? on oil
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? on oil
I have a 95 F150 with the inline six, 2wd and the 5 spd. I have heard a lot of different answers as to what I should be running for oil in summer and winter. In this part of MN we can see anywhere from 100 in summer to 20 below zero in winter. In summer I run 10w-30, but what about winter? Is the 10w ok for summer? This is a daily driver and it doesn't leak or burn any oil.
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If the oil is working correctly there is no reason to change it to 10w if you want to run that in the winter. 10w30 is 10 weight when cold and 30 when warm. If you can run 10w30 with good results in summer i wouldn't bother changing unless you want to run 5w30 like newer cars
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From: Timmins,Ontario,Canada
I live aboult a half hour away from MN, so when it gets real cold in the winter, i would recommend 5w-30. My 94 starts easy on that on cold winter mornings and the motor doesnt get very hot anyway, so 5w30. When it gets over 90 in the summer, a few hundred miles of a 10w30 oil change the lifters really clatter on startup, takes a little longer, but it soon runs better on that, runs cooler then if i use 5w30. Up here, i use 10w30 from April to October. If your doing some heavy towing or constantly lugging it definetly use the thicker oil. But i think every 300 may develop a taste for a certain type of oil over time, depending on how you drive it.
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From: Meggett SC
Thicker is better! Use 10w30 in winter but change to 20-50 in summer stay away from 5W anything your engine was not designed for it. Newer engines are made with very close tolences and the parts have a much smoother surface finish so it can run with 5W oil. But only when the car is new as it ages you will need a thicker oil (higher viscosity) to prevent wear. The only advantage to thinner oils is that they give slightly better fuel economy. This benefits the car companies at the expense of Your engine life.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
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From: Lakewood, Ohio
Originally Posted by sail2244
Thicker is better! Use 10w30 in winter but change to 20-50 in summer stay away from 5W anything your engine was not designed for it. Newer engines are made with very close tolences and the parts have a much smoother surface finish so it can run with 5W oil. But only when the car is new as it ages you will need a thicker oil (higher viscosity) to prevent wear. The only advantage to thinner oils is that they give slightly better fuel economy. This benefits the car companies at the expense of Your engine life.
you are incorrect.
from my f150 owners manual:
For vehicles with 5.8L engines.
Engine oils with an SAE 5W-30 viscosity are PREFERRED for your vehicle, for all climates down to -15 degrees F.
For vehicles with 4.9L, 5.0L or 7.5L engines:
SAE 10w30 is PREFERRED to -5 degrees F.
SAE 5w30 may also be used to -15 degrees F.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Brentwood,CA
5w30 would be fine for year round use, why use 20w50? its unneeded. oil does not start out thin and get thick like the above post implied. the oil at temp will not shear past the base number, but the molecular structure and additives allow the oil to flow like a straight 5w when cold.
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Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Timmins,Ontario,Canada
When you strart my truck up it doesnt take long to tell what oil you're running on. If she starts on a frosty summer morning, no kidding, it will clatter like hell, click clack, and it might stay quiet for a few seconds like this. It will run like this for at least 5 minutes, but can only hear this at idle. I could only imagine what it would sound like at -40F. I think if you use 10w-30, it really starts to matter if you have a good anti drain back valve on the oil filter. Right now im using 5w-30, no clatter, crappy oil filter, and likes it.
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