0W-20 and 5W-30

I want to start with, I am NOT trying to start anything by this post. If this post spirals fast i ask that it be taken down. Just wanted to share what a buddy told me yesterday.

My lifelong buddy who has a 22 Tundra and lives in texas was recently exploring whether he should switch from 0W-20 to 5W-30. He was a master service technician for Ford and probably did more research on this idea than what any human should do.

His research led him to contacting Amsoil to talk with a scientist who told him that under no circumstances should this be done UNLESS you are approaching 100k miles. Even at 100k the scientist said that he would only go to 5W-30 if the oil changing interval was questionable.

I am sticking with my 0W-20 Pennzoil Ultra/OEM Filter on my 22 SR5 with 93k miles.

I'd love to hear what others think. But if this digresses into name calling and 5k or 10k oil change intervals im pulling it down.

 

LOL.

Sorry you know where this will go.

 

What’s so special about 100K?
If the solution to the failed engine was as simple as changing the oil type then Toyota would issue a TSB to do so rather than replace 200K engines.

 

good question. From what he was told is that when you will see tolerance changes in the bearings.

 

I remember the car care nut on YT mentioning something about too tick oil could cause issues with the VVT system. For me, i will stick with what my owner manual calls, 0w20.

 

and of course this is bound to be highly engine, use case, etc. dependent.

Just do what you want folks.

 

Scientists are not engineers!
And your friend should trade that Tundra before the engine blows.

 

The next question is will any of those Tundra engines even last to 100K in the first place?

 

lmao. YEah, i am actually a really nice guy. I love learning from others but learned really quickly here there are some topics that set people off.

 

great question #2. he was impacted by the engine recall and is getting his new engine next week. That is why he started the whole thing about if he should switch oil for his new engine. He has not had any issues with his current engine but it is on the list for the engine recall. I think he said he is getting a long block

 

I use what the cap says. There's more 1GRs on the road with the recommended oil without issues than there is with the 5W-30butpuertoricocafecarcarnutjobvikinggaragepcvvvtifilter blend.

I'm also sticking with 5K mile intervals.

 

maybe it was an engineer. Lets go with oil dude. He spoke to an Amsoil oil dude.

 

He said Car Care Nut so you guys know, i have to post the pic

 

Tribologist maybe, if you want to be fancy. Mechanical engineering includes some tribology, specifically for oil film thickness and bearing longevity.

Can't speak to the Tundra engine, but I know the 4Runner and Tacoma manuals include provisions for 0w-30 and 0w-40, which are thicker at higher temps, but don't give up the thinness at engine startup, which is what these modern engines like. No advantage to 5w-30 over those, but possibly some downside.

I did some basic analysis on here somewhere about when to use -30 over -20, I'll link it if I find it.

 

https://www.4runners.com/threads/oil-viscosity.26613/page-4#post-568678

 

from another thread. Watch these videos in series, one after the other. Watch what the guys find out about the GM cranks. The machining processes are leaving the metal surface of the cranks rough enough that the thin oils are not capable of creating a thick enough oil film to keep metal from metal under any sort of loads. The first video shows an engine that is practically brand new. The last video shows what GM is doing, basically checking the engines thru cam and crank sensors looking for resonance between the two. This allows them to tell if there is wear in the bearings already. The engine tested in the first video was practically new but we dont know the mileage. It looks brand new in the video. From what the second video says, basically they can still be on the dealer lot and have enough "resonance" between the sensors and the dealer already know that it needs a bottom end. The ploy is that the oils are too thin to protect the vital bearings with the loads and oil pressures with the machining processes that are being done on the cranks. In the third video the guys go on and on about how they tested with the OEMs and found great gains in fuel mileage with the thinner oil. The thinner oils are purely 110% a cheap way for the manufacturers to meet CAFE standards of better fuel mileage. They all just hope the engines last.

QUOTE="Airdam, post: 791229, member:
This guys video came out Saturday i believe?
Pretty sure he took info from these videos in order to make his video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zglEmlYAu04

If you want a quicker or short hand version of whats going on with the GM cranks this is a time stamped part of the video that gives you a lot more insight. Basically the peaks and valleys on the crank are too far apart. The machining leaves grooves that are so deep the thin oil cant fill them up, and the high spots are so high that the thin oil cant keep the crank from hitting the bare metal. From what i gather, someone needs to do this sort of testing to the Toyota cranks.

https://youtu.be/zglEmlYAu04?t=845

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbEdr6Q6cKw&t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msgo3wId-Uc&t

 

I know someone this happened to. He spent $95k or so on a Denali and the engine went early. Maybe 4-5k miles after purchase.

 

There are tons of reports on the GM forums of people getting 500-5,000 miles out of them and then they start knocking.
The videos show what is the reason for it, and GM is well aware of it, and their fix is thicker oil which is working.

TLDR:
CAFE standards have demanded better fuel economy and the easiest trick was thinner oil.
The clearance between the crank and bearings is tighter due to the thinner oils.
The machining on the crank wasnt as good as it needed to be, and the thin oil didnt keep metal from metal contact from happening
GM spec't out 0-40w oil which is double the thickness at normal operating temp where high loads would be most present.
This thicker oil has resolved the issue.

 

Y'all ain't gonna know the difference if someone randomly snuck into your garage at night and changed your

$52 0W-20 oil Toyota/ exxon mobil Case of 6 Quarts Full Synthetic TGMO SN 0W-20 Oil

0W-20 oil to 5W-30.

 

or a dealership/jiffy lube/local shop. HENCE why i only change my oil. Not joking when i say this. Ive had the dscussion with my wife. If something happens to me, my good buddy said he will then change the oil. Nobody is touching my 4R for maintenance items. F THAT!

In fact, when i have to leave Florida to drive home i will need an oil change. I brought with me FROM CHICAGO, the oil, OEM filter, tools and oil pan to do it.

 

Another oil discussion. I think the main thing here is that this needs to be changed very frenquently.

 

i just put in the local Whataburger's nightly grease pit dump.

 

"Not my problem"

 

I appreciate you posting these video links. I sent them to my GM friends who believe Chevy/GMC trucks are the greatest in the world. Me personally, I'll never own another GM product as long as I live. Just sayin'.

 

I have never owned a GMC unit but boy do they look good to me . I have been looking at the canyon AT4, their answer to the Tacoma and I like it. Maybe one day.

 

I only use 100% grass-fed beef Tallow in mine.

 

HAAAAA!

 

Ex-mechanic called up Amsoil the multi-level marketing company and spoke to a scientist?

 

Don't you know all pyramid schemes are required to have them!

 

Smart. I hope to god it’s organic