I was in autozone today and was checkin the oil as i need to do a change soon. I noticed that mobil 1 makes a full synthetic oil 0w-20 that is supposed to be the same as the recommended 5w-20 buy ford and honda. Are there any advantages to using the 0w-20? I've been using 10w-30 full synthetic mobil 1 for about 18 months now. But i read somewhere that using the 5w-20 could help mpg?

Does anyone have a chart showing what each oil means to the un-educated? Like which is thicker/thinner good for certain months/weather?

 

Generally, heavier oils are for use in summer, and lighter oils are for use in winter. Also, lighter oils will be *slightly* better on fuel economy. You'd never notice the difference. If you haven't got a vehicle that requires it and is in warranty, then dont touch it with a 10ft. pole.

 

man you guys sure do have alot of 10ft. poles around here..........j/k


So should I just stick with the 10w30? or use something else?

 

Like I said, if your vehicle is in warranty and requires 5w20, then go ahead and use it. Otherwise, stick with the 10w30. Oh and if you have a warranty to worry about, save all your receipts, that way they might actually believe that you changed the oil.

If you are using a 10w30, I like to use one that's CH-4/CI-4 / SL dual rated. It has a more substantial additive package, higher TBN, more anti-foaming additive, and should keep your engine cleaner due to it's higher detergency. Look for Mystik JT-8, Chevron Delo, or Shell Rotella T.

 

shell rotella T isn't that diesel oil? I'll stick with the 10w30 then since I dont' have a warranty. But how does using a 5w20 pose a problem with the engine?

 

Yes, it's a diesel oil. And that's exactly what I recommend for the reasons I stated in my last post.

If it's required for your engine, then 5w20 probably wont cause any harm. It has been tested by Ford for certain engines. Just remember, the thinner the oil, the thinner the oil film protecting your bearings. Thus, dont use it in an engine not designed for it. For that matter, modern engines are designed a little looser, particularly on the piston to bore clearances, to improve fuel economy. It's all about fuel economy anymore. You really want a thicker oil to compensate for this, but Ford recommends a lighter oil for fuel economy.

That being said, many good UOA's have been posted from 5w20, but I still dont trust it.