Top 5 Best 5w20 Oil
If you’re in the market for a new motor oil, you may be wondering what the best 5w20 oil is. It’s no secret that car engines require oil to run properly. But what many people don’t know is that there are different types of oil, each designed for a specific type of engine. If you’re not sure which oil is best for your car, read on for a comparison of the five most popular oils on the market today.
Each oil has its own set of pros and cons, so make sure to choose the one that best suits your needs. With so many options available, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. In this article, we’ll compare several popular oil brands and review their performance. We’ll also give you some tips on how to choose the right motor oil for your car.
Click here to skip to our recommended pick!
- SAE: 5W-20
- API: SN/GF-5
- Brand: Pennzoil
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20 Motor Oil at Amazon!
- SAE: 5W-20
- API: SM/CF/SJ
- Brand: Castrol
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Castrol Edge High Mileage 5W-20 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil at Amazon!
- SAE: 5W-20
- API: SL/CF
- Brand: Valvoline
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Valvoline MaxLife High Mileage SAE 5W-20 at Amazon!
- SAE: 5W-20
- API: SN/GF-5
- Brand: Mobil 1
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Mobil 1 New Life 5W-20 at Amazon!
- SAE: 5W-20
- API: SN
- Brand: Royal Purple
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Royal Purple HPS 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec Additive Technology at Amazon!
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20 Motor Oil
Key Features
- Full synthetic 5W-20 engine oil made from natural gas, not crude, using Pennzoil’s patented gas-to-liquid PurePlus Technology
- No other leading motor oil provides better wear protection for your engine (Based on Sequence IVA wear test using SAE 5W-30)
- Helps protect engines from loss of power and provides better fuel economy—drive on average an extra 550 miles per year (versus a dirty engine)
- Keeps pistons dramatically cleaner than required by the toughest industry standards (Based on ILSAC GF-6 and Sequence IIIH piston deposit test using SAE 5W-30)
- Delivers unsurpassed sludge protection to help keep high-performance and luxury car engines as close as possible to factory clean (Based on Sequence VH Sludge Test using SAE 5W-20)
- Formulated to provide faster low-temperature oil flow and protection in extreme heat
- Single 5-quart bottle with ergonomic design for easy handling and pouring
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic motor oil is made from natural gas, not crude. It is one of the best full synthetic motor oils in our portfolio. Made for extreme performance, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum outperforms conventional oils in terms of low temperature performance and volatility control. This oil was designed with not just one additive but two; it contains both a premium petroleum base stock and a top quality synthetic component which prevent metal to metal contact in the most demanding environments. Pennzoil is manufactured with an exclusive process that enhances its load carrying ability and anti-foaming properties. This oil has been on the market for quite a while now.
5W-20 Oil – Buyer’s Guide
What oil should you use? There are lots of different types of motor oil to choose from when choosing what type of oil to put into your vehicle. So many manufacturers recommend all sorts of specifications for what you should be using, it’s nearly impossible to know who is right and who is wrong.
The best place to start would seem to be the manufacturers recommendations, but even then there are different types of cars that need slightly different oils. In this article, you will learn whether high quality oils are better than budget alternatives and how much extra money you need to spend to get superior performance.
What Does 5W-20 Oil Mean
When you’re looking for the best 5w20 oil, what’s really going on with your engine? Don’t worry – we’ve got the answer.
5W-20 is shorthand for a group of motor oils designed to meet certain parameters. In this case, they are all heavy duty synthetic oils that have been rated to perform at 20º F below zero!
The number ‘5’ is actually a bit misleading because it refers to the oil’s viscosity rating when cold – but you can still use it in warmer temperatures. The number after W tells us its ability to withstand high RPMs and temperatures up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (F). It also provides protection against corrosion, horsepower loss and bearing wear.
The number preceding 20 (in this case, ’20’) refers to the Oil’s ability to perform at very low temperatures. So while you know it will protect your engine in warm weather and high-stress conditions, you also know it’s going to handle the cold like a pro!
5W-20 Temperature Range
One way to determine which type of oil you need is to look at your vehicle’s owner’s manual for its recommended oil weight/viscosity. However, most modern vehicles will also tell you what temperature range they need their oils to work effectively in.
So, in contrast, 5W refers to the low end of the range and 20 refers to the high end of the range – 0 being the thinnest and 100 being the thickest.
Since viscosity grades tend to run a bit lighter than their numerical values indicate, you might be led to think that 5w20 oil is thinner than 10w30 or 15w40, but it’s not. They all have equal thickness at 104 degrees Fahrenheit (or 40 degrees Celsius).
Is 5W-20 Good for High Mileage?
The question with 5W-20 is two fold: if it’s good for high mileage cars and what makes a high mileage engine.
For the first half of that question, we need to establish what ‘high mileage’ means in terms of miles driven. If you’re talking about a classic car that has been idling away in a garage and only put on the road every so often, 5w-20 will be more than fine because there was likely very little wear on an old car. But more modern vehicles have advanced significantly from older models and oil plays a big part in keeping everything running smoothly.
These days, more advanced engines mean better fuel economy which can add up to some extreme figures on the odometer. Vehicles built within the last 10 years or so often have a high mileage under normal driving conditions. While going 100,000 miles on a car is something to boast about, if you’re a fan of newer vehicles, it may not be as impressive as you think.
What is 5W-20 Oil Used For?
Advancements in technology have made it possible for cars to perform better than ever before. Drivers expect the engine power, fuel efficiency, and overall performance of their car to improve every year. One factor that has played a key role in speeding up these advancements is oil. There are many vehicle owners that invest more into changing their oil rather than on updating the car itself! It is important for drivers to know which type of oil works best for them so they can reap maximum benefits.
Most cars are built to create most power when the engine is cold, making this the best time to drive them. However, engines must be warmed up first which takes time and fuel before they can become fully operational – especially in cold weather conditions where starting a car may become quite difficult. To reduce friction that occurs during warm up, gearboxes are filled with automatic transmission fluid (ATF) that lubricates all moving parts within the gearbox to provide an easier start and better performance both while driving and idling.
5W-20 engine oil is specifically meant to provide optimal fuel consumption during warm up. The lighter weight of the oil ensures it flows easier so that all parts within the engine are lubricated quickly and sufficiently. It can therefore be safely stated that using best 5W-20 motor oil makes driving safer in winter conditions, reduces costs on fuel consumption, while also prolonging the life of your vehicle’s engine.
One of the most popular types of oil available today is 5W-20 motor oil or SAE 5W-20 automotive engine oil. It was initially mostly used in smaller engines, but now it has become widespread. This oil is designed for use in winter or colder climates. Most popular car brands have adopted this type of engine oil due to the high effectiveness during the cold months. Not only does it protect your engine, but it will enhance fuel efficiency as well.
5W-20 Conventional vs 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil Comparison
When it comes to motor oil, 5W-20 is the recommended viscosity, but does it really make a difference what type of motor oil you use ? Synthetic or Conventional?
The answer: YES! Choosing the right viscosity for your car and synthetic (or conventional) oils will positively extend the life of your engine. It’s important that we focus on choosing we choose our oils carefully to get the most out of them – because let’s face it – they’re not cheap! So knowing which one is best for your needs and ensuring that you’re using it correctly can be big factors in making sure your engine stays healthy. The first thing we need to understand is each type of oil has different viscosities.
- 5W-20 Conventional Oil
5W-20 is a type of motor oil typically recommended for many cars. It’s subjected to engine tests and specifications before being approved by car manufacturers to be used in their car engines. 5W means the oil will have the viscosity when cold at -20 degrees Celsius (C), and 20 stands for the oil’s viscosity at 100 degrees (C). As you can see, 5w-20 has better flow characteristics when cold, which provides easier starting and more immediate lubrication after start up. This type of conventional oil is best suited for engines where high startup shear forces are present such as: manual transmissions other gear driven accessories such as power steering pumps, water pumps etc.. Engines used in warmer climates that are subjected to intense hot weather conditions may also benefit from this type of oil.
- 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil
Full synthetic oils have a much higher viscosity index – or rather they don’t thicken as much when exposed to cold temperatures. They’re usually recommended for engines where full startup shear forces present themselves just after a cold start – such as those found in high performance cars, trucks and SUVs. Higher grade conventional oils can also be beneficial for use with these types of vehicles. In addition, 5w-30 is less prone to thermal breakdown at high temperatures allowing it to provide better protection throughout its use. So should you switch your car’s oil to full synthetic? The benefits would be more frequent top-offs and refills – meaning you may actually save money. Not only that, but most will have a longer change interval which is great for those who don’t want to worry about their oil being too dirty or burnt after several thousand kilometers of use.
So if your vehicle operates in conditions where startup shear forces are high – go with the 5w-20 conventional oil. If not, feel free to go with a higher grade conventional or full synthetic oils – either one will do a fine job protecting your engine!
Best 5W-20 Oil
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20 Motor Oil
Castrol Edge High Mileage 5W-20 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Valvoline MaxLife High Mileage SAE 5W-20
Mobil 1 New Life 5W-20
Royal Purple HPS 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec Additive Technology
Conclusion
There are a lot of oils available in the market, and not all competition is competition. Yet the best results have come from using Pennzoil 5W20 synthetic motor oil as it not only outperformed its rival brands but was also as good as or better than the samples tested from the manufacturers themselves.
Also many researches show that Mobil 1 Extended Performance is the best 5w20 oil. And the best synthetic blend is by Amsoil and Shell Rotella T. So, we need to remember that even though we’ve got a winner by reviews, still the most important is to use trusted brands and the correct oil viscosity specified by the manufacturer.
