5W-20 not "sticky" enough?

[honus402]

Last fall, I purchased a Crown Victoria Sport, and of course Ford recommends 5W-20 only. I asked the Ford service manager and heard the same lie as every other customer. "The engines are much tighter now and need the thinner oil" and that noise is "normal". Being a Cop and spending my youth in Missouri, I just assume people lie to me. My Victoria has had a 3/4-second knock when starting after sitting for 8 hours in mild weather, but not on cold mornings. I asked our fleet manager who services all 65 of our Police Vics, and he said we use 10W-30 regardless of what Ford says and that there have not been any design or tolerance changes in the Ford 4.6 since 1993. I tried Mobile 1, 5W-30 at 2000 miles and drained it after 60 miles because it made the start-up noise worse. I replaced the M1 with Motorcraft 5W-20 and it was "normal" again. Last week, I found my old favorite, Chevron Supreme 10W-30 which recently has been hard to find in San Antonio. Using the same proven FL820, and six quarts of Chevron, made the engine so quiet, I can't believe it's the same car.
Now my short question after such a long lead in. Are the M1 and the Motorcraft 5W-20 not sticking to the journals and the "old dino" chevron stickier?

 

[427Z06]

Question:
Did you change the filter with every oil change you mentioned?

Comment:
I've noticed over the years and many oil changes, that a certain percentage of oil filter ADBVs don't seal completely and allow oil to drain out of the engine passages and sometimes the filter itself depending on the design of the engine. I've run across this with many different brands of oil filters, even some of the more expensive ones, although I never actually kept a record of the percentages.

Chevron Supreme 10w30 is good dino oil, but if it were me, I'd run a full syn like the M1's you mentioned as added insurance against the S.A. heat. Your experience just might of been a coincidence of a leaky ADBV when you tried the M1.

I'd stick with the FL820s, they're good filters, and at $2.77 at Walmart, a great bargain. If you ever experence the knock again, try just changing the filter this time, topping off with the same oil, and see if things improve.

 

[jthorner]

Mobil-1 5W-30 is a very thin 5W-30. The Chevron dino 10W-30 is a bit thicker and may account for the quieter engine.

Chevron bought Texaco and is merging operations. Many people are reporting having trouble finding Chevron Supreme in the South. My guess is that ChevronTexaco is focusing on the Texaco Havoline brand in markets where it is strong. Here in California where Chevron is strong one sees very little Texaco or Havoline brand anything anywhere.

The Crown Vic engine goes for hundreds of thousands of miles in police and taxi cab use on regular dino oil. You are likely to get a very long lifetime out of it just using Chevron or Havoline 10W-30 dino oil and regular changes.

John

 

[DavoNF]

quote:

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Now my short question after such a long lead in. Are the M1 and the Motorcraft 5W-20 not sticking to the journals and the "old dino" chevron stickier?

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That's hard to answer. Logic says a heavier oil will hang around longer. I'll go with the others and say stick with the 10W-30. If you get some really hot summers there, try a 15W-40 and go back to the 10W-30 in winter.

Dave

[ May 17, 2004, 04:01 AM: Message edited by: DavoNF ]

 

[Dr. T]

Good questions...

I too have found synth's to be more 'watery' in general compared to dino...and that could be some of the reason for your observations.

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
Good questions...

I too have found synth's to be more 'watery' in general compared to dino...and that could be some of the reason for your observations.

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Although it might be particular to this specific engine, I had M1 0w20 in one of my vehicles and for a couple of months, it would regularly sit for a week or more, and it never made any more noise upon startup even if it had a long hard drive previously.

On another note, honus402, if you want to stick with dino Chevron, consider the Chevron Delo 400 15w40 for the summer months.

 

[MolaKule]

Viscosity has nothing to do with oil films sticking to a journal, that property is called "tack" which some call "cling."

At high temps and high relative velocities, any oil will sling or drip off a journal. Any engine run on a hot day will have the bulk oil run and drip off readily. What is left is a thin oil film for initial startup.

What is important is that the oil is wetting the metal at the bulk material (macroscopic level) and bringing the additives to the metal surface (the microscopic level).

You need an oil that will readily flow at low temps, not thin out at high temps during operation, and provide surface protection through the proper additive package.

Chevron Supreme is a good dino Oil. For a Crown Vic that has seen police service, I would not use less than a 10W30.

BTW, you do not want an oil that will cling or stick too much. Oil would not be available to areas of the engine that depend on oil sling.