Engine Oil : 10W-30 Or 5W-40

[monty]

Hi Guys,

My car (Allion NZT260) is due for it's first service and I'm planning to take it to the agents. Just wanted to hear your experience with what oil works best for this engine (1NZ-FE) considering our climate conditions.

Should I go for the Toyota 10W-30 mineral oil or the more costly 5W-40 fully synthetic oil?

I'm not sure what oil it was loaded with when it came out of the factory. (As it is a JDM, probably 5W-30 which is more suitable during colder climates in Japan). If it is a fully synthetic oil, is it a must to use the same continuously?

Thanks!

monty

[Nilantha]

Toyota Lanka will use Toyota Engine oil.

[JadeyBlitzen]

When I serviced my Allion I went with toyota engine oil. I cant remember the grades exactly. but it had to be either toyota or mobil. and mobil was more viscous than toyota and the price difference is very small so I went with the thinner one. that said the 1nz will accept anything upto 0w-40. That's the stuff I use in the vitz. Around 8000 a can and lasts for 15k kms.

[The Don]

Hi Guys,

My car (Allion NZT260) is due for it's first service and I'm planning to take it to the agents. Just wanted to hear your experience with what oil works best for this engine (1NZ-FE) considering our climate conditions.

Should I go for the Toyota 10W-30 mineral oil or the more costly 5W-40 fully synthetic oil?

I'm not sure what oil it was loaded with when it came out of the factory. (As it is a JDM, probably 5W-30 which is more suitable during colder climates in Japan). If it is a fully synthetic oil, is it a must to use the same continuously?

Thanks!

monty

I'll answer the last question first. If you switch to fully synthetic, its advisable to keep using fully synthetic and if you need to switch you will have to flush the engine once with mineral oil to get rid of all synthetic oil in the system. You can't mix both.

If your car gets little use, I think mineral oil is a better option and make sure you change it at least once a year even if your car does not get to 5000km.

If you use the car regularly then using synthetic oil will ensure longer service intervals and their detergent properties will keep the engine cleaner. But some still opt for mineral oil or semi synthetic and just change the oil at more regular intervals. I am not sure which approach is best but I do advise not to take the manufacture recommended service intervals as gospel in Sri Lanka. Even with synthetic I think its best to change at least at the 10K mark.

As for the thickness check your manual. I'll be surprised if it didn't support both the viscosities/ grades mentioned above. Just don't pay much attention to the value before the W as for all intensive purposes its irrelevant in SL.

[kushan]

Just don't pay much attention to the value before the W as for all intensive purposes its irrelevant in SL.

Don, I think value before the W also important, it tells the viscosity at 0 temperature, Lower the the better. Normally in the morning (at cold starts) vehicle takes some effort to move so the RPM goes high, thats because the engine is not hot enough so the viscosity is higher, I have experienced this with 15W - 40 oil. But people who have used 0W-30 or 5W-30 not having this problem.

More about engine oil.. (someone here has posted this link before)

http://www.aa1car.com/library/motor_oil_605.htm

[Sylvi]

Kushan,

Very good web reference on you post has it is very educative to new motorists as well as to other members.

That web page if a motorist reads carefully, he will get lot of information not only oil there are so many other links related to automobiles on that.

Thank you for that link.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[The Don]

Don, I think value before the W also important, it tells the viscosity at 0 temperature, Lower the the better. Normally in the morning (at cold starts) vehicle takes some effort to move so the RPM goes high, thats because the engine is not hot enough so the viscosity is higher, I have experienced this with 15W - 40 oil. But people who have used 0W-30 or 5W-30 not having this problem.

More about engine oil.. (someone here has posted this link before)

http://www.aa1car.co...tor_oil_605.htm

Kushan, your post makes sense, but in Sri Lanka the oil will probably never reach 0 degrees while as there are countries where this happens quite often. The ambient temperature in Colombo in even one of the colder mornings is probably around 17 degrees. Even the oils with higher W numbers should flow well enough at this temperature.

The only exception to this might be performance motorcycles but only because they rev a lot higher than standard cars but then again they use lower viscosity oil anyway.

Also its always good practice to start the car and let it idle a bit and then gently race it up to get the oil flowing. The car should come to optimum operating temperature in about 5 minutes.

I think the lower W figure in SL is a bit like pumping nitrogen into wheels. While there are benefits but you probably won't notice it in our environment and particularly with Nitrogen at our speeds or standard usage.

[Blitz]

if u gonna use fully synthetic oil, go for Castrol Edge 5W-40.. .

[monty]

Thanks for the advice guys. Seems the Toyota 10W-30 mineral oil will work in my case as I don't use the vehicle regularly.

[monty]

I'll answer the last question first. If you switch to fully synthetic, its advisable to keep using fully synthetic and if you need to switch you will have to flush the engine once with mineral oil to get rid of all synthetic oil in the system. You can't mix both.

If your car gets little use, I think mineral oil is a better option and make sure you change it at least once a year even if your car does not get to 5000km.

If you use the car regularly then using synthetic oil will ensure longer service intervals and their detergent properties will keep the engine cleaner. But some still opt for mineral oil or semi synthetic and just change the oil at more regular intervals. I am not sure which approach is best but I do advise not to take the manufacture recommended service intervals as gospel in Sri Lanka. Even with synthetic I think its best to change at least at the 10K mark.

As for the thickness check your manual. I'll be surprised if it didn't support both the viscosities/ grades mentioned above. Just don't pay much attention to the value before the W as for all intensive purposes its irrelevant in SL.

Valuable information. As always. Thanks Don.

[kushan]

if u gonna use fully synthetic oil, go for Castrol Edge 5W-40.. .

How much is that?

[kushan]

Kushan,

Very good web reference on you post has it is very educative to new motorists as well as to other members.

That web page if a motorist reads carefully, he will get lot of information not only oil there are so many other links related to automobiles on that.

Thank you for that link.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

Cheers Sylvi. Actually credit should go to someone else, I also picked this link from one of the discussion here in AL.

[whmsujith]

I think the lower W figure in SL is a bit like pumping nitrogen into wheels. While there are benefits but you probably won't notice it in our environment and particularly with Nitrogen at our speeds or standard usage.

Hi Don, Can you explain bit more in this please?

[The Don]

Hi Don, Can you explain bit more in this please?

Nitrogen is now being championed for use in tyres instead of air because it is a more stable gas than normal air. But as you know normal air is 78% nitrogen to begin with.

Nitrogen burst into the scene for use in tyres of performance cars. This is because due to high speeds, rapid changes of direction and high g forces, the tyres reach really high temperatures and a more stable gas helps to keep the form of the tyre better under such harsh conditions (you would not want the gas inside the tyre to expand or contract too much under such scenarios as it will affect grip and balance of the car).

For example the Nissan GTR comes with Nitrogen filled tyres from the factory.

But normal cars under normal circumstances does not endure conditions even half as bad, so filling Nitrogen is more or less a gimmick. Personally I've only seen Nitrogen being offered in only a few places in the UK but in SL loads of tyre shops have them. It's just a way of making a bit more money but with no real benefit.

[whmsujith]

Nitrogen is now being championed for use in tyres instead of air because it is a more stable gas than normal air. But as you know normal air is 78% nitrogen to begin with.

Nitrogen burst into the scene for use in tyres of performance cars. This is because due to high speeds, rapid changes of direction and high g forces, the tyres reach really high temperatures and a more stable gas helps to keep the form of the tyre better under such harsh conditions (you would not want the gas inside the tyre to expand or contract too much under such scenarios as it will affect grip and balance of the car).

For example the Nissan GTR comes with Nitrogen filled tyres from the factory.

But normal cars under normal circumstances does not endure conditions even half as bad, so filling Nitrogen is more or less a gimmick. Personally I've only seen Nitrogen being offered in only a few places in the UK but in SL loads of tyre shops have them. It's just a way of making a bit more money but with no real benefit.

I agree with you, people make money selling N2.( 4 times more than normal air) I am also using N2 and I feel that presure dropping rate is less compared to normal air.

[Blitz]

How much is that?

there's a shop in wijerama they sell 4L for 7800/=..(cheapest so far)

[kushan]

there's a shop in wijerama they sell 4L for 7800/=..(cheapest so far)

hmm.. thanks mate

[bagUrE]

An extract from a Hyundai service manual on selecting the correct viscosity, considering the temperature changes...