OK all you 5w-20 fans back it up !

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I have read numerous pros and cons for Motorcraft 5w-20 (Conoco) oil. I have seen alot of UOA's for Mazdas using this oil and they look very impressive but how about a hard worked modular Ford engine ? I seen a real recent one on a V10 used during summer conditions and trailer towing which is an excellent example of a hard worked engine. One example of this is insufficient data for a trend. So how about some data to back up the "THIS IS PHENOMINAL OIL" or "THIS IS WATER DISGUISED AS OIL" arguments.
 
I ain't touching that one....too hot. I think those who know me here know where I, at least, stand.
 
I will be sending out a sample of penzoil 5w20 from a Ford escape tommorow. It has been in service for 5 months with about 4200 miles. The last one was with Motorcraft 5w20 so it will be interesting to see how they compare. I currently have Mobil 1 0w20 in my 03 F-250 with the 5.4 v-8 I will do a 5,000 mile interval to see how it holds up.
 
quote:

Originally posted by STSinNYC:
BITOG friends, we have seen several UOAs on the big Ford truck engines with 5W-20, haven't we, all with good results?

My brother does alot of tooling for the Ford engine plants around here.He tells me Ford is nuts about tolerances..micron is the word of the day around those plants...use the 5W-20 on the tight Ford V8's.
 
LOOK! A dead horse! Get a baseball bat!

=)

How much could the tolerances have changed from 4 years ago when they recommended 5w30? Are the tolerances in different countries different because they don't recommend the 5w20 everywhere on the globe for the same motor?

Regardless, the 5w20s are doing decent thanks to them being a syn blend. If you like them, use them, if you don't, switch to a 5w30. These motors have been proven to last 200k+ with proper maintaince. Only time will tell if the 5w20s help or hurt it or doesn't make a difference.

Just be sure to know the switch to 5w20 was motivated by CAFE reasons. It could be bad or good in the long run though. Check back in another 5 years.
 
Agreeing this is a dead horse already.

I think the 'truth' lies somewhere in the middle ground. Not to thin or to thick.

I think part of the problem is the car makers don't give some of us enough credit to make inteligent decisions on our own. Taking into account desert vs blizzard conditions, towing, cold starts/short distances etc.

I know both my Honda engines seem both quieter and smoother using slightly thicker than the manuel suggests. No MPG difference either.

Unless I lived further north where it's really cold I'm just not comfortable with the 20 wieght oils.

Just my 2cents to each his own.

[ April 08, 2004, 06:14 PM: Message edited by: Hankrr ]
 
There will always be those who prefer the thicker oils (and they are warranted in some applications) and I doubt a thousand good 5w20 UOA's would change their mind. I mean, look at all the 'sludge' stories implicating certain oils that still live on to this day. I think the data is there to support 5w20 and if you still don't feel comfortable with it then use something else.

[ April 08, 2004, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: mikemc ]
 
cglenn: This horse has been around the track many times. If you are intellectually curious, go the the Used Oil Analysis section, search on 5W-20 and read everthing there.

Maybe you would like to summarize the results in some easy to read format.

Other than that, your post is little more than an attempt to start a food fight as far as I can see.

John
 
Too thin or too thick? That is the question. Whether tis nobler in the engine to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous assumptions or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing, flame them.....
grin.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by cglenn:
I have read numerous pros and cons for Motorcraft 5w-20 (Conoco) oil. I have seen alot of UOA's for Mazdas using this oil and they look very impressive but how about a hard worked modular Ford engine ? I seen a real recent one on a V10 used during summer conditions and trailer towing which is an excellent example of a hard worked engine. One example of this is insufficient data for a trend. So how about some data to back up the "THIS IS PHENOMINAL OIL" or "THIS IS WATER DISGUISED AS OIL" arguments.

Well, the V6 in the Mazda 6 is a Duratec V6 w/ Mazda heads and cams...
 
quote:

Originally posted by darkdan:
LOOK! A dead horse! Get a baseball bat!

=)


I'm new here too, but from reviewing the posts, I'd say no to the dead horse -- it's more like a dead horse's skeleton being beaten to bone meal. . .
wink.gif


Seriously, this has probably been noted and I missed it. I was at a shop recently waiting on my wife's car, and picked up a bottle of 5W-20 to check it out. Alarming to me was a warning on the back not to use the product in any car calling for other than 5W-20. To me that's a major shift from the vague permissiveness I've observed from the oil refiners for the last 25 years; never have I seen a specific DO NOT USE warning on a motor oil.
 
does anyone know of any 200K plus high milers using a 20wt oil? we have plenty of those high milers for 20w50 and 10w30 and such, i wonder how many 20 weight engines make it to 200k.
 
quote:

Originally posted by cryptokid:
does anyone know of any 200K plus high milers using a 20wt oil? we have plenty of those high milers for 20w50 and 10w30 and such, i wonder how many 20 weight engines make it to 200k.

So what about the thousands (maybe millions) of cars that died before 200K using 40 and 50 weight oils?
dunno.gif
 
MY uncles focus is at around 104k, and is running great. Only had a fuel pump and alternator replaced under warranty(bad design), but engine runs fine. It had 5w20 all its life until about 85,000, where i switched it to 0w20. It is getting mobil 1 0w20 for the rest of the vehicle's life. Also, he drives mostly highway, but is in a lot of rush hour traffic. I also did a 6100 mile interval on m1 0w20 the past 6 months(sorry guys, forgot about uoa), and my engine didn't consume any oil at all, and it still looked very clean. My advice: Use a syn or good 20wt if the vehicle calls for it, otherwise, id stick with a syn 30wt and be happy
grin.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by Greaser:
My brother does alot of tooling for the Ford engine plants around here.He tells me Ford is nuts about tolerances..micron is the word of the day around those plants...use the 5W-20 on the tight Ford V8's.

Keep in mind that clearance is the amount of gap required by the engine maker for oil flow. Tolerance is the amount of error allowed in that clearance.

My understanding is that bearing clearances haven't changed in years. This has been confirmed by guys who've looked in current service manuals and old service manuals. Tolerances are improving...they're hitting the desired clearances better with much less error.


Ken

[ April 09, 2004, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: Ken2 ]
 
If a newbie can be permitted one stomp in the bone dust... If clearances have remained constant while tolerances have improved considerably, is it possible that oil weight recommendations might have changed to be closer to what is ideal for the engine design? IOW, if my controls suck, I'm going to make sure that I err toward the loose side, as the consequences are a little less severe than going in the other direction... So maybe the 30 weight recommend was to accomodate the sloppier situation, and the new one in part to reflect the mfg improvement (as well as improve CAFRA numbers)?

-Scott
 
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