oil change question
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,512
Likes: 18
From: Detroit
Has anyone had any issues switching to 5W20 from 5W30 on high mileage motors?
It took a lot for me to get used to using 5W30 "salad weight" oil in the first place.....
I have a 97 4.6L and a 90 3.8L, are the older 3.8's recommended for 5W20 too?
I've been using 10W30 in the 90 3.8, my 91 7.5, and 5W30 in the 97 4.6. The wifey's 01 Windstar 3.8 specs 5W20.
Right now I have to "stock" 3 different oil weights, and 3 different oil filters....
It took a lot for me to get used to using 5W30 "salad weight" oil in the first place.....
I have a 97 4.6L and a 90 3.8L, are the older 3.8's recommended for 5W20 too?
I've been using 10W30 in the 90 3.8, my 91 7.5, and 5W30 in the 97 4.6. The wifey's 01 Windstar 3.8 specs 5W20.
Right now I have to "stock" 3 different oil weights, and 3 different oil filters....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/tsb/full...php?tsb=02-1-9
Looks like the '90 3.8 is not back-specced, and I recall the original spec as being 5W30(?)
As I said above, my wife's '98 Sable was back-specced but I preferred 5W30--it used a bit more 5W20--it had over 100k miles on it and it was switched back and forth a couple times (dealer used 5W20).
Your 4.6 would probably be fine on 5W20 *if* it's not burning any oil (valve seals can trickle oil on these).
I'm assuming your 7.5 wants 10W30(?)
So it looks like you continue with 3 different weight oils anyhow...unless you want to buy maybe 5W20 and 10W40 and do "custom mixes" of oil the way Sunoco blends gas.
I don't usually hesitate to top off with a different weight between changes (I'll put half a quart of 5W30 in my van if I have an open quart of that, or would top off my wife's Sable with 10W40 especially when it had the 5W20 in it. We have a couple older BMW's that I run 10W40 in.)
George
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,932
Likes: 181
n3up, i had the same problem. i standardized on 5 w 30 for all motors in the cars and trucks. a tad thicker for the new trucks that have high milage, and the older ones that say 10 w 30, dont seem to mind the 5w 30.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,077
Likes: 1
From: None of your business
Has anyone had any issues switching to 5W20 from 5W30 on high mileage motors?
It took a lot for me to get used to using 5W30 "salad weight" oil in the first place.....
I have a 97 4.6L and a 90 3.8L, are the older 3.8's recommended for 5W20 too?
I've been using 10W30 in the 90 3.8, my 91 7.5, and 5W30 in the 97 4.6. The wifey's 01 Windstar 3.8 specs 5W20.
Right now I have to "stock" 3 different oil weights, and 3 different oil filters....
It took a lot for me to get used to using 5W30 "salad weight" oil in the first place.....
I have a 97 4.6L and a 90 3.8L, are the older 3.8's recommended for 5W20 too?
I've been using 10W30 in the 90 3.8, my 91 7.5, and 5W30 in the 97 4.6. The wifey's 01 Windstar 3.8 specs 5W20.
Right now I have to "stock" 3 different oil weights, and 3 different oil filters....
In reference to the "salad weight" oils, these newer mod engines aren't like the ones of the past. They require thinner oils to operate. The cams don't even have bearings. They just ride on a film of oil so having 5 weight on startup is key to getting oil from the pan to the heads quickly.
On the 20 vs 30 weight, from what I've read around here with people doing used oil analysis, the 5w30 shears down to a 20 pretty quickly and the 5w20 is pretty stable at a 20 with. So if you use 5w20 or 5w30, it'll be a 5w20 soon enough.
Now for older engines like the 302, 351, and 460, 10wXX is fine.
Mike
