5W20 or 5W30??
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From: Florida
5W20 or 5W30??
Hey guys,
My 2003 4.2 came with 5W20 oil in it. I replace it at 1000 for break in with 5W30, mostly because 5W20 is impossible to find. Anyway, the truck ran fine with the 30 in it. Then I got the free service from the dealer at 3000 miles and took it to them for the oil change. they put 5W20 in it. since then, my truck has developed a loud "tick, tick, tick, tick, tick," while sitting at traffice lights with the auto trans in drive. if I put it in neutral the ticking goes away, if I accelerate, the ticking goes away. only when I'm at a stop with the trick in drive do I get the ticking.
makes me wonder. 4.2L pulling all this weight using 20 weith oil?? I understand that Ford is trying to conserve energy, but at what cost?
My question is, regardless of what Ford says, I think I should run at least 30 weight in it, even if my gas mileage is slightly less. I don't think that 20 wt is heavy enough.
What does everyone think??
Can the water-like 20wt be causing this valve tick?
Should I run 30wt in it regardless of what Ford says?
Tom Longo
My 2003 4.2 came with 5W20 oil in it. I replace it at 1000 for break in with 5W30, mostly because 5W20 is impossible to find. Anyway, the truck ran fine with the 30 in it. Then I got the free service from the dealer at 3000 miles and took it to them for the oil change. they put 5W20 in it. since then, my truck has developed a loud "tick, tick, tick, tick, tick," while sitting at traffice lights with the auto trans in drive. if I put it in neutral the ticking goes away, if I accelerate, the ticking goes away. only when I'm at a stop with the trick in drive do I get the ticking.
makes me wonder. 4.2L pulling all this weight using 20 weith oil?? I understand that Ford is trying to conserve energy, but at what cost?
My question is, regardless of what Ford says, I think I should run at least 30 weight in it, even if my gas mileage is slightly less. I don't think that 20 wt is heavy enough.
What does everyone think??
Can the water-like 20wt be causing this valve tick?
Should I run 30wt in it regardless of what Ford says?
Tom Longo
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Its under warranty take it to them and let them figure it out. Just changing oil shouldn't cause that kinda problem. Did you check the oil level after you got it back? I have seen were people get their oil changed and they forget to put oil in it or replace the oil pan plug correctly. There isn't a major difference between the 20 and 30 weight oil. Good luck hope you figure it out
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From: Maple Ridge BC Canada
Nothing wrong with 5w30. But dont run anything thicker...One of my buddys is a ford tech...he has seen a few bearing failures on trucks when the owners changed the "water" to 10w40...It seems that the thicker oil cannot flow fast enough to prevent heat buildup....Your oil is not just lube anymore, now its coolant too....d44hd
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Oak Harbor, OH
D44, I got some bad news bud, oil has always been a coolant as well as a lubricant... Why do you think that machinists use oil when cutting metal with a metal blade. It keeps the heat from destroying the tool.
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From: shepherd
how about sae 30 is it for older cars. i put som valvoline sae 30 in my new 302. does this need to be changed. it is just to use when i was building it so i did not spend to much and then spill it.i want to try some kind of synthetic at least once to see what happens. i have less than 100 miles on it
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From: ct
you are not a ford engineer....and a ford engineer would not recommend an oil that would cause accelerated engine wear of sacrifice long trem durability. put the oil in it that ford recommends. it is not too thin.....regardless of what you think...the clearances in the newer engines are very tight and ford knows exactly what they are doing when they say to run a thin oil in them. do you really think they are going to recommend an oil that would lessen the life of the engine...??? i am a ford tech...and i too have seen cases where some jackass has put 15-40wt or so in their modular v8 and blew the bearings to smitherines....do what the manufacturer recommends! youll get better mileage to.
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From: Missouri
I agree with the above. The 5W20 has been doing pretty well. Much better than I thought anyway. If 5W30 is water then I am running water in my 425HP+ 390. Synthetic water at that. Thick oil is harder to pump through an engine and with newer engines it will cause more problems than you might be thinking it is going to fix.
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From: Florida
Ok Ok!!! I just thought that perhaps Ford, with regards to all the demands from the EPA and CARB, said "hey lets just run really thin oil in our new vehicle to increase gas mileage, that should satisfy them". From my experience, just because a dealer says something or because the manufacturer recommends something, doesn't always mean their right. Sometimes they cheap out and do things to the motors in order to satisfy EPA and CARB that aren't the best for your motor. And I thought this 5w20 thing was one of them.
I think all cars and trucks have valves that make some sort of noise if you listen carefully enough. I just think that the thicker oil provided more of a cushin to quiet that noise.
By the way, my truck is no longer under warrenty. Once they pop the hood and see the nitrous kit on it....forgetaboutit!!! Warrenty voided!
Tom
p.s. Every single time i've ever taken my car to a dealer for repairs, they always always always always always screw my car up and i end up fixing it myself anyway. As far as I'm concerned, except for complete engine failure, I'd rather fix the thing myself. At least I know it's getting done right.
I think all cars and trucks have valves that make some sort of noise if you listen carefully enough. I just think that the thicker oil provided more of a cushin to quiet that noise.
By the way, my truck is no longer under warrenty. Once they pop the hood and see the nitrous kit on it....forgetaboutit!!! Warrenty voided!
Tom
p.s. Every single time i've ever taken my car to a dealer for repairs, they always always always always always screw my car up and i end up fixing it myself anyway. As far as I'm concerned, except for complete engine failure, I'd rather fix the thing myself. At least I know it's getting done right.
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From: Florida
OK,
I just got off the phone with the master tech at Ford and he said that they don't even put 5w20 in their own trucks. They all use 5w30. He said that Ford uses the 5w20 to meet EPA and CARB standards for fuel economy (just like I thought), and being down here in Florida, the 5W30 is much better. He said he's got 250,000 miles on his truck and has ran 5w30 in it the whole time and burns no oil. His main suggestion is that once you use a particular brand and grade of oil that you should stick with that same brand and grade. If you start using Penzoil 5w30, you should always use that exact oil everytime. He said that was important due to the different additives that the manufacturers put in their oils.
So, I'm going to change my oil today and run the 5w30 in it. He said that would also quiet that ticking noise i've been hearing. The ticking noise is always there on every car, it's just louder when running a thinner oil.
This was the master tech I spoke with...right from the horses mouth.
Tom
I just got off the phone with the master tech at Ford and he said that they don't even put 5w20 in their own trucks. They all use 5w30. He said that Ford uses the 5w20 to meet EPA and CARB standards for fuel economy (just like I thought), and being down here in Florida, the 5W30 is much better. He said he's got 250,000 miles on his truck and has ran 5w30 in it the whole time and burns no oil. His main suggestion is that once you use a particular brand and grade of oil that you should stick with that same brand and grade. If you start using Penzoil 5w30, you should always use that exact oil everytime. He said that was important due to the different additives that the manufacturers put in their oils.
So, I'm going to change my oil today and run the 5w30 in it. He said that would also quiet that ticking noise i've been hearing. The ticking noise is always there on every car, it's just louder when running a thinner oil.
This was the master tech I spoke with...right from the horses mouth.
Tom
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From: Florida
I just changed my oil to Penzoil 5w30 and the engine noise dissapeared completely. I'm going to run this oil from here on out and change it every 2,000 miles. The 2K mile habbit I picked up from my motorcycle hobby.
Thanks for everyones input.
Tom
Thanks for everyones input.
Tom
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From: Florida
Ah, and besides, 5w20 is brand spankin new as far as I know. Which is why I can't find it for sale anywhere.
So, how does anyone really know what the long term effects are with using this oil if it hasn't been out long enough for anyone to put 200,000 miles on it.
Like any "experimental" product, we won't know until it's too late. Well, I'm not going to be part of Ford's experiment.
Heck, even the most modern futuristic high performance motor in the world (the motor in my 2003 Suzuki Huyabusa 1300R) takes 10w50. I'm sure the motor in that has closer tolerances than the motor in my Ford.
So, I've concluded that I strongly dissagree with Ford experimenting with 5w20 at the cost of the consumer.
Tom
So, how does anyone really know what the long term effects are with using this oil if it hasn't been out long enough for anyone to put 200,000 miles on it.
Like any "experimental" product, we won't know until it's too late. Well, I'm not going to be part of Ford's experiment.
Heck, even the most modern futuristic high performance motor in the world (the motor in my 2003 Suzuki Huyabusa 1300R) takes 10w50. I'm sure the motor in that has closer tolerances than the motor in my Ford.
So, I've concluded that I strongly dissagree with Ford experimenting with 5w20 at the cost of the consumer.
Tom
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From: Florida
Originally posted by Lightning2Fast
do you really think they are going to recommend an oil that would lessen the life of the engine...???
do you really think they are going to recommend an oil that would lessen the life of the engine...???
Happens all the time.
enough said.
Tom