howdy,

does anyone know what's the best synthetic motor oil out of these?

- valvoline synpower
- royal purple
- redline
- amsoil

my lightning has only 900 miles on it. i've heard it is recommended not to use full synthetic until 3,000 mi. some say, 6,000 mi. is this true?

thanx for any info.

 

My opinion from experience only..........My name is Jack and I used to be a synthetic addict.

After years of doing 10 quart oil changes on my boat twice a year at what amounted to less than a thousand miles of driving I started using dino juice with 0 ill affects. My reasoning was that even at 5,500 RPM blasts the thing runs so cool and the oil is changed so often I didn't believe I was benefitting by spending the $20 extra.

I also used to run synthetics in all my cars untill I thought about it.

All my new Fords, including the Lightning, I've run 5-20 Motorcraft without incident...even though the 25,000 mile Lightning is blown I believe my 65,000 mile V10 works much harder pulling a crew cab and boat around..........the Motorcraft has performed its job.

I've seen tests where synthetic will gain a couple horsepower on a dyno...no big deal for me. Synthetic will also take longer to break down.....again, no big deal to me at 3,000-5,000 mile changes. Synthetic is supposed to take the heat better.....I find my Fords run cool enough that the blend is more than adequate.

I've never understand the "break in" comments concerning when to run synthetic. There are a bunch of cars that run synthetic from the factory....Corvette, Porsche, the Caddy V series cars, there are more.

I believe Mobil 1's site even says you can run it from new. People will chime in about ring sealing and all but I always do my first oil change between 500 and 1,000 miles, NEVER had a motor consume oil between changes when I used to run synthetics,..........


I know you didn't ask for the above novel, just thought I'd share. As far as which synthetic on your list is best......long as it meets the Ford specs, they're all fine if not overkill.

 

I agree i use synthetic oil in the vehicles that i rarely use it doesnt break down as fast they rarely go 3k miles a year i feel safer with the moisture in motors from short runnings not completely getting hot enough to evaporate.
but on the other side synthetic will find its way out of a motor much faster then regular oil via gsks and seals . ive never had an oil related break down i have allways done what an old mechanic told me when i was a kid his quote was do regular oil changes and try to stick with the same brand of oil. dont know how true it is about the brand part but as long as it works im sticking with it

 

My 94 has had Motorcraft since it was new and no problems to speak of.

 

I have a 2001 SVT F150 Lightning W/ 55560 miles on it. Mods; 6lb.JLP. lower pulley, Magnaflow cat back, SCT Custom Tuning, JLP forced air cold air kit,numerous others. I do my own tuning, w/ SCT 3.0 software,Livelink, and an LM-1 w/wideband o2 sensor. ITLRUN, I've used Castrol Syntec, in my truck and in the car,I'll tell you I sware by it. I run 5-20 in the Lightning, and 5-30 in the car.I've used it from day one,it really works good. Better than royal purple,and red line, and I have used them all. Good Luck, w/ your Lightning. Mine runs super. 11.97 @ 121.738 w/1.68 short time.See-ya, ITLRUN.

 

Motorcraft 5w-20 is semi synthetic. I use it in all my Fords that require 5w-20 and find that it is a great oil.