You’re going to use 3.9 quarts of SAE 0W-20 when you fill up. Don’t rely on our word alone, though. Consult your owner’s handbook again. You want to be certain because there can be changes based on your trim level and other selections.
This solution raises a few additional queries, such as what exactly does “SAE mean,” what the W stands for, and is it beneficial to replace your oil before the recommended time? All of this will be covered here. Read on.
In This Article...
What sort of oil is recommended for a Honda Civic?
How thoughtful of you to assist your friend! You are wise to ensure that the car is using the appropriate oil. Your engine’s performance may suffer if you use the incorrect one.
A synthetic SAE 0W-20 grade oil is required for a Honda Civic. Keep in mind that synthetic oils have a lower viscosity than conventional oils because the Honda Civic engine is designed to operate optimally with them.
Utilizing the proper engine oil is crucial because it helps your car with a number of tasks:
- Oil, especially synthetic oil, which is free of contaminants, aids in keeping your engine clean. To prevent particles from adhering to your engine parts and being transferred to the oil filter, the oil keeps the particles suspended inside of it. Detergents that separate, degrade, and neutralize minerals and other possible engine contaminants can also be found in synthetic oils.
- Your engine stays cool thanks to oil. The proper oil transmits heat and energy in a way that ensures it is spread uniformly throughout the engine, preventing any one part from overheating.
- Oil lessens friction in the working parts of your car. The oil offers a barrier that prevents parts from rubbing against one another as it coats the parts. Metal parts will rust and wear down more quickly without oil or the incorrect oil.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for how frequently to replace the oil once you’ve selected the proper oil. One approach to increase the lifespan of your car is to adhere to the suggested maintenance schedule.
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Do Honda Civics require synthetic motor oil?
- Your engine’s age and condition: Synthetic oil contains uniform molecules, which makes it more likely to pass through engine rings and cylinder walls. You should continue using conventional oil if your engine is already prone to leaks and/or excessive oil usage. Why spend more money on synthetic oil if it would merely leak out more quickly?
- How Frequently You Drive Your Civic: If you don’t drive your Civic very often, synthetic oil will benefit you because traditional oil has a tendency to degrade quickly, even when not being used, whereas synthetic oil will last over time.
- How You Drive Your Civic: Even in stop-and-go traffic, do you frequently idling your Civic? Don’t be natural. It’s because air flow is necessary for your engine to stay cool. Synthetic oil, as opposed to regular oil, might aid in keeping your engine cool while it is idle. If you utilize your Civic for activities other than commuting, like racing, synthetic oil is a wonderful alternative because it provides greater protection.
- Where You Live: Because synthetic oil is considerably more adaptable than conventional oil in extremely cold and thin air, it works best if you live in a hot, cold, or high altitude climate.
Can I substitute 5W20 for 0W20?
One of the low-temperature grades added to the SAE J300 EOVC system after 1952 is 0W20 motor oil (0W20 oil). It is a liquid designed to behave as an SAE 20 once the engine reaches its operating temperature but flow as easily as an SAE 0 in subzero conditions.
Even at -35C/-31F, this type of oil will still start to flow through the engine’s oil channels. This oil lubricates important engine components, making it simpler for you to start your engine cold in the winter.
W20 vs 5W20 Fuel Economy
Another low-temperature grade often advised for winter use is 5W20 motor oil, with 10W-30 serving as an option for higher temperatures. Because it offers the best fuel economy, reduces fuel consumption, and produces fewer exhaust pollutants, this oil type is widely used. Motor companies and governments all around the world, led by those in Japan, Europe, and the US, are looking for 5W20.
Low viscosity, high-quality synthetic grades 0W20 and 5W20 can both significantly improve fuel economy. When employed in fair-weather temperatures, their attributes are identical. When utilized in cold temperatures, there is little to no difference between the two variants.
What is the purpose of 0W-20 oil?
The most popular and widely used motor oil grades have evolved over time to match the engines that automakers have utilized. In the 1960s, it was typical for a vehicle to need a monograde oil, with the viscosity or grade needed varying with the season. Multi-grade oils have taken the place of the requirement to switch grades according to the seasons or weather as motor oil chemistry has improved.
The size and power output of engines have varied substantially as vehicle engine technology has advanced. In order to protect the engine, it was typical in the 1970s to have an extremely huge engine (6-cylinder and 8-cylinder engines were the most popular). 20W-50 and 10W-40 were the most often used grades at the time. Smaller engines required lower viscosity motor oils as fuel efficiency became more important, which over time led to a growth in demand for the 10W-30, 5W-30, and 5W-20 grades.
Modern engines are developing more quickly than ever. Engines are being designed by automakers to be lighter and smaller while producing more power than ever. Thinner lubricants with improved engine protection and cleaning capabilities are required to safeguard these smaller, more powerful engines. This has caused 0W-20 to be the motor oil grade with the quickest rate of growth.
Do Hondas require 100% synthetic oil?
According to Mel Yu, a car analyst for Consumer Reports, Honda is not alone. About 70% of new automobiles for the 2019 model year come with 100% synthetic or mixed oil.
Although some companies, like Honda, don’t specifically ask for synthetics in their engines, Yu notes that the low-viscosity lubricants those engines need are only available in synthetic form. Some companies employ “synthetic mix oil,” which combines synthetic and conventional oils. Blends are far less expensive but don’t offer all the advantages of synthetics, he continues.
Additionally, a lot of places that replace oil also sell synthetic oil as a substitute for regular engine oil.
The 2018 National Oil and Lube News annual study, according to Will Hixson, spokesman for the Automotive Oil Change Association, reveals that more than half of car owners select synthetics or synthetic mixes when they get their oil changed.
Does using synthetic oil make sense? The decision to is a good one, but only if your car has particular requirements.
Synthetic motor oil has some benefits over regular motor oil. They are intended to be more successful at:
preventing oil deterioration, allowing it to last longer than regular oil
Does Honda include synthetic motor oil?
Regular and synthetic oils are fundamentally different from one another because synthetic oil is more resistant to breakdown than conventional oil. This enables substantially more time between oil changes. The majority of modern Honda vehicles use 0w-20 synthetic oil that was developed by Honda starting with the 2011 models.
Who manufactures Honda synthetic oil 0w20?
Idemitsu is a pioneer in the development of synthetic oils with lower viscosities, such as 0W-20.
Idemitsu and Honda teamed up to create a lower viscosity oil almost 20 years ago in order to improve the fuel efficiency of their hybrid automobiles. Honda started to fill their new Insight Hybrid at the factory with Idemitsu 0W-20 after extensive testing and refinement. Unique additives were utilized in this lower viscosity, higher quality synthetic oil to improve stability and decrease volatility—the traditional downsides of low-viscosity oil.
Honda soon started putting Idemitsu 0W-20 in non-hybrid vehicles in 2005. As soon as other automakers noticed, all the big Japanese brands swiftly followed suit. Nissan and Toyota both started utilizing it in 2006.
In 2010, Idemitsu introduced 0W-20 to the US. Since that time, it has been the factory-fill oil in countless American-made Honda, Toyota, and Nissan automobiles. Additionally, US automakers are increasingly considering 0W-20 as a feasible option in response to increasing regulatory pressure to improve fuel efficiency.
Therefore, why wouldn’t you choose Idemitsu Lubricants for your vehicle if these reputable manufacturers do?
0W 20 oil—is it too thin?
an inquiry from a reader “For my new pickup truck, the recommended engine oil is 0W-20. This is a significant adjustment for me because I have never owned a car that required anything other than 5W-30. 0W-20 oil appears excessively thin, and I have serious doubts. I requested that my dealer allow me to use at least 5W-20, but they claim that 0W-20 must be used in order to keep my warranty in effect. For my new engine, is 0W-20 safe?
Answer: Without a doubt, 0W-20 is safe for your engine. Since the beginning of the previous decade, manufacturers have required 5W-20 and 0W-20, and there is absolutely no proof that engine wear rates have gone up. Engine wear has never been lower because of the enormous advancements made in the last 15 years in engine designs, materials, and motor oil chemistry. The 5W-20 and 0W-20 grades are quickly replacing the 5W-30 grade in new cars. A brand-new car with the specification 5W-30 will be uncommon by the end of this decade. In fact, in the upcoming years, anticipate to see even lower viscosities, such 0W-16.
Why do auto manufacturers advise using thinner motor oils? merely to maximize fuel efficiency. However, this pattern has persisted long enough for us to draw the conclusion that there are no negative effects in terms of shortened engine life.
Regarding the second half of your query, which asks whether it is advantageous to use 5W-20 instead of the advised 0W-20, we see no justification for doing so. Let’s utilize the characteristics of the 0W-20 and 5W-20 AMSOIL Signature Series oils to demonstrate our point.
The measured in is the industry standard for assessing viscosity at operational temperature “at 100C, centistokes.
- 8.7 centistokes for AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-20.
- 8.8 centistokes for the AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-20.
The 0W-20 and 5W-20 are consequently nearly equal in terms of thickness or viscosity at working temperatures. Because it would provide a very minor increase in terms of cold weather start-up protection, the car maker chose a 0W-20 oil.
We choose a 0W-20 for year-round use even though our daily driver requires a 5W-20 in order to have the optimum start-up protection. Even in sweltering weather, we observe absolutely no oil usage in between oil changes.
In conclusion, you may be sure that a high-quality 0W-20 motor oil will provide the best wear control. Enjoy your new truck, and you may use 0W-20 motor oil with confidence.