2004 and newer Ford 4.6/5.4L 3v modular engines

[modularv8]

Anyone using a 30 wt oil in a 2004 and newer Ford modular 4.6/5.4L 3v engine? If so, what brand/multigrade and your experience with it or compared to 5w20?

I once ran Mobil 1 5w30 right after I dumped the factory fill in my '06 F150. But then I started to think about the VCT and how the higher viscosity might effect it. From I remember, there wasn't any difference.

 

[Ben99GT]

If I remember correctly, DieselTech ran Red Line 5w30 in his 5.4 3V for a while.

 

[Y_K]

2004 LTCs in livery service. The primary one has 426K miles as of this morning and uses Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w20 Nov-April and 5W30 EP the rest of the year. The spare has only 63K miles on the same protocol. I do 15K ODIs. Aside from the first 45 seconds after the oil change I hear/feel no difference. Stock MC 820 filter. Dynamics are pretty much similar to taxi service.

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: modularv8
Anyone using a 30 wt oil in a 2004 and newer Ford modular 4.6/5.4L 3v engine? If so, what brand/multigrade and your experience with it or compared to 5w20?

I once ran Mobil 1 5w30 right after I dumped the factory fill in my '06 F150. But then I started to think about the VCT and how the higher viscosity might effect it. From I remember, there wasn't any difference.


Right now I am using Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 in my 2004 Mercury Marauder that has the 4.6 DOHC Engine, but I think my engine is different than the 4.6 3v engine.

I do not think my engine has the VCT, but on my next OCI I may be going back to the 5W-20 Pennzoil Platinum.

 

[bdcardinal]

Y_K, and c3po your motors are not the 3v with the VCT where the concerns exist using 5w30. Ford does not recommend it, but I have seen it used with no issues. A friend is pushing about 650rwhp on his 2005 Mustang GT with a turbo and usually runs BMW 5w30 (his dad gets it cheap somehow) and has no issues.

 

[Y_K]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Y_K, and c3po your motors are not the 3v with the VCT where the concerns exist using 5w30.

Thank you for correcting me. I missed the obvious.

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Y_K, and c3po your motors are not the 3v with the VCT where the concerns exist using 5w30. Ford does not recommend it, but I have seen it used with no issues. A friend is pushing about 650rwhp on his 2005 Mustang GT with a turbo and usually runs BMW 5w30 (his dad gets it cheap somehow) and has no issues.


So, I do not need to dump out my 5w30 PP early.
I probably will go back to the 5W-20 PP on my next OCI.

I also believe the Ford 4.6L 3V Modular Motor is a SOHC whereas my motor is a DOHC.

 

[ftsservice]

I've used M1 and Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 without problems in a supercharged 2006 F150 (5.4L 3V), putting out 410+ RWHP and based on the stock dyno numbers there's about 90 HP loss to the 4WD drive train. Really isn't much difference between them at running temps. Oil analysys looks good too.

 

[pev223]

A friend of mine owns a 2006 Lincoln Town car with the 4.6 liter engine. He was a limo driver up until last year. He used 10w30 and 10w-40 weight oils exclusively and changed the oil and filter every 4,000 miles. Engine is all original and does not burn oil. It has over 350,000 miles on it. He did not use any particular brand but limited his use to conventional oil...... His mechanic told him synthetic oil can't take the heat of the long distance driving he was doing? Some mechanic!

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: c3po
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Y_K, and c3po your motors are not the 3v with the VCT where the concerns exist using 5w30. Ford does not recommend it, but I have seen it used with no issues. A friend is pushing about 650rwhp on his 2005 Mustang GT with a turbo and usually runs BMW 5w30 (his dad gets it cheap somehow) and has no issues.


So, I do not need to dump out my 5w30 PP early.
I probably will go back to the 5W-20 PP on my next OCI.

I also believe the Ford 4.6L 3V Modular Motor is a SOHC whereas my motor is a DOHC.


4Vs typically prefer a 30-weight, or at least a HTHS vis cosity above 3.

You don't have any cam phasers to concern yourself with, and take confidence from the fact the the lead engineer of the '03 Aviator engine (same exact long-block as the automatic Mach 1 and Marauder) actually recommends 5w30 in the engine.

 

[hardcore302]

The vct in the 3v operates off of oil pressure. While I have not seen issues using thicker oils, I would not use it in my car.

 

[Johnny]

I have the 05 Grand Marquis with the 4.6L non-VCT engine. I have tried both and my "old" butt dyno tells me everything runs smoother on the 5W-20. But you must remember, my butt dyno is "old" and may need some adjustments.

 

[ftsservice]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
The vct in the 3v operates off of oil pressure. While I have not seen issues using thicker oils, I would not use it in my car.


Ford uses up to a 50 weight oil in some high performance VCT engines.

 

[Ben99GT]

I'm not aware of any high performance VCT Ford engines except the new 5.0L.