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Oil Change
- Thread starter abaran
- Start date
ghettojiggalo
Member
- Location
- burbank, ca
im running mobil1 synthetic 0w30 on my cars, at the time walmart was out of their extended performance line and thought i'd give this a shot. the bottle quotes it gives better fuel economy than 5w30, so far its been true for a honda and acura but the new oil + K&N drop-in filter has only given maybe 7% better fuel economy for the FX.
Last edited:
- Location
- Southern California
wow 7% is still very good. I will maybe try that next time I change my oil.
I also read that the lower viscosity oils are more for colder climates .
I also read that the lower viscosity oils are more for colder climates .
cheetahdriver
Member
- Location
- NW Ark
wow 7% is still very good. I will maybe try that next time I change my oil.
I also read that the lower viscosity oils are more for colder climates .
It depends on what you mean by lower viscosity. M1 0w30 is actually thicker by a small amount at operating temp that M1 5w30. It is, however, thinner at startup and temps below 40C. So, it gets to the engine lubricated parts faster, runs thinner while warming up, and then is slightly thicker during steady-state operation. What's not to like?
The better fuel economy (7% seems high) probably comes from the driving profile, if you are doing short trips that never get the engine up to temp, then the oil that is thinner at lower temperatures will give you less pumping losses. If you were doing long highway trips, there should be no difference between the 0w30 and 5w30 mileage.
Personally, I use the M1 0w40. While it is slightly thicker at temp, it has the advantage of being thinner on startup. Also the 0w40 will shear down slightly as it ages, to counter oxidative thickening as the oil gets older. Currently running 10k OCI.
As far as RP goes, while it isn't crap, it also doesn't seem to do any better (or in many cases as good) than M1, PP or RotellaT. Why pay more for the same or even less performance? If you want a oil at that price point that actually does perform better, go with RLI BioSyn, arguably the best oil currently available. I don't, however, feel that it is worth the price premium either. If you are running a DI engine (FX50), then it is a whole 'nuther ballgame.
ghettojiggalo
Member
- Location
- burbank, ca
good explanation cheetah, my trips are usually between 5-15 miles so i guess thats the reason for better fuel economy vs the old oil...after over 1k miles its settled down to about 5% now according to the trip computer.
about the M1 0w40, does it decrease mpg because of heavier weight at operating temp?
whats your thoughts about running M1 0w20?
about the M1 0w40, does it decrease mpg because of heavier weight at operating temp?
whats your thoughts about running M1 0w20?
cheetahdriver
Member
- Location
- NW Ark
it might....
On paper, the 0w40 should drop the gas mileage about .5 to .8%. In reality, with the various blends of ethanol laced gas you get at the pump, the drop in gas mileage will disappear in the "grass" of gas/driving habits/temp/etc.
The 0w20 is an interesting question. I had been looking at going heavier, not lighter, because the OA i got on the engine was not to my liking. I have achieved a comfort zone with the 0w40 on the OA (although it is still not as good as any of my other cars). While it might run OK with the 0w20, i would want a 0w30 OA on it first to compare the 0w20 to. I am just afraid the bottom end wear might go up considerably. OTOH, on my 02 Miata, the OA for the 0w20 was indistinguishable from the 0w40.
On paper, the 0w40 should drop the gas mileage about .5 to .8%. In reality, with the various blends of ethanol laced gas you get at the pump, the drop in gas mileage will disappear in the "grass" of gas/driving habits/temp/etc.
The 0w20 is an interesting question. I had been looking at going heavier, not lighter, because the OA i got on the engine was not to my liking. I have achieved a comfort zone with the 0w40 on the OA (although it is still not as good as any of my other cars). While it might run OK with the 0w20, i would want a 0w30 OA on it first to compare the 0w20 to. I am just afraid the bottom end wear might go up considerably. OTOH, on my 02 Miata, the OA for the 0w20 was indistinguishable from the 0w40.
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