Guys – does ford still recommend 5w-30 oil in the 4.0L?

My dealer keeps putting in the wrong oil – He says Ford recommends 5w-20 in everything – I think he is full of crap. I keep asking for 5w30 and getting 5w20.
I think they are just lazy - They service 100 cars and trucks a day.
Thanks

JJK

 

Your owners' manual will state what grade is recommended for each engine. If you are not getting the service you like, go somewhere else! As long as you use recommended oil and filter and keep your receipts, your warranty will be intact.

 

Ford reccommends 5w20 for most if not all of their gasoline engines now. But as the previous reply said, the easy way to find out is just to check your owner's manual.

 

Thanks Guys –
I just checked the manual for the 05 and the 06 – The dealer is full of crap. According to the manual for both years the 4.0 should still get 5w30. I use the dealer because I bought a package that includes free oil changes. I just thought that perhaps a bulletin had come out changing the recommendation. I just need to keep bichin at them and it is irritating.

Thanks again
JJK

 

That's pretty much correct, but it just so happens that Ford does not recommend the newer 5-20 formula for the 4.0L OHV or the 4.0L SOHC.

See: Ford Recommended Motor Oil TSB (notice the 4.0L is not mentioned in the TSB)

JJK, tell the dealer that you're right, they're wrong, and you want 5W-30 and that's it.

 

Even the TSB says though that it is for fuel milage to use 5W20. From what I have read it isn't going to hurt anything to go ahead and use 5W30 on those covered under the TSB.

 

I run 5W30 Mobil 1 in mine with Wix filters. I prefer to change my own anyway. That way I know it is done right. Even something as simple as an oil change can get screwed up at a dealer and I prefer to be able to look at my used oil to check for any problems.

 

Since you are getting free oil changes, I'd politely ask the service manager to show you the TSB that includes the 4.0 SOHC (NOT the older OHV) in the 5w20 specs. Once he/she is unable to produce this document, you should be fine. If that doesn't work, talk to the dealership owner. You paid for those oil changes so keep going up the food chain until you are satisfied. There is some mechanical reason that Ford does not include his engine in the 5w20 spec.

 

I had the same problem with my dealer when I bought my 2003 Ranger 4.0L S.O.H.C.. So I Phoned FORD and their reply was, If a dealer is going to use 5w-20 in a 4.0L S.O.H.C. was to get the dealer to put it in writing to guarantee the warranty. After that the dealer backed off.. Just to let you know, My truck sounded like crap with 5w-20. It only took me four blocks after a oil change to realize that something different was in the crankcase...

 

Just to add...I have an 05 FX4 Level 2 and just got an oil change done last week. I doubled checked the owners manual and it does say for the 4.0 to use 5W-30. So, that's what I used...Mobil 1.

 

Big dealerships that use large quatities of lubricants usually buy in bulk, not in qt bottles, to get a lower price & thus make more profit on their lube service.

Because the bulk storage requires separate tanks, ect, they prefer to operate with a minimum ammount of inventory & thus would prefer to have to dispence just one weight crank case lube.

All that said, I wouldn't be at all surprised, if they also haven't closely & carefully enough read the TSB, to realise that not all engines are to use the 5W-20 crank case lube.

So as has been said, print out a copy of the TSB & take it with you to the Dealer & as Rockledge suggested, get hold of the service manager & ask him to show you, IN WRITING, where Ford recommends 5W-20 for your 4.0L.

If he can't produce a newer TSB that says 5W-20 is ok & superceeds the one posted above & your owners manual, show him your copy of the above TSB & ask him to pull it up on "Oasis", print copies for the lube shop & floor techs & one for you.

Then firmly but politely INSIST they change the oil & filter & put in the 5W-30 thats specified in your owners manual.

If your noticing engine noises bacause of the lighter weight 5W-20, don't delay in getting it changed out.

Also keep ALL your past service reciepts, just in case you have problems later on, that can be traced to them putting in the wrong weight lube.

You've paid for this service & should get it & it should be done RIGHT!!!!

As has been said, if you meet any resistance, don't hesitate to go up the pecking order chain of command, to the top if you have to.

Give them the benfit of the doubt, they just might not have read the TSB closely or carefully enough, but on the other hand they just might be tying to cut their overhead/inventory & operating costs at your expence!!!!

Will it really make a diference in the short run, probably not, unless you lug & tug often, or run in really hot humid conditions.

Will it make a diffrence in the long run, probably will, otherwise Ford would specify 5w-20 for this engine IMHO.

Let us know how this turns out at the Dealer.

 

The same thing happened to me, but I noticed it on the receipt before I left. I asked the service manager to show me documentation of the change, and when he couldn't, I pulled my manual out of the glove box. I made them redo the oil change. Now when I go in, I specifically ask for the Motorcraft 5w-30 - no more problems.

 

If the dealership doesn't have the 5W-30, tell them you'll bring your own oil next time but in that case you want the oil change for half price.

The Motorcraft 5W-20 is an excellent oil, I wouldn't sweat using it for an oil change or even a half dozen oil changes in my 4.0L. But the botom line is, it's not what is recommended, and long term it's probably not what is best.

 

rock,

he already prepaid for the service.

 

How does that work?