual being catered to market of sale and intended use. Fuel could be a component leading to the manual for a different country specifying broader oils.
But if 0w-20 makes a sufficient different vs 5w-30 for fuel economy that it's compelled for CAFE... Doesnt that indicate that the engine design experiences less frictional losses with the 0w-20? Less friction lends to less wear.
In the end it is a personal choice. But if we as a community adopt anecdotes as truth in our discussions, folks will come in and assume we're operating on knowledge which they will then follow. My experience with dealerships leaves no doubt in my mind that if such a person takes their car in for warranty inspection and repair, having using oil outside the specs in the manual, and says they're using an off-spec oil the service and aspects of the warranty might very well be denied.

CAFE/emissions standards are part of it. Honda also accounts for lubrication standards and ambient operating conditions. All directly impact oil recommendations both here and abroad.

 

[Maximum6]

Just a theory, but I wonder for those that are doing UOA, if they all of a sudden switch the 0w-20 to a 5w-30 of the same brand, will they see less of Iron wear or other wear in general.
Only speaking to those who Track.

Also the idea that a thicker oil can hold a bit more heat, but also takes longer to have a cool down. I wonder if switching to 5w30 will actually help with Cooling issues. Yes, I am aware of the oil "facts" that thinner oil is cooler. But currently I have not seen anybody running on TRACK with 5w30 on stock power reporting any temperature data.

 

[redcivic19x]

https://www.27won.com/blog/the-great-oil-debate-civicx
Just dropping this in there here in case anyone hasn’t read it.

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