Can the new Sylphy use 0W40 engine oil?
3 Answers
The new Sylphy can use 0W40 engine oil. More details are as follows: Reasons why Japanese cars mostly use low-viscosity engine oil: Japanese cars mostly use low-viscosity engine oil due to various reasons, such as the development philosophy of Japanese cars (fuel efficiency), and the high precision of Japanese car engines, which have less dependence on the viscosity of engine oil. Recommendations for using 0W40: If the car is relatively old and has oil burning issues, 40-viscosity engine oil can be used. 0W-40 is the SAE of the engine oil, indicating the viscosity value of the oil. The smaller the number before W, the better the low-temperature fluidity of the oil, representing a lower usable ambient temperature and better protection for the engine during cold starts. The number after W represents the kinematic viscosity of the oil at 100°C. The higher the number, the higher the viscosity, the better the protection performance at high temperatures, and the better the stability at high temperatures. The higher the oil viscosity, the greater the resistance of the engine operation, and the higher the fuel consumption of the car.
Last time I took my Sylphy for maintenance, the mechanic specifically reminded me about the choice of engine oil. The engine clearance of the new Sylphy, a Japanese car, is quite precise. The manufacturer's manual clearly recommends using low-viscosity oils like 0W20 or 5W30. The viscosity of 0W40 is too high—it's like making the engine drink thick porridge in winter, increasing resistance during cold starts and consequently raising fuel consumption and wear. Moreover, 40-grade oil has poor fluidity and inferior heat dissipation compared to 20-grade oil, making the engine temperature prone to rise when running continuously on the highway with the air conditioning on in summer. Unless your car has already run over a hundred thousand kilometers and needs high-viscosity oil to compensate for wear, there's really no need to risk using 0W40.
As a Nissan owner for ten years, I've tried five different oil grades. 0W40 works fine for older V6 engines, but the HR16 engine in the new Sylphy is a typical Japanese small-displacement design. Using 40-grade oil causes three obvious problems: First, acceleration becomes sluggish, with engine RPM rising noticeably slower; second, fuel consumption increases by at least 0.8L per 100km; most critically, long-term use can clog the VVT system's oil passages. Once I used a free 0W40 from a friend to save money, and after just 3,000 km, the engine developed idle vibrations - cleaning the fuel system at the dealership cost over 600 yuan. My advice: stick with the manual-recommended 5W30.
