WTF?
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 304
Likes: 192
From: Northern California
It’s personal preference. Ford changed the spec primarily for gas mileage reasons so it doesn’t surprise me your Chilton/Haynes manual has the update.
I look under the hood of my ‘03 and it says 5w20. The previous owner ran 5w20 the first 95K miles with no issues before I switched to 5w30.
I prefer the thicker 5w30 Ford originally spec’d and if it costs me a 1/2 mile per gallon so be it.
I look under the hood of my ‘03 and it says 5w20. The previous owner ran 5w20 the first 95K miles with no issues before I switched to 5w30.
I prefer the thicker 5w30 Ford originally spec’d and if it costs me a 1/2 mile per gallon so be it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 475
A quick google search say MPG difference is up to 0.5MPG between the 2. The only reason I'd run the heavier oil is if i lived in a hotter climate or i was towing/hauling frequently, otherwise it's not gonna make any difference in a 2v truck.
Chiltons are pure trash, they're the worst repair manuals I've ever used. I've had factory service manuals and Chiltons side by side and they've had totally different torque specs in them. They also leave out alot of details in the instructions. I've had a few times where it didn't say anything about a small retaining ring, pin, or key and i fought with something way too long before i found it. Every FSM I've had listed step by step instructions down to the most minor detail.
Chiltons are pure trash, they're the worst repair manuals I've ever used. I've had factory service manuals and Chiltons side by side and they've had totally different torque specs in them. They also leave out alot of details in the instructions. I've had a few times where it didn't say anything about a small retaining ring, pin, or key and i fought with something way too long before i found it. Every FSM I've had listed step by step instructions down to the most minor detail.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 803
Likes: 287
From: KY
Trust what the government suggested you use in your truck for oil. I run 5/30 in my 99 V10 and will till it dies. Far as Ford oil? why bother, they dont produce oil, and its likely the maker who won the contract with the cheapest bid for ford. Sounds like the Harley days when they had Hugo Chavez and Citco make their precious super over priced oils. 
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 700
Likes: 478
All the 2V trucks weve had used 5w-30 their entire life. None are with the company anymore but cant say we retired one with less than 200k miles. These were all cab and chassis F550 dumps. My old man was in charge of the fleet before I took over in 2009ish. We still had trucks from 99 and up when I took over and some spec 5w-30 and the later spec 5w-20. When I looked into it and found out it was only changed for CAFE reasons I stuck with 5w-30 just as the old man did.
And later when Ford was able to meet CAFE standards by other means all of a sudden the heavy duty line of gas engines went back to 5w-30 spec.
And later when Ford was able to meet CAFE standards by other means all of a sudden the heavy duty line of gas engines went back to 5w-30 spec.
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