Sandals

iTrader: (2)

Will running 5w-40 be okay for the car, base tl 05. I'm about to run out to Napa and pick up some lubro moly synthetic.

I know the recommended it 5w-20 but wanna know if it makes a difference.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

I'll be the first before all the oil guys come in. Why not just stick with the 5w-20 and you have no worries. In the long run the 5w-40 won't offer any more protection unless you are going to the Autobahn for the 150 mph trips, but will it harm anything, no, but probably a decrease of .00011 mpg in fuel mileage.

apnorm

iTrader: (3)

There's a bunch of owners using 5w-30. I think 5w-40 might be overkill.

Sandals

iTrader: (2)

i was asking because they do not sell 5w-20 in lubro moly @ Napa. they have a 5w-30 but it's labeled as a long term oil, or something like that. 5 quarts for $35 for a REAL synthetic group IV.

Thanks for letting me know.

Joe_5050

I would try to get 5w20 if you can but you could use 5w30, 5w30, 10w30

seoulja

stick w/ the recommended oil..

SpiderX1016

Do you live in a cold climate or hot climate?

5-40 should be fine.

SouthernBoy

I am no oil guru.. I know probably as much as any other experienced do-it-yourselfer and maybe a little more or a little less in some areas. But here is something I think needs to be considered before anyone varies too far from the recommended weight.

Multi-viscosity oils loose viscosity as they heat up because this is what they are designed to do. So let's just say for the purpose of discussion, that the internal temperature of our engines in the summer months reaches 350 degrees. And let's say that the oil weight recommended for our engines, 5W/20, is designed to reach its maximum weight of 20 at 375 degrees.

Now let's say that a 5W/40 weight oil is designed to reach its maximum weight at 390 degrees. At 350 degrees, it would be pretty close to 40 weight or almost twice as thick and slower flowing than a 5W/20 weight oil at that temperature. The clearances between parts of modern engines are very close thus necessitating a thinner oil to make sure that they all are bathed in oil all the time. A heavier oil is going to be more resistant to flow and more resistant to reaching close and tight parts, I should think. So while it is quite possible that Honda/Acura desperately wanted that Utra-Clean Emissions Vehicle label and 5W/20 was part of the picture, I would also bet that a maximum of 20 weight was spec'd to make certain there was oil reaching all of the engine's internals all of the time for lubricating protection.

Once again, I am no oil guru so please if I am in error in any of this, do correct me.