what oil type should I put in my 90 accord?

[bikener]

Im changing my oil right now and all I have is some 5-20 and 10-30. Can I mix these two for this oil change. My car has about 200k miles on it. I'm in a rush and wouldnt usually do this. Any input?

[Night Wolf]

5-30. get the mobile 1 oil for high milege

[batever]

As to mixing oils, that's fine, but if you've got a lot of 20 weight oil (the 5w-20) the overall mixture will end up being a little too thin at full running temperature.

I think 20 weight oil is going to be too thin to eaily separate the engine parts at full running temperature. Unless you're only mixing like a quart or less of it in, I'd say don't use it (unless you are mixing it with a 10w-40 oil, which is 40 weight and the 20 weight will knock it down to be a little thinner at running temp.

As a rule, I normally use 30 weight oil myself, the 5w-30 multigrade.

If you already went ahead and did it I wouldn't panic, it's probably not the end of the world.

[NAiL05]

Why dont you just buy some oil? if you run 3 quarts thats usualy enough to get you to a store and buy another quart to throw in. Just sayin....mixing is fine usually if its the same weight. Mixing different weights throws oil properties off a bit but it will still run. If not tell a friend to take you to the local store to pick up the same grade oil. 5/20 is a bit thin for these cars...you might get some valvetrain noise. Anyway just get someone to take you to the store to get some 10/30. Also depends on your climate. Colder areas usually run 5/30.

[90CB7EURO]

whats a good oil to use if your car is burning oil i have 195xxxx miles just did a oil change about 1k miles ago and i had to add 1qt today i use 10-40 castrol high milage

[bcjammerx]

use castrol or valvoline...conv. or synthetic...switch to synthetic...will protect better and actually save you money...and time.

[benjerman112]

look at this oil test
http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf

now i use valvoline durablend. instead of mobil1.

[bcjammerx]

As far as synthetic goes mobile one is not a good one.
But as far as conv. oils go it's ok...but conventional oil is...just...no bueno

If you don't wanna get Royal Purple, or Amsoil, or Torco, at least get castrol synthetic or valvoline synthetic...

no blends...straight up synthetic

[batever]

Why dont you just buy some oil? if you run 3 quarts thats usualy enough to get you to a store and buy another quart to throw in. Just sayin....mixing is fine usually if its the same weight. Mixing different weights throws oil properties off a bit but it will still run. If not tell a friend to take you to the local store to pick up the same grade oil. 5/20 is a bit thin for these cars...you might get some valvetrain noise. Anyway just get someone to take you to the store to get some 10/30. Also depends on your climate. Colder areas usually run 5/30.

Agree 20 wieght oil is too thin-although the 5w-20 is *not* too thin at all at starting temp, but at running temp it will become too thin.

the "5W" and "10W" in a multigrade oil spec actually refers to the oil's viscosity at room temperature, not at running temperature. And even a 5w-xx il is way too thick at room temp to circulate well in the engine, so it doesn't matter what climate you have, 5W is the way to go if you have the choice because even 5W-30 is not thin enough to circulate well at room temperature. If I had a choice of 0w-30 that would be even better.

In any case, once the 5w-30 or 10w-30 or 10w-40 or whatever heats up to around 180-190 F the second number in the oil spec becomes relevant and a 30 or 40 oil it is at a good viscosity at 190F. Although I prefer the viscosity and flow properties of a 30 weight oil in my engine so I use 5w-30.