Ford changes oil grade recommendations for 2016

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Originally Posted By: Ramblejam

Ford obviously sees a reason to now deviate from their long established practice of recommending 5w-20.


They sure did. I don't think they drew straws to make the change. I'm sure their reasons will not be made public either. But I don't think it will take a rocket scientist to figure out why.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam

Ford obviously sees a reason to now deviate from their long established practice of recommending 5w-20.


They sure did. I don't think they drew straws to make the change. I'm sure their reasons will not be made public either. But I don't think it will take a rocket scientist to figure out why.


Not much doubt, 5w30 will run quieter...
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Originally Posted By: freshcopedawg
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
The difference between 5w30 and 5w20 is about the difference between Coke and Pepsi. It never fails to amaze me how many people really think it makes a actual difference in real world. People will say they run their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w20 and other folks say they ran their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w30 and everybody still believes its the oil.


Not a good example.


Agreed. There is the eternal thick vs. thin oil debate, and that's one thing. But Coke vs. Pepsi? That's truly an issue that makes the world go 'round.

Coke is much more refreshing.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: Branson304
I honestly hope they back spec our trucks to 5w30, I'll gladly use it. A thicker oil during heavy towing is never a bad thing.

???
Originally Posted By: Branson304
Because. Maybe this is just a design change in the engine for 2017 & 5w30 is the best oil after the design change, while 5W-20 is the best oil for my version of the engine. 5W-20 has been perfectly fine for me so I'm not switching unless Ford says so.


I thought you said a thicker oil is good for towing?


If it is appropriate for the engine. I stated both times I'm not going to use 30 unless they back-spec it. If they back-spec it then great, I'm sure it'll provide better protection when the engine is running hard during towing. If they don't back-spec it, apparently they have a reason not to so I'll just keep using 5W-20.
 
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Originally Posted By: Branson304
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: Branson304
I honestly hope they back spec our trucks to 5w30, I'll gladly use it. A thicker oil during heavy towing is never a bad thing.

???
Originally Posted By: Branson304
Because. Maybe this is just a design change in the engine for 2017 & 5w30 is the best oil after the design change, while 5W-20 is the best oil for my version of the engine. 5W-20 has been perfectly fine for me so I'm not switching unless Ford says so.


I thought you said a thicker oil is good for towing?


If it is appropriate for the engine. I stated both times I'm not going to use 30 unless they back-spec it. If they back-spec it then great, I'm sure it'll provide better protection when the engine is running hard during towing. If they don't back-spec it, apparently they have a reason not to so I'll just keep using 5W-20.


What if their reason is to simply not admit they were wrong?
 
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Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: freshcopedawg
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
The difference between 5w30 and 5w20 is about the difference between Coke and Pepsi. It never fails to amaze me how many people really think it makes a actual difference in real world. People will say they run their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w20 and other folks say they ran their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w30 and everybody still believes its the oil.


Not a good example.


Agreed. There is the eternal thick vs. thin oil debate, and that's one thing. But Coke vs. Pepsi? That's truly an issue that makes the world go 'round.

Coke is much more refreshing.

Exactly right my friend.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: freshcopedawg
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
The difference between 5w30 and 5w20 is about the difference between Coke and Pepsi. It never fails to amaze me how many people really think it makes a actual difference in real world. People will say they run their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w20 and other folks say they ran their Fords 200,000 miles on 5w30 and everybody still believes its the oil.


Not a good example.


Agreed. There is the eternal thick vs. thin oil debate, and that's one thing. But Coke vs. Pepsi? That's truly an issue that makes the world go 'round.



Coke is much more refreshing.


My point was there is such a small difference its a moot point. People act like 5w20 and 5w30 is like comparing 10wt to 50wt. Many engines survive (most all with a million miles) on 20w50. so go figure. It doesn't matter though I am seeing some people are going to follow that manual and do no independent research or thinking on their own, due to they have already convinced themselves that some car engineer knows more than them and has no ulterior motives than making their engine last forever.
 
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We dont even know why Ford made the oil recommendation changes to 2016 models. Does anybody know if perhaps the engines have different clearances between certain parts, thus warranting 5w30? Everyone is already picking sides like its a political debate. Its not, guys. If Ford starts back specing older motors to a thicker weight, which they have in other engines due to noise complaints, then this fued can continue. Ford has proved that 5W-20 is good for its engines designed for it under certain driving conditions. Hopefully Ford will give an explanation why they did this because Im sure lots of fleet operators with
FoMoCo is no dummy. Theyve even back specd some cars that originally stated 5w30, to 5W-20.
 
I figured Ford was wrong back in '08 when I bought my Grand Marquis(yes I realize we're talking HD trucks), been using 5w30 since first oil change I performed at around 18K mi...

Oh yeah there was a bunch of flappin' here on BITOG when I mentioned that, every one was throwing that tight tolerance malarkey in my face... Took probably four years for the book readers to finally realize it's all a CAFE requirement(well at least most of them, some still haven't figured it out)...
 
Originally Posted By: TFB1
I figured Ford was wrong back in '08 when I bought my Grand Marquis(yes I realize we're talking HD trucks), been using 5w30 since first oil change I performed at around 18K mi...

Oh yeah there was a bunch of flappin' here on BITOG when I mentioned that, every one was throwing that tight tolerance malarkey in my face... Took probably four years for the book readers to finally realize it's all a CAFE requirement(well at least most of them, some still haven't figured it out)...


Really?.... You drive a grand marquis,that has proved its weight in gold how durable it is, with cab operations everywhere running them 300,000 miles before selling them in running condition, and law enforcement agencies that beat the snot out of them before they sell them in running condition at around 100,000 miles? All while running 5w-20, and you want to argue the 20wt vs 30wt? Im sure some operations used 5w30 but 20wt is what most of them used.
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Maybe the engineers finally won out on what THEY always wanted for their engines. Ed


Maybe, and possibly at the expense of CAFE credits?
 
Originally Posted By: stower17
Does anybody know if perhaps the engines have different clearances between certain parts, thus warranting 5w30?


I can almost guaranty you the clearances haven't changed. There's probably been some ruined engines that the general public doesn't know about. Bearing failures and worn out piston rings before the engine gets out of warranty - costing Ford money.
 
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
My point was there is such a small difference its a moot point. People act like 5w20 and 5w30 is like comparing 10wt to 50wt. Many engines survive (most all with a million miles) on 20w50. so go figure. It doesn't matter though I am seeing some people are going to follow that manual and do no independent research or thinking on their own, due to they have already convinced themselves that some car engineer knows more than them and has no ulterior motives than making their engine last forever.


There's a significant difference between the 5W20 and 5W30 grades as implemented.

About 10% HTHS isn't a "small difference", in an actual, measurable physical quantity.

The Coke/Pepsi analogy could be applid to Na versus non Na additives, but to different grades...nah...
 
Im not jumping to any conclusions about the change until Ford starts back specing their engines. And thats if they even back spec, they might not because again, all of us here are only speculating why they changed. Was it a design change in the engine or because of an oil viscosity problem? Until that question can be answered everything that is said here is just hysteria. And i dont even own a FORD and I'm sticking up for them. Geez, every calm down.
 
Originally Posted By: stower17
Originally Posted By: TFB1
I figured Ford was wrong back in '08 when I bought my Grand Marquis(yes I realize we're talking HD trucks), been using 5w30 since first oil change I performed at around 18K mi...

Oh yeah there was a bunch of flappin' here on BITOG when I mentioned that, every one was throwing that tight tolerance malarkey in my face... Took probably four years for the book readers to finally realize it's all a CAFE requirement(well at least most of them, some still haven't figured it out)...


Really?.... You drive a grand marquis,that has proved its weight in gold how durable it is, with cab operations everywhere running them 300,000 miles before selling them in running condition, and law enforcement agencies that beat the snot out of them before they sell them in running condition at around 100,000 miles? All while running 5w-20, and you want to argue the 20wt vs 30wt? Im sure some operations used 5w30 but 20wt is what most of them used.


I spent an hour today reviewing oil change threads on the CrownVic forums. From what I saw the majority of them are using 5w30 motor oil. One member who had knowledge of a large cab operation for an airport (100's of cars) indicated that they did 5w-20 oil changes for the first 100K, then 5w30 for the next 200K, and then an even thicker grade for beyond 300K. I would imagine there are other fleets using 5w30 right from the start. Overall, I'd say it's 50-50 on 5w-20 vs 5w30. If there's "hysteria," it's only on the part of those screaming that you'll lose your warranty (and your engine) if you go anything other than 5w-20 on the 4.6L. The kicker being that the 1991-2000 years were originally spec'd/designed/built for 5w30. The 4.6L engine bearing specs didn't change any by 2002 when the back-specification was already in place. My 2002 has 5w-20 on the oil fill cap and throughout the owner's manual. It's also true that in other nations, 5w30 or higher grades are spec'd right from the factory. Common sense seems to point to CAFE on the 5w-20 specification, and nothing else.

Owner of five different 4.6L Ford/Mercury/Lincolns from 1986-2016.
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
I spent an hour today reviewing oil change threads on the CrownVic forums. From what I saw the majority of them are using 5w30 motor oil. One member who had knowledge of a large cab operation for an airport (100's of cars) indicated that they did 5w-20 oil changes for the first 100K, then 5w30 for the next 200K, and then an even thicker grade for beyond 300K. I would imagine there are other fleets using 5w30 right from the start. Overall, I'd say it's 50-50 on 5w-20 vs 5w30. If there's "hysteria," it's only on the part of those screaming that you'll lose your warranty (and your engine) if you go anything other than 5w-20 on the 4.6L. The kicker being that the 1991-2000 years were originally spec'd/designed/built for 5w30. The 4.6L engine bearing specs didn't change any by 2002 when the back-specification was already in place. My 2002 has 5w-20 on the oil fill cap and throughout the owner's manual. It's also true that in other nations, 5w30 or higher grades are spec'd right from the factory. Common sense seems to point to CAFE on the 5w-20 specification, and nothing else.

Owner of five different 4.6L Ford/Mercury/Lincolns from 1986-2016.

+1

Ford Modular V8 engines (Triton 5.4L/4.6L engines) will run forever on anything. I've run 0w-20, 5w-20, 5w30, 5w-40, and 10w-40 in my truck before (mostly to see if I could notice any differences). I could not tell any difference running any of them.

I typically run 5w30 since that was the original spec. The only reason I'm running 5w-20 atm is because of just what I previously said - to see if I could tell any difference.

My next OC will be with the free oil kit I got from GenaFishbeck and Pennzoil - Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 5w30.

Ford modulars are arguably some of the longest lasting engines ever built (provided they are properly maintained).

They'll run fine on anything you give them (yes, as long as it is API certified).

~ Triton
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Maybe the engineers finally won out on what THEY always wanted for their engines. Ed

Engineers have a habit of designing for the "worst cases".
For automotive engines, the worst case would be: wide throttle, high RPM for the extended period of time. I am quite sure that Xw20 is noticeably underperforming in such conditions (although it may work fine under all other use cases).
 
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