Hey guys, need some opinions. I'm ready to do my first oil change on a 06 F250 5.4. Factory recommends 5w20. I'm pulling a trailer about 1/2 the time and do alot of stopping and starting around town. I live in south Florida where it can get pretty hot in the summer. I bought some Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic thinking the 30w would be better under these conditions. Is it ok to go to synthetic this soon or should I wait until the motor breaks in more? Your opinions would be appreciated.
Oh, do I go with the motorcraft oil filter?

 

You'll need to use 5w20, with the Ford Spec listed in your owners manual, to maintain your engine warranty. Motorcraft filters are very good; use them with confidence.

5w30 won't hurt anything, but it might give the warranty goons at the stealer some ammunition to use against you, in the unlikely event of an oil-related failure during the warranty period.

If I were you, I'd run either Motorcraft 5w20 or Havoline 5w20, & whichever Motorcraft filter the '06 5.4L takes (FL820S????).

 

FWIW here's a link to my MC 5w20 UOA with the same engine out of a F150.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=478630

 

I read the link and that stuff is over my head. I never knew you could do oil analysis. Impressive. You guys are serious motorheads. Is this something I should do and where would you get it done?

 

It's a good thing to do, sometimes you'll find a problem before it becomes serious and you can tell if you should be changing your oil more often or if you can go longer. Also, you'll get an indication if that $5 oil (or that $1 oil!) is worth it.

However, it does cost about $20 so it's probably not cost effective in most cases. But then, a lot of the things that we like to do wouldn't stand up to an accountant's challenge!

 

MrBSS, where would I get that done.

 

Ah, do a search. I think Blackstone labs has been used by many here with good results.

 

Will do, thanks

 

The most popular is Blackstone Labs and they will send you a free kit to send back to them. If you want the all important TBN and the guts of the analysis, you will need to send money for that info. Otherwise the report will have the wear metals and additives and not much else. The other info will tell you if you have a fuel problem like a leaking injector will show up as fuel dilution, anti-freeze shows up as Na., etc. I would suggest buying into the complete report at least once a year. Another lab is also a board sponsor, Oil Guard. Here is a linky to their website. Click on the bar at the top for oil analysis services. They would be my pick of the two. Whoever you decide to go with, stay with. A different lab will yield totally different results. Different machine, different operator, different setup specs, etc all make a difference. The results are usually +/- 10% on the wear metals and additives, FWIW.
http://www.oilguard.com/Ford6.php

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Biglawn... I highly endorse Blackstone Labs also, as a common enthuiasist. Blackstone Labs is a trusted company, who perform oil analysis on specialized machinery costing 5-6 times the price of a brand new, loaded, Ford 350 Dually. They know their stuff, and for $20, you'll find out more about your new truck engine, than you ever thought was possible! Also, considering that you have been towing with your new Ford truck, I would say you are more than ready to perform your first oil and oil filter change! Hope to see you post often here! Congratulations on your new truck. ED

 

I agree with wavinwane, if you care about your engines warranty, make sure your crankcase lube meets or exceeds Fords lubricant specifications, called out in your owners manual, for your engine & driving conditions, so if you do have any warranty engine problems, the Dealer & Ford don't have any "wiggle room" lol

These engines have been toleranced to use an oil with a certain viscosity range.
Lubricant with more viscosity has a more difficult time, quickly getting into the tiny spaces it needs too, to do it's thing.

Oil is also used to help cool an engine, so it needs to flow quickly as well as freely.

Too viscous an oil, may remain in the top end of the engine too long, & not drain back into the oil sump fast enough, thus letting itself be thrashed to death by the valve train & the engine & itself get too warm, as well as causing the oil sump level to run lower than it's desgned to do.

So refer to your owners manual for guidence on which viscosity range & change intervial best fits your engine & driving conditions. Then choose a lube & filter that meets or exceeds Fords requirements.

Seems to me, stop & go & towing, in hot humid south Fla. would qualify as "severe service"!!!!

I live in the mountains of SW Va, The Ranger sits outsde 24/7, it's hot & humid in summer, cold & humid in winter, I tow & do moderate stop & go driving & I consider my conditions to be "severe service", so I decided to opt for synthetic Havoline in the specified 5W-30. It more than meets Fords requirements for my 4.0L's service. 5W-20 isn't specified for my engine, so I don't opt for it, but if it were specified, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

Do I really need a full synthetic???? Most of the time probably not, but there are times when lugging & tugging my Bass Tracker through the Blue Ridge mountains, on a hot humid day, or starting it on a frigid morning, that the engine, starter motor & battery, probably appreciate the synthetic.

I also get 1.8-2.2 better highway mpg with the full synthetic Havoline, over their dino lube.

UOA's are interesting, & provide a useful input on how our engine s doing, on the lube & service it's seeing, but for the $20 UOA cost, why not just change the oil & filter & know for sure????

Yah I know, motorheads sometimes aren't rational when it comes to oil & engines, as MrBss said. lol

I mean a $20 fresh oil & filter change will protect our engines, & a $20 paper UOA won't do squat for the engine & if it comes back saying, change the oil, we gotta do it anyway & thats yet another expence!!!!

 

Thanks pawpaw. I will check my service manual and go with what it calls for for severe service. I may occasionally get a UOA to make sure everything ok.

 

I have used the M/C 5W20 on my 250 for 45.000 miles. Returned good UOAs did not have a problem with it. I pull a 7500 pound tt or a 4500 pound boat. Oil was very good. I have switched to 5W30 for the comfort factor. I now have 95000 on the truck and no problems. I also use the M/C filters.Good luck.

 

RR,

whats the point in using 5w30 if the UOA's were great with 5w20?