"John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<103o7eecej2ehb1@corp.supernews.com>...
> "Steve" <abc@123.com> wrote in message
> news:edUZb.32720$Xp.137125@attbi_s54...
> > My 2003 HX coupe (CVT trans.) calls for 5W-20 motor oil. It says so in the
> > owners' manual and there's a sticker right on the engine block that says
> > "5W-20".
> >
> > I'm due for an oil change but none of the places around me have 5W-20 --
> > they all tell me just to use 5W-30 (which is all anybody around here seems
> > to stock).
> >
> > Q: Why does the HX coupe w/CVT call for 5W-20 (instead of a more "common"
> > weight) ?
> >
> > Q: If I use 5W-30 (instead of 5W-20), what are the consequences?
>
> I suspect that the only consequence of using slightly thicker oil in your
> Civic would be some reduction in fuel economy.
>
> Honda branded motor oil is 10W-30 oils when they sell their vehicles in
> Australia.
> http://www.honda.com.au/buying+a+honda/parts/index.htm click on Honda oil
>
> Some good 5W-20 oils include Motorcraft 5W-20, Pennzoil "SUV, Truck,
> Minivan" 5W-20 and Castrol Syntec Blend 5W-20. All three of these are part
> dino oil, part synthetic and have yielded good oil analysis results as
> posted on the discussion board at:

There is some controversy over whether or not Castrol North America's
current "Syntec" is really synthetic. It's a type III base oil, if I
recall correctly. The strange thing about Motorcraft 5W-20, is every
place I've seen it, the price is substantially higher than the other
Motorcraft oil weights - like $1.81/qt vs $1.20/qt for 5W-30. The
cheapest 5W-20 oil I've seen is Coastal (at AutoZone).

> Go to:
>
> http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/...?ubb=forum;f=3
>
> Search on Honda. You will find lots of results of various oils in use in
> Hondas including both 5W-20 and other grades.