Motorcraft 5W-20 = Synthetic blend

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Has anyone wondered why Motorcraft's 5w-20 is a synthetic blend?

I looked in my owner's manual and it specifies 5W-20 but the fact remains its a synth blend.

So the used oil analysis should make it known that the 5W-20, however well/bad it performs is a synth blend, not a dino.

I'd like to see a Group I or II 5W-20 dino oil used analysis test. Ford switched to a synth blend becuase a dino 5W-20 thinned out too quickly plus it breaks down too easily (lower thermal stability) hence the synthetic blend.

Sorry but there's no way I'm using 5W-20 in the future.

If the modular motors could handle dino 5W-30 for the past 12 years, then why change to synth blend 5W-20?
 
castrol gtx imo is a better oil than the motorcraft 5w20. This oil has a good dose of moly in it, and can hold its viscosity. Any dino oil will shear after a certain interval(5000 say) but it won't shear that much. Remember, most of these 20wt oils are 70% group 3.
 
It's true, I believe there is no such thing as a 5w20 that is purely group 1 or 2. All of them have a very large percentage of group 3 or better.
 
Castrol GTX 5W-20 doesn't say that it's a blend, "SAE 5W-20: is a premium, multigrade oil, providing cold start protection with Exceptional Fuel Economy. SAE 5W-20 exceeds API service SL, SJ and SH, as well as exceeding the requirements of ILSAC GF-3/GF-2 for API Certified Gasoline Engine Oils. SAE 5W-20 should only be used in vehicles where SAE 5W-20 is recommended by manufacturer."

Castrol Syntec Blend is not available in 5W-20.

Why the assumption that all 5W-20 oils are syn blends? Except for the Ford & Honda requirements for double length Sequence IIIF tests for oil thickening, piston deposits, and valve train wear, 5W-20 is otherwise a standard GF-3 oil. Can these additional tests be met only by blending in GR III (or better) base oil?


Ken
 
Pennzoil's 5w20 also does not claim to be a blend, but it's 70% group 3. That's way more group 3 than the ones labelled as blends (which are typically only 10% group 3)
 
quote:

Originally posted by Ken2:
Can these additional tests be met only by blending in GR III (or better) base oil?

Yep, that's it. That double length Sequence IIIF test is a killer and it takes a significant dose of Group III or PAO to meet it. The Motorcraft oil is a blend of Group II and Group III. Someone posted elsewhere on here that a Mobil tech said that their Drive Clean 5w20 is ALL Group III.
 
Which explains the slight price difference in most 5W-20 and 5W-30 oils.

My point is why use an oil that MUST be at least a synth blend? If I saw that Ford's 5W-20 was all Group 1 or Group 2, then I'd have some confidence in its ability to not breakdown after 3000 miles.

but I read that ford switched to a synth blend 5W-20 as the minimum for its engines due to the dino 5W-20s they used breaking down too quickly (I believe they started to thin out rapidly, showing an increase in wear metals).

OTOH dino 5W-30, even SuperTech at $0.84/qt, can protect an engine in normal non-severe duty use.
 
quote:

Originally posted by metroplex:
but I read that ford switched to a synth blend 5W-20 as the minimum for its engines due to the dino 5W-20s they used breaking down too quickly (I believe they started to thin out rapidly, showing an increase in wear metals).

This is not correct. Conoco developed the 5w20 for Ford and Conoco's Hydroclear 5w20 and Motorocraft 5w20 are identical. The base oil blend has not changed. It was and is a blend of Group II and Group III. Ford chose to market the Motorcraft oil as a "synthetic blend" because of the Group III content, but Conoco doesn't market any of it's Hydroclear oil as synthetic or synthetic blend.
 
quote:

Originally posted by metroplex:

My point is why use an oil that MUST be at least a synth blend? ...


Why not?

If the latest oil technology can formulate thin oils that protect at hot temperatures as well as thicker, older technology oils-- then why not take advantage of the benefits of the thinner oils? The thinner oils pump faster and crank easier in cold temperatures. They flow faster and cool better and offer better gas mileage and more power.
 
I went to Ford's website and then to their Motorcraft site to check out the specs on this oil. I couldn't believe it only had a flashpoint of 365 degrees F!! How important is flashpoint anyway??
confused.gif
 
Conoco Raised the Standard for Passenger Car Oils.

HYDROCLEAR® Super All Season oils will dramatically improve the efficiency of your car.
You spend money on oil for one simple reason: to keep your car operating at full efficiency. But most traditional solvent refined oils just don't deliver optimum performance - because they oxidize faster. And synthetics may be too expensive to make sense for you. Now you can choose the best option: Conoco's new Super All Season Motor Oils. These lubricants are formulated from hydrocracked base stock, bringing you the protection, performance and long life you need if you're going to get the most from your car. We're so sure, we even guarantee it.
 
If you want to see a used oil analysis , there is an oil analysis of Castrol GTX 5w-20 in the UOA forum, Castrol is not listed as a blend.

As a consumer I would run a 5w or 0w -20 oil if it was synthetic, I think they can take the stress and perform decently in mild drain intervals.
 
quote:

Originally posted by ex_MGB:
Hmmm... perhaps pure dino oil is going the way of the.. the... buggy whip?

Besides the controversy of 5W-20, there appears to be confusion over what constitutes "pure dino oil". ALL base stocks from Group I through Group III ARE "pure dino oils". Or, Group III is a "synthetic" depending on how you define a synthetic. Yes, the issue is confusing. PAOs (Group IV) are "built up" via polymerization, the conventional definition of synthesis regarding motor oil base stocks. Group IIIs are base oils that are "reformed" dino oils via severe hydrogen-pressure-heat isomerization (iso-dewaxing through severe hydro-processing - even some of the unwanted cyclics ("aromatics") are converted to desirable molecules.) - another accepted definition of synthesis (at least among chemists, though not necessarily oil-heads). (Indeed, it wouldn't be out of line to define Group IIIs as the PUREST dino yet...) Whether you accept the notion that Group IIIs are synthetics or not (Ford, Castrol Syntec, Pennzoil Full Synthetic, Chevron Full Synthetic, and SuperTech Full Synthetic, among others, apparently choose to so far.) is irrelevant. The important point is that Group IIIs are a water-shed improvement in dino base stock technology at half the production cost of PAOs. Call 'em what you will, but they are superior to Group Is and Group IIs. Given the cost of producing PAOs, "pure dino oils" aren't going the way of buggy whips at all. In fact, they may just ultimately take over. I just wish I could get my hands on a 10W-30 pure Group III formulation, with moly and a suitable additive package, for about $2.00/qt. Something along the line of SuperTech Full Synthetic 10W-30 without the inflated ~$3.50/qt. price. Oh, well, thank goodness for conventional SL oils...
 
quote:

Originally posted by Ray H:
I just wish I could get my hands on a 10W-30 pure Group III formulation, with moly and a suitable additive package, for about $2.00/qt. Something along the line of SuperTech Full Synthetic 10W-30 without the inflated ~$3.50/qt. price.

SuperTech synthetic is $2.79 at my local Wal-Mart. However, I think if I were going to use a Group III, I'd go with the QuakerState. It's under $4.00 at my Wal-Mart.
 
I'm going to see if I can get my hands on some Connoco Hydroclear 5-20 I found a dealer in my area ... BTW, for that dude in ME - I am from MA hit wrong key when registering ...
wink.gif
 
Sorry for all the traffic on this - for those that care - I found Motorcraft 5-20 at a Dealer three Towns over and he stated that the 5-20 grade was hard to come by for them - anyway, I drove over and picked up a case $2.30 a quart.

Here's the reason for my post - this stuff is a semi synthetic says on the box and on the containers ... One more thing - the Parts manager stated Ford intends to be bastards about the use of this **** claims they will go out of thier way to find out whether you used it or not if you have any internal engine warranty issues ... Ha - doesn't surprise me any ...
shocked.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by G-Man II:
SuperTech synthetic is $2.79 at my local Wal-Mart. However, I think if I were going to use a Group III, I'd go with the QuakerState. It's under $4.00 at my Wal-Mart.

Thanks for the heads up, G-Man. I checked my two local WallyWorlds today. SuperTech full synthetic in either SL 5W-30 or 10W-30 was $3.01/qt. in my area, now. I may try some after I go through my case of dino SL SuperTech 10W-30. One store still had quite a bit of SJ SuperTech full synthetic on hand. Same price here, but I wonder if your area's store reduced the price to clear remaining old stock? In what ways do the SuperTech and QuakerState Group III "synthetics" differ (other than brand name and price)?
 
quote:

Originally posted by Ray H:
Thanks for the heads up, G-Man. I checked my two local WallyWorlds today. SuperTech full synthetic in either SL 5W-30 or 10W-30 was $3.01/qt. in my area, now. I may try some after I go through my case of dino SL SuperTech 10W-30. One store still had quite a bit of SJ SuperTech full synthetic on hand. Same price here, but I wonder if your area's store reduced the price to clear remaining old stock? In what ways do the SuperTech and QuakerState Group III "synthetics" differ (other than brand name and price)?
Johnny, who posts on here and works for Pennzoil, has said that SuperTech oils (which are made by Quaker State) are of slightly less quality than Quaker State. He's also stated that Quaker State buys its base oils from ExxonMobil. If that's the case, there's a good chance the Group III QuakerState uses is a wax isomerate (ExxSyn) rather than hydrocracked/isodewaxed oil like Chevron's UCBO and PetroCanada's HT. I haven't been able to confirm this, however, because I can't find an up to date MSDS on Quaker State synthetic oil. The CAS # would tell us for sure if it's a wax isomerate or not.
 
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