Is Toyota 0W-20 Full Synthetic?

You may be right. One time I bought 4 quarts of Redline 0-20 Motor oil. $10 a quart. Touted as pure ester base stock oil.
I got some on my hands and it actually felt like plastic in between my fingers. Very strange. But that's what pure base stock feels like. Mobil 1 felt more like a motor oil.
Marked difference in the way they felt.

I ran that Redline 0-20 for a while but it seemed to me the motor was louder when cold. Alot more top end clatter than usual when the engine was cold. I suspect it was too slippery or maybe to thin when cold. But when it warmed up it was ok and engine ran really good. I didn't run it for long.

I'm sure it would have been great with 5-30 weight. So using something different next time other than M1. Either Amsoil or Redline but either will be 5-30. I'm torn. They all love Amsoil over at Bitog so will try that next time I think. Over at Bitog its Amsoil for motors and Redline for trans or differential with alot of Royal Purple fans in between.


Red Line Synthetic Oil - Motor Oil - 0W20 Motor Oil

 

One thing to look for is the A5/B5 ACEA rating for extended drain, which seems to be pretty hard to find in a 20-weight synthetic in the USA market. I'd be curious to know if the Toyota has this rating. Mobil-1 has the rating on the 30-wieghts but not on the 0w-20 and 5W-20 (as far as I could see on the Walmart bottles).

 

Redline 0-20 has that rating.

 

Yes you are correct! the Redline does seem to have the ACEA A5/B5 in the 0W-20. This is the first I have seen it on a 20-weight oil. I looked at Amsoil bottles at the local Shell station and they did not seem to have the A5/B5 rating on the 20-weights.

 

No.

It's not certified by API nor ACEA.

It probably meets the requirements or test results, but we simply don't know.

 

Well if true, that's a horse of a different color...almost false advertizing but I guess it is high quality stuff.

 

VW spec'd oil specific to the TDI as 505.01 … although MANY begged to differ based on Engine oil analysis results … so, they began using Rotella T6 and Mobil 1 TDT and had fabulous Engine oil analysis results!

 

Manufactured by Mobil?


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Show me a 0-20 that is CERTIFIED. I talked too Dave a long time ago about stuff like this and they said that getting an oil certified is very very expensive and Redline was not willing to spend that just to get certified. They can say it meets the requirements and if not satisfied with that money back.

But for whats this is worth as its only my opinion it is the weirdest oil I have ever felt. Like liquid plastic.
Way slippier (sp?) than Mobil 1.

 

I was told by a mechanic that 0-20w oil only comes in synthetic.

 

He's right.

 

Many many years ago, I had a Honda Civic that had a factory recall on the head gasket. There was a waiting list to get it done and the notice advised switching to mobil 1 full synthetic if foaming was noticed in the oil while waiting for the recall. I was getting foam in my oil and didn't want to ruin my engine while waiting so I paid the price and put in the mobil 1. To my amazement, not only did the foaming stop but my gas mileage went up about 5 miles per gallon. Even the idle rpm had to be adjusted down as it started idling to fast. When I was pouring it in, I noticed it looked exactly like the synthetic oil we used in the B-52 aircraft I worked on at the time. Kind of a gray/silver color. I've used mobil 1 recently in my Scion and it is nothing like the stuff I used back then.

 

Here is a link to the 2012 ACEA oil ratings: http://www.acea.be/images/uploads/files/2012_ACEA_Oil_Sequences.pdf

 

I wrote to Toyota customer service before and asked them if their oil is full synthetic. There official answer is Yes. The debatable question is how do you define what is synthetic and what is not.

 

Mpgnutcase, my dad always said "there's no free lunch". considering the low cost of synthetic oil and a filter at WalMart, I wonder what you paid for your prius. Just sayin',not looking to ruffle any feathers here.

 

I agree. Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic is one of the best oils currently available. Many of the motorcycle racers are using it as a less expensive alternative. However, the viscosity is a little heavy for the Prius.

 

but bottom line. what oil is the best for 0-20 in a toyota? I want to protect the engine and still have a very thin oil to max the mpg.

 

"Synthetic Blend" means synthetic.

 

The viscosity is determined by the 0w-20 rating, not the brand. All brands with 0w-20 will have the same viscosity per SAE standards.