Hey for my 2010 accord it says to put 5W20 oil but for the model 2011-2012 they say put 0w20, i looked it up and its the same engine: K24Z3 for all model years.
I live in Canada with temperature in February hitting -35 C and constantly floating around -20 to -25. Is there any harm swithcing from 5w20 to 0w20 or doesnt matter?
Btw: I only put Mobil 1 Full synth in my cars and change every 6000 km (or 3750 miles).
Thanks
The fact that you have really cold weather there in Canada makes the 0w-20 oil more beneficial for you. In cold weather, you want the oil to be as light as possible so that it can flow more quickly on engine cold starts. Cold starts put the most wear on your engine because it takes some time for oil to pump its way up the engine by re-building oil pressure. 5w is slightly heavier in the winter than 0w, but the 20 is the same for hot temperatures.
@razmigb
would it damage anything if I was using 5w20 for its whole life and now I use 0w20?
At those temperatures NO, If you were living in area where temperatures go around 20-40*C all the time then yes it would shorten the life a little by 10% maybe.
I calculated something for you. based on Redline oils viscosity
Temperature --100 | 40 | 0 | -20 | -35
5w20 ----------- 9 | 53 | 477 | 2600 | 14000
0w20 --------- 9.1 | 48 | 358 | 1600 | 7500
Thats the difference
Yes. 0W-20 oil can be used in lieu of 5W-20. In 2010, K24-series engines gained four oil jets to spray oil to cool bottoms of pistons. That triggered the engineering change to oil spec to 0W-20 grade. And since then, Honda has been recommending 0W-20 for use in earlier engines, too.
F.S.
@figmund-sreud
would it damage anything if I was using 5w20 for its whole life and now I use 0w20?
No. I have two ‘10:Hondas, … run them both on Mobil 0W-20. No trouble at all, …
F.S.
@figmund-sreud
alright thanks
I am going to disagree with most advice on this thread and say that the ambient temperature does not matter much. From what I have learned on the Bob is the Oil guy forum...
Your engine wants to run close to 200F and your oil will perform at that range most of its life. However, most engine wear occurs when your engine is cold at startup. Therefore oil at start up on a 90F day is ~110F below optimal temp and on a freezing day is ~170F below. Both these temperatures are waaay too cold for the oil to flow as the engineers would want.
This is why scientists have created synthetic oils that can flow like a 0w or a 5w when cold (cold being defined as anywhere below freezing all the way to death valley hot, but not running at 190F).
I switch all my cars over to the lowest startup viscosity I can find (for the buck). The oil will only utilize this first number for a few minutes while warming up, but that will protect your engine components the best.
I dissagree. If that were true all oil would be 0w-30, 0w-50 etc and there would be no between. 2 things.
1. It is recommended for gear oil to be partialy mineral and all good specialist will tell you that because it clings to surfaces better.
2. The more synthetic the slippier the oil which is good and bad too couse if it is too thin it all flows down leaving almost no protection on engine start. Thats why some manufacturers go with 10w30 which has good clinging properties and after turning engne off it stays on surfaces, when you got to 0w30 almost all of it flows down.
Besides the more spread the oil has like 0w-40 the faster it decays that is also a fact. Offcourse if it is full synthetic it lives longer but if you will take 10w30 full synthetic and you can buy such oils it will outlast 0w-40.
@e30poke
Exactly. Manufacturers are going with thinner oils because they flow better, and synthetic formulations are able to maintain ideal viscosity in a greater range of conditions.
At your temperature yes go to 0w20
@mario1982
the cars been using 5w20 its whole life. ok to switch permanently?
If the temperature never goes higher than 5*C yes go to 0w20 permamently, if it goes to 20*C or sometimes higher stick to 5w20. The 5W20 is perfect to -20*C and higher. 0w20 Is perfect to -30*C and higher. I know it is rated to -30*C and -35*C but at those temperatures oil is thick.
Check the manufacturers specs. They update them as to what they say is okay to use in your engine.
Sure. Your not racing in the Indy 500! Just switch and when starting just let your car idle for a minute or so during those sub 0 days, then drive easy. Best way to warm up car is to drive it, not idling for 15 minutes.
