The new 05'up 3V V10 uses 7 quarts. 7 quarts is still not alot of oil though. I would like to see a 10-12 quart pan.

 

great thread, i didn't know that. WOW....that scares me. so there aren't even sealed cam bearings on the end of the shaft? wow....

 

From what I can tell by my manuals the cam shaft only rides on the machined aluminum surfaces cast into the head from end to end.

That is an important reason why thinner oil is needed. There are very tight tolerances on the modular motors. The oil needs to be thin enough to get in the tiny gaps to lubricate properly.

Modular motors have been proven to last so obviously the cams riding on aluminum is not an issue. There are oil holes that oil shoots in to lubricate the bearing surface. If the proper oil is used the motor will last a long time.

Thats why I want good quality clean oil in my engine.

 

I don't think that the Lubriplate engineer is up to date on modern seals. Good, conventional motor oil does NOT cause seals to expand.

 

One of the other dads in our Boy Scout troop (probably 5 years ago based on the age of my son) had an E150 with a 4.6 on which the oil pump failed (I think there was a small run of bad pumps one year?). I think his wife was driving it, and didn't go *that* far with the oil light on, but the end result was the need for one of the heads being replaced because the aluminum self-bearings in which the cam rides ended up enlarged and ovalized--that definitely is a weak spot in the upper end if you don't have oil up there even briefly. He specifically noted that there were no bearings up there because I asked him why he couldn't just put new bearing shells in. (Made me a little nervous because I had and have an E150 with a 4.6...)

The guy was a former SCCA racer and spent the better part of a summer doing a head replacement with a junkyard piece--got it buttoned up and still had problems with the head gasket (also finicky on the mod motors if the surfaces aren't right). Eventually paid to get it done right.

I also disagree with the Lubriplate engineer. I have seen many instances of folks changing to synthetic oil later in a car's life (50-100k or even more miles) with no problems. If the seals don't leak, they won't leak with a similar weight synthetic. In the early days of synthetics, they did contain stuff (esters or like that?) that actually would shrink seals, but those days are long gone.

George

 

The engineer was on the brink of retirement so it is possible he was not up on current automotive seals and etc.

What are the current modular seals made from. Buna-N, Viton, Silicone, Kalrez, PTFE?

 

That is a little scary. Makes me want to run outside and drain the 10W-30 out of my V-10 right now. It is Mobil 1 so I'll stay on my 3 K interval and go to 5W-20 next change.

 

What George is saying is right on. The cams run right in their journals with no bearing shells. If you wear out the cams your only option is to replace the heads. The cams, being the highest part of the engine are the last to see oil pressure at startup, hence, a 5W oil gets there twice as fast a a 10W oil, especially in cold temperatures. The other thing is there are no dedicated oil ports for the cylinder walls and wrist pins. It's all done by what Ford calls "misting" or what we old guys call splash. All these points lumped together mean to get the longest life from the V-10 the best thing we can do is run good clean oil and change it often. The two best oils are the 5-20 or the 5-30 but probably best to avoid the rest in the V-10

 

does this apply to the 5.4L also?

 

Shure does. The 4.6l, 5.4l and 6.8l modulars are almost identical in design. Just part variations due to engine displacement.

It is just more important on the V10 because of the 2 extra cylinders which means a longer camshaft, longer heads and more cam journals than the 4.6l and 5.4l V8s.

 

Drain the 10w-30 ASAP. You will be fine with 5w-20 or 5w-30. I run 5w-20.

 

I've read some stories about guys having issues (oil filters expanding or splitting) when heavier oils like 15-40 or 20-50 are used in Mod engines. I'm not certain whether it was only in the V-10, or if the other Mods were involved. And, there was some debate about whether it was an oil pump issue or a filter issue, but I don't think there's ever been such a problem identified in which 5-20 or 5-30 were the weights being used.

If the manual says to use 5-20, I'd use 5-20, and, since Motorcraft 5-20 just happens to be one of the highest rated 5-20's out there, it's a perfect fit.

 

[QUOTE=R-WEST]I've read some stories about guys having issues (oil filters expanding or splitting) when heavier oils like 15-40 or 20-50 are used in Mod engines. I'm not certain whether it was only in the V-10, or if the other Mods were involved. And, there was some debate about whether it was an oil pump issue or a filter issue, but I don't think there's ever been such a problem identified in which 5-20 or 5-30 were the weights being used.

If the manual says to use 5-20, I'd use 5-20, and, since Motorcraft 5-20 just happens to be one of the highest rated 5-20's out there, it's a perfect fit.
--------------
I still can't understand why some people still insist on using thick oils, in ANY engine, really. A waste, and unecessary on many fronts.

The only exception is a loose, worn piston-slappin' oil burner, then you need the thicker oil to make up for worn engine parts.

I laugh at the "well thinner oils cannot take the heat". Have you ever noticed and looked at how HOT modern engines run now? These engines are designed to run at a much hotter engine temperature, as compared to a carb V-8 engine from the 1960s. Oils today can take these high heat conditions, back in the 50s 60s and 70s we needed thicker oils to protect in high heat conditions (such as towing applications, while climbing hills) but not today.

ESPECIALLy, not in any fuel injected engine, with a catalytic converter and 02 sensor. High viscosity oil serves no usefull purpose.

 

I know that I am getting to this a little late, but I have 10w40 in my V10 right know.
It has 162k on that oil. I feel sick after reading this.
What should I go with? the book says 5w30. Should I use that or 5w20?
I have always used castrol conventional.
How much life have i taken off of my truck?

 

I'd probably switch to 5W30 if it were me. Even though your engine is back-specced to 5W20, the 5W30 is the OEM recommendation, and makes sense with the mileage you've got on your engine and the climate you're in. Since you're in Texas (per your signature), there is a smaller probability of your having caused a problem due to oil thickness at startup. (Here in Michigan, a couple zero degree startups with 10W40 would be pretty horrible.)

Good luck,
George