I am hoping to get some real expert advice / recommendation for the right oil for my applications. First, I live in Texas – it is hot here. Vehicles are 05 3.9L V8 Thunderbird with less than 3k miles, 04 5.3L V8 GMC Envoy with 15K miles, and 95 3.5L V6 Chrysler Concord with 84K miles. Typically these vehicles are driven in a stop-and-go environment. I am not a wealthy man but I do not mind spending a few extra bucks to get the best oil for my vehicles, well maybe the Concord does not need the best. The problem is identifying the best. As others have experienced, Mobil, Amsoil, Red Line, Royal Purple, all say they are the best but when you push to get data to support the claim only a “party line” is provided and these brands tend to not want to compare themselves to the others mentioned except to say that they are better. Better? Why? That is my question. Currently I use Mobil 1 5W20 in the Thunderbird, Mobil 1 Extended Performance 10w30 in the GMC, and Mobil 7500 10W30 in the Chrysler. Extended OCIs are not my objective, using the best oil is. I have compared the numbers provided by Mobil, Amsoil, RL, and RP and none are clearly best based on those, at least not in my opinion. Additionally, I do not know what some of the numbers mean like is HTHS = 3.8 good or terrible? I am thinking about using Schaeffers 7000 10W30 in the Chrysler but that might not be any better than Mobil 7500. I was thinking about using Amsoil S2000 in the Thunderbird and GMC but, according to the website S2000 is not rated SM nor GF-4 and naturally the Ford suggest 5W20 and not xW30. The Thunderbird is a high revving engine so the 5W20 in Texas kind of scares me. I believe (but not positive) that the Jag 4.0 is basically the same engine as the Thunderbird 3.9 but Jag recommends 10W30 for the 4.0. So, for these vehicles, what is best and why do you say that? And, opinions on using xW30 in the Thunderbird. My appreciation in advance for comments.
Another "best oil" question
- Thread starter lonestar
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If I were you I would get the Amsoil Series 2000 0w30 synthetic motor oil for all your vehicles. The big advantage of using a synthetic is that you can stock one universal oil and you don't have to stock all of these specialty oils where there is a danger of misapplication. Studies have shown that 0w30 offers the same if not better fuel economy than 5w20 and 0w30 synthetic can be used in all applications calling for 5w20 5w30 and 10w30. Unless you have a 2006 car an API service SL grade should be just fine and it won't be long before the series 2000 is upgraded to the SM grade.
What a bunch of garbage.
lonestar, don't listen to this guy, he's a troll.
The '05 Thunderbird and the '04 Envoy are probably still under warranty so you want to use something that complements the manufacturer's recommendations, namely SM/GF-4 certified oils in the appropriate grades, 5w20 for the 'Bird and 5w30 for the Envoy. While it's not necessary even in the Texas heat, if you want to use synthetics Pennzoil Platinum, Amsoil, Mobil 1, Royal Purple, they're all good. Buy on price and convenience. Don't be scared of the 5w20, we have many dozens of used oil analysis that demonstrates it works as well as anything else. I believe the Concord spec's 5w30 too, so you can probably use the same thing as the Envoy. 3.5L V6 Chrysler experts will chime in if I'm wrong.
Once your out of warranty, 5w20 in your favorite flavor for the Ford, GC for the Envoy and Concord.
In answer to the question of my OCI, using synthetic it is an over kill but, I change oil and filters every 6 months or 4K miles (in the case of the GMC). The Thunderbird and Concord do not see 4K miles in 6 months but they get a fresh fill.
Hirev, the link you provided was very informative and interesting. Based on that thread minimum HTHS is 2.6. Mobil 1 5W20 is only just above that @ 2.8. Since I redline the Thunderbird on occasion that might be a concern.
In my quest to find the fountain of youth for my cars I talked to a guy at work who purchased a 05 Expedition 5.4 last fall. He decided he was going to run Amsoil S2000 0W30 so at 2k miles he dumped the factory fill and installed the S2000. After a few days he starting having valve train clatter upon start up after the vehicle sat overnight in his garage. After about 1k miles of this he drained the S2000 and reinstalled MotorCraft Syn-blend 5W20 and the valve train rattle stopped. At the beginning of June, at about 6k miles he again installed S2000 since he had purchased enough for 2 changes. Just as before, in a couple of days he starting experiencing valve train rattle upon start up in the morning. The S2000 was again replaced with MC 5W20 Syn-blend and the valve train rattle went away. Maybe the 5.4 3V does not like Amsoil even with the numbers indicating it is far superior to MC 5W20 Syn-blend.
Hirev, the link you provided was very informative and interesting. Based on that thread minimum HTHS is 2.6. Mobil 1 5W20 is only just above that @ 2.8. Since I redline the Thunderbird on occasion that might be a concern.
In my quest to find the fountain of youth for my cars I talked to a guy at work who purchased a 05 Expedition 5.4 last fall. He decided he was going to run Amsoil S2000 0W30 so at 2k miles he dumped the factory fill and installed the S2000. After a few days he starting having valve train clatter upon start up after the vehicle sat overnight in his garage. After about 1k miles of this he drained the S2000 and reinstalled MotorCraft Syn-blend 5W20 and the valve train rattle stopped. At the beginning of June, at about 6k miles he again installed S2000 since he had purchased enough for 2 changes. Just as before, in a couple of days he starting experiencing valve train rattle upon start up in the morning. The S2000 was again replaced with MC 5W20 Syn-blend and the valve train rattle went away. Maybe the 5.4 3V does not like Amsoil even with the numbers indicating it is far superior to MC 5W20 Syn-blend.
androbot2084
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posted 27 July, 2006 21:57
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If I were you I would get the Amsoil Series 2000 0w30 synthetic motor oil for all your vehicles. The big advantage of using a synthetic is that you can stock one universal oil and you don't have to stock all of these specialty oils where there is a danger of misapplication. Studies have shown that 0w30 offers the same if not better fuel economy than 5w20 and 0w30 synthetic can be used in all applications calling for 5w20 5w30 and 10w30. Unless you have a 2006 car an API service SL grade should be just fine and it won't be long before the series 2000 is upgraded to the SM grade.
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Posts: 66 | From: Modesto,CA | Registered: Jun 2006 | IP: Logged |
Your information is so misguided that I can not tell you.
As for the orginal question if you want the minium worries about what grade of oil you can use and not worry about it not being fixed under warrenty use what the manufacture spec's.
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Member # 12808
posted 27 July, 2006 21:57
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If I were you I would get the Amsoil Series 2000 0w30 synthetic motor oil for all your vehicles. The big advantage of using a synthetic is that you can stock one universal oil and you don't have to stock all of these specialty oils where there is a danger of misapplication. Studies have shown that 0w30 offers the same if not better fuel economy than 5w20 and 0w30 synthetic can be used in all applications calling for 5w20 5w30 and 10w30. Unless you have a 2006 car an API service SL grade should be just fine and it won't be long before the series 2000 is upgraded to the SM grade.
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Posts: 66 | From: Modesto,CA | Registered: Jun 2006 | IP: Logged |
Your information is so misguided that I can not tell you.
As for the orginal question if you want the minium worries about what grade of oil you can use and not worry about it not being fixed under warrenty use what the manufacture spec's.
If you look at Amsoil's Online Product Selection Guide you will find that Amsoil specifically recommends the Series 2000 0w30 for the 2005 Ford Thunderbird. Some new car dealers will try to void your warranty if you use a viscosity other than recommended. If such is the case the Amsoil 5w20 motor oil would be the better choice. However I think that you will find that far more dealers are concerned about cars getting regular scheduled maintanance than they are concerned about minor variations in viscosity.
It looks like you put few miles on you newer cars.
Even with synthetic you have to change once a year, don't you?
How extended will be those extended OCI?
Even with synthetic you have to change once a year, don't you?
How extended will be those extended OCI?
If you want a fountain of youth for your cars, just install a Motorguard bypass filter and forget changing your oil. Add the new makeup oil with every TP filter change - 1/2 quart. You can even use expensive oil because you won't need much of it.
Originally posted by 427Z06:
That reminds me; I need to take the trash out tonight.
It's not a concern for your Thunderbird since those tests were run about a decade ago on GM 4.3L and 3.8L V6s. Designs that are decades old and continue to specify Xw-30 oils w/ HTHS >2.9 to date.
Your colleague's 05 Expedition 5.4 has an engine of much more current design and reacted predictably to oil that does not meet it's specs.
In short, the engineers that develop these engines get most of this stuff right. Follow your owner's manual.
Another vote for Motorcraft Syn-Blend for all of your vechicles. Use 5w20 in your T-Bird & don't worry about the Texas heat.
My friend uses 5qts Mobil 1 5w30 plus 1qt Mobil 1 5W-20 as the most economical means to get Mobil 1 into his 5.4L Ford. Valvetrain is noisy until the oil heats up. The 20 weights are definitely the way to go in these Ford engines.
You could run a 0w30 or 5w30 synthetic in all these vehicles and get excellent results. Using a 5w-20 in the new Ford would provide a small increase in fuel efficiency over the 30wts.
All the top tier synlubes you mentioned are excellent. If you're running "normal" service intervals I'd probably use Mobil 1 or the Amsoil XL series lubes. RP is also a good choice if you can find it for < $6.00/qt.
I know a number of folks locally who run the Amsoil 0w30 in the 4.6L and 5.4L Ford engines with excellent results. So I question the validity of this supposed incompatibility of this oil in 5w-20 applications. Sounds like an oil filter issue - ie ADBV leaking - and not an oil issue....
TS
All the top tier synlubes you mentioned are excellent. If you're running "normal" service intervals I'd probably use Mobil 1 or the Amsoil XL series lubes. RP is also a good choice if you can find it for < $6.00/qt.
I know a number of folks locally who run the Amsoil 0w30 in the 4.6L and 5.4L Ford engines with excellent results. So I question the validity of this supposed incompatibility of this oil in 5w-20 applications. Sounds like an oil filter issue - ie ADBV leaking - and not an oil issue....
TS
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