Now that's not fair!! Closest I'll get will be WOA opening for 2004 season next January in Sydney. A 3 day event. Tickets available now for A$242!. I reckon a few of should come down for a party?
Can Not Using 5W-20 Ruin Your New Ford Engine
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Texas yes heard of that. Little state that added to California would fit into the State of Queensland (and that ain't our biggest state). But then we only have 6 states and 2 territories.
Keep it up, sprintman. All I know is that we Yanks got a big hole in the ground in Arizona, and you Aussies got Ayer Rock. Dunno how guys did it, but, we want it back.
yeah never thought of it like that. Sure is a big hole meteorite wasn't it?
Okay, now Redline's 5W-20 looks very good in oil tests, that is impressive. How can it be better than Redline 5W-30?
Is it just Redline or are other 5W-20's also showing SUPERIOR results to 5W-30? "Not too bad" is not good enough for me, I am looking for the best protection I can get for my engine. So far I believe that is 5w-30...
Is it just Redline or are other 5W-20's also showing SUPERIOR results to 5W-30? "Not too bad" is not good enough for me, I am looking for the best protection I can get for my engine. So far I believe that is 5w-30...
I have to say Redline's 5w-20 sounds interesting. Terry, what is meant by bench testing ?, sounds like you are impressed with the oil. I'd be willing to run it on my new car based on Redline's reputation and the fact that their oils don't shear under normal use. Any other info or opinions you have to share on this oil would be interesting Terry !.
I recall when I saw my very first container of 5-20. It was at a police department's service bay. It was Ford M/C 5-20, and the bottle was black. It said nothing about any "synthetic blend." I would think it was the first generation of 5-20, and it was conventional.
A year later, the same dept., had suffered several motor failures. Both were in the summer. The guys were now showing me, the new oil they were getting from Ford. Clearly marked: synthetic blend. The dept., had enjoyed fine service before, with the M/C 5-30, with changes at 2,700 miles.
Feeling Ford had sold out for MPG/CAFE, the service manager dropped even the syn/blend, and went to Mobil 1 5-30 with 6K changes, with a new 820 filter at the first 3K. No probs..............
I want to think that "dino" 5-20 was never a good idea. The "blend" might be better. A full synthetic OK. To claim the 4.6 MUST have 5-20 anything is kinda jerking me. To say it would be "best" to retro the older 90's cruisers to 5-20, is just...just...
A year later, the same dept., had suffered several motor failures. Both were in the summer. The guys were now showing me, the new oil they were getting from Ford. Clearly marked: synthetic blend. The dept., had enjoyed fine service before, with the M/C 5-30, with changes at 2,700 miles.
Feeling Ford had sold out for MPG/CAFE, the service manager dropped even the syn/blend, and went to Mobil 1 5-30 with 6K changes, with a new 820 filter at the first 3K. No probs..............
I want to think that "dino" 5-20 was never a good idea. The "blend" might be better. A full synthetic OK. To claim the 4.6 MUST have 5-20 anything is kinda jerking me. To say it would be "best" to retro the older 90's cruisers to 5-20, is just...just...
Although I have not seen any examples of engine problems on Ford's modular engines when using something other that 5W20 when it was specified, I have seen many examples failed engines using 10W30 when 5W30 was specified.
Most of these were early in the history of the modular engine family. Mostly 1991 thru 1994. A few 1999 models though. Most of them had blown the oil filter off on cold starts. Evidently the oil pressure regulator valve may bind or hang up with the heavier oil.
I also remember a police department requesting goodwill assistance for a blown engine with 40,000 miles on it and being turned down for two reasons. First, their logs showed that they were changing oil every 6,000 to 7,000 miles (all police cars should be following the 3,000 mile severe duty schedule) and second because they were using 10W30 oil.
Ford's owner's manuals very clearly state that it is the owner's responsibility to use specified fluids or warranty could be denyied.
You won't find me using anything but the specified oil in any of my modular engine Fords.
Most of these were early in the history of the modular engine family. Mostly 1991 thru 1994. A few 1999 models though. Most of them had blown the oil filter off on cold starts. Evidently the oil pressure regulator valve may bind or hang up with the heavier oil.
I also remember a police department requesting goodwill assistance for a blown engine with 40,000 miles on it and being turned down for two reasons. First, their logs showed that they were changing oil every 6,000 to 7,000 miles (all police cars should be following the 3,000 mile severe duty schedule) and second because they were using 10W30 oil.
Ford's owner's manuals very clearly state that it is the owner's responsibility to use specified fluids or warranty could be denyied.
You won't find me using anything but the specified oil in any of my modular engine Fords.
Running that in my 99 Escort wagon. After 12K miles TBN is 4.5 (via Dexsil kit) and viscosity still seems within reason. (finger comparitive test with fresh sample)
Update on RL 5w-20 test after 10,000 + miles on the oil it was incorrectly dumped without gathering a sample. Test ceased.
Sorry for the delay in updating. Not sure when we can get back to that as compensated testing is currently ongoing in that engine.
Slider get a UOA when you can and share it here please.
Terry
Sorry for the delay in updating. Not sure when we can get back to that as compensated testing is currently ongoing in that engine.
Slider get a UOA when you can and share it here please.
Terry
My experience with my VW 1.8T (turbo) is:
1) Castrol GTX (dino) 5W-30: apparently good operation;
2) Mobil 1 5W-30: timing chain clatter on hot idle
;
3) Mobil 1 0W-40: apparently good-or-better (quieter) operation.
I plan to stay with the 0W-40 (which also meets VW's most stringent specifications), and I have a hunch most turbo owners would be ill-advised to use anyone's 5W-20.
1) Castrol GTX (dino) 5W-30: apparently good operation;
2) Mobil 1 5W-30: timing chain clatter on hot idle
3) Mobil 1 0W-40: apparently good-or-better (quieter) operation.
I plan to stay with the 0W-40 (which also meets VW's most stringent specifications), and I have a hunch most turbo owners would be ill-advised to use anyone's 5W-20.
We'll see 5W-20 recommended for more gasoline engines and 10W-30 diesel lube for more diesel engines. Fuel savings is small but real.
The recommendation from Schaeffer is to use 5W-20 during the warranty period, then use Schaeffer's 5W-30 thereafter.
The local county maintenance shop puts Chevron 10W-30 in the sheriff's Crown Vic cruisers with 5000 mile ODI. They have not had an engine failure. The maintenance foremen for all the nearby counties keep in touch, and all the shops that put 5W-20 in their cruisers have had engine failures.
There is no need to use a syn blend to put together a 5W-20 that meets Ford's & Honda's spec. Group II+ with the right add pack works well.
Ken
I have not found ANYWHERE in my owners manual where it says they will void your warranty for not using the specifed oil. 5w-20 is recommended... I don't see anywhere in the manual where it says REQUIRED. This owners manual is for a 5004 F150.
All pretty well covered except I didn't notice were anyone mentioned that most 5W-30 Energy Conserving Oils shear to a 20 weight within 1000 mi anyway. It has to be designed this way to beat the reference oil. Why not just start with 5W-20 to begain with. For all the discussion about 5W-20 I have seen no Used Oil Analysis on this site that shows any increased wear with 5W-20. Not even V-10's towing heavy trailers.
Will 10W-30 ruin the engine? No.
Will it give superior performance to 5W-20 under normal conditions? Not that I have seen any proof of.
PS I would not use it for extreme use were 250-300°F oil temps can be expected (Read Racing!).
Gene
My point; Ford cannot deny warranty coverage because the manual recommends something. I could recommend we all go jump in the lake on New Years day but that does'nt mean anybody is likely to do it or HAS TO DO IT
even if 5w-20 was motivated from cafe, which i still am not convinced of, do you honestly think that vehicle manufacturers would want to taint their image by recommending an inferior motor oil which would decrease engine life just to get an extra mpg? i doubt it. i use only 5w-20 and the occasional m1 0w-20 in my civic. worked great so far to 30k.
I've had 4 4.6Ls...the present vehicles: 290rwhp 03 Mustang Gt (Red Line 5W-30 since day one) and a 97 Lariat with over 220,000 miles wit nothing but Mobil 1 Synthetic 10W-30.
I wouldn't go past a 30 weight though...gas milage would pay.
I wouldn't go past a 30 weight though...gas milage would pay.
I heavily disagree with this statement. Most dealerships have a high turnover rate on the low-key service tech's, usually the lube workers, and the fellow's that rotate/balance the tires. Generally these guys know far less then you do about your car, and tend to make mistakes.
Don't believe me? Buy a torque wrench...next time you take your car to the dealership, check the torque rating on your lugs... Also try the old filter/sharpie trick. (Put a sharpie mark on your oil filter, then check after the change for the mark).
I'm currently searching for a reputable dealer once again, as the one I was going to (and most of the mazda 6 guys) which was "supposedly" the best in the area, overtorqued some fella's lug nuts to 2x spec (87 ft/lbs, they were @ 160ft/lbs!!!!)...considering that he also had his car in the shop because of rotor warping issues...
They also told him he had the "latest pcm update" when he's at Version N, and their all the way to S now. =/
Terry,
I'm running redline 5w-20 right now, and will be sending for a dyson analysis the second its done. (5w-20 redline + LC + FP). I took a baseline prior to it of the motorcraft 5w-20, but haven't sent that in yet (I hate going to the post office). Should be ready to go in about 3400 miles (running a 4k interval 1st). So hopefully that will help your studies/research/bobs.
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