What oil for a '03 Mustang GT

[Keith B]

My wife and I just got '03 Mustang GT's (4.6 liter engines). So far I have changed the oil and filters on both engines at around 500 miles. For now I am using Motorcraft 5w-30 instead of the 5w-20. When they reach 3000 miles I will switch both of them to synthetic oil. My car will see some agressive driving from time to time but not too bad. My wife's car will be driven normally most of the time (unless I'm driving it). I'm willing to take my chances with the warranty issue by not using the 5w-20. I just want the best protection for my engines. Reguardless of which brand/weight of oil I use I will go no more than 6 mos./5000 miles between drains. I had planned to use Amsoil 5w-30 with an Amsoil SDF-11 filter but I am open to other suggestions from you more experienced guys. Any recommendations?

[ April 19, 2003, 12:22 AM: Message edited by: Keith B ]

 

[Patman]

You won't see a lot of benefits with Amsoil if you're going to change it so often, with it being such a long drain oil. With 5k changes you'd get just as good results with Schaeffer's blends, IMO.

 

[Al]

As Patman mentioned, 5K is pretty frequent for synthetics. And in SC you can go with the 10W-30 all year round. Mobil1 (or Amsoil). Really no need to wait for 5K miles. to switch

[ April 19, 2003, 07:56 AM: Message edited by: Al ]

 

[buster]

You might see consumption benefits with Amsoil.

 

[TooSlick]

Keith,

A 5000 mile change interval with Amsoil would be very conservative - you could probably go three times that long. However since both vehicles are under warranty, I can't disagree with your reasoning. If you had a third vehicle you could actually save the oil you drain out after 5k and use it in that, or perhaps in some lawn/garden equipment.

I would go with the Amsoil 5w-30, "ASL" instead of their 5w-20, given the climate.

TooSlick

 

[Ryan00TJ]

Keith B... Nice cars! However, I would have went with a 03 Cobra for myself and then you could always tease your wife with how your car is faster!

My decision on drain intervals are around 5K miles too. I decided on going with Schaeffer Synthetic Blend 10W-30 due to a very well built oil that when ordered the right way is really dirt cheap compared to others.

 

[buster]

Schaeffer blend is a good choice. I'd use Amsoil S3000/S2000 or M1 10w-30. BTW, family member just bought the new Dodge 4door pickup with 20"wheels, 5.7L Hemi engine with ground effects. sweet truck. Not a fan of Dodges but it is very nice. 345hp. Not to shabby........

 

[mebanditws6]

M1 0w40 will be a good year round oil for the 4.6. M1 oils are kinda thin for their viscosity rating so this oil will be about like a GTX 10w30 dino oil in terms of thickness. BTW, can you still get a MachI? I personally would almost rather have one of those over a 03 Cobra.

Jason

 

[HOndaGuy]

a mach 1 is slower than the cobra. I believe it to only be 320 horsepower or something like that.(basically w/e last years cobra hp was, not the cobra r)

 

[HOndaGuy]

nope, its 305hp, my mistake.

 

[Ryan00TJ]

The Mach 1's are rated at 305 horses and put around 275 rwhp stock to the pavement. They are a tad quicker than the 01 Cobra's. The 03 snake IMO is a much better buy. 390 SC horses bone stock for a tad over 30K is a badass buy! They are underrated also with many putting down 370 rwhp stock. With minor bolt ons they can make 400+ rwhp and with pulley changes and full exhaust mods they make crazy amounts of power!!!
500+ rwhp! My only peve is how heavy they are, close to 3700 lbs.

 

[Keith B]

I would love to have gotten an '03 Cobra but they are out of my price range. As for the Mach 1, I saw two of them at a dealership. The MSRP was around 29500, however they had a $5000 dealer markup on top of that. I like the Cobra better anyway, especially if they are basically the same price (with the Mach 1 markup). By the way Ryan00TJ, mine has a manual and hers has an automatic so I can still say mine's faster (ha-ha). As for the 5k interval, I know that is very conservative, but I am kind of anal about my cars (especially the two Ponies). As TooSlick suggested, I will probably reuse the oil in my work car for another 5k.
As for oil, I am either going to go with Amsoil or Mobil 1. I am a preferred customer so the price differance is very small plus I will be using the Amsoil SDF-11 filter anyways. Out of these two oils would there be much differance. Also, would it be any advantage to run 10w-30 instead of 5w-30? Thanks.

[ April 21, 2003, 09:40 PM: Message edited by: Keith B ]

 

[buster]

If your a pref. customer, I'd go with Amsoil right now. There oils are a bit thicker and they have higher HT/HS. I'm always saying it really is insignificant and doesn't prove YET, that one oil is better then another, but on paper it looks good.

I think Amsoil 0w-30 (S2000) is the best choice for this car year round. The best 5w-30 right now would be S3000 IMO. Expensive though and I don't know if it has any FM's. I like the looks and UOA of this oil (little that there are). Mobil 1 would most likely be as good. I'd do 5w-30 in winter and 10w-30 in summer with M1. My biggest complaint with M1 that I've had, and I only have an economy car, is consumption. 10w-30 was the best M1 followed by 0w-40.

I've been defending M1 lately bc of it's lower weight and HT/HS. It is one of the top 3 syn. lubes out there IMO. But most of the real knowledgable guys on this site would most likely prefer the added weight of Amsoil/Redline with higher HT/HS in a performace car.

[ April 21, 2003, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

 

[TooSlick]

Keith,

For any kind of OHC engine, I think it's important to get the oil flowing to the top end of the motor ASAP, even in warm weather. So I recommend 5w-20,0w-30 or 5w-30 grades for these instead of a 10w-30 to minimize camshaft & lifter wear while the engine is warming up. For a pushrod type engine this probably isn't as critical and those seem to do really well with 10w-30 grades, even in colder climates.

I think the Amsoil 0w-30 is probably the best oil I've used in gas engines, but it's too expensive to be changing every 5000 miles.

TS

 

[vettenuts]

I have been running the Amsoil 5W-30 in my 02 Vette and am very happy with it. Buy the case of gallons and it comes out almost the same as the M1 by the quart.

 

[metroplex]

what questionable block casting are you talking about?

I've never heard of any serious problems with the Crown Vics and T-birds using the mod motors.

Maybe with the cast aluminum stuff the Cobra uses - heck look at the 2000 Cobra. Oh wait, did they even make them that year?

The cast iron block used on the modular motors have no issues.

 

[MNgopher]

'99 5.4 motors in particular with the cast iron block suffered from some casting issues that led to the head gasket problems on many of those motors. Other than that, I am aware of no block issues in the mod motors.

 

[metroplex]

Head gasket problems???

This is the first I've heard of it - what is your source?

I hang out on CrownVic.net so we mainly use 92-up 4.6L SOHC V8 motors, I have not heard anything catastrophic other than the intake manifold leak at the front crossover, the valve stem seal issue, and the squeeling belts.

I have a 2003 5.4L SOHC V8, I hope its problem free!!!!

 

[mebanditws6]

The reason for my post is that I've heard Ford is having problems with the crank in the 03's due to the power levels and the boost. I was surprised when I heard this, but with over 400 hp at the crank stock, it doesn't really suprise me considering the cranks are the same as the other 4.6 Cobras. Also I think the Mach I's look better with those functional shaker hoods (they also run 13.1's bone stock on stock tires according to MMFF magazine). If I'm looking to run 11's in a Mustang, I'd go with a late 80's fox body over even an 03. Call me crazy, but Ford has had too many issues with the modular motors when hopped up for performance. From rods in the Lightnings snapping from too much power (not that much more than stock actually), to questionable block casting in all the modular engines, give me a 302 or 351 anyday to build over a modular motor. If I bought a fox body 5.0 for 3k or so, all it takes is 5k to get well into the 11's (10's on giggle juice) and be streetable. just my 2 cents

Jason

 

[MNgopher]

The '99 F150's in particular had issues with the head gaskets on the 5.4l engine to go along with the piston slap. There were a lot of engines that were replaced with FQR's as a result of head gasket leaks as well as piston slap. Quite a few folks had the gaskets go twice in less than 40k miles.

Clues were generally an oil burning smell. The first signs usually appeared on the back of the block.

Do a search over at F150online. You'll leave with a boatload of information on the head gasket and piston slap issues.

It shouldn't be a problem on your '03 - '99 was the year with the most issues.