There has been a lot of discussion about 5W20 oil. I decided to splurge and have a lab do an analysis of the oil in my Escape when I last changed it. Here are the results for your own interpretation & benefit. The analysis was done by Blackstone Labs.

The vehicle is a 01 Escape with the V6 engine. This oil had 3,250 miles on it when it was sampled. The Escape had 10,000 total miles on it. Motorcraft 5W20 has been used with every oil change since it was new. The engine used no oil between changes. It had a Bosch oil filter on it.

The Blackstone oil report is as follows. The univeral averages are shown with brackets ( ) around them since I couldn't figure out how to format the columnes in this post clearly.

Elements My Car (Univeral Averages)

Aluminum 3 (4)
Chromium 1 (2)
Iron 12 (23)
Copper 8 (10)
Lead 1 (9)
Tin 0 (1)
Molybdenum 4 (18)
Nickel 0 (1)
Manganese 0 (1)
Silver 0 (0)
Titanium 0 (0)
Potassium 1 (0)
Boron 30 (53)
Silicon 22 (16)
Sodium 3 (28)
Calcium 1064 (1462)
Magnesium 436 (567)
Phosphorus 643 (804)
Zinc 760 (951)
Barium 1 (1)

Properties Test Values Were (Values Should Be)

SUS Visc. @210 F 51.9 (54-60)
Flashpoint F 410 (>370)
Fuel % <0.5 (<1.5)
Antifreeze % 0.0 (0)
Water % 0.0 (<0.10)
Insolubles % 0.3 (<0.6)


Comments: “Nothing too unusual showed up in this sample from your Ford 3.0L. All wear read at or below averages for this type of engine, which is a very good indication of normal wearing parts. Universal averages show normal wear after about 6,000 miles on the oil. The viscosity was light for a 5W/20, but the flashpoint was good so we don’t suspect you are getting any fuel dilution. The TBN read 4.5. This is a normal reading for a used engine oil, and shows that there is active additive left in the oil. At 10,000 total miles, this engine appears to past wear-in and doing well.”

That's it! :-)

 

Thanks for sharing the results of your analysis report.
I like how the lab gave a summary of the analysis in their comments.

 

Thank you for sharing this info.

 

just for fun, were you using a K&N air filter? check out the silica, which was higher than average, but by no means as high as mine was after I got mine tested, and I have one! TK

'77 F100, 302 (the aftermarket Prodigy), C4
Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Jul-02 AT 10:33&nbsp;PM (EST)]No, I don't have a K&N filter on it. It's still the oem Ford air filter. I noticed that the silicon reading was a bit high too, but the lab didn't mention anything about it. I wonder if I'd shaken loose a little dirt as I opened the darn filter housing from time to time to check the filter. It's not that easy to open or to get the filter out.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Jul-02 AT 01:46&nbsp;PM (EST)]Don't know how the Escape air filter is, but if it's the "truncated cone" type that many Fords have, it seems unlikely that anything could have fallen into the clean side. They ARE somewhat cumbersome to deal with, so I would check that everything was plugged in, aligned and sealed, particularly if others have serviced your vehicle. Everybody is rushing these days!

We are not told exactly how "universal averages" are determined, but wouldn't we expect oil with only 3250 miles on it, in a virtually new but broken-in engine, to show VERY MUCH less than typical wear? Is iron at 12ppm (vs. 23), or copper at 8 ppm (vs. 10), or aluminum at 3 ppm (vs. 4) a particularly good result? Just asking! It's kinda like deciding if I'm overweight by looking at the average American, when we know that most of us are too fat.

Thanks for your contribution.

MrBSS

 

Thanks for doing this test and sharing the results!

>
>Properties Test Values Were (Values Should Be)
>
>SUS Visc. @210 F 51.9 (54-60)

>The viscosity was light for a
>5W/20,


I'm concerned that the Motorcraft could not stay in grade with so few miles, especially being a synthetic blend.

Jim

 

Good point! ...And another reason to worry about the recommended 5W20.

MrBSS

 

Don't worry about any comments regarding the analysis.

I probably should have said earlier, but I replaced the Motorcraft 5W20 with Mobil 1 5W30 when I drained the oil.

 

Again, thanks for sharing this with us. I have a question, have you talked to Ford about what will happen if you have a major engine failure while running a non-recommended 5w30? I ask because I was told by more than one service advisor or manager that Ford could or would deny the claim. That's the only reason I'm running the 5w20.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 31-Jul-02 AT 09:21&nbsp;PM (EST)]I think the key word is "recommended". Does not say "required". I do not think running 10W-30, or 5W-20, or 5W-30 or whatever, will, in and of itsself, void your warranty.
Please, somebody correct me if I am wrong.
Brian A

 

Yes, actually I did ask my local Ford service manager about using a different weight oil than 5W20. He pushed the better lubricating value of a 20 weight oil with "tight tolerances" but in the end, he conceeded that it was okay to use a 5W30 as I asked, and that it would NOT void the warrenty. The other factor that convinced me to drop a 20 weight oil is that Mazda issed a TSB authorizing 5W30 for the V6 in their Tributes, a twin to the Escape, with probably the same friggin V6 engine made in the same Claycomo, Mo manufacturing plant as the Escape! :-)

 

Thanks!

 

I think it's unlikely that those of us who care this much would have an "oil related" warranty problem. Then, that anyone would know that it was 5W30 instead of 5W20, and further that our dealer service director would not support us because of this (unless we've p----d him off for something else!).

However, .... we should be aware that the Ford warranty statement allows them to decline a claim if (among other things) the RECOMMENDED lubricants are not used.

MrBSS