Has Ford Back Spec'ed 4.0 Eng on Rangers?

[tc1446]

My 2000 Ranger with 4.0 motor, and only 45K miles on it, calls for 5w30 and thats what I've always used. I've had the truck since new.
In recent years its been used less than 1500 miles per but I changed the oil every
spring, usually. I've now begun to use it on regular basis, having downsized
to one car and the truck and am wondering if I should continue with 5w30 or has Ford back spec'ed it to some other weight?

I Recently changed it with Mobil 5000 and MC filter and plan on running that for 5K.

 

[lugNutz]

I haven't found any information on that for my Explorer (4.0) when i've researched. Everything I have seen has been the 4.6 v8 was back spec'd to 5w-20. I continue to use 5w30 in mine.

 

[JDW]

I run Mobil 5000 5W30 with NG filter on my 01 4.0 . Runs like a champ

Nice power out of these blocks.

 

[exranger06]

NO! The 4.0 was one of the few engines that was never back-speced to 5w20. Use only 5w30.

 

[wsar10]

My Dad bought a Ranger brand new the last year they made them (11 or 12)....It still specs 5-30. We are going to a 0-30 in it next OCI.
That being said I just went with German Castrol 0-40 in my V6 06 Explorer w 90K mi.

 

[MNgopher]

Ford never back specified any other weight for the 4.0. Use the recommended 5w30.

 

[BISCUT]

I had very good luck with 3 of those engines in 2 Explorers and 1 Mountainner (this one was killed at 85k from a deer hit). All I ever used was 5-30 and majority of it was SuperTech conventional. Over 200K with 1 and the other is still going around 160k now.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: wsar10
My Dad bought a Ranger brand new the last year they made them (11 or 12)....It still specs 5-30. We are going to a 0-30 in it next OCI.
That being said I just went with German Castrol 0-40 in my V6 06 Explorer w 90K mi.


That's fine, there's a Ford TB that said one could use 10W-40 in the 4.0L...

 

[wsar10]

Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Originally Posted By: wsar10
My Dad bought a Ranger brand new the last year they made them (11 or 12)....It still specs 5-30. We are going to a 0-30 in it next OCI.
That being said I just went with German Castrol 0-40 in my V6 06 Explorer w 90K mi.


That's fine, there's a Ford TB that said one could use 10W-40 in the 4.0L...


are you being sarcastic ??
I ask because some have seemed to take offense to my oil choice on here (other threads.

If so, what is the reason behind this, have they finally admitted that low oil PSI is an issue for the 4.0 ????

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: wsar10
Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Originally Posted By: wsar10
My Dad bought a Ranger brand new the last year they made them (11 or 12)....It still specs 5-30. We are going to a 0-30 in it next OCI.
That being said I just went with German Castrol 0-40 in my V6 06 Explorer w 90K mi.


That's fine, there's a Ford TB that said one could use 10W-40 in the 4.0L...


are you being sarcastic ??
I ask because some have seemed to take offense to my oil choice on here (other threads.

If so, what is the reason behind this, have they finally admitted that low oil PSI is an issue for the 4.0 ????


I've seen that TSB online. I think Ford's reasoning was that customers were complaining about noisy engines. I run a "thick" 10W30 in my gf's 4.0 powered Mustang and it definitely runs better than the thinner synthetic I'd used previously. Concerning TSB's,I came across a Nissan TSB saying to replace all Nissan rear differentials with their OEM 75W140 gear oil. Mine specs a mineral 80W90,and I've contemplated switching to the Nissan stuff,but I'm not totally sure if it would even apply to my 1996 model Nissan.

 

[Michael_P]

With the timing chain and tensioning issues, I would not run 5W20 in a 4.0. I have read on some Ranger forums that an occasional use of a thicker oil could reduce timing chain slap. I would check out some Ranger, Mustang or Explorer forums.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
With the timing chain and tensioning issues, I would not run 5W20 in a 4.0. I have read on some Ranger forums that an occasional use of a thicker oil could reduce timing chain slap. I would check out some Ranger, Mustang or Explorer forums.

OP has a 2000 Ranger, which has an OHV (pushrod) 4.0. Pushrod 4.0s don't have timing chain issues, the SOHC 4.0 did. Both engines were never back-speced for 5w20.

 

[EricF]

my Dad's 1999 Ranger with the 3.0L was back spec'd to 5w20, however, I'm still keeping it 5w30, using Mobil Synthetic.
the gas mileage isn't to great with the 3.0L, and I'm tempted to put 5w20 in to see if it helps out. However, the truck is driven maybe 2000 miles a year now, so that 5w30 will stay in there for at least a year.

 

[tc1446]

Excellent feedback. Thanks to all of you. With the mild climate
here in central N.C. I'll stay with 5w30. It is a noisy engine; a buddy dubbed it "Ole Growley" when I first got it and the name
has stuck. If its time for an oil change next spring, I might try the 10-40 or 5-40 to see if it does quieten the motor.

Local mechanic that did some maintenance on it says its an
excellent engine, speaking in general of the 4.0 motor.

 

[jrustles]

No surprise Ole Growley wasn't backspecc'ed, it is a German engine afterall

 

[C4Dave]

I had one of those engines. Ford tested the 4.0 with 5w20, but it wouldn't pass the durability tests. It was something under the timing cover, but don't remember exactly what was wearing out.

Ford was really pushing 5w20 back then because they could get a lot of fuel mileage credits from EPA since there were so many 4.0 around. So if Ford says don't use it, then don't use it.

Stay with the 5w30.

 

[wsar10]

Originally Posted By: C4Dave
I had one of those engines. Ford tested the 4.0 with 5w20, but it wouldn't pass the durability tests. It was something under the timing cover, but don't remember exactly what was wearing out.

Ford was really pushing 5w20 back then because they could get a lot of fuel mileage credits from EPA since there were so many 4.0 around. So if Ford says don't use it, then don't use it.

Stay with the 5w30.


I think we are all going to find out in years to come that the 5-20's are gonna fall short allot in terms of durability...

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: wsar10
Originally Posted By: C4Dave
I had one of those engines. Ford tested the 4.0 with 5w20, but it wouldn't pass the durability tests. It was something under the timing cover, but don't remember exactly what was wearing out.

Ford was really pushing 5w20 back then because they could get a lot of fuel mileage credits from EPA since there were so many 4.0 around. So if Ford says don't use it, then don't use it.

Stay with the 5w30.


I think we are all going to find out in years to come that the 5-20's are gonna fall short allot in terms of durability...


A decade later this has not come to fruition. I recommend not holding your breath.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: wsar10
Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Originally Posted By: wsar10
My Dad bought a Ranger brand new the last year they made them (11 or 12)....It still specs 5-30. We are going to a 0-30 in it next OCI.
That being said I just went with German Castrol 0-40 in my V6 06 Explorer w 90K mi.


That's fine, there's a Ford TB that said one could use 10W-40 in the 4.0L...


are you being sarcastic ??
I ask because some have seemed to take offense to my oil choice on here (other threads.

If so, what is the reason behind this, have they finally admitted that low oil PSI is an issue for the 4.0 ????


Em, no. I wasn't being sarcastic. See the responses that followed. The 4.0L is probably better with a slightly thicker oil it seems. My choice would be 5W-40 in summer and 5w30 high mileage the rest of the year...

 

[MNgopher]

Originally Posted By: wsar10


I think we are all going to find out in years to come that the 5-20's are gonna fall short allot in terms of durability...


Its been over 10 years since 5w20 was put into mainstream use. How much longer are we going to have to wait and how many hundreds of thousands of miles will be enough?

In the meantime, this isn't an application for 5w20. 5w30 would be my preferred flavor, as specified by Ford.