ford says to use 5w20 =[

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

One argument for the back-spec'ing to the 5W-20 grade was due to the improvements in an oils' shear stability. The 5W-20 grade basically being the same oil as the 5w30 but with less VIIs and Ford (and other manufacturers) simply were maintaining the same operational viscosity as the more shear prone API 5w30s of days past.


If that were true then it doesn't explain why some of the engines were NOT back-spec'd, which is in fact the case.

IMHO, the reason was to keep dealers from having to stock large volumes of both grades side-by-side and make it easier to use basically one product across the board. Ford performed validation testing in the older engines and back-spec'd ones that adequate performance was observed in. The ones that did not demonstrate, for whatever reason, acceptable performance on the thinner oil, were not back-spec'd.

An excerpt from the TSB:

Originally Posted By: Ford

TSB 01-4-7

ISSUE:

Engine oil recommended for use in 2001 vehicles is SAE 5W-20 motor oil. This
oil has an improved formulation to improve fuel economy. This oil can also
be used to service some previous model year vehicles.
ACTION:
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil at recommended oil change intervals for 2001
vehicles, with the exception of the following vehicles listed in the
"Exception 2001 Vehicles" chart. All 2001 vehicles other than those listed
in the "Exception 2001 Vehicles" chart are being filled with SAE 5W-20 motor
oil at the factory and should also be serviced with SAE 5W-20 oil.

*snip*

NOTE: THE "EXCEPTION 2001 VEHICLES" SHOULD BE SERVICED WITH SAE 5w30 MOTOR
OIL.
Exception 2001 Vehicles:
Engine Vehicle
2.5L Ranger
3.3L Villager
3.9L Lincoln LS
4.0L Ranger, Explorer/Mountaineer, Explorer Sport, and Explorer Sport Trac
5.0L Explorer/Mountaineer
NOTE: IF VEHICLE IS NOT LISTED IN THIS APPLICATION, SAE 5w30 OIL IS
RECOMMENDED. REFER TO TSB 99-8-16.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: leroyd92


the truck does not leak a single drop of oil.... ill assume its eating it =)

when i got the truck it had 5w30 in it. i put 10w40 in it, next change was walmart 5w30, then i went to the current Supertech Full Synthetic 5w30.

i honestly cannot say what oil is better or worse. i do know 5 months after the 1040 i consumed 2 quarts. im about double that with the 530.

if its better to run 520 ill do it, if its better to run 1540 ill do it. so far i know thses tight engines like thin oil, so if 520 is what the motor needs ill run it, coldest days in my town are 30 degrees at worse. if bumping from 5x to 10x is a wise idea then id do it.

If 10w-40 cuts oil consumption in half that's what I'd be running. Maybe some 15w40.

 

[CATERHAM]

When it comes to back-spec'ing there can be a number of reasons why certain models are excluded including what the the viscosity reserves were in the first place with the 5w30 grade.

 

[leroyd92]

i think i will use 530 for a few more changes and see what it does.

 

[leroyd92]

i just feel a little scared to go thick, i mean, if it were a stock 80s-90s chevy 350 id run 1540-1040-2050-0r 30wt and not bat an eye but i cant see ford making a work engine without testing the [censored] out of it

 

[R80RS]

I've used 5w-20 exclusively (several different brands, mostly M1) in both Fords in my sig line with great results. I use the F-150 for towing from time to time, in addition to commuting. I run long OCIs with no appreciable oil consumption in either, and both engines are clean internally.

I agree with an earlier post that getting to the bottom of your oil consumption is probably more important than deciding between 20 or 30 weight.

 

[901Memphis]

You could compromising an blend your own heavy 20 or light 30 grade using Toyota Genuine 0w20 and some Mobil 1 0W40.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
To quote the article:

Quote:

What Ford Recommends
Ford advised, and was shipping vehicles from the factory with, SAE 5w30 motor oil in the majority of their engines since the 1990s. Then in January 2002, Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin now recommending the use of SAE 5W-20 instead of SAE 5w30 motor oil. The 4.2-liter V6, 4.6-liter V8 and 5.4-liter V8 from 1997 to 2002 were all listed as vehicles to be serviced with the new recommendation. It was “an improved formulation to improve fuel economy.” From 2002 onward Ford recommended SAE 5W-20 in almost all of their engines (4.2-liter to the 6.2-liter); the exception being the 3.5-liter EcoBoost. They recommend SAE 5w30 for the direct-injection six cylinder.


The Modular engines originally spec'd 5w30. They were back-spec'd in '02 for 5w-20. I have an '02 that has the 5w-20 oil cap and I run 5w30/0w-30 in it as that's what the engine originally called for and was tested with during development. it is mechanically no different from the '00 my parents own that called for 5w30.



Not too sure about the date on that article. We have an early 2001 5.4 2V and the cap says 5w20. Even the owners manual says to use 5w20. That said, I'm personally changing it up to 5w30 next change, just a personal preference. I've heard that with the 3v motors they are finicky about 20 vs. 30, but I don't know that for sure.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Delta
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
To quote the article:

Quote:

What Ford Recommends
Ford advised, and was shipping vehicles from the factory with, SAE 5w30 motor oil in the majority of their engines since the 1990s. Then in January 2002, Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin now recommending the use of SAE 5W-20 instead of SAE 5w30 motor oil. The 4.2-liter V6, 4.6-liter V8 and 5.4-liter V8 from 1997 to 2002 were all listed as vehicles to be serviced with the new recommendation. It was “an improved formulation to improve fuel economy.” From 2002 onward Ford recommended SAE 5W-20 in almost all of their engines (4.2-liter to the 6.2-liter); the exception being the 3.5-liter EcoBoost. They recommend SAE 5w30 for the direct-injection six cylinder.


The Modular engines originally spec'd 5w30. They were back-spec'd in '02 for 5w-20. I have an '02 that has the 5w-20 oil cap and I run 5w30/0w-30 in it as that's what the engine originally called for and was tested with during development. it is mechanically no different from the '00 my parents own that called for 5w30.



Not too sure about the date on that article. We have an early 2001 5.4 2V and the cap says 5w20. Even the owners manual says to use 5w20. That said, I'm personally changing it up to 5w30 next change, just a personal preference. I've heard that with the 3v motors they are finicky about 20 vs. 30, but I don't know that for sure.


They started shipping them with 5w-20 oil caps for the 2001MY. They didn't start back-spec'ing the ones that called for 5w30 until January of 2002.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
They started shipping them with 5w-20 oil caps for the 2001MY. They didn't start back-spec'ing the ones that called for 5w30 until January of 2002.


Yea, my bad. Reading comprehension failed me at that moment.

I'll add this, from service records our 01 for its whole 145K mile life has dieted on MC 5w20 and under the valve cover is very clean with some wear on the cam lobes. I have a decent amount of 5w30 in my stash so I'm not afraid of using it up in it.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
To quote the article:

Quote:

What Ford Recommends
Ford advised, and was shipping vehicles from the factory with, SAE 5w30 motor oil in the majority of their engines since the 1990s. Then in January 2002, Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin now recommending the use of SAE 5W-20 instead of SAE 5w30 motor oil. The 4.2-liter V6, 4.6-liter V8 and 5.4-liter V8 from 1997 to 2002 were all listed as vehicles to be serviced with the new recommendation. It was “an improved formulation to improve fuel economy.” From 2002 onward Ford recommended SAE 5W-20 in almost all of their engines (4.2-liter to the 6.2-liter); the exception being the 3.5-liter EcoBoost. They recommend SAE 5w30 for the direct-injection six cylinder.



Where did that article come from? Cause the 2010 and some 2011 3.5 Ecoboosts in the SHO, MKS, MKT, and Flex call for 5w20. Ford never back-spec'ed them to 5w30. The official line from Ford is run what the oil cap says in them and some of us use 5w20...

 

[OVERKILL]

I have no idea, I quoted the OP's article there, LOL

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
There's hundreds of thousands of these engines running around in hot climates, being worked hard on 5w-20 oil. No problems.

Run 5 or 0w-20 with confidence. A user here 2010_FX4 runs > 10K intervals on 20 grade oil with no problems!



I haven't seen a used oil analysis from FX with less than 15000 miles on it for quite some time now,when was he doing 10000 mile intervals?


Originally Posted By: DSparks
If the engine (notably the valvetrain and phasers) is quiet on 5/20 then use it....if its getting a little noisy the thicker oil helps quiet them down quite a bit....let the hate begin but I have Mobil 1 15w50 in 2 of my 3v engines..
If i use the thin oil they are nasty loud and run like [censored] at idle or just off idle...oil pressure is not the issue...its the phasers.



The first 3v didn't get into trucks until 04 iirc,so if its older than that there aren't any cam phasers,not that viscosity is a big deal anyway because the phasers will operate just fine on thicker oil too.


If you've got consumption issues op I'd do a piston soak with whatever product you like best(seafoam,kreen,mmo,etc). It could be coked rings causing the consumption.

As far as the oil grade use whichever you like. The engine won't die any sooner no matter what you use.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Miller88
There's hundreds of thousands of these engines running around in hot climates, being worked hard on 5w-20 oil. No problems.

Run 5 or 0w-20 with confidence. A user here 2010_FX4 runs > 10K intervals on 20 grade oil with no problems!



I haven't seen a used oil analysis from FX with less than 15000 miles on it for quite some time now,when was he doing 10000 mile intervals?



Probably two years or so ago, I believe, he was proving Mobil Super could go 10K miles.

 

[bigt61]

The OP lives in Arizona - I'd be using 5w30 Maxlife. Then try 10w30 and 10W-40 if further improvement is needed.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I have no idea, I quoted the OP's article there, LOL


LOL. I clicked the link and saw it was for the F150! Guess I should have looked at what the OP posted.