0W-16 vs. 0W-20, 5W-20 And 5W-30 Motor Oils

The 0W-16 motor oil viscosity is now on the market and will be the factory-fill in a growing number of popular car engines.

The immediate question for many might be “Is 0W-16 Too Thin?”. We cover that question in a post here.

Let’s look at 0W-16 motor oil by the numbers. Below are common motor oil metrics comparing 0W-16 with 0W-20, 5W-20 and 5W-30 engine oils.

What Is A 0W-16 Motor Oil?

The 0W-16 motor oil viscosity is now suggested for the 2018 (and newer) Honda Fit and Toyota Camry (2.5L engines). This motor oil grade meets the criteria of “0W” winter weight and “16” high-temperature viscosity.

0W-16 Motor Oil By The Numbers

The 0W-16 motor oil example we will be using is AMSOIL OE 0W-16 Synthetic Motor Oil. To compare apples to apples, we will use the AMSOIL OE Series 0W-20, 5W-20 and 5W-30.

Kinematic Viscosity at 40°C

Kinematic viscosity measures a motor oil’s resistance to flow under gravity. This viscosity test is measured in “centistokes” (or “cSt”).

Below are the kinematic viscosity numbers for AMSOIL OE Series Synthetic 0W-16, 0W-20, 5W-20 and 5W-30 measured at 40°C. Note that the 0W-16 viscosity at 40°C (104°F) is about 57.6% of the viscosity of 5W-30.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
36.5 cSt	46.0 cSt	48.5 cSt	63.4 cSt

Kinematic Viscosity at 100°C

At 100°C (212°F), 0W-16 is 65% of the viscosity of 5W-30. Note that 0W-20 and 5W-20 have the exact same viscosity at this temperature. Keep in mind that they both measure as 20-weight oils at hot temperatures.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
7.2 cSt	8.6 cSt	8.6 cSt	11.0 cSt

Cold Cranking Simulator Viscosity

This industry standard test simulates how well an engine oil will crank during cold temperatures. The motor oil test sample is cooled to a specific temperature. A motor stator is then spun in the cold oil. The resistance created by the cold oil is measured and converted to “centipoise” (or “cP”). Centipoise is a viscosity measurement unit. Higher centipoise values mean that a greater amount of energy is required to crank over the oil in cold temps.

“0W” motor oils are measured at -35°C, while “5W” motor oils are measured at -30°C.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
4781 cP @-35°C	5859 cP @-35°C	4310 cP @-30°C	4555 cP @-30°C

Cold Pour Point

The cold-pour-point is simply determined at the temperature where a motor oil stops flowing. Note that as both the 0W-16 and 0W-20 have a “0W” winter viscosity, they end up with identical cold-pour-points.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
-48°C (-54°F)	-48°C (-54°F)	-44°C (-47°F)	-44°C (-47°F)

Noack Volatility

The Noack Volatility test procedure heats a motor oil to 250°C and exposes it to moving air for one hour. The amount of oil lost to evaporation during this test is shown by percentage. Lighter viscosity motor oils will tend to have higher volatility losses.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
12.4%	12.0%	8.6%	9.4%

High Temperature/High Shear

The high temperature/high shear (HTHS) test replicates a motor oil’s ability to flow through tight tolerances of an engine and protect fast moving engine parts. First, a motor oil sample is heated to 150°C and exposed to steady shearing. The viscosity of the oil is measured in “centipoise” (cP). A 5W-30 (being thicker) will naturally achieve a higher HTHS value than a 0W-20 or a 0W-16.

A higher HTHS result presumably offers better wear control. A lower HTTS value generally offers better fuel economy.

Today’s engines and low HTHS motor oils are designed to achieve dependable wear control and long engine life.

If high HTHS oils were the be all/end all, we would be using 15W-40 in our passenger car/light truck engines. That simply isn’t necessary or feasible. The HTTS number should be considered as another viscosity indicator rather than a determining factor in wear control.

0W-16	0W-20	5W-20	5W-30
2.3 cP	2.74 cP	2.8 cP	3.3 cP

Do you have questions about 0W-16 motor oil? Feel free to contact us using the form on this page or call us at 1-800-748-5781.