Oil for 5.0L Coyote 5w-30 vs. 5w-20

[Fahrvergnügen]

They also added cylinder de-activation in 2021, so it might also have to do with that. My 2019 5.0 used oil, but I don't think it was because of the 5W20. It was leaking into the cylinders through the head, so that points to something faulty in the heads.

Yours may have had a fault but I have never seen that. Only engine I saw that blew blue smoke on cold start was the 2.7 ecoboost from people not changing oil.

 

[Dave Hess]

5w30 is good.

I like it these engines have a 10 quart sump.

 

[tmorris1]

Yours may have had a fault but I have never seen that. Only engine I saw that blew blue smoke on cold start was the 2.7 ecoboost from people not changing oil.

I never saw smoke, but it used anywhere from 2-4 qts. They replaced the engine at 15K miles and this one has been good. Uses maybe 1/2 qt in 5000. I may switch to 5W30, but was a little worried about warranty.

 

[tmorris1]

It was several things. We used to replace dipstick as a TSB. Stick had a longer range. As technicians we were told by the engineers it was mainly for the oil consumption issue. GM has the displacement of demand and active fuel management using 0w20 so it has nothing to do with that. I personally wouldn’t run 0w or 5w20 in anything that recommends it. Look at all the timing chain issues in the old 5.4 liter too!

That dipstick TSB also had a PCM flash that went along with it. Supposedly they left the throttle open a little on decel to keep from getting a high vacuum condition that could pull oil up through the PCV system. It didn't help my truck though.

 

[MikeMcC]

You're on a newer generation Coyote than me, but in my 2014 I ran 5w-20 for ~105,000 miles. No oil consumption issues, but I have always encountered a 'tick' from the motor (I purchased it with 8 miles on the odometer). Some 5w-20 oil/filter seem 'quieter' than others, but they all do it to some extent.

I've read the Coyote oil threads for years about this debate, and figured I'd do my own testing. I recently decided to give Amsoil SS 5w30 a try since we're basically starting our summer season here in Texas. It seems noticeably quieter than any 5w20 oil I'd tried previously.

Again, different generations, but figured I would share.

I wouldn't go drain 5w30 out of that motor though.

 

[tmorris1]

You're on a newer generation Coyote than me, but in my 2014 I ran 5w-20 for ~105,000 miles. No oil consumption issues, but I have always encountered a 'tick' from the motor (I purchased it with 8 miles on the odometer). Some 5w-20 oil/filter seem 'quieter' than others, but they all do it to some extent.

I've read the Coyote oil threads for years about this debate, and figured I'd do my own testing. I recently decided to give Amsoil SS 5w30 a try since we're basically starting our summer season here in Texas. It seems noticeably quieter than any 5w20 oil I'd tried previously.

Again, different generations, but figured I would share.

I wouldn't go drain 5w30 out of that motor though.

They changed quite a lot in 2018. Different cylinder material, increased compression, port and direct injection, etc. This seems to be when the problems started. Mine has been pretty good since I got the engine replaced,

 

[mahanddeem]

From the few instances dealerships doing something useful

 

[Toy4x4]

I've had my 5.0 for three years now and have used 5w30 since I got it. The manual says to use 5w20, dump it for 5w30 for a track day and switch back to 5w20. Seriously?!? Check out the UOAs I've posted. Nothing wrong at all with using 5w30.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

I've had my 5.0 for three years now and have used 5w30 since I got it. The manual says to use 5w20, dump it for 5w30 for a track day and switch back to 5w20. Seriously?!? Check out the UOAs I've posted. Nothing wrong at all with using 5w30.

That’s the best thing to use in the coyote. Track or not. I could also tell who used the motorcraft 5w30 and went by the oil life monitor when I would pull them apart to do cam phasers. The cams and front cover was varnished up.

 

[RazorsEdge]

That’s the best thing to use in the coyote. Track or not. I could also tell who used the motorcraft 5w30 and went by the oil life monitor when I would pull them apart to do cam phasers. The cams and front cover was varnished up.

I tried Motorcraft oil in our 96'Crown Victoria years ago and it burned off faster than any other oil I've ever used,never used it again.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Has Ford back specced 5w-30 for the Coyote engine on the F150? Oil cap has 5w-20 and the dealership put 5w-30 in it.

2020 F150 5.0L about 60,xxx miles on it.

WOO HOO!
A good ole 5W20 VS 5W30 thread! Let the games begin!
Anyway, I would use 5W30 in it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The game was over 3 weeks ago.

 

[AwAfrican]

Recently picked up a 2020 F150 5.0 looks like it uses some oil this thread has me thinking it may be worth running 5w30 instead of w20. Has anyone done any UOA comparisons for the 18-20 years?

 

[dnewton3]

Recently picked up a 2020 F150 5.0 looks like it uses some oil this thread has me thinking it may be worth running 5w30 instead of w20. Has anyone done any UOA comparisons for the 18-20 years?

Perhaps you could benefit from reading the following:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/used-oil-analysis-how-to-decide-what-is-normal/

Increasing from 20 to 30 grade certainly isn't going to hurt the engine. But it also may not change the oil consumption rate; that is dependent upon a slew of other things.

 

[AwAfrican]

Perhaps you could benefit from reading the following:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/used-oil-analysis-how-to-decide-what-is-normal/

Increasing from 20 to 30 grade certainly isn't going to hurt the engine. But it also may not change the oil consumption rate; that is dependent upon a slew of other things.

appreciate the link it's a good read, I'm familiar with UOA's, didn't see any specific 5.0 info, I might have missed it. On the mazda speed3's we got them nailed down to the top 3 oils for the platform based on UOA, I was one of the individuals providing the date on 3 different oils over the years. Hence me asking if there is any specific UOAs for the 18-20 5.0L.

aware it may not just be a fix going from w20 to w30, sometimes it is depending on how they set tolerances in things like the oil control ring (gap), I've seen going from a w30 to w40 help reduce consumption oil on turbos, although crank case ventilation was more of an issue there. Which could also be the cause here as part of the TSB for this engine included a rpm change for decel.

 

[ZeeOSix]

aware it may not just be a fix going from w20 to w30, sometimes it is depending on how they set tolerances in things like the oil control ring (gap),

All Coyotes specifying 5W-20 will benefit from bumping up to a xW-30. Ford did it themselves for the USA (was 5W-30 in other countries from the start) regardless of CAFE, but took years for them to make that move. And it wasn't because of engine clearances (not tolerances) ... they don't really change these days as engineers have figured out the sweet spot for parts clearances decades ago. If parts clearances were so connected to oil viscosity, then the Coyote wouldn't be specified for 5W-20 and then 5W-50 for a track use variant or recommend it for when a supercharger is added, on engines that all have the same clearances.

 

[Speedbird001]

I’ll just leave this here (2012):

 

[AwAfrican]

@ZeeOSix thanks for the info
@Speedbird001 fair play
much appreciated

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ And that Boss engine has the same parts clearances and a basic Coyote. Ford speced the 5W-50 because the Boss was a focused track car and figured people would be beating on them hard.