Why does Honda use 0W-20 oil?
As a trusted auto service provider with years of experience in car maintenance and repair, I often get asked about the specific choices manufacturers make when it comes to vehicle maintenance. One common question is why Honda recommends 0W-20 oil for many of their vehicles. In this article, I’ll break down the reasons behind this choice and what it means for your car's performance and longevity.
Understanding 0W-20 Oil
Before diving into Honda's reasoning, it’s important to understand what 0W-20 oil is. The numbers and letter in "0W-20" refer to the oil's viscosity, or thickness, under different temperature conditions:
- 0W: The "0W" indicates how the oil flows in cold temperatures. The lower the number, the better the oil performs in cold starts, ensuring your engine is protected even in freezing conditions.
- 20: The "20" represents the oil's viscosity at operating temperature. A lower number like 20 means the oil is thinner, reducing friction and improving fuel efficiency.
Why Honda Recommends 0W-20 Oil
Honda's choice to use 0W-20 oil is based on several key factors that align with their engineering goals and commitment to efficiency and reliability:
- Improved Fuel Efficiency: Thinner oils like 0W-20 reduce internal engine friction, which helps improve fuel economy. This aligns with Honda's focus on producing vehicles that are both environmentally friendly and cost-effective for drivers.
- Enhanced Engine Protection: Despite being thinner, 0W-20 oil provides excellent lubrication and protection for modern engines, especially those with tighter tolerances and advanced technologies like turbocharging or variable valve timing.
- Cold Weather Performance: The "0W" rating ensures that the oil flows easily during cold starts, reducing wear and tear on engine components in colder climates.
- Compliance with Emissions Standards: Using low-viscosity oils like 0W-20 helps reduce emissions by improving engine efficiency, which is crucial for meeting stringent environmental regulations.
What This Means for Honda Owners
If you own a Honda, it’s essential to stick to the manufacturer’s recommendation of 0W-20 oil for your vehicle. Here’s why:
- Maintains Warranty Coverage: Using the recommended oil ensures that your vehicle remains compliant with Honda’s warranty requirements.
- Optimizes Performance: The engine is designed to work with 0W-20 oil, so using it ensures optimal performance and longevity.
- Avoids Potential Damage: Using a different oil viscosity could lead to increased wear, reduced efficiency, or even engine damage over time.
Conclusion
Honda’s recommendation of 0W-20 oil is a carefully considered decision that balances performance, efficiency, and environmental impact. By using this oil, you’re ensuring that your vehicle operates as intended, providing you with reliable performance for years to come. At Kevin’s Autos, we’re here to help with all your oil change and maintenance needs—feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the top engine oil for Honda?
Honda Engines
- Pro Honda 5W30 MB Scooter Engine Oil. (Specially developed for BSVI Honda Engines)
- Pro Honda 5W30 MA Motorcycle Engine Oil.
- Pro Honda 10W30 MA Motorcycle Engine Oil.
- Pro Honda 10W30 MB Scooter Engine Oil.
- Pro Honda Fully Synthetic Oil is developed for High End Motorcycles (10W30 MA)
What brand of oil does Honda recommend?
Tested and approved by American Honda's Research and Development team, Honda Genuine Motor Oil helps maintain the factory specifications of your Honda.
What will happen if I put 0w20 instead of 5w30?
Can I use a 0W-20 in my car that recommends 5W-30? No, if your owner's manual calls for a thicker oil, you should not use a thinner SAE grade nor use a thicker oil for a recommended thinner oil vis-grade. Using the proper viscosity motor oil will help protect and maintain the performance of your vehicle's engine.
Can I use 0w20 instead of 5W20 in hot weather?
So, 0W20 means the oil's viscosity is 0 in cold temperatures and 20 at the operating temperature. The 5W20 oil is the same except for a viscosity of 5 in cold temperatures. Both oils are designed to use in cold-weather regions. However, these multi-grade oils can perform in hot weather too, although not extremely hot.
Why does Honda use 0W20 oil?
The reason why 0W20 is taking over is mostly because the higher viscosity at operating temperature means less friction, temperature, and ultimately helps minutely improve fuel efficiency.
Is it bad if I use 5W-30 instead of 0w20?
Using the proper viscosity motor oil will help protect and maintain the performance of your vehicle's engine. Thus, always refer to the manufacturer's recommendation while your vehicle is under warranty. **if you have a car that recommends 0W-20, do not use 5W-30 – back # of vis-grade must match or it is a no-go.
Why would you use 0W20 instead of 5w20?
2) During start up (when engine is cold), 0W20 is thinner than 5W20, therefore has better lubricity. It reaches to bearings, piston walls, camshafts, and valve lifts faster than 5W20 does. Since most of engine's wear occurs at cold start up, 0W20 can reduce engine wear. It also may improve MPG slightly.
Does Honda use Mobil 1 oil?
To make sure your Honda's engine operates more efficiently, fully synthetic oils such as Mobil 1 circulate inside the engine more easily than traditional mineral oils. This means your engine reaches peak operating efficiency faster.
Why do new cars use 0w20?
Auto manufacturers are looking to make engines smaller and lighter while delivering more power than ever. To protect these smaller powerful engines, thinner oils with better ability to protect and clean engines are needed. This has led to 0W-20 being the fastest growing grade in the motor oil marketplace.
What happens if I put 10W40 instead of 0W20?
As a result of the experimental work, when using 10W40 lubricating oil in the wear testing device, lower cylinder wear was observed compared to using 0W20 lubricating oil. The study found that the amount of wear increases as the load on the cylinder sample increases.
