Switching from 5w30 to 5w20

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Dec 6, 2020
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Just a quick question. I'm certain it's been covered before just can't find a good answer. I recently bought a 2002 Expedition with 5.4 from a buddy. Around 180,000 miles and no leaks that I see. He said he had been running 5w30 for a while and the engine seems slightly noisy to me. I know some of the 5.4s get noisy on thicker oils. Would it be harmful to switch back to 5w20 since that is what's recommended by Ford?
 
Prior to my 15 F150 I owned a 2004 5.4 3V Triton F150. IMHO 5-30 over 5-20. If it were me, I'd probably use Super Tech 5-30 and a Wix filter or MC for 5k OCI. I do not have science to back me up but I feel those engines were bottom bullet proof and top end needed religious 5k OCI with quality oil and filter.

If you are seeking to eradicate the tick, you can't. Pulling into a drive through window you can hear the tick of the fuel injectors. Don't assume it is the cam phasers.
 
Id go by what Ford says. If it says 5w-20, go with that. If they later updated it and now say 5w-30, go with that. I doubt that a slightly thinner oil is going to make much difference though. I would think that it would get louder with a thinner oil because its got less of a cushion between the internal engine parts.
 
The 2002 2v 5.4 is spec'd for 5w-20.

When the 5.4 originally came out in the trucks in '97, it was spec'd for 5w-30.
A TSB came out in 2000? to switch it to 5w-20, supposedly to help with the timing chain tensioners pressurizing faster.

As others have said, you will most likely hear no difference switching grades.
You may need to do a little diagnosis to see what the noise is, these motors are not know to be loud like the 3v can be with the phasers and VCT solenoids go bad.
 
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