(OT) Ford vehicle 5W-20 versus 5W-30 engine oil

55 50 Ron · May 18, 2015

Saw some controversy about the oil weights in Ford auto engines.

What are your experiences with this?

Ron

JMOR · May 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:26:45 05/18/15) Saw some controversy about the oil weights in Ford auto engines.

What are your experiences with this?

Ron

hat does your owner's manual tell you........Ford knew better than some unknown Jake-the-poster! :roll:

CLYDE MASON · May 18, 2015

on the 5.4 and v 10 the oil consumcion (SP) goes up after 75 to 100 thousand miles. i switced to 10-30 and it did a lot better.

new stick with 5-20

RLA · May 18, 2015

The whole reason Ford wants 5w20 is to get the oil to the overhead cams
in a hurry. If you've seen cam wear in the engines from dirty oil you'll
see they are a tad tender in this area. We have customers who have never
used 5w20 in them, 2 have used 15w40 since the 1st oil change & they've
haven't had a issue a one & both are well over 200K. For me I believe it's
clean oil.. Timing chains/cam gear's & guide's LOVE clean oil.....

INCase · May 18, 2015

follow the owner's manual.

many of the newer motors with variable valve timing (VVT) need the right oil to work properly.

with the modern engines there is no more putting 15W-40 diesel oil in everything you have.

dr sportster · May 18, 2015

Generaly, I figure I'm not going to outsmart some factory engineer on what weight oil they want me to run.

Super-H-Mike · May 18, 2015

As I understand it, Motorcraft 5-20 has been a synthetic blend, what percentage I dont know. I believe on an overhead cam engine with oil pressure driven cam phasers and such equipment, you best just stick with recommended oil type
and wieghts. On the Ecoboost they now say 5-30 on the fill cap.

dhermesc · May 18, 2015

I agree with what others have said, use the recommended weight and change it often. The variable timing and hydraulic timing chain tensioners seem to need clean oil to operate properly.

Check your manual for the recommended oil change interval for severe duty and follow it. In most cases you'll find if you are driving in North America it qualifies as severe duty. I go back to the 3000 mile standard and it seems to work. The wife's Kia Sedona with 4 valve pistons and variable timing has 155K on it and has never been cracked open and doesn't have any leaks either. I've used Motorcraft Sythetic blend 5W20 since day 1.

ditchwitch · May 18, 2015

If you want to learn alot about oil. look at this site. pretty interesting stuff
bobistheoilguy.com

WGM · May 18, 2015

Well over 200K on a 5.4 and used nothing but Motorcraft 5W20. Doesn't use a drop between 5K oil changes.

rbuckel · May 18, 2015

My 2012 F250 will get around 18 MPG at 55 MPH using synthetic 5W 20

Gambles · May 18, 2015

This was taken from the internet, so it's got to be true:

Mike Riley, Product Design Engineer with Ford Motor Company:

Quote:
"Moving to 5w20 was driven by ... CAFE requirements. The company believes the switch to lighter viscosity 5w20 oils will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 190,000 metric tons a year and reduce US fuel consumption by over 21,000,000 gallons a year."

While most people understand the main function of oil is to protect the engine, Ford's only concern in that respect is that the engine survives the warranty period. I especially appreciate Scott Whiteheads insight on this topic. He worked for Ford testing different oils in modular engines and here is what he had to say:

Scott Whitehead - Engine Development Systems Engineer, Ford Motor Company:

Quote:
"I've seen the dyno testing. I've probably looked at several hundred engines disassembled and spread out on inspection tables. And I've been involved in testing to resolve issues where varying the oil viscosity was part of the test. Please do not put 5w-20 or less into a mod motor. Please. This is especially true in 4v motors. 5W-30 is probably a good oil for the street with mixed temperatures."

jay-eye-see · May 18, 2015

I have used 10w-30 in my 06 5.4 for the past 70,000 miles to keep it from burning oil. It will go though a quart of 5w-20 in 1200 miles.

mattwillson · May 18, 2015

15W40 in everything here, newest ford is a 2009 oldest ford is 1993. Gas or diesel, doesn't matter. Wet,slippery and clean....havent noticed a fuel mileage issue or a ventilated block. I will admit that at -30 a motorcraft battery is a good investment.

ShadetreeRet · May 18, 2015

At one of the dealerships where I worked in the late 90s, one of our few perks was free oil changes. When they went to 5w20 semi-synthetic I was driving a 1976 F-150 with about 90,000 miles on a 360 engine. I weighed the pros and cons and decided to take a chance. I could tell no difference at all. Engine was tight, no leaks, no oil consumption. Since then I have gone to 5W30, but it still uses no oil to speak of.

Paul from MI · May 18, 2015

My '01 F150 with 4.2L V-6 has had 5-20 Quaker State every 3,000 miles since new. No oil burning, no leaks, no engine wear issues at 118,000 miles. Good enough for me, I'm not going to second guess the factory engineer that got paid to test it.

Texasmark1 · May 19, 2015

Do what the owner's manual tells you. In 2009 I bought a new Ram Hemi with all the HP and torque. Manual said use 5w-20, not 30 as it had the 4 cylinder cut out system when you didn't need all 8. For an old 15w 40 guy in everything, that was real hard to swallow. The manual said that the system would be unreliable with 30 and that the oil pump was designed for 20.....................so use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes sir! So I did.

ss55 · May 19, 2015

Just like "It's all fun until someone gets hurt", "Every idea works perfect until something breaks". What is there to be gained by not following the manufacture's recommendations?

buickanddeere · May 19, 2015

Depends on the bearing clearances the engineers specified. Generally the lower viscosity oil that improves mileage by reducing windage drag.
The lower viscosity oil needs narrower bearing clearances to maintain the oil wedge that the bearing surfs on.
Heavier viscosity is not always better.

jm. · May 19, 2015

Wifes escape calls for 5/20 My new eco-boost 150 calls for 5/30 just different engines

GVSII · May 20, 2015

(quoted from post at 06:45:09 05/19/15) Do what the owner's manual tells you. In 2009 I bought a new Ram Hemi with all the HP and torque. Manual said use 5w-20, not 30 as it had the 4 cylinder cut out system when you didn't need all 8. For an old 15w 40 guy in everything, that was real hard to swallow. The manual said that the system would be unreliable with 30 and that the oil pump was designed for 20.....................so use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes sir! So I did.

I agree that 5/20 should be used but that the oil pump is designed for 20- that scares me.

mj · May 20, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:26:45 05/18/15) Saw some controversy about the oil weights in Ford auto engines.

What are your experiences with this?

Ron

I agree with Gambles' and buickanddeere's posts and the quotes in Gambles' post ring true, whether they came off the web or not 8)

(OT) Ford vehicle 5W-20 versus 5W-30 engine oil

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