wy not use 5w40

I've never heard of Prius over-heated, but Prius is easy to be cooled down.

Would like to hear over-heat experience on Prius other than the over-blocking of the grill.

Ken@Japan

 

Ken

I don't think that relates to an actual overheat condition. It's just conventional wisdom in the EU to spec xW-40 oils. A growing number of auto makers will spec a 0W-30, such as VW and their Castrol LongLife II oils for 24 month or 50,000 km servicing

The BP lubricant selector website in the EU suggests using their premium synthetic Visco 7000 0W-40 in the Prius

In North America, most Ford, Honda, and Mazda autos run a 5W-20 oil. If you use the BP lubricant selector there is no mention whatsoever of a 5W-20 oil, I don't believe that BP even makes a xW-20 for the EU market.

Depending on application of the Ford, Honda, or Mazda in question, in the EU BP will suggest a wide range of viscosity from 0W-40, 0W-30, 5W-30, 5W-40, etc

jay

 

But even if BP suggests an xW-40, the real question is will Toyota of the UK recommend it? Then the next question is will there be a problem that Toyota knows could happen if you use the xW-40 oil?

And of course, I start wondering if Ken in Japan can use an 0W-20 oil, or somebody in the UK can use an xW040 oil, why can't people in the U.S. use it? Is it the oil, the people doing the driving, or the weather?

 

In the EU it's VERY common for the car maker to specify a WIDE range of viscosity, which depends on ambient temperatures and expected operating conditions

This also ties into why the oil service interval in the EU is 12 months or 10,000 miles, and in North America it's precisely half as long. The EU countries have traffic congestion and stop-and-go driving. You can also find bitter cold temps, especially in the northern Scandinavian countries

One thing you generally will NOT see in the EU is a blanket recommendation from a car maker to use a vague motor oil, like "5W-30 is best for all seasons." With rare exceptions, such as VW with their special Castrol 0W-30, they specify different viscosity ranges

I'm still waiting for a forum member from the UK, France, Germany, or Australia to scan the relevant page from their owner manual. Yes, I'm dropping some pretty strong hints now. Anybody? Hello??

Ken from Japan was nice enough to do so, and it clearly outlines a variety of xW-20 and xW-30 viscosity ranges. Yet for the North American market Toyota has a TSB forbidding the use of a xW-20 in the Prius, to *only* use a 5W-30. Why is that? Different climate compared to Japan? Hardly.

On the subject of motor oil viscosity, why does Ford, Honda, and Mazda recommend an xW-20 here in North America, but refuse it in the EU and Australia? The same Ford or Honda 4 cylinder VVT motor (Honda VVT that is) that here specifies a 5W-20 will "require" a 5W-30, 0W-40, 5W-40, 15W-40 ... you get the idea

I'm eagerly awaiting a forum member from any EU member country, or Australia, to scan the section from their owner manual and provide us with viscosity details. Or are they afraid the API will break down the door at 0300 and kidnap their children and pets?

 

More on the subject of oil viscosity. I also have a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser with their 4.0 litre VVT V6. Oil filler cap states 5W-30. Dealer will actually refill with 5W-20. There is a TSB floating around but it's rather vague and confusing whether the 4.0 in the FJ allows a 5W-20

This same VVT motor is used in certain EU market Land Cruiser models. The same motor is used in the Land Cruiser/Prado sold in Australia. If I use the BP Lubricant selector, it suggests a cutoff for 5W-30 of +10 C. Anything hotter they recommend a variety of 0W-40, 5W-40, 15W-40, 15W-50, you get the idea

No mention whatsoever of a xW-20 in the EU or Australia

I still maintain that an oil like Mobil 1 0W-40 is appropriate for most operating conditions. If I had to park outside, especially considering it dipped to -34 F last night, I'd probably run Mobil 1 0W-20 at least in winter

With my Prius, I'm running 0W-20 year round with zero oil consumption. Since my engine warranty was up almost two years ago, I only change the oil and filter on average once every fall. Excellent used oil analysis lab reports

 

I expect to take a photo later, but in our Spanish manual especify (free translation to English):

20W-50 & 15W-40
Multigrade motor oil API SL or SM

10W-30 & 5W-30
API SL Energy Conserving, SM Energy Conserving or ILSAC multigrade motor oil.

(Here comes a chart with temps. and viscosity, ranges from 5W-30 for >-29ºC to 20W-50 for >-7ºC)

And continue:
"SAE 5W-30 is the best selection for your car, with the best mileage and best start in cold weather".

 

That temperature chart for recomended viscosity range is what I would love to see.

 

PRIUS Spanish handbook:

 

THANK YOU!!

You wouldn't believe how long I have been waiting for such concrete data. You would think I was asking to remove teeth without anesthetics and analgesics!

Now the interesting part. No mention whatsoever of an xW-20. No mention of a 0W-30 either, although this oil is available in the EU as an extended service Castrol LongLife II approved for VW

Using that oil in a VW, oil service is every 24 months or 50,000 km

Ken from Japan posted his Japanese manual and they allowed the use of xW-20 oils, but no 15W-40 or 20W-50. I expect that since 15W-40 or 20W-50 is a very common viscosity in EU and Australia, Mid East, and Africa, you will find the manual tailored to those locales

So all this doom and gloom of using an oil lighter - or "heavier" - is pretty much out the window. As long as the viscosity is appropriate to the ambient temperature, use whatever

Again, good work. Here, have a drink on me

Gluk gluk gluk gluk gluk gluk gluk gluk <clink>

 

In Spain we can get pretty hot on summer, specially at the south, over 45ºC (113ºF) is very usual in Seville and Cordoba (the originals, not a lot of American cities ;-), the Guadalquivir valley.

So a 20W50 doesn't seem too much...

Edit: Thanks for the drink, I'll choose red wine please, not to drive today

 

In Jordan the dealer uses Lexus 5w-40 fully synthetic oil, although they have a 10w-30 normal oil , but still they insist on using 5w-40.

The temperature in Jordan is moderate in summer(average is 33C ) and in winter as well (sometimes we get snow but most of the times the temperature is higher than 0C)

My car is imported so I don't what the manual says about the recommended oil in Jordan.