Motor oil article

[bwilson4web]

FYI,

Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear

Bob Wilson

[Slow]

Thanks. It's fascinating. What conclusions do you draw about Prius? Use thicker oil?

[energyandair]

Interesting article.
Does Toyota recommend different oil outside North America as well as different change intervals?

[mindmachine]

I look at it this way, it depends on how long you keep a car and how many miles you are going to put on it.

I trade cars when the warranty is up and the miles I put on are low, so to protect the warranty. I use the mfg recommended oils.

If i kept the car a long time and put on a lot of miles I would error on the side of heavier oils that will lubricate better and hopefully extend the life of the engine.

[Philosophe]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

FYI,

Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear

Very interesting. I would have liked to know how this apply to colder climates.

Being in Canada and having a choice between 0W20 or 5W20 (as per Toyota's Owners manual for Canada), I will prefer 5W20 in the summer. But for the winter...? 5W20 will reduce engine wear when the engine is warm but will be thicker at -15°C and will then put more wear on a cold engine than 0W20...

As of now, I haven't been able to find Mobil1 0W20... so 5W20 it will be for this winter...

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by Philosophe

As of now, I haven't been able to find Mobil1 0W20... so 5W20 it will be for this winter...

They have it on the shelf at Walmart here in sunny California.

I have been using 0W30 for the last couple of oil changes. My reasoning is that it flows better at cold temps than 5W30, but has virtually the same hot viscosity. It is the same price for Mobil 1 0W30 and 5W30 at Walmart.

[philobeddoe]

Originally Posted by Philosophe

Very interesting. I would have liked to know how this apply to colder climates.

Being in Canada and having a choice between 0W20 or 5W20 (as per Toyota's Owners manual for Canada), I will prefer 5W20 in the summer. But for the winter...? 5W20 will reduce engine wear when the engine is warm but will be thicker at -15°C and will then put more wear on a cold engine than 0W20...

As of now, I haven't been able to find Mobil1 0W20... so 5W20 it will be for this winter...

virtually imperceptible difference in viscosity between the cold weight of 0 and the cold weight of 5

further, the internal combustion chambers are not going to run cooler in your car once the car is warmed in the winter

i'd be running a 0W30 or a 5W30, whichever is available, year round

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

cen-pe-co.com is a purveyor of paraffin-based oils meant for heavy equipment, trucking, farming, racing and industrial applications. Since they do not deal in synthetic oil products, the point of view of this article might not be on-topic for high-mpg passenger vehicles.

[philobeddoe]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

cen-pe-co.com is a purveyor of paraffin-based oils meant for heavy equipment, trucking, farming, racing and industrial applications. Since they do not deal in synthetic oil products, the point of view of this article might not be on-topic for high-mpg passenger vehicles.

i don't think the distinction is relevant

in fact, oils like Rotella, Mobil Delvac, Chevron Delo, all primarily developed for diesel engines, 18 wheelers and heavy machinery have been widely accepted and embraced for passenger vehicles, and more notably powersports, motorcycles and high performance cars

the viscosity and friction issues are the same in all internal combustion engines, and the primary differences between dino and synth oils are the OCI, based largely on additive packages and the ability to maintain viscosity longer ... i.e. longer OCI's

viscosity is viscosity, and a thirty weight oil is going to suspend contaminants better than the twenty weight, it's also going to maintain viscosity better, and longer, as well as reduce friction better, from day one until the day the oil is changed

further, the Prius isn't really a high winding beast

[timo27]

OK, I admit that the subject of oil is not exactly my forte (I rely on and defer to others on this forum who are obviously knowledgeable on the subject). That said, here are a few of my observations/opinions:

(1) Note citation request at bottom: “By Blaine Ballentine, Central Petroleum Company, "Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear". Machinery Lubrication Magazine. July 2003”

- Perhaps just a bit out of date? A lot has changed in almost seven years...


(2) “First, we should face the fact that the American consumer does not appear to care too much about fuel economy. The No. 1 selling passenger vehicle is the Ford F-Series Pickup. Five of the top 10 best-selling vehicles are trucks, and trucks outsell cars.”

-Uh, yeah, we couldn't care less about FE (well, admittedly many don't). But, 2 million+ Americans have bought Prii since this article was written. Also, as above, I challenge the currency of this assertion; again, seems like old data. Not inaccuarate at the time; just outdated.

(3) “Additionally, consider how most vehicles are driven. Anyone accelerating slowly or driving at the speed limit to conserve energy is a danger to himself and other drivers who are in a much bigger hurry."

- Sounds like an editorial comment to me, with undertones of an axe to grind against "the gummint" and others.

(4)“Thicker oils also compromise cold temperature flow, which may be of concern depending upon climate and season. “
-Sounds sensible to me. Especially when your car shuts on and off frequently.

(5) “The best protection against wear is probably a product that is a little thicker …”

- Maybe, maybe not, especially in a vehicle like the Prius that runs at low speed and temps and constantly stops and starts. But in any case, contradictory to the above statement.

(6)“The best oil for your vehicle depends on your driving habits, the age of your engine and the climate you drive in, but it is not necessarily the type of oil specified in the owner’s manual or stamped on the dipstick. “

- Agreed 100%, at least in the case of the 2010 Prius where a single recommendation is made for a single continent (North America) >9 million mi^2, with temps ranging from -80F to +130F.

Just my thoughts.
Cheers
Tim