To your first question - these problems with the Toyota engines resulted from oil starvation as a result of sludge preventing flow. The bad oil galley design allowed zero margin for less than 100% of required oil circulation. Extreme heat from no oil circulation = engine failure.

Factory fill with BMWs Porches, Corvettes and a few others are synthetic oils. I suspect others will follow.

 

Just chatted with Service Manager at local dealer - a "40 year guy"...in Pennsylvania USA.

Volvo just published for 2013 models, 10k interval oil change with full synthetic. This local garage uses syn-blend for all other model years at 7,500k interval.

I'm ok with the 7,500k interval, even with my mother-in-law's (local/short) driving habits, using syn-blend. I also advocate the use of Volvo's oil filter cartridge, better design and construction than after market variety.

 

Hi,

I own a 2013 volvo XC60 AWD 3.2l and the manual is saying that the oil specification should be SAE 0W30 ACEA A5/B5. The dealer is only using the SAE 05W30 A5/B5. In my city in the winter time the temperature goes to -35 celcius with windchill -45 celcius.
Could anyone please advise if I should change the oil my self to the manifacturer specification?

Thanks,

 

I would say YES.

 

I do not think you need to change the oil yourself to change from the dealer installed 5W-30 to 0W-30. Even in the winter in your location the 5W-30 may be just fine (the dealer evidently thinks so). It would be a lot of trouble and expense to change the oil yourself, and if you are not experienced in this you can cause damage.


And what brand of 0W-30 synthetic oil would you buy? Talk to the dealer about your concerns and ask them if they would install 0W-30 on the next oil and filter change. Ask them what brand of 5W-30 they currently use and what brand of 0W-30 they would use. If you study the matter and decide on a particular 0W-30 oil, then you could buy the oil and have the dealer use your oil at the next change.


Note that the 3.2L (at least in my wife's 2007 XC90) takes something like 7.6 litres of oil with a new filter. Look in the owner's manual for your car. Don't overfill.

 

I use Mobile 1 0-40 European formula for all of our cars and change my oil every 5k.

What ever you do ...DO NOT use a purolator filter ...its bio digradeable sorta like a peat pot. I used one of those in a pinch one time and never ever ever will I do that again. OEM volvo or Mann only for me.

 

The manual mentions the 0W30 oil for cold climates, below -30C.

The windchill doesn't add to the equation, only the air temp counts.
I did test a regular (non synthetic Pennzoil) 5W30 and Castrol 0W30 (synthetic) at -23C. The mineral 5W30 oil still pours well enough (similar to the 0W30) to not cause a slow start up, but that's about the lowest temperature where its still quite fluid. If your weather is below -25C, go with synthetic 5W30 (Castrol synthex, Mobil or Pennzoil synthetic). This should be fine down to occasional -35C. If you regularly have -35C temperatures, then 0W30 oils will be better (which are all synthetic).

I'd suggest buying a bottle of engine oil and doing your own test - just leave the bottle outside by the night then pour into a glass. You will easily see how well the oil pours at the lowest temperature in your area.

 

Oil is your vehicles life blood and the easiest and most important thing an owner can take care of. For the cost alone I would never go past 5k miles without changing the oil and filter. It can only help an engine and for 100 dollars well worth it to me. Think of all the times you have blown 100 on something foolish. The cleaner your oil the better it does its job. Each to their own though.