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- Viscosity
Buy 20W-60 Engine Oil
20W-60 is the thickest common grade: made for very high oil temperatures, air-cooled engines and units with wide bearing clearances. Its cold start is correspondingly sluggish, which is why it belongs only where the engine manufacturer expressly calls for it.
Which vehicle?
Enter your vehicle - we show only what belongs in it.
What a 60 film is needed for
The 60 at the end means the maximum lubricating film at operating temperature. That makes sense when the oil gets exceptionally hot in service or when bearing clearances are wide:
- air-cooled engines under sustained load
- units in hot climates
- very high-mileage engines in which a thinner oil causes unacceptable consumption
- special applications as specified by the engine manufacturer
What 20W-60 is **not**: a safety margin for a normal engine. A unit designed around 5W-30 or 5W-40 works against a resistance with this oil that it was never built for - the oil pump, chain tensioners and camshaft adjusters all react to that.
Take the cold start seriously
20W means: in frost, oil pressure builds slowly. Where the grade is prescribed, that has been allowed for, but the practice still holds: after starting, drive without load until the oil is warm, and judge that by oil temperature, not coolant temperature.
If you use your vehicle in winter, check whether the manufacturer releases a second grade for the cold season - with classics and special units that is entirely common. The thinner neighbouring grades to consider are 20W-50 and 15W-50.
Frequently asked questions
Is 20W-60 better for old engines?
Only if the engine calls for it, or if a specialist workshop recommends it for that particular engine's condition. A thicker film can cut oil consumption, but it worsens the cold start and the oil supply in the first few seconds - the period in which most wear occurs.
What is the difference from 20W-50?
Only the high-temperature viscosity: 20W-60 carries more in the heat. On a cold start both are equally sluggish. For most classics, 20W-50 is the usual specification.
