HoosierTrooper
Well-Known Member
I'd say there's no real benefit until the temp is well below -10F, and then 0W-20 only has a small advantage over 5W-20. Heck, at -10F even 15W oil is pumpable. I would agree that recommending 0W-20 could be a way for the manufacturers to get consumers to use synthetic without coming right out and using the word "synthetic" in the owners manual. Valvoline, Castrol and Pennzoil all make a synthetic blend 0W-20 but they're not commonly found in the oil aisle at places like Walmart. At one time Toyota sold their brand of 0W-20 synthetic blend but I don't know if it's still available.Thanks for the info.
If the outside temperature is between -10 and 100F is there any benefit of one over the other? Doesn't appear to be from the information.
An explanation on a Toyota forum stated that 0W-20 only comes in synthetic (or perhaps it did?). Toyota by calling for 0W-20 calls for synthetic without making the statement for a relatively more expensive oil requirement.
See posts 157, 158 and 159 for the changes in owner's manuals from 2019 to 2021 and 2022.