Hey, so I did an oil change on my 2000 Z24 2 weeks ago and I used Castrol Syntec 5W20 I bought for the wifes Mazda 3 since oil was not on sale and she didnt need a oil change for awhile. I never even clued in until now that the oil I put in was 5w20, not 5w30. I am sure the differances are minor, I did google and got mixed opinions so I thought I would ask on here aswell. I am not an oil expert but I know the basics, like 10w30 is a little thicker than 5w30 and diesel guys usaully use 15w40, etc... but don't have much clue on the differance with 5w20 and 5w30, I know the 20 weight is a little lighter, and from what I seen on google, it is easy for an engine to operate with a lighter oil but can cause more wear on the engine, some engines can get away with using 5w20, some use 5w30, 10w30, etc...
My question though, is if you did this, what would you do??
Just run it til next oil change
or
Drain it and waste $40 of oil and spend another $40 on new oil
or
maybe run it but change oil sooner than expected

Thanks


2000 Cavalier Z24 5spd - Intake, Dynomax muffler, Hawk Pads, Powerslot rotors, Sportlines/Koni reds, Neon Coil, MSD 8.5 Wires - **SOLD**
2014 Kia Forte Koup SX 6spd - 1.6L Turbo - My new car
2015 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD - Wifes Car

im not an expert i just work on um when need be and no some if it was me id make my opinion based on how the engine sounds if it sounds like its fine not little ticks or knocks even rattles i wouldnt worry to much about it. if you have decent oil pressure and dont hear any mor engine noise than you did before i would say your fine. besides that its an ohc motor they typically like thin oil and its a chevy they take more abuse then most. lol i would say its fine though.

Car still runs like it was new, I was hoping to keep it that way too. No ticks or knocks, but that still doesn't mean their could be damage to the engine or something. I am sure it is fine, but just don't want to take a chance unless knowledgeable people think its okay.


2000 Cavalier Z24 5spd - Intake, Dynomax muffler, Hawk Pads, Powerslot rotors, Sportlines/Koni reds, Neon Coil, MSD 8.5 Wires - **SOLD**
2014 Kia Forte Koup SX 6spd - 1.6L Turbo - My new car
2015 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD - Wifes Car

well youll be fine. ive been a mechanic for 10yrs i wouldnt worry with it. and if there was going to be any extra wear that you would even notice. you would hear a difference. saying that there could be but you wouldnt notice would be like using penzoil vs valvoline. no one really knows how a certain oil is bette but some offer superior protection even though both work just fine and have no engine problems because of it. hope that makes sense

Run it, whats the temp there right now?? I run 5W20 synth every winter up here, summer 5w30, if its stupid hot in the mid summer I run 10w30. says 5-20 is just fine in the manual below 0C Just watch for oil burn off once it warms up, or if you cold start and run a lot. Once you run (if you are going to) synthetic stay with it, swapping causes problems. Dont buy generic brands of oil like walmart, its actually recycled oil, enough said.

hey actually it depens on where you live as to what kind of oil supertech brand of oil is quaker state here in the midwest i used to work at walmart and the jugs were mixed alot in the boxes

someone would have to pay me to take my vehicle to walmart for even an oil change... I have seen them do some, interesting things.... and those who have placed false trust in them. As a lady brought us her car cause it was making an attrocious noise.... one wheel fell off when we lifted it. mind you, her fault too she wasnt the sharpest spoon in the drawer.

Yes the oil walmart USES is name brand, but up here we have some "off" brands, cant recall the name but lets say "mr.oil" brand is recycled oil.

i gotcha yea it doesnt suprise me. and yes if you value your car dont go to walmart. i worked there like i said. i took pride in my work but most didnt. they grease greeswe fittings do patches half ass. and tons more. ive seen then strip so many lug nut studs my head just spins. jiffy lubes are just as bad. if its my car i do it myself and if you dont wana do that go to a reputable shop . ive never heard anything bad about the valvoline centers either.

yes the quick lube shops are horrendous, its change the oil and out, which was this ladys problem. her answer was "well I get my oil changed at walmart all the time". and thats all they did, her brakes had gone well past the pad lining, into the rotors, one rotor so bad the pad was gone and the piston had driven into the rotor vanes, CV shafts destroyed along with the steering linkage... which is why the wheel fell off. strut was holding it on once it was lifted. I work at our local quick lube on occasion, and we always look and poke at everything, let them know what is going on under there.

Thanks for the advice, its around -5 to 5 C right not but will warm up, gets to around 30C max in summer. Will that be okay? I also let the car warm up for few minutes even when its warm out. I stand by castrol, unless the car is a beater. To my knowledge, the car has always had synthetic oil.

Also, nothing wrong with shopping at walmart, they sell castrol, mobile 1, etc...


2000 Cavalier Z24 5spd - Intake, Dynomax muffler, Hawk Pads, Powerslot rotors, Sportlines/Koni reds, Neon Coil, MSD 8.5 Wires - **SOLD**
2014 Kia Forte Koup SX 6spd - 1.6L Turbo - My new car
2015 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD - Wifes Car

Yeah I usually use Penzoil myself. Yeah the 5w20 is fine. I run that over the winter, and 5w30 the rest. other than July-Sept, I run a 10w30, takes the heat better in them motors.

Yeah nothing wrong with shopping at walmart thats usually where I buy my oil, 5 liters of synthetic for 35 bucks, marvelous. But its those cheap generics you see once in a while... recycled oil.

I have a buddy that totally boycotts walmart, if he cant buy it anywhere else he'll have someone else go there and get it for him... still wont set foot in one. He has real problems with their purchasing practice's

Yeah, that tech 2000 or whatever its called garbage. I stay away from that stuff, even if I had a beater, it gets gtx or other conventional brand name oil, I run 10w30 in my truck but it gets driven in summer and has mud covered all over a hard working 350.


2000 Cavalier Z24 5spd - Intake, Dynomax muffler, Hawk Pads, Powerslot rotors, Sportlines/Koni reds, Neon Coil, MSD 8.5 Wires - **SOLD**
2014 Kia Forte Koup SX 6spd - 1.6L Turbo - My new car
2015 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD - Wifes Car