5W20 oil?

[Steeltoes]

Hey what's the deal with such a light weight oil in the newer vehicles?

 

I have always used Schaffers 10W30

[akirby]

Hey what's the deal with such a light weight oil in the newer vehicles?

 

I have always used Schaffers 10W30

 

New engines have tighter tolerances and 5W20 is more fuel efficient.

[Steeltoes]

At the firts oil change does anyone think a syn. 5w30 would hurt anything?

[bbf2530]

At the firts oil change does anyone think a syn. 5w30 would hurt anything?

 

Hi Steeltoes. :D The only advice you cannot go wrong with is: If the recommended viscosity is 5W-20, use 5W-20.

 

If you use another viscosity, have engine trouble, and Ford/the Dealer should perform a breakdown test of your oil, any Warranty claim you have could be void. Why take the chance?

 

Good luck! :beerchug:

Edited October 29, 2007 by bbf2530

[Steeltoes]

Good point!! 5w20 syn it is

[akirby]

Please be aware that the factory fill 5W-20 is not regular oil - it's already a synthetic blend.

[bbf2530]

Hi Steeltoes. :D Yes, perhaps I was not specific enough. Use an oil meeting the proper specifications required by Ford in your Owners Manual.

 

In fact, to quote the Manual: "To protect your engine's warranty use Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 or an

equivalent SAE 5W-20 oil meeting Ford specification WSS-M2C930-A.

SAE 5W-20 oil provides optimum fuel economy and durability

performance meeting all requirements for your vehicles engine."

 

And these are the details and numbers from a 2007 Ford Owners Manual Specification chart:

Ford Part Name/Ford Specification

XO-5W20-QSP (US)

CXO-5W20–LSP12 (Canada)

WSS-M2C930-A with API Certification Mark

 

Good luck! :beerchug:

Edited October 29, 2007 by bbf2530

[theoldwizard]

New engines have tighter tolerances and 5W20 is more fuel efficient.

BS on "tighter tolerances"

 

100% true on "more fuel efficient"

[theoldwizard]

Hey what's the deal with such a light weight oil in the newer vehicles?

 

I have always used Schaffers 10W30

I switched to 10w-30 after 50K and when I started using about a quart every 2-3000 miles on my 4.6L

[akirby]

BS on "tighter tolerances"

 

I meant as compared to 15 or 20 years ago. I agree the switch from 5W-30 to 5W-20 was strictly for fuel economy since my 2000 LS started life with 5W-30 and was later changed to 5W-20 in the maintenance specs.

[atomaro]

I switched to 10w-30 after 50K and when I started using about a quart every 2-3000 miles on my 4.6L

 

 

I did the opposite on my 5.4. Used 10W30 until 90K and then switched to 5w20 syn blend. Still doesn't use oil.

 

76 now offer 5W20 syn blend. So at least you don't have to buy motorcraft. Sorry if thats old news.

[StevenCaylor]

Ford put out a TSB a few years ago stating that newer cars (IIRC late 90's and up) with engines built in the US can switch to 5W-20 oil. Non-US engines like the Cologne V6 in the Mustang and Explorer still must use 10W-30.

[FordPaul]

My son's Mustang has always had Motorcraft oil in it and has about 111K on it now and doesn't use a drop of oil in between changes. The Motorcraft 5W30 and now 5w20 synthetic blend is the absolute best oil you can run in your Ford. Does it cost a little more, yes. Is it worth it, yes.

[StevenCaylor]

My son's Mustang has always had Motorcraft oil in it and has about 111K on it now and doesn't use a drop of oil in between changes. The Motorcraft 5W30 and now 5w20 synthetic blend is the absolute best oil you can run in your Ford. Does it cost a little more, yes. Is it worth it, yes.

 

Ford put out a TSB a while ago saying that most (but not all) Ford engines built after IIRC 99 that originally called for 5W30 could switch to 5W20. The exception were the engines not built in the US, i.e., the Cologne V6 in the Mustang and Explorer.

 

I'm using 5W20 Mobile 1 in my 2000 V6 Mustang (3.8). Still not using a drop of oil between oil changes.

Edited November 17, 2007 by StevenCaylor

[Ralph Greene]

The "first" principal of lubrication is to always use the lightest lubricant that will do the job. Not the heaviest.

 

Ford says the new 5W 20 oils will do the job for normal passenger car use. They have even recently extended the drain intervals to 7500 miles on some new models using 5W20. Remember they aren't much lighter than 5W30. They are still 5W, no different at cold than 5W30, etc. But they also aid in engine cooling, clean better, and are better lubricants than oils of the past. And sure, when hot, they have a tad less viscosity, which aids in fuel economy.

 

Any good oil engineer will tell you the words "thick" and "thin" and how easily it pours from bottle, etc, don't tell you much about how it actually works in engine. I expect it won't be long before we're using viscosities like 0W10 for normal passenger car use. There are already racing oils in this viscosity. I imagine NASCAR qualifies on very low viscosity oils. Modern oils work so good, I can't imagine any use for 10W30 these days in normal use, maybe towing in hot weather or something not normal use. BTW....I don't recall any Mustangs in the mid 90's on that called for 10W30. My 4.0 Explorer does use 5W30 though. But it's only a 5 qt fill, maybe that's part of reason.

 

And to answer your question....5W30 would be fine, just not necessary. At cold when starting, it's still a 5W.

Edited November 18, 2007 by Ralph Greene

[theoldwizard]

My son's Mustang has always had Motorcraft oil in it and has about 111K on it now and doesn't use a drop of oil in between changes. The Motorcraft 5W30 and now 5w20 synthetic blend is the absolute best oil you can run in your Ford. Does it cost a little more, yes. Is it worth it, yes.

I like chocolate, you like vanilla. Ice cream is ice cream, like oil is oil !

 

As long as it meets the SAE viscosity and API requirements (you do know the difference, right?) they are all pretty much the same. I buy whatever name brand is on sale (name brand becuase I'm more certain that they did the testing and have some amount of quality control.)

 

The exception is natural vs synthetic. Synthetics do give better fuel economy. Synthetic blends are a compromise between cost and fuel economy.

[billyk24]

I just had the dealer put in Mobil1 0w20 in my Escape Hybrid.

[rscalzo]

Does anyone know if they use synthetic fluids in the transfer case, differentials and trans?

Edited May 15, 2008 by rscalzo

[GaryG]

I just had the dealer put in Mobil1 0w20 in my Escape Hybrid.

 

Billy, that's strange for a dealer to use an oil that may void any warranty you have left. The FEH manuals all state use approved oil and 5-20W only. I know many hypermilers that have told me to switch to Mobil 1 0-20W, but there is a reason why Ford stated 5-20W only in their manuals. I use Mobil 1 5-20W and do quite well with my mileage and stay within Ford's recommendations.

 

While I was having my Explorer A/C repaired a week or so ago, I saw the shop owner adding Mobil 1 5-20W to a BMW (I think) and I told him I use the same oil. He said this car requires Mobil 1 5-20W, and that BMW had to change recently from 0-20W because of problems. This kinda made me feel good that I had not taken the advise of some hypermilers that their vehicles specify 0-20W.

[billyk24]

Billy, that's strange for a dealer to use an oil that may void any warranty you have left. The FEH manuals all state use approved oil and 5-20W only. I know many hypermilers that have told me to switch to Mobil 1 0-20W, but there is a reason why Ford stated 5-20W only in their manuals. I use Mobil 1 5-20W and do quite well with my mileage and stay within Ford's recommendations.

 

While I was having my Explorer A/C repaired a week or so ago, I saw the shop owner adding Mobil 1 5-20W to a BMW (I think) and I told him I use the same oil. He said this car requires Mobil 1 5-20W, and that BMW had to change recently from 0-20W because of problems. This kinda made me feel good that I had not taken the advise of some hypermilers that their vehicles specify 0-20W.

 

 

The service manager had no problem with 0W-20 Mobil 1 oil. I used the Ford Motorcraft Oil filter. My warranty runs thru June 2012 or 75,000 miles due to the extended warranty I placed on the vehicle.

[theoldwizard]

Does anyone know if they use synthetic fluids in the transfer case, differentials and trans?

All Ford automatic transmission now use Mercon V, a synthetic blend.

[rscalzo]

All Ford automatic transmission now use Mercon V, a synthetic blend.

 

Thanks...I was going to switch out the fluids to Amsoil after a few thousand miles if the fluids were standard types...

[StevenCaylor]

Does anyone know if they use synthetic fluids in the transfer case, differentials and trans?

 

I use Mobil 1 5W-20 in my engine. I have Royal Purple Synthetic ATF in my power steering and 5-speed manual trans and Royal Purple 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Oil in my diff. This is on my 2000 Mustang. I did this at about 3000 miles when I figured everything was broken in.

[Critic]

I use Mobil 1 5W-20 in my engine. I have Royal Purple Synthetic ATF in my power steering and 5-speed manual trans and Royal Purple 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Oil in my diff. This is on my 2000 Mustang. I did this at about 3000 miles when I figured everything was broken in.

 

 

Plug for Royal Purple, but how did that answer the man's question that you replied too?

[jonas1022]

I can only assume that Ford recommends 5W-20 synthetic blend in cars other than the Mustang Bullitt is the same that they went to it for the Mustang. Start emissions are reduced using the 5-20W s/b. If you use anything else, like say 10-30 synthetic, you may risk not passing the start up emissions portion of your states emissions testing. I got that straight from the product manager.

 

Use what you will, I keep the 5-20W s/b in all the cars and trucks that Ford recommends.