Well its true...you've probably got 100 engineers testing the motors on multiple oils.....plus who knows how many more that designed the motor.....and some guy online says 5w20 doesn't matter??? I'm sick of people who think they know so much better than the guys who designed it....and base their thoughts off of what always used to be used....

 

Think with your dipstick!

 

Sigh...

Since you seem so adamant on calling me out on this, let me set you strait.

First off, Ford chose to switch to the 5W20 weight oil sometime during the mid/late-90's not because of the superior protection it offered, but to help appease CAFE requirements imposed on them by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The lighter weight oil in some cases has been shown to increase mileage from anywhere from 1-3% depending on many factors (engine size, number of cylinders, gross vehicle weight, etc).

By doing this, they increase the average mileage of a vehicle in attempts to lower the dreaded "gas guzzler tax" forced upon them by the EPA. The penalty for failing to meet CAFE standards has recently increased from $5.00 to $5.50 per tenth of a mile per gallon for each tenth under the target value times the total volume of those vehicles manufactured for a given model year. In Layman’s Terms, that means the poorer the mileage, the higher the penalty imposed on the manufacturer (which is later forced onto the buyer) of the vehicle.

There are zero significant advantages or disadvantages notable from a protection or performance standpoint between a 5W20 and a 5W30 weight oil.

Next time you're at a wrecker, pop the hood on an early '90's Crown Vic or Lincoln Town car and see what kind of oil Ford recommended for them. Those old 2V short blocks were built to the same specifications and tolerances as our more recent 3-Valve engines and were fed a steady diet of 5W30 back in the day.....before EPA standard started imposing huge penalties or vehicles that craved the fossil fuels.

The recent belief that 5W20 oil is essential for maximum protection is a common misconception. I've seen modular engines that have run nothing but 5W30 Dino oil in them from day one rack up 200K, 300K, even 400K on the clock and still house their original cross hatched pattern within their cylinder walls. At the same time, I've heard numerous late model 3-valve engines sporting the dreaded top end tick with less than 20,000-miles on the clock (mine included) that had run nothing but Fords 5W20 Semi Synthetic from day one.

The difference in protection between the two oils just isn’t significant enough to warrant the worry.

So, was that clear enough, or would you care to argue the point some more? Feel free to provide some of your opposing views and facts if my explanation wasn't sufficient for you?

 

I do have a problem with your assumption.....are you positive the oil pumps the same as they were in the 90's? Are you sure the bearings are of the same material and tolerances? Are you positive that the alloys of the materials are the same since the mid 90's?? And if you ARE positive of all these and more things...where's your proof?

Assuming because they look the same they are the same is fine......but theres more to an engine than what it used to look like and what it looks like now.....

AND......why would you recommend that someone goes against what the engineers say....based on what you feel to be the truth?

 

Yes, across the board. As a past employee of a local Ford Dealership myself (and the son of a 50+ year automotive Mechanic...the last 10 of which were spent as the go-to tech at above stated Ford Dealership and the previous 20-before that as a local owner/operator of one of the largest Transmission franchises in North America), I have had access throughout the years to many of the Ford bulletins and detailed service manuals. Not only are the majority of the tolerances similar between earlier and later engines, but the tolerances are nearly identical between all of the 2V, 3V and 4V varieties as well.

He and I have personally had at least half a dozen Modular engines part of various displacement and valve configuration. The last of which was the engine in my Cougar which we rebuilt from scratch from the ground up with fully forged internals on the stand at home. What percentage of current modular owners and shade tree mechanics running around this site, or others can you say have done the same? To be frank, the only major variations between the engines in the family as far as tolerances are concerned are with engines running forged pistons like the '03-'04 Cobra's and GT500's where increased piston clearance is required due to the differences in the expansion rate between the forged and hypereutectic slugs.

That aside, most of the part numbers between the last batch of 2V engines and the most recent batch of 3V engines are the same. There have been different part numbers over the years because variations in the Windsor and Romeo designs and of variations between the Motorcraft and Motorsport part numbers, but for the most part...they're identical. Hell, the 4.6L 2V engine was still used up until last year’s F150 and boasted all of the same basic essential components used in the first models back in the early-90's.

Now, you can choose to take my word for it, or not (I'm betting on the latter) it's really no skin off my nose. To be honest, you strike me as the type who chooses to be skeptical unless the designer(s) themselves shows up at your door and confirm the facts for you. In any case, I'm sure you're within driving distance to your local Ford Dealership. Feel free to have them cross reference the part numbers for you. I’m sure they’ll be happy to do it.

See above. I'm not going to argue the semantics with you. I've made and reaffirmed my points with logic and fact and have provided the documentation to back it. I’ve also provided you with numerous examples of private and civil service vehicles (many of which still travel the roads today as Taxi Cabs) that have run nothing but whatever was on sale at Wallyworld after their manufacturer warranty ran out and are still running smooth and strong after accumulating several hundred thousand miles on the odometer. Speculating and hypothesizing about the necessity to run only the manufacturer recommended oil in an engine is one thing, but it’s pretty tough to compete with real world results. You can either choose to accept it, or not. It's entirely up to you.

Who recommended against it? I merely stated 5W30 an alternative, not as an absolute. Again...your problem here is your assumption that I've provided this info based on my personal feelings on the subject.

You really don't need to take my word for it. I've got numerous sources to back my statements....pick one!

C A F E Overview

Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear

5w-20 5w-30 for Ford and Honda


5w20 vs. 5w30 or 10w30 Motor Oil - What You NEED to Know.


SAE 5W-20


Technical Information About 5W-20 Motor Oil

Those were accumulated with a 5-min Google search.

 

You openly admit the majority...but not all......and congratulations on owning and taking apart a bunch of engines....that in no way makes you an expert on how oils affect the internals of the engines.....but you know who are the experts on this subject......FORDS ENGINEERS that designed the lube system on the modular motors.....and if 5w20 is what they use.....i'm not going to tell someone that ehhhh..... 5w30's fine.......i'm going to tell them that ford says you should use 5w20 but you can use other weights....

 

Oh man....again with the semantics!?! Did you read anything I posted above?

Look, if you want to debate my points above by countering them with facts and logic of your own, I'm all for it. But if all you can come back at me with time after time is "Well, the Engineers at Ford didn't tell me to do it, so I'm not going to!!!" after I not only explained my logic, but backed it with numerous examples and documentation to support my points....you're going to spend a lot of time pounding sand.

Try thinking outside the box here for a moment. Is it conceivable to you that there’s the slightest chance that Ford may have made changes to the requirements of the weight of their oil, not necessarily from best possible protection standpoint, but from a marketing angle in order to satisfy stricter CAFE requirements and in turn, turn a higher profit? I know you’d like to think Ford has everyone’s best interests at hand when they make these changes, but you need to remember that before anything else, they are after all a business.

I mean.....if these long blocks were so sensitive to minor changes in oil weight, do you think they would have increase oil change intervals from every 5,000-miles when these engines first hit the dealerships, to only twice per year like they do now?

If you want to ignore the points I've made, then that's on you....but surely common sense hasn't escaped you as well?

 

Easy girls, I assume you are both not in High School anymore. Either way this is entertaining as all get out.

 

Gahhh...i'm done arguing.....

Bottom line.....ford says use 5w20....it will probably get you a bit better mileage...

If your paranoid fords sold out reliability for mileage....then run whatever you want.....50 weight or gear lube should do even better then...

 

This is entertaining, but guys, in 1994 Ford recommended using 5w30 in my old 94 Taurus 3.0. Ive used 10w30 from day one and the engine is just as strong at 165K miles as it was back in 94. I can still get 30 MPG on the interstate driving the speed limit with the air on and still get 26 to 27 mpg back and forth to work. It still does not use any oil between oil changes (usually 3,000 mile intervals). Major repairs to date on the old girl are rear struts and springs, replace rusted subframe, 1 front wheel bearing, a couple of rear sway bar links, all new brake lines, and I'm in the process of replacing a clogged heater core. No engine oil related repairs to date. Now if Ford could just eliminate that iron moss on the quarter panels and deck lid that would be the greatest innovation known to man.

 

5w20 will get better mpg's over 5w30 in a lab i guess under certain conditions - real world not measurable - I tried same mpg's

 

Thank you, my points exactly. Too much fuss about nothing.