Xw-20 oils...

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Brian Miller_dup1

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Sep 27, 2003
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Princeton, TX
I recently bought an '04 Ranger with the old school 3.0L Vulcan OHV V6. Ford recommends the 5w-20 oils in this. My little truck has always been so loud, rough running and really rough shifting. I thought it just needed to break in a little...WRONG! It just needed to get rid of the 5w-20 oil! This stuff might work fine in some of the newer engines, but in this engine?
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Being an oil nut, I dumped the factory fill at 500 miles (I saw a UOA on a 3.0 at 3,000 miles and didn't want those wear metals in my engine longer than I had to). Put in MC 5w-20. Ran to 1,000. Changed with MC again. At 1,500 I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to get some M1 in there (0w-20).

Well today after driving home from work, with 1,800 miles, I dumped the 0w-20 and put in M1 10w-30. I can't believe my truck. The idle is smooth, the shifting is super smooth, and the engine is so quiet! It no longer sounds like it's gonna fly out from under the hood when accelerating.

I don't care what Ford says, this truck is only seeing M1 10w-30 from here on out. That's all we run in my wife's Hyundai Santa Fe year round (they spec a 10w-30). After all, the Ranger only has a 36,000 mile warranty. What are the odds of an engine failure due to oil in 36K (or even an engine failure period. It will just be broke in)?

Just wanted to let you know my experience. I'm now a non-believer in those Xw-20 oils! Not in my cars!
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Brian
 
M1 10W-30 is almost as thin as a 20wt anyway so I wouldnt worry about using it in place of xW-20 all that much
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quote:
Originally posted by Brett Miller:
Sorry to burst your bubble, but how would changing the engine oil effect the transmission shifting?
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I'm not sure why, but it did. I'm guessing that it has something to do with the engine running smoother? After all, the engine is connected to the tranny
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(BTW, it's an auto...in a manual I wouldn't think there would be much difference)

As far as the MC 5w-20 UOA's, those are all in new, DOHC or SOHC engines. The 3.0 in the Ranger is an OHV, old school engine, that up until a couple of years ago speced 10w-30 for anything over 0 deg. F.

I'm sticking with the 10w-30. If I had a modular V8 or a new DOHC engine that speced 20 weight oil, I might try it again.

I think that the auto companies went a little to far saying that this thin stuff is good for everything.
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Brian
 
Not to be super skeptical, but hey that's my nature.

Why would the thin oil make your truck idle/run rough? The oil was so thin that the engine was just tearing itself up with all that metal to metal contact? I doubt this.

I could see a heavier oil reducing noise perhaps, but that's about it.

20 weight oils are by no means suited for all engines, and I'd probably run a 30 in the old 3.0 myself, but maybe you should try switching back to a 20 weight later and see what happens.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Brian Miller:
I'm sticking with the 10w-30. If I had a modular V8 or a new DOHC engine that speced 20 weight oil, I might try it again.
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Ford issued a TSB recommending 5W-20 for my 1996 Ford Contour 2.5L V6.

I'm not going to use 5W-20 in it because it's been running fine for the last 107,000 miles on 5W-30 and likely 10W-30 (I bought it used).

In Europe, this same engine gets a recommendation of 5W-40 or 5W-30.
 
quote:
Why would the thin oil make your truck idle/run rough? The oil was so thin that the engine was just tearing itself up with all that metal to metal contact? I doubt this.

I could see a heavier oil reducing noise perhaps, but that's about it.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure. All I know is what I observed. The engine is much quieter and smoother?

When I bought this truck, I was kind of excited about running the 20 weight oils. After all, with all the good press they get on here. I just think that in these old style engines and the hot Texas summers...it's not a good match, or at least one I want to be a guinea pig in.
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Brian
 
I've got 80k Miles 97 Ranger 3.0...tried going with 1 1/2 qts 0w-30 and 3 qts Mobil SUV 5w-40 and is running real fine..think I found the combo in this summer heat...
 
My 2002 Windstar with the 3.8 OHV motor is quiet and smooth using 5w-20 and that motor is a 20 year old design. I can understand a light oil causing some noise possibly but not rough idle and shifting problems. Are you sure there isn't some other problem? Maybe some vacuum connection loose or disconnected.
 
...proving once again that an oil's main purpose is not to lubricate,
nor to cool,
nor to clean,
but to play to the sensibilities and impressions of the oil buyer.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jay:
...proving once again that an oil's main purpose is not to lubricate,
nor to cool,
nor to clean,
but to play to the sensibilities and impressions of the oil buyer.
Click to expand...
Jay,

If you are going to start accusing us of having impressions and sensibilities, then...well...um-m-m...then...What was the question again?
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I had just the opposite experience with my 3.0 OHV Vulcan. The 5w20 made it quiter, peppier, smoother, and better mileage. Go figure...
 
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