5W-30 instead of 5W-20

[Trainmaster]

Bottom line was that it didn't matter which oil brand you used, as long as you changed it

Everything I've read agrees with this.

 

[TobyU]

My original manual say 5-30wt. So that’s what I use. I ignore the CAFE update suggesting 0-20wt for fuel mileage.

I used to use motorcraft synthetic until I learned ConocoPhillips makes oil and Ford rebrands it.

I also learned the additive package in Motorcraft oil is less than Kendal 1 synthetic also made by ConocoPhillips.

Kendal 1 Titanium has much more additives and in larger amounts plus its half the cost of MC oil.

When I switched it could tell a difference in normal engine noise. Much quieter w Kendal.

The 3v 5.4’s are notorious for VVT failures most having to do w oiling issues.

We must also take into consideration that when your engine was being designed and the 4.6 back in 1990, everything was running on 10w 30. The switch to 5w30 was also all about fuel mileage.
People have run 10 W 30 and 5w 40 in 4.6 and 5.4 engines for decades with no problems and often even better protection.
As a matter of fact, anyone in a milder climate for it doesn't usually get below freezing can get even better protection from a 10w 30 especially full synthetic since a full synthetic flows much better even when cold.
I ran a couple of 1995 Town Cars on Mobil 1 15w 50 for three or four years I never had any problem whatsoever and that's in in Ohio climate or it does get quite cold in the winter time.
These car set outside and never had any problems on cold startup.
It's really not nearly as critical as some people would lead you to believe on having the exact weight of oil.
You can simply often get better protection and less wear on parts by using a slightly thicker oil it's going to protect better and thin out less when everything is really hot.
There is a limit to this though where you're at diminishing returns. If you put conventional 20w 50 in a car at 5 degrees you likely will be creating more wear than if you would run a 10w30.

There are very few engines out there that won't run perfectly fine and even have better protection with a 10w 30. I feel the entire 5w30 push was mostly because of fuel mileage and even though the modular engines have slightly smaller passages than let's say an old small block Chevy, they're not so small that a 10w30 is not going to return back to the oil pan fast enough to get pump back it up.

 

[07navi]

It is well know that the makers pushed the lighter oils to make their MPG figures look better and the modular engines do have tighter clearances especially in the cams but they have recanted their recommendations for super light oils since they first recommended them and moved up a notch.

 

[07navi]

It is well know that the makers pushed the lighter oils to make their MPG figures look better and the modular engines do have tighter clearances especially in the cams but they have recanted their recommendations for super light oils since they first recommended them and moved up a notch.

 

[07navi]

It is well know that the makers pushed the lighter oils to make their MPG figures look better and the modular engines do have tighter clearances especially in the cams but they have recanted their recommendations for super light oils since they first recommended them and moved up a notch.

 

[07navi]

It is well know that the makers pushed the lighter oils to make their MPG figures look better and the modular engines do have tighter clearances especially in the cams but they have recanted their recommendations for super light oils since they first recommended them and moved up a notch.

 

[07navi]

It is well know that the makers pushed the lighter oils to make their MPG figures look better and the modular engines do have tighter clearances especially in the cams but they have recanted their recommendations for super light oils since they first recommended them and moved up a notch.

 

[Papaboo]

Using 5W-30 instead of 5w-20 is okay to use if you are starting to use oil in the engine. Look up Amsoil and read the test results comparisons with other high quality oils. It has superior wear protection and I have been using this oil in all my vehicles, cars boats and motorcycles for many years. My last current vehicle is a 2014 Expedition Limited with 78000 miles, using 5w-20
100 % synthetic oil., since car had 500 miles. Its's rated for 25000 mile service and I change the oil once a year about 15,000-18,000 miles and it burns/uses no oil. Dip stick is at same mark when oil is put in fresh and checked when I change oil again and its at the same mark. No engine noises and runs so quietly.

I only used heavier weight oil when I was a kid with an older car that burned oil. Hey each to their own opinion and decisions, just adding my two cents.

 

[Machete]

Motorcraft vs Kendal 1 Titanium
by Blackstone Labs

 

[07navi]

Using 5W-30 instead of 5w-20 is okay to use if you are starting to use oil in the engine. Look up Amsoil and read the test results comparisons with other high quality oils. It has superior wear protection and I have been using this oil in all my vehicles, cars boats and motorcycles for many years. My last current vehicle is a 2014 Expedition Limited with 78000 miles, using 5w-20
100 % synthetic oil., since car had 500 miles. Its's rated for 25000 mile service and I change the oil once a year about 15,000-18,000 miles and it burns/uses no oil. Dip stick is at same mark when oil is put in fresh and checked when I change oil again and its at the same mark. No engine noises and runs so quietly.

I only used heavier weight oil when I was a kid with an older car that burned oil. Hey each to their own opinion and decisions, just adding my two cents.

Interesting but don't forget synthetic gets dirty and contaminated like any other oil. I doubt if any of your vehicles will make it to 200k treated like that.

 

[TobyU]

Interesting but don't forget synthetic gets dirty and contaminated like any other oil. I doubt if any of your vehicles will make it to 200k treated like that.

They might last just fine. But then again I'm not a fan of the cam phasers or the three valve and won't even own one. These do seem to have problems with dirty and contaminated oil and clean synthetic oil does seem to help increase their longevity or when you have to replace those components. Now, having said that. If you say an engine lasts 200,000 miles, do you mean it lasts and is untouched with the timing chain cover or valve covers never being off? Or do you mean it had the cam phasers and change replaced at a 120k like so many of these?
I have seen tons of engines with poor oil change habits and very long change intervals last 250k miles no problem. I have a 5.4 in an expedition that goes 15000 + oil changes and often with standard conventional oil going 12 to 13 thousand miles and it has 260,000 on it.
Very few engines have actually ever worn out do to old dirty oil.
Engines are severely damaged or wear out due to not enough oil in the crankcase, or from sludge or coked up hard buildup preventing oil flow and mainly return down the holes to get back to the oil pan so it can be picked up by the pickup tube and pump it back through the engine. Also, the pickup tube screens get severely clogged up and blocked with contaminants and sludge.
I have seen engines with oil as black and almost as thick as Road tar that continue to run and run and run for years. The Ford modular engine design does have its limitations due to small passages for the oil to return and to get pumped through. They are not as forgiving with thick sludgy oil but sick dirty oil or leaving oil in for 15,000 + miles between oil changes really doesn't wear out engines.

 

[houlster]

Good lord. These intervals. I run full synthetic and change once a year @ 5000 - 7000 miles and sometimes feel like I'm abusing it. I'll still keep those as my max intervals, but man I'll never worry about it again.

 

[JExpedition07]

Good lord. These intervals. I run full synthetic and change once a year @ 5000 - 7000 miles and sometimes feel like I'm abusing it. I'll still keep those as my max intervals, but man I'll never worry about it again.

You are doing it right. Oil gets dirty and around 8,000 miles the filters go into bypass after they get clogged. 15k oil changes are nonsense because the filter cannot maintain its efficiency.

 

[07navi]

You are doing it right. Oil gets dirty and around 8,000 miles the filters go into bypass after they get clogged. 15k oil changes are nonsense because the filter cannot maintain its efficiency.

Not only that but all oil gets dirty and contaminated at the same rate. There is no silver bullet.

 

[07navi]

They might last just fine. But then again I'm not a fan of the cam phasers or the three valve and won't even own one. These do seem to have problems with dirty and contaminated oil and clean synthetic oil does seem to help increase their longevity or when you have to replace those components. Now, having said that. If you say an engine lasts 200,000 miles, do you mean it lasts and is untouched with the timing chain cover or valve covers never being off? Or do you mean it had the cam phasers and change replaced at a 120k like so many of these?
I have seen tons of engines with poor oil change habits and very long change intervals last 250k miles no problem. I have a 5.4 in an expedition that goes 15000 + oil changes and often with standard conventional oil going 12 to 13 thousand miles and it has 260,000 on it.
Very few engines have actually ever worn out do to old dirty oil.
Engines are severely damaged or wear out due to not enough oil in the crankcase, or from sludge or coked up hard buildup preventing oil flow and mainly return down the holes to get back to the oil pan so it can be picked up by the pickup tube and pump it back through the engine. Also, the pickup tube screens get severely clogged up and blocked with contaminants and sludge.
I have seen engines with oil as black and almost as thick as Road tar that continue to run and run and run for years. The Ford modular engine design does have its limitations due to small passages for the oil to return and to get pumped through. They are not as forgiving with thick sludgy oil but sick dirty oil or leaving oil in for 15,000 + miles between oil changes really doesn't wear out engines.

Sorry, not buying any of that nonsense.

 

[07navi]

Sorry, I don't know how 5 of my same posts got in here, I surely didn't do that.

 

[TobyU]

Good lord. These intervals. I run full synthetic and change once a year @ 5000 - 7000 miles and sometimes feel like I'm abusing it. I'll still keep those as my max intervals, but man I'll never worry about it again.

You're doing fine with yours. For vehicles that I really want to take good care of I like to change it around 5,000 miles but no later than six thousand miles with full synthetic.

 

[TobyU]

Sorry, not buying any of that nonsense.

You need to specify which part you're calling nonsense. The part that I have pulled engines' drain plugs with oil thick and black that still run just fine and Run for years, the part that an engine with oil only changed every 10,000 to 15,000 can still run 250,000 miles,
Or the part that I have an 01 Expedition sitting in my driveway with 253,000 miles on it (I just checked so I could be accurate) that I can show you my logbook where it has gone 13,000 miles between oil changes,
Or my statement that engines don't really wear out due to infrequent oil changes.
I don't think anything in there is nonsense.
There are tons of examples of all the things I mentioned. There are all kinds of 4.6 has in Crown Vics, Lincoln's, Ford trucks, Etc that people never change their oil. I have a friend who has a change the oil in his 95 Town Car in 8 years. It leaks and uses a good deal because of valve stem seals and a valve cover gasket so it kind of parsley self changes. He also pours 15 W 40 Rotella in it. A lot of people think using that all in a 4.6 is nonsense.
I will stand by the fact that most engines don't wear out due to neglected oil changes. Most engines don't wear out anyways. Most engines have a failure or are damaged and have to be replaced or the car junked. This could be due to lack of oil, over-revving and spinning a bearing, massive amounts of leaks that people get tired of but few engines actually wear out because of oil related lubrication issues to where they have low compression due to piston rings sealing. Most engines even with high miles still have nice crosshatch in the cylinders and such. More problems that cause engines to lose compression and not run properly are head, head gasket, or valvetrain and related.
People are free to believe what they want but everything I say is factual experiences from my actual Hands-On experiences. I don't make things up. I just share what I have observed. I'm in no way saying it's a good idea to go 10,000 miles on conventional oil but I am saying it might not make a whole lot of difference in the miles you get out of your engine.
I can also say with certainty and from personal experience that if you don't change your oil enough or hardly at all you can sludge one up enough to blow it up. I bought one from the original owner who apparently didn't change the oil worth a crap and it had so much peanut brittle looking coked-up contaminants inside the oil and on the pickup tube that get starved for oil pressure and flow and welded the camshafts to the heads.
I don't know if he changed it every 7500, every 15,000, or if he never changed in the five years he owned it. It had 82000 miles on it when I purchased it.

 

[07navi]

 

[TobyU]

Got time to edit my last one. Darn speech to text is really making mistakes tonight.