Exxon 5w20 oil for 5.6 Nissan Titan - Will it void warranty?

You're luck to live in the USA, we in the UK are paying upward of 90 pence a litre for our petrol.......

coupled with the

Artie

How much of that is tax? 80p? Sounds like you need to complain to your govt. Everybody pays about the same for the oil, the differences are mostly in taxes.

As to the OP's question...check your owner's manual and see what it recommends for oil. If 5W-20 is not on the list, I wouldn't use it. At any rate, I doubt it'll make much difference. Your best bet is to take your wife's advice...get a smaller vehicle. Do you really need all that iron just to get to work?

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 15:01:14 -0400, "Jim" wrote:

Boy, are you going to get a bunch of opinions on this! Ford and Honda have gone pretty heavy into the 5w20 camp because of a reported 0.5% or so increase in fuel economy(?) and it looks better in the CAFE requirements. The oil that Ford spec'd is at least rumored to be a synthetic blend. With the miles you are driving, I would think seriously about a full synthetic 5w30 like Mobil 1 which should both increase fuel economy a bit and offer improved protection. You can make a switch to check for improvements in mileage but, I don't think you would get any valid results in only one tank. Most "experts" recommend that you check your mileage over 5 or more tanks to get any sort of accuracy. BTW, I have nothing against Exxon or any other major brand of premium oil. Mobil and Exxon are now one and, I suspect the same refinery is producing much if not all of the lubricant products for both brands. Both are quality products. Lastly, make sure that whatever you use, it is included in the owners manual. Many manufacturers have no problem with synthetics as long as they meet the API and viscosity requirements and, are changed in compiance with the mileage recommendations in the owners manual. Many manufacturers of "premium" brand vehicles are using synthetics as factory fill. You are not going to make a Civic out of the thing with any product. It simply takes a certain amount of energy to move it. Nissan does not sell it as anything less than a big brawny truck made for work.

Lugnut

Hear, hear! MM, it's *your* government we need to lobby you stop you using more than your fair share of the oil, and resultant CO2. Just imagine if a billion Chinese lived the way you do? I feel guilty about my 30-miles-to-the-US-gallon Primera!

We do have unfair taxes over here, lots of them, the fuel tax is one of the few I think is a good thing.

Andy

It's just a matter of time before a billion Chinese are living the way we do. Or at least trying to.

The difference in mileage between 5W20 and 5W30 is going to be trivial for you (maybe 2%). Why take a chance with the life of your engine for that? Ford and Honda did extensive testing before recommending 5W20. Nissian either did not test 5w20, or did testing and had poor results.

Ed

I can't imagine this would give a noticable difference in MPG. You'd be lucky to see .5 to 1 MPG if that. Sure not going to make it use fuel like a Civic!

Er...he'd be lucky to see any measurable MPG difference at all. Some automakers spec 5w20 oil in North America so as to gain tiny, tiny improvements in MPG on the CAFE certification test.

Some of them are already - I last went to China 3 years ago and there were a lot of vehicles on the road (Ancient & modern) Shanghai had lots of jams in the 'rush hour'. It is only a matter of time or govt. intervention to provide a decent public transport system. (Just like we don't have here in the UK)

Artie

if you are worried about 5w20, call your local nissan dealership and ask 'em.. ask to speak to one of their technicians. they are usually willing to answer a quick question.

Alternatively, RTFM.

Huw

IN the long term we are going to wind up living like they do, small or no cars, cramped housing, packed streets day and night.

the oil is not going to make enough of a difference to justify keeping the truck.

----------- Alex

Yep, sounds like a waste of time to me. I'm sure though someone will try this, drive "carefully" and prove to themselves it helps?

Using non approved oil will void the warranty.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Jim wrote:

Exactly. I vary between 10-30 and 5-30 in my cars (Both recommended by Nissan) and even though 5-30 is the one recommend for best feul economy, I hardly, if at all, see any difference. If I want feul economy, I have to adjust my driving habits and/or car. I once achived 33 MPG from my

3.0 Liter VQ V6 1998 5-speed Maxima. I did that for one entire tankful, driving 55-60 mph max on the highway and changing gears before the tach went past 2000 rpms. Being lead footed by nature I know I will never do that again:)

CD

Changing to an oil not recommended by the maker might void the warranty

- check with the car maker first. Any change in milage will be minute I would think.

With a car called the "Titan" I think there are far better ways of improving milage. If mpg is what you want to improve then take your wife's advice and switch to a smaller car.

900 miles a week - wow that's almost 200 miles a day! I don't know what money you have tied up in the Titan or it's age, but you will take a financial hit by selling it if it's fairly new, so just remember to factor in what it will cost you to give up the Titan and buy a smaller car.

I bought my 98 Nissan SE just for commuting--150 miles a day--5 days a week. Even that cost a lot in gas. But the thing that really added up the $$$ was maintenance--just the normal stuff, needed a set of 4 winter tires (Michelin X-ice), replacing worn out tires, replacing at least one windshield a year, etc. Lucky for me, it was pretty reliable.

Eventually, we got in a car pool--4 of us (can't do that very well in a truck). That really cut down on the expenses.

Then we hit the jackpot: we got enough people to form a vanpool-with the van provided by the council of govts. here in Colo Springs. We are up to 11 commuters in our vanpool. We have a 15 passenger 2000 Ford E350. It sucks up about 10-11 gallons a day.

BUT--

We pay only $135.00 a month each. That includes gas, insurance, breakdown coverage, maintenance, and free emergency ride home (2 per year, if needed, in a taxi, or rent-a-car). And our workplaces provide us with $100.00 in Commuter Checks per month. So we pay $35.00 a month each.

BUT--

The driver gets to ride free. We take turns driving, so each month we draw, to see who got the free month!!!

On the negative side, one of us (me) has to take care of the van, gas it up, get it washed, and take it in for maintenance when due. One person also has to collect the money, and makes up a driver schedule, and a schedule of who is off each day. And for the drivers, we had to get approved, and take an on-line defensive drivers' course. And we have to try to get along with each other and each other's idiosyncracies.

Check your community, and see if they offer a carpool or vanpool program, if it is a popular route you take.

(End of verbose mode--sorry)

Jim