Hi everyone.

I know this topic has been discussed in the past and I even did a search through the forum and read all of the posts. I couold not find a good answer for my question. I do not want to start another war on which is better. I was just wondering if I use 5W-30 oil for my oil change. I took my truck to Jiffy lube and they put 5W-30 oil instead of the 5W-20 that Ford recommends. They said that it would not hurt the vehicle. But that got me thinking and I started to worry. Will 5W-30 oil be bad in the long run for my truck? Can I stick with 5W-30 oil or do I need to use 5W-20 oil from now on? Thanks for not flaming me and for the responses.

 

If I was you I would leave the 5W-30 oil in the motor for this time and at next oil change I would switch to 5W-20 oil and stay with that. I see no reason to use any other weight oil, I got 11,000 miles on my truck and have no problem...

 

I'm running 5w30 also. Did they put in 7 quarts at least? Some on here will tell you that running 5w30 is cause your truck to blow up, so take it for whats worth.

 

I agree with Ulf. 5W20 Motorcraft Syn blend. It's what Ford recommends. I am certainly no oil expert but from what I've read here, and my own beliefs, that is the way to go.

And CentralCoaster, just some friendly advice. Relax!!! You get so cranked up about stuff. You must be a very intense person. Hopefully you won't get cranked up about my comments. No offense intended.

 

I would take the truck back to Jiffy Dude and tell the moron to put the correct oil in your engine. Should you have any engine failure while the incorrect oil is in the engine, your warranty will be voided. How often does it happen? Not many times but are you willing to risk it? You can count on Ford having the oil analized if you have problems. I can only assume that they put the Ford speced 929 oil in it. If not, consider that the correct oil does not allow the formation of sludge, limits oxidation, does not allow the oil to move out of it respective viscosity range, will run cooler, provide much better lube protection at start up, provide more protection should the engine get hot. Do I need to go on? You paid to have the correct oil put in your engine- demand it! Also demand that the oil meet or exceed Fords 930 spec. That is the oil REQUIRED for your engine. Why settle for anything less?

 

flash is right demand they put the right oil in there. but i doubt if they know what the ford 930a spec is. so maybe get a refund and do it yourself.

 

I agree with flash. Make them put the correct oil in it.

 

I'm with ford390gashog, especially since Jiffy Lube uses crumby filters.

 

if u think u know more about oil than ford then use what u think is best, but i would stay with what the book says 5w20

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. I will probably just keep the 5W-30 in it until I reach 10000 miles and then change it. I have 8300 miles on it right now. I would like to start learning how to change the oil in the truck. I used to help my dad change the oil in our cars when I was in High school, but stopped a long time ago. I am guessing that it is not too difficult. Can anyone shed some light for me in case I want to starting trying in the future? I have never claimed to be knowledgable when it comes to cars. But, I am always willing to learn.
One more question, is 5W-30 synthetic similar to 5W-20 oil? They just put regular 5W-30 in mine but I noticed that you could get 5W-30 synthetic as an option.
Thanks.

 

And this is why we don't go to Jiffy Lube to get our oil changed

 

Yeah, changing your own oil is definately a good idea. Jiffy lube sucks, you would think they would get it right since that is what they specialize in. Most of the time when you take your vehicle to one of those places they will:

1) not put the right kind of oil in your engine
2) not put in enough oil
3) tighten the hell out of your filter and drain plug
4) do a messy job
I will never again let any lube place or even my dealer change the oil on my baby. You will get more satisfaction and piece of mind knowing that you did it and that you did it right.

 

Or they don't tighten crap at all -- had that happen to my old 87 Mercury Lynx, and I drove 60 miles like that -- and it leaked oil all over my driveway. I hated that car, but it survived just to punish me Also had a wonderful service man at a Ford Dealership not check to see if the old gasket came off with the old oil filter on my previous truck. He got in my truck, and went to back it out without checking for leaks. It sprayed oil everywhere as everyone in the shop screamed "stop, stop!". Boy was I livid, and what a mess.

At least on the 5.4's, I find it's pretty easy to do a clean job of changing the oil on these new models.

 

Changing the oil yourself is always the best bet, and rewarding. Here's my dummy's guide to your new ford oil change:


You'll need a large capacity oil container. The one I have is advertised as holding 7 qts, but you can't pick it up full without spilling it.. so get a bigger one.

Check the oil level first (wipe the dipstick, stick it back in, then pull it and check it). Then undo the drain plug first, and remove the oil fill cap for faster draining. After that's dribbling, wipe and put the plug back on.

The jiffy or factory installed filter can be a bear to remove, you might need a strap wrench. It's a little tricky to fish it outta there, but it does just barely slip out when you hold it sideways. You'll also notice a nice little plastic drip pan in there that drains all the oil out to one spot... put your oil container under that before removing the old filter.

When you get your new filter, first make sure there aren't any metal shards in it from when they punch the holes or cut the threads. I always tap it upside down on my hand just to be sure (I've found some bad junk in new filters.) Start pouring your first new quart into the filter a little at a time, you'll see the level drop down as it soaks through the element. When you think it's full, hold it sideways and pour whatever excess oil out of it (the check valve will keep it from all pouring out). Also pull out the rubber oring and wipe some oil on both sides of that, and on the threads of the filter.

Now just thread that on the new filter, when it bottoms out, turn it a 1/3 turn more, and then pour the rest of your 7 qts into the engine. After a little wait, check the dipstick again to make sure you're in the ballpark. Make sure you push the dipstick back in all the way, mine barely fits in the tube.

You can take your oil to almost any autoparts store, or even walmarts I think, to recycle it for free. If you've got the oil drain pan that doesn't have a closeable lid, then just get a funnel and pour it into some empty milk jugs with the screw on top.

 

Central-

Thanks for the very imformative instructions. One question, do you use the strap wrench to turn the new filter the extra 1/3 or do you just use your hands? I seem to remember that when I helped my dad change the oil a long time ago, I had to use that wrench to pry it free. Will the engine create some pressure to make it tighter if you just use your hands to tighten the filter? Thanks again.