5.4 oil to use in Arizona

[Bad Lil Ford]

Hello all,
I have a question for all you lubrication experts.
I just bought a 2002 Ford SCrew with a 5.4 that calls for 5W20 oil.
I live in the Arizona Desert and during the summer months it gets to 115 degrees on a regular basis,sometimes 120 degrees.
The SCrew is an FX4 that sees some off road action and some towing.
Even in the winter,here is hotter than some other places in the summer and to me 5W20 seems a little to thin for this extreme climate.
What weight oil would you use if you were me and lived where I live?
5W30,10W30,5W40 which one?
thanks for any replies guys.

 

[sw99]

MC 5w20 is all you need.

 

[jorton]

I read The grade that cools bearings best is the grade recommended by the mfr.

If I had this model I'd do a fuel economy comparason test with different oils. The thickest oil I would test is High Mileage 5 or 10w-30.

Don't forget to use the severe service interval in dusty conditions.

 

[gulledge]

I use M1 5W30 here in Alabama and now have 250,000 miles on my 2001 Civic. I would use the same in your truck, if you like synthetic. I would also use a good filter like a M1 or Pure One. Also don't forget to change your airfilter regularly as this will help with the dusty offroad conditions. I suggest a Pure One Airfilter every six months. Since you bought the truck used, I would suggest if you switch to synthetic, make your first oil change with synthetic at about 1500-2000 miles since the cleaning effect of synthetic is much better (don't want filter to get stopped up) Then go with 5000 mile changes. Also check the used oil anaysis section of the board for your type of engine and see what interval and oil seems to work best. (use the search feature)

 

[MNgopher]

5w20 would work fine in this application, as would 5w30 or 10w30. I wouldn't bother going down the 5w40 route, having done so in my 4.6l equipped F150, and getting a 5+% fuel mileage penalty with negligible differences in engine wear to show for it.

While it would seem there is a major difference between the 5w20 and a 5w30, the reality is that quite a few of the 5w30s (and even 10w30's0) sheared to 5w20's in the past, why not use an oil that starts there and seems to stay there?

 

[Blue99]

Here's a good oil Used Oil analysis report from a member who also lives in the Yuma area.

Note that he had good results with Motorcraft 5W-20 in his 5.4L Ford.

My opinion is that any short trip fuel economy advantages of 5W-20 will be lost in the heat of the desert, so choose a 30 weight for better heat resistance.

And yes, a 5W-40 will provide good results in that engine, however you may see a slight fuel economy penalty, in cooler weather.

 

[benjamming]

It's the oil temperature that matters & not the high ambient temperature. Of course, if the ambient is so high that your cooling system can't keep up & your oil temps start soaring, that's a different story. I doubt that is the case here though IMHO. As a result, I think a good 5W20 as mention previously will work well.

 

[Blue99]

Quote:

---

It's the oil temperature that matters & not the high ambient temperature.

---

I've always been consistent on the issue of why motor oil in the crankcase is going to see a higher heat load during warm summertime temperatures, regardless of the effects of the cooling system.

1. The heat load is generated by the amount of time that the oil is seeing full operating temperatures. In 90+ degree heat, the engine quickly gets to full operating temps at start-up and stays there for longer periods of time after the engine is shut-off. So the oil sees more minutes of high heat during a summertime, mileage based OCI.

2. Motor oil has some cooling duties in the engine and some of the heat from the returning oil is removed by thermal transfer to the crankcase walls. The crankcase is cooled by the outside, ambient airflow, and 32 degree airflow will take away more heat than 90 degree airflow.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Quote:

---

Hello all,
I have a question for all you lubrication experts.
I just bought a 2002 Ford SCrew with a 5.4 that calls for 5W20 oil.
I live in the Arizona Desert and during the summer months it gets to 115 degrees on a regular basis,sometimes 120 degrees.
The SCrew is an FX4 that sees some off road action and some towing.
Even in the winter,here is hotter than some other places in the summer and to me 5W20 seems a little to thin for this extreme climate.
What weight oil would you use if you were me and lived where I live?
5W30,10W30,5W40 which one?
thanks for any replies guys.

---

I think the thing to remember here is that the manufactorers test their vehicles in Death Valley. It is usually at least 5-10 degrees hotter there than Arizona. I have a close friend who lives in Phoenix and I am always amused that he thinks it (Phoenix) is the hot spot in the nation (temperature wise that is).
If Ford said to run 5W-20 I'd run that.

 

[jorton]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

It's the oil temperature that matters & not the high ambient temperature.

---

I've always been consistent on the issue of why motor oil in the crankcase is going to see a higher heat load during warm summertime temperatures, regardless of the effects of the cooling system.

---

3. Summertime stop and go driving on hot pavement raises the oilpan temp. The pavement is much hotter than ambient temp is.