I have a 2014 Outlander Sport, first new car in 13 years. The oil change company I always go to said it is REQUIRED to have 0-20. My mechanical knowledge is old school, to say the least. If a vehicle is properly maintained, 3k changes, not a high performance or hybrid, why is synthetic REQUIRED? I get that it’s recommended, but why required? Any info to the actual would be appreciated! They could only say that it was…
“Any info to the actual would be appreciated! They could only say that it was.”
Surely you should still have the Owner’s Manual/Maintenance Schedule for a car that you only purchased within the past year or so.
If you want “actual info”, it would be very hard to get better info than what was provided by the folks who designed and manufactured your vehicle. In fact, whatever Mitsubishi has to say on this issue would trump whatever any of us (or your oil change place) would have to say on the issue.
Translation=open the glove compartment and you should find the information that you desire.
;-))
Well, first off, I don’t think you can get 0W-20 in anything but synthetic. Often the thin, light oils are ‘required’ to meet federal MPG requirements, but if your car has variable valve timing or cylinder deactivation, these are at least partially operated by oil pressure and will not work right with anything but the recommended grade of oil. And if you have a turbo, I wouldn’t use anything but synthetic anyway. For a few bucks more, it’s good insurance.
I would use exactly what the manual recommends at least until the warranty is up. And enjoy the peace of mind knowing you are using what is recommended by the engineers that designed and tested your engine.
My knowledge is also old school. My 2011 Toyota Sienna requires 0W-20 oil. I talked to the service manager (not the service writer) about the oil viscosity and the extended oil change intervals. He is an older man in his,60s. He explained to me that engines and oils have improved since the days of 3000 mile oil changes and the 10W-30 oils. I go back even further to the 1000 mile oil changes and using a different viscosity straight weight in the summer than in the winter. I will go along with what the engineers who designed the car recommend. I even went modern this year and put full synthetic 10W-30 oil in my lawnmower engine. I purchased the mower in 1988, so it is 27 years old.
Use the required oil. Lots of other engine systems depend on the right viscosity oil.
Mitsubishi calls for 0-20 for your car, one other issue that has not been mentioned yet is your warranty coverage. If you choose to have you car serviced outside of the dealer and the wrong oil is used you may loose your warranty coverage on your engine. As an example if your engine had a bearing failure while under warranty Mitsubishi could deny your claim and blame the failure on the incorrect oil being used. This would leave you responsible for repair costs.
"The oil change company I always go to"
I hope you’re not frequenting a quickie lube.
Things have changed in the last 13 years. With oil being used as a hydraulic fluid to operate variable valve timing systems, extremely close manufacturing tolerances, and in some cases extra stresses put on the oil due to turbochargers, the correct oil has become critical. As others have suggested, your owner’s manual is the final word. Read it and follow its recommendations.
I’m far from being a mechanic. The most difficult thing I’ve done to a car in the last 20 years is changing the oil & filter.
But I know to read the owner’s maintenance manual and follow it…
Joe, you know the most important thing of all, but the OP is not alone in not pulling the owners manual out. We routinely get asked questions here the answers to which are right in the owners’ manual. Must be human nature.
OTFOM
@db4690: I take it the first word in your acronym is “Open”? lol
I know RTFM, which applies here, but what is OTFOM?
(Read the f…ing manual)
b
"Open The Freaking (substitution) Owner’s Manual.
There you go BillRussell.
yup
Walmart’s website shows Quaker Stare " Ultimate durability 0W20 " $ 14.97 for a 5 quart jug.
It says nothing about synthetic, and at that price I don’t see how it could be.
When I visit Quaker State’s website they don’t list that oil in 0W20, but they do have it in 5W20. It is listed as meeting SN specs. Curious
I was just at Wally World yesterday and thought that I’d save a lot of driving and get two quarts of oil. I wanted to do an oil change on my truck and was two quarts short at my shop.
I don’t remember the brand, but on the top shelf was some 5W20 with the words "Full synthetic"
I thought that unless the first number was “0” it could not be “Full” synthetic.
I opted for my old Pennzoil.
Yosemite
Full synthetics can be any weight. It’s regular oil that typically can’t have a “0”.
I.purchased full synthetic 10W-30,RK oil at my local Rural King farm store. It is available in OW-20, 5W-20, and,10W-30 viscosities. I paid $2.76 a quart. I am testing it in my lawnmower engine. When I mowed the yard for the first time, the engine didn’t seem to put out the blue smoke as it did within straight 30 weight regular,oil. The mower is a,push type rotarty that I bought in 1988. If the synthetic oil buys me another year of service, I’ll be happy
Walmart's website shows Quaker Stare " Ultimate durability 0W20 " $ 14.97 for a 5 quart jug.It says nothing about synthetic, and at that price I don’t see how it could be.
That would be the first 0w-20 oil I’ve seen that’s not full syn.