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20W-50 oil recommendation from S. America

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Troy Heagy, Oct 26, 2013.

  1. Troy Heagy

    Troy Heagy Member

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    I found this image of a Prius manual from South America (nicaragua). It's pretty surprising what Toyota recommends in non-US or EU regions. I didn't think the car could run such thick 40 and 50 weight oils. To summarize:

    20W-50 may be used in the S.A. Prius if the temperature is above 20F
    15W-40 above 10F
    10W-30 above 0 F
    5W-30 or 5W-20 in all temperatures

    http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/zeuloa/photo2.jpg
     
    #1 Troy Heagy, Oct 26, 2013
  2. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    You bet it will. But the thicker the oil, the greater the load on the engine. So in order to get the best fuel economy, lighter oil is used.
     
    #2 gliderman, Oct 26, 2013
  3. Troy Heagy

    Troy Heagy Member

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    The Australian owner's manual doesn't even list 5w-20 as a recommendation. Only 5w-30 or 5w-40. That makes me wonder why Aussie Priuses don't have the 20 weight option
     
    #3 Troy Heagy, Oct 26, 2013
  4. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    That makes me wonder if oil consumption is rare in those non-CAFE counties.
     
    #4 Former Member 68813, Oct 27, 2013
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm not seeing the word "Prius" in that image.

    (I'm not disputing different regions spec heavier oil, and the image could be legit, just saying.)
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Oct 27, 2013
  6. Troy Heagy

    Troy Heagy Member

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    There's no reason to question it. That Australia and South America use thicker oils is a well-known fact.
     
    #6 Troy Heagy, Oct 28, 2013
  7. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    Shouldn't one consider changing to 5W30 after the warranty period? I don't think the thicker oil would have much effect on mileage.
     
    #7 tumbleweed, Oct 28, 2013
  8. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Remember the W in the oil spec. That means at 0C the oil acts like the first number weight wise, and at 100C it acts like the last number weight wise. That is, for 20W50 at 100C the oil is as viscous as 50 weight oil would be at 100C. So it doesn't seem that heavy when you pour it. It pours like 20W at room temp (or perhaps slightly thicker).

    Keep in mind the oil will run at temps almost always higher than the coolant, so the second number will probably be more important than the first once the engine is warmed up. The first number will impact ease of starting, which is not a problem for a Prius with a 20 HP starter motor running from 570V three phase power. The second number will impact fuel economy. In the US there are rules regarding that. In some other countries not so much. ;)
     
    #8 David Beale, Oct 28, 2013
  9. hlunde

    hlunde Member

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    In the US, a manufacturer has to the use the "specified" oil during the EPA test. So, if you want to use 0W20 to get the best test result, then this has to be the recommended oil. I'm not suggesting that 0W20 doesn't provide adequate engine protection, but other weights seem to work as well according to non-US specifications.
     
    #9 hlunde, Oct 28, 2013
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