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Mobil 1 0W16

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by AzusaPrius, May 29, 2023.

  1. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    Picked one up to try out and got it for $29.06 will see if this makes the ICE smoother and willing to give more MPG.

    Price was cheaper than 0W20 right now. 20230529_204211.jpeg
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I've heard of people moving up to 5w30 on the Gen3, but first time I've seen someone moving down to 0w16. Might cause engine damage to get 1 extra mpg.
     
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  3. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

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    Is the engine designed for this viscosity oil?
     
  4. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Someone tried 0W-16 on their Honda Clarity PHEV:

    0w16 oil | Honda Clarity Forum

    Please see post #5 as to why that may not be a good idea to try/try at your own risk.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I suspect 0W16 will be ok. Still myself, I'd stick to the spec'd oil weight. Or heavier.
     
  6. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Those pistons are designed and engineered for a specific oil viscosity...using lighter oil will cause them to wear quicker, especially in a 2010! Stick to what it says on the oil fill cap...there's plenty of other things to be done to get better MPGs.
     
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  7. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    No chance it will make the engine smoother and any mpg improvement might require a lab setting to prove. If anything you could get opposite results if it affects the variable valve timing which is hydraulic. Toyota usually allows a slightly higher viscosity oil in a pinch as long as you change it in half the time.
     
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    If I owned a G3 I wouldn't care so much about mileage and would be more concerned about keeping that engine healthy. Like running very high quality 30 weight oil and staying on top of the EGR issues. One $$$ engine failure will wipe out a lifetime of mpg gains.

    Running oil thinner than water will not help that engine in fact it will make the solid lifters extra loud. Loud means there not happy.
     
  9. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    A lot of contrived theories here but the fact remains:
    The difference between 0W20 and 0W16 is a teeny-tiny difference
    that is NOT likely to perform any differently in an actual engine in normal use.
     
  10. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    ILSAC went through the trouble of separating 6A and 6B to distinguish that they’re not confident in saying 0W-16 is backwards compatible with any 0W-20.

    Unless Mobil’s oil application guide online says it’s okay to use 0W-16 I’d say hard pass. Well I guess it’s okay if you have very deep pockets:

    What type of oil and oil filter for my car? Car oil recommendation | Mobil™ Motor Oils

    Walmart has an easy returns/exchange process just swap it out for the Hybrid 0W-20 or some other….
     
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  11. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    OR.....they aren't really confident that 0W16 is the best choice for ANY engine.....really.......
    So THEY don't want to be blamed if the vehicle maker doesn't specifically recommend it.
     
  12. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    OR- They’re just as confident that is the best choice AS specified by the vehicle manufacturer…
     
  13. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Our 2011 has over 130K on the odometer. The last oil change, with less than 1500 miles driven in 7 months, mostly to and from work less than 2 miles one way, had very dark colored oil.

    The OCC had a volume of oil only about half of what was in there before when the OCI was 5K miles and work was 18 mostly freeway miles away.

    I'm not ready to go to 5w-30 oil yet, but I'm considering using maybe 2 quarts of 5w-30 and the remaining volume 0w-20 to try to reduce the blowby past the rings.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #13 xliderider, May 30, 2023
    Last edited: May 30, 2023
  14. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    It’s funny if you go to Toyota Mexico for example the oil weight in owners manuals is not pegged to 0W-20.

    The new Mobil “Hybrid” oil may interest you as well:

    MOBIL 1 HYBRID 0W-20

    IMG_0877.png
     
    #14 jzchen, May 30, 2023
    Last edited: May 30, 2023
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  15. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Picked up a 5 qt container for $27 from Walmart last weekend. Interesting they are responding to thermal cycling effects.
     
    #15 rjparker, May 30, 2023
    Last edited: May 30, 2023
  16. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    I’ve never seen some of the ingredients listed in the SDS. It’s more than just addressing “cooler running temps”, but also: countering contaminants, increase protection of emissions equipment, improved fuel economy, 15k mi guaranteed protection (or 1 yr whichever’s first).

    Lots of S containing ingredients including Zinc and organo Moly S complex…



    Since it’s 1st recommended I ordered a 5 qt and some cat food to avail of free shipping as my nearest Walmart is unreliable with regards to stock status…
     
  17. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    Well if we are saying do what toyota says then anything other than 0W20 is not good and only use 5W20 if you have to.

    Any thicker oil is only going to create more sludge, so this slightly thinner oil is only going to create less sludge and move around easier, especially in colder times.

    Side note my Prius has a rebuilt with 2015 Pistons/Rings.

    There is also another thread here if you search for Prius 2010 on PENRITE 0w16

    Seemed to get good results.
     
  18. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Toyota says 0W-20 here in the USA I suspect to keep the EPA MPG listed. In Mexico that Prius manual shows the same engine can use up to 15W-40. The little note on the side means if the ambient drops too cold then you might experience a hard to start condition.

    Hey, I have a teenage boy. He rarely listens to me. I’m happy if nothing bad happens and unhappy when something does whether he listens or not. Just sharing my thoughts. I’m already nervous about 0W-20 when it gets very hot here, let alone 0W-16…
     
  19. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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  20. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Could you elaborate on this a bit? I don't understand how this happens with different weight synthetics.....
     
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