Any word on 20 vs 30 wt in new Mustang V6?

[RGR]

Particularly as it relates to the oil pressure operated valve timing gear? I did the entire "what do I do now!!" routine back in the early-2000's when Ford first started specing 5w-20 and I couldn't even find the stuff for the 4.6L motors, at the time I just gave up and used 5w-30. But the newest family acquisition is a 2014 Mustang with the aluminum 3.7L and mucho valve timing valve train. Being a new motor design, and knowing it would be specced for 5w-20, and using the oil to set timing, can the more mechanically inclined tell me if the difference between 7 cSt or 9.5 cSt at 100C makes any difference whatsoever to such a valve timing system? Just based on the decreased viscosity at lower temperatures during startup and warmup it would seem logical that the valve gear would need to handle much lower viscosity oil without grenading during these time periods. But I thought I would check just in case.

 

[brentalan]

I can't answer your question about the valve timing system, but Ford spec'd 5W-20 for this engine and you should use that for no other reason than warranty requirements. I'm sure the engineers at Ford thought this through. I'm sure a 30 would be fine too, but why risk it?

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: RGR

Particularly as it relates to the oil pressure operated valve timing gear? I did the entire "what do I do now!!" routine back in the early-2000's when Ford first started specing 5w-20 and I couldn't even find the stuff for the 4.6L motors, at the time I just gave up and used 5w-30. But the newest family acquisition is a 2014 Mustang with the aluminum 3.7L and mucho valve timing valve train. Being a new motor design, and knowing it would be specced for 5w-20, and using the oil to set timing, can the more mechanically inclined tell me if the difference between 7 cSt or 9.5 cSt at 100C makes any difference whatsoever to such a valve timing system? Just based on the decreased viscosity at lower temperatures during startup and warmup it would seem logical that the valve gear would need to handle much lower viscosity oil without grenading during these time periods. But I thought I would check just in case.

You do understand that ANY oil is much thicker when it is cold than when it is at operating temperature, don't you?

 

[Merkava_4]

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

 

[Roadkingnc]

All of the ford gasoline car engines have variable valve timing.

 

[Merkava_4]

^ When did they start that?

 

[Roadkingnc]

Funny you ask, I work on them everyday and cant give you a date. Been a few years though, it did eliminate the egr system and all of its problems. Relatively trouble free as long as they are serviced on a regular basis.

 

[earlyre]

short version. just use the GD oil Ford Specs. in this case 5w20. every shade tree grease monkey wants to second guess the engineers that designed the engine w/ 5w20 in mind,not to mention the undoubted Millions Ford spent Designing this engine family. 3.7 is just a 3.5 with a bigger bore/pistons. If you are worried about low temps, use a 0w20. but my 3.5 had no issues with bulk who-knows-what oil (hopefully 5w20) during last winter's "polar Vortex" (I bought the car in late Jan, Dealer(Honda/Toyota) had changed it in Nov.)

 

[RGR]

Originally Posted By: 1999nick

You do understand that ANY oil is much thicker when it is cold than when it is at operating temperature, don't you?

Yes. But I always confuse what "more viscous" versus "less viscous" means in terms of the numbers. More viscous means thicker I believe, less viscous means thinner. I think. But in either case, I always screw it up, which is why I used the cSt measure at a given temperature, considering that is where the motor will spend most of its time, and the operating condition under which I might use some of that high rpm valve timing pizzazz.

 

[RGR]

Originally Posted By: Roadkingnc

Funny you ask, I work on them everyday and cant give you a date. Been a few years though, it did eliminate the egr system and all of its problems. Relatively trouble free as long as they are serviced on a regular basis.

Serviced hopefully meaning OCI and filters and not much else? Do you need to actually adjust the valves and whatnot every XX miles?

 

[RGR]

Originally Posted By: earlyre

short version. just use the GD oil Ford Specs. in this case 5w20.

I am quite familiar with this recommendation. And have chosen to follow, or ignore, it for as long as Honda and Ford have been speccing 5w-20. I certainly agree with the warranty issue aspect, as well as the possible CAFE basis for requiring its use in the first place. But I asked a specific question to the valve train, because other than something potentially DESIGNED around a lighter weight oil, most motors recommended for thinner oils probably don't care (pragmatically speaking) if they are being lubricated by 7 cSt or 9.5cSt at normal operating temps.

Originally Posted By: earlyre

every shade tree grease monkey wants to second guess the engineers that designed the engine w/ 5w20 in mind,not to mention the undoubted Millions Ford spent Designing this engine family.

I'm not a mechanic. But I am an engineer. And the question I asked really is about the design, certainly older Mustangs (and Rangers) I've owned had no possibility of being designed around a 5w-20, but required it anyway. This motor does have the potential of having that valve train designed around a particular weight of oil. Hence the specificity of the question.

 

[edhackett]

A point relevant to your question is that under the new SAE J300 standard the lowest allowed viscosity for the new SAE 16 is higher than the old low end of SAE 20. Why? Manufacturers are concerned that too thin of an oil will interfere with VVT operation. Not too thick, too thin. Ed

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

What's wrong with that? The car makes more power because of it.

 

[rrounds]

We have run 5/30 in my sons '12 Mustang for around 75k miles now and it runs great with very good gas mileage. He did try 0/20 AFE once and he found that the oil pressure dropped more than he liked to see in the summer heat. ROD

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: dparm

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

What's wrong with that? The car makes more power because of it.

Probably one of the simplicity at all costs sort of people. Yes the new ones do have Ti-VCT, as Ford calls it. And yes it specs 5W-20, I'd run either that or 0W-20.

 

[RGR]

Originally Posted By: rrounds

We have run 5/30 in my sons '12 Mustang for around 75k miles now and it runs great with very good gas mileage. He did try 0/20 AFE once and he found that the oil pressure dropped more than he liked to see in the summer heat. ROD

Interesting.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

I hear it uses unleaded gas, too, Merk.

 

[kschachn]

There's nothing wrong with it, just yet another nonsensical post.

Originally Posted By: dparm

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

What's wrong with that? The car makes more power because of it.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

There's nothing wrong with it, just yet another nonsensical post.

Originally Posted By: dparm

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

Did they put variable valve/cam timing in the V6 Mustang? Please tell me they didn't.

What's wrong with that? The car makes more power because of it.

Indeed, it never will stop!

 

[Brian Barnhart]

Originally Posted By: RGR

Originally Posted By: rrounds

We have run 5/30 in my sons '12 Mustang for around 75k miles now and it runs great with very good gas mileage. He did try 0/20 AFE once and he found that the oil pressure dropped more than he liked to see in the summer heat. ROD

Interesting.

Interesting indeed. It has been my understanding that Ford hasn't used a real oil pressure gauge in their cars and trucks for over 20 years. I found that to be true on my '92 Ranger, '01 Mustang, and '02 Ranger. There may be rare exceptions, but otherwise they are all idiot lights disguised as gauges. If there is more than about 5 lbs. of oil pressure they read in the middle of the "gauge" scale.