engine oil weight
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engine oil weight
There was an old thread with oil viscosity index, but I can not understand it. Even though it is chemistry related but my educational chemistry is focus on human physiology. I know that engine oil weight are not good for the unmodified s2000 are 15w50 and 5w20. Other than that the s2000 can tolerate an wide spectrum of weight 5w40, 10w30 but lately there is enos oil from japan 0w50 and voll-synthese (lubro moly) from germany 0w40. Has anyone use these oils? and can they have any negative outcome to the s2000? 
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From: Magnolia, TX
I have heard of Enos, but not the German oil you mention. I'm sure that they are excellent lubricants for the appropriate application, but I don't think the S2000 is one of them.
The stock S2000's relatively low normal operating temps only require an oil to have a 20-30W viscosity (resistance to flow) for maximum protection and HP. If you are FI, and find your oil temps going above 60-90C, then the 0W40 German oil might be worth a try to see if it will lower your oil temps.
The 0W and 5W oils would be of great benefit if you start your car at extremely cold temperatures. For moderate climates, I'm not convinced that they offer any significant wear protection advantage over a 10W oil though.
The stock S2000's relatively low normal operating temps only require an oil to have a 20-30W viscosity (resistance to flow) for maximum protection and HP. If you are FI, and find your oil temps going above 60-90C, then the 0W40 German oil might be worth a try to see if it will lower your oil temps.
The 0W and 5W oils would be of great benefit if you start your car at extremely cold temperatures. For moderate climates, I'm not convinced that they offer any significant wear protection advantage over a 10W oil though.
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Pensacola
Any oil with a "50" weight rating is a very bad idea for the S2000 - period.
0W30 through a 10W40 - that's the viscocity range you need to stay within. 0W30 can be used in relatively cooler environments, but may be too thin (depending on the brand you choose) for the hottest areas. I wouldn't use 10W40 unless I was driving my car in constant 40-50+C ambient temps. 10W30 works best in moderate temps (such as Atlanta).
I use Amsoil 5W30 in the cooler months and 10W30 in the warmer months. I could stay with 5W30 year round - but my car consumes slightly less of the 10W30 in the warmer months, in comparison. Pensacola's weather is pretty close to Atlanta's.
0W50 is WAY too thick for the S2000, and you will starve critical components of oil - just when they need it the most. This subject pops up from time to time. The clearances in the engine are designed with a 10W30 oil in mind. A 50 weight oil will not flow properly at operating temperatures, starving critical components of oil. Additionally, thicker oil creates greater drag on internal components - reducing performance.
A 50 weight oil will not provide geater protection for your engine.
0W30 through a 10W40 - that's the viscocity range you need to stay within. 0W30 can be used in relatively cooler environments, but may be too thin (depending on the brand you choose) for the hottest areas. I wouldn't use 10W40 unless I was driving my car in constant 40-50+C ambient temps. 10W30 works best in moderate temps (such as Atlanta).
I use Amsoil 5W30 in the cooler months and 10W30 in the warmer months. I could stay with 5W30 year round - but my car consumes slightly less of the 10W30 in the warmer months, in comparison. Pensacola's weather is pretty close to Atlanta's.
0W50 is WAY too thick for the S2000, and you will starve critical components of oil - just when they need it the most. This subject pops up from time to time. The clearances in the engine are designed with a 10W30 oil in mind. A 50 weight oil will not flow properly at operating temperatures, starving critical components of oil. Additionally, thicker oil creates greater drag on internal components - reducing performance.
A 50 weight oil will not provide geater protection for your engine.
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: honolulu, hawaii
we use eneos 0w50 for our turbo cars.
i use the 5w40 and we even threw it on the dyno and compared it to new mobil 10w30. i know its a different weight but i still made 2whp over the mobil across the the board. we made 2 passes on mobil. the reading was within .2whp and 2 passes on eneos and the reading was also within .2 whp.
some say thats just regular error in the dyno reading. take it how you want i guess.
i use the 5w40 and we even threw it on the dyno and compared it to new mobil 10w30. i know its a different weight but i still made 2whp over the mobil across the the board. we made 2 passes on mobil. the reading was within .2whp and 2 passes on eneos and the reading was also within .2 whp.
some say thats just regular error in the dyno reading. take it how you want i guess.
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Pensacola
A 50 weight oil is too thick for any kind of S2000 (turbo or not). Additionally, most turbos have very tight clearances - a 50 weight oil (0W50) at operating temperature will not flow with enough volume to properly lubricate the bearings.
Case in point: a friend of mine (and the parts manager at the local Honda dealership) has a Supra that recently put down just under 800 RWHP on the dyno (the video was impressive). What oil does he run in his monster? What the factory states: 10W30. Why? The factory clearances still apply, and that's the thickest oil he can reasonably run with his turbo. This is a Florida car as well.
Once again - a 50 weight oil will NOT provide better protection - in fact, it will do much more harm than good. Unless you operate your car in constant 40+C temperatures, the thickest oil you'll need to run is 10W30. If I lived in Death Valley in the middle of the summer - I would run a 40 weight oil (5W or 10W40). That would be for temps in excess of 45-50C though. Florida gets "warm" in the summer - but not that warm.
As for your dyno data: 2 HP between two runs is well within the error limits of the dyno - don't read too much into your data. Show me some video and data from dyno runs that were conducted using sound scientific methodology, and then maybe I would take your results a little more seriously. However (as you mentioned yourself), your data didn't even compare apples to apples and the delta was well within the error margin of even successive dyno runs.
Case in point: a friend of mine (and the parts manager at the local Honda dealership) has a Supra that recently put down just under 800 RWHP on the dyno (the video was impressive). What oil does he run in his monster? What the factory states: 10W30. Why? The factory clearances still apply, and that's the thickest oil he can reasonably run with his turbo. This is a Florida car as well.
Once again - a 50 weight oil will NOT provide better protection - in fact, it will do much more harm than good. Unless you operate your car in constant 40+C temperatures, the thickest oil you'll need to run is 10W30. If I lived in Death Valley in the middle of the summer - I would run a 40 weight oil (5W or 10W40). That would be for temps in excess of 45-50C though. Florida gets "warm" in the summer - but not that warm.
As for your dyno data: 2 HP between two runs is well within the error limits of the dyno - don't read too much into your data. Show me some video and data from dyno runs that were conducted using sound scientific methodology, and then maybe I would take your results a little more seriously. However (as you mentioned yourself), your data didn't even compare apples to apples and the delta was well within the error margin of even successive dyno runs.
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From: Alamogordo, NM
Agree, 50 weight might have been good for old race engines of the 60s-70s but is too thick for any modern engine. You will loose power mileage and protection. Even high-end race teams use the lower weight oils for their engines.
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: honolulu, hawaii
it would all depend on your bearing clearances and for an NA car you probably wouldnt need a 50w as for a high power turbo car i would think it produces a little more heat than an NA car making the 50w more practical.
as for the eneos oil we also tested a mild tune sr20 making about ~300whp. also running new mobil. that car made in some area's in the graph ~12whp above mobil with eneos. unfortunatly we didint take video. but the oil is catching on since the release in the US market last year. so much so that the US supplier ran out of the standard 10w30. and as a distributor for hawaii we are also seeing the demand going up.
as for the eneos oil we also tested a mild tune sr20 making about ~300whp. also running new mobil. that car made in some area's in the graph ~12whp above mobil with eneos. unfortunatly we didint take video. but the oil is catching on since the release in the US market last year. so much so that the US supplier ran out of the standard 10w30. and as a distributor for hawaii we are also seeing the demand going up.
