Mobil 1 0w20 vs. 5w30 for a Ford 4.6

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My friend has a 2002 F150 with the 4.6 and he is still looking for a motor oil. I'm trying to help him decide if Mobil 1 0w20 or 5w30 is best. His manuel says to use only 5w20 and anything else will void the warranty. Does Mobil 1 0w20 meet Fords warranty that calls for 5w20? Or should he just stick with the Motorcraft 5w20 semi-synthetic that the book says to use? Thanks for any help!
 
You need to read the information. First I doubt if it says not using the 5W-20 will void your warranty. Also they will give you (normally) a temperature range for the 5W vs 0W. There have been mega posts on this topic and that's what I recall. You could do a search if no one responds.
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I have been told by numerous ford engineers to use 10w30, or 5w30 during harsh winter. I personally use GTX. The reason ford lists 5w-20 is that they wanted to improve the EPA MPG numbers.
 
Al, he is reading the manual correctly. According to the manual, you must use an oil that meets the Ford Spec for motor oil to maintain your warranty. The only oil that meets the current Ford spec is 5w20, because of the way the spec is written.

Ford has not used temp ranges and different viscosities for many years now. They recommend one grade, and one grade only for all conditions in nearly all of their gasoline engines - and currently nearly all of them call for 5w20.

On the 4.6l, no changes have been made to the motor between motors that called for 5w30 and those that call for 5w20. Yes, the primary motivation was for corporate fuel economy.

Those things being said, and based on what we have seen on UOA's of 5w20 so far, I'd have no problem using the 0w20, and no problem using 5w20 (the motorcraft oil is showing well). If I couldn't find those, I'd use 5w30.
 
quote:

Al, he is reading the manual correctly

Are you sure about this? I heard that Ford recently changed that and you can run a 5w-30 if a 20wt. is not available. I don't have any issues with the 20wts as of yet but I would still run a 30wt. How many people ever have car problems due to engine oil? Not many. Run what oil you want.
 
This decision may be made FOR me in my Honda. I have not seen a single qt of Mobil1 0W-20...not real confident that I will any time soon.

In the twisted logic of the auto world, if I had a problem during the warrantee period, people would try to say that using M1 5W-30 somehow gave inferior protection compared to a dino/semisyn whatever 5W-20
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So according to the manuel anything other then ford 5w20/5w20 will void the warranty. I thought that Mobil 1 0w20 meet Ford's warranty requierments. Can anyone confirm this? I think I wll tell him to just use the Motor craft 5w20 If I can't find it in writing about Mobil 0w20. Thanks again for the input!
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No, any oil WEIGHT other than 5w20 does not meet the Ford spec. It does not have to be Ford Motorcraft oil, just any brand that meets the Ford Spec. By definition, the 0w20 oil will also meet the Ford spec. ie: a 0w oil meets a tougher cold crank simulator test, and would also pass the test for the 5w oil at 5 C higher temp.

Striaght from the Mobil 1 data sheet:

Mobil 1 with SuperSynTM 0W-20 is engineered specifically for Ford, Honda and any other vehicle where a 0W-20 or 5W-20 engine oil is recommended. Mobil 1 with SuperSynTM 0W-20 exceeds API SL/CF, ILSAC GF-3, and the performance requirements Ford WSS-M2C-153H specification.

Mobil 0w20 meets the Ford spec.
 
quote:

Originally posted by buster:

quote:

Al, he is reading the manual correctly

Are you sure about this? I heard that Ford recently changed that and you can run a 5w-30 if a 20wt. is not available. I don't have any issues with the 20wts as of yet but I would still run a 30wt. How many people ever have car problems due to engine oil? Not many. Run what oil you want.


Ford makes no exceptions in its manuals.

Honda does allow 5w30 use in its manuals if 5w20 is not availible, and recommends that it be switched back to 5w20 at the next oil change.
 
So if Mobil 1 0w20 meets Fords specs why can't he use it in his truck without voiding the warranty?
 
No. The term "warranty" does not appear in the manual discussion of motor oil. There are no consequences stated for failure to use what is recommended. "Warranty" does appear regarding additives, as seen below.

The following is the language from the manual for my 2003 F-150. Mine happens to be a 4.2 six. I am skeptical that the manual for the eights state something otherwise:

SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended.

Only use oils "Certified For Gasoline Engines" by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Use Motorcraft or an equivalent oil meeting Ford specification WSS-M2C153-H. SAE 5W-20 oil provides optimum fuel economy and durability performance meeting all requirements for your vehicle's engine.

Do not use supplemental engine oil additives, oil treatments or engine treatments. They are unnecessary and could, under certain conditions, lead to engine damage which is not covered by your warranty.


That's it. The manual goes on to discuss changing the oil according to appropriate scheduling, and oil filters.

So, it is a presumption that failure to use 5w-20 will void one's warranty. That is a pretty tall leap from 5w-20 as a "recommended" oil.
 
I give up...
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I don't know where you are getting the idea Mobil 1 0w20 will void your friends warranty.

I'll try and spell it out one more time:

Ford's warranty requires that you service and maintain your vehicle reasonably (ie: according to the service schedule) using the specified fluids.

In this case, as posted above, you are required to use a motor oil that meets the WSS-M2C153-H spec. By nature of the spec, it does not qualify 5w30 oils, only 5w20 oils (and by extension, 0w20 oils, as they also meet the minimums for 5w20)

Mobil 1 0w20 meets and exceeds the WSS-M2C153-H spec.

Using Mobil 1 0w20 will NOT void the warranty.
 
Take heart MN, the owner's manual is written by lawyers to be as ambiguous as possible and yet "clear" enough to be in Ford's favor when a warranty problem arises. Different people read the same words and each sees a different meaning. Of course the only one that counts is the way Ford sees it.

Whimsey
 
Maybe I need to re-read it, but my new (2003) Odyssey manual says nothing about 5W-30...

Maybe since 5W-20 has been out for awhile now they revised the wording?
 
I recently bought 6 qts of Mobil 1 0w-20 from Advance Auto Parts. By the way for whatever reason they did not have it on the shelf. When I asked when or if they would get the Mobil 1 0w-20 they told me it was in the back so if you want it and can't find it - ask. Anyway, it does state on the bottle that it meets the new Ford spec. As for the warranty issue I'm playing it safe. Both my wife and I drive '03 Mustang GT's which call for 5w-20. I will use the Mobil 1 0w-20 in my wife's car and Amsoil 5w-30 in mine. My reason is that my wife is pretty easy on hers and I am harder on my car so I will stick with 5w-30. If either car should ever experience an engine failure I will use the receipts for the 0w-20 to prevent them from voiding my warranty. Deceitful I know but so is their warranty wording and reasoning for the switch.
 
Deceitful I know but so is their warranty wording and reasoning for the switch.

What's so deceitful? They've recommended a particular viscosity oil that meets a certain specification. The reason for the switch is their overall corporate fuel economy score. Neither states of affairs are deceptive. If you don't like it, use something else.
 
I was recently talking with a local county vehicle maintenance foreman. He told me that other counties that used 5W-20 in their sheriff's department new Crown Vics were having occasional blown engines. He has been running 5w-30 and has no engine problem. New cars in this service have no factory warranty. This guy was having a problem of getting the deputies to bring their cars in for an oil change once in a while....

Schaeffer's recommendation is to use what the manufacturer recommends for the warranty period, then switch to 5w-30.


Ken

[ June 29, 2003, 12:13 AM: Message edited by: Ken2 ]
 
Bottom line: you won't kill your engine using 5W-30 considering for the past 10 years the same engine as been fed 5W-30 and 10W-30 w/o any problems.

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Also consider this - 5W-20 is a synthetic blend, there's no pure dino 5W-20.

So once the 5W-20 is worn out, it will start to thin or thicken or break down. If it thins out, what's it going to thin out to - 5W-10? 5W-5?

I seriously wouldn't use 5w-20 in a fleet vehicle or one that does severe duty driving. I wonder what taxi cabs use - the 2001-up Taxis have been around for a bit (in terms of miles). I seriously doubt they use 5W-20!!

[ June 29, 2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: metroplex ]
 
there's no pure dino 5W-20.

I have seen Penzoil, Castrol and Superflo 5w-20 on the shelves......none say they are blends
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Castrol has just released a 5w-20 blend but still sells the dino stuff as well. From the labels I have read, the Superflo and Castrol meet Ford specs......Penzoil does not (so far)

[ June 29, 2003, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: tenderloin ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by tenderloin:
there's no pure dino 5W-20.

I have seen Penzoil, Castrol and Superflo 5w-20 on the shelves......none say they are blends
confused.gif


Metroplex's statement only makes sense if you consider Group III to be "synthetic." All 5w20 oils have some Group III in the base oil blend. As far as I know, Motorcraft is the only one that is actually marketed as a "synthetic blend."
 
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