1997 - 2003 F-150

5-20 or 5-30

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Old 11-06-2009, 06:45 AM
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5-20 or 5-30

I'm due for a oil change. I just bought the truck a while back & have never done one yet on this truck. The owners manual calls for 5-30 but the oil cap says 5-20. So which one do I use??? It's a 2001 Supercrew 4x4. I live in South Texas too.



Thanks!!!
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 07:07 AM
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5W20. Motorcraft oil and filter recommended, they are both available at Walmart and don't cost any more than anything else.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 09:09 AM
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why 5w-20? Why not the heavier 5 30? Mines got 145k miles and didn't think the heavier oil would hurt it. I can't recall why ford changed oils to begin with?
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 09:47 AM
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I use the Motorcraft 5w-20 as well, can't really give a reasoning behind using it over the 5w-30 other than thats what both my manual and oil cap say on my '03.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 09:48 AM
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Ford changed it quite a few years back. I bought my truck new in 02' and 5w-30 was the recommended oil at the time. Ford actually put a new oil cap on my truck a few years ago when in for service that said 5w-20 is the recommended oil. So, that's what I have been using when I change my oil.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by ChrisT
Ford changed it quite a few years back. I bought my truck new in 02' and 5w-30 was the recommended oil at the time. Ford actually put a new oil cap on my truck a few years ago when in for service that said 5w-20 is the recommended oil. So, that's what I have been using when I change my oil.
Is that happened !! I bought an 01 that had a 5/20 cap. But I swear Ford didn't re-spec until after 03.

Yea, it's 5/20 for the 97-03 models now.

If anybody wants to see the TSB, I have a copy on line ~ "OASIS". Hell, I even got one in the mail for my 98 lol. This is a owners manual revision.

Reason - For the most part, - better gas mileage. Other than that, 5/30 works too.
 

Last edited by jbrew; 11-06-2009 at 11:19 AM.
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:07 PM
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My owners manual says 5-30 & it's a 2001.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by PearlWhiteGT
My owners manual says 5-30 & it's a 2001.
Don't understand, do you have a point lol? All info was just posted

I see. Yea, I'm not sure when the oil cap thing went down. If the dealership changed the cap after or if they rolled out of production with them. Regardless, everything is 5/20 now, -dating back to 97.

 

Last edited by jbrew; 11-06-2009 at 12:50 PM.
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Old 11-06-2009, 01:33 PM
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Exactly, my 02' says 5w-30 in my manual as well. My point is when my truck was at the dealership a few years back, they put a new oil cap on my truck labeled with 5w-20 when they changed the specs. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to my truck going in to the dealer (or any where for that matter), so that is probably the reason I notice things like that.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 02:00 PM
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Thanks fellas! Is it alright to run Mobil 1 or should I just use regular Motorcraft oil?
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted by PearlWhiteGT
Thanks fellas! Is it alright to run Mobil 1 or should I just use regular Motorcraft oil?
i used motorcraft oil and filter until 9k miles, then switched to mobil1 extended performance oil and filter. went another 10k on that and just changed my oil again a few days ago with extended performance again. i am a fan of mobil1 since i put it in my 96 trans am i had and noticed a difference in performance. nothing huge but i could tell. ever since then i use mobil1 or if i dont care about the vehicle(my 90 5th ave i had) then i go with castrol GTX.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by PearlWhiteGT
Thanks fellas! Is it alright to run Mobil 1 or should I just use regular Motorcraft oil?
Some Mobil one oil FAILED as a protectant for ALL engines. You couldn't pay me to run that now lol. Don't chance it, stick with Motorcraft, you can't go wrong there. Use a Motorcraft filter as well. Look to the stickers under your hood, it explains why. Just like the manual does.

There's data in the "engine" forum.
 

Last edited by jbrew; 11-06-2009 at 02:28 PM.
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Old 11-06-2009, 02:31 PM
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I'm a odd ball. I use 10-30 Castrol Syntec Blend & Ford Racing oil filter! Motors still in one piece!
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by PearlWhiteGT
Thanks fellas! Is it alright to run Mobil 1 or should I just use regular Motorcraft oil?
I've been running Mobil1 w\ motor craft oil filter in my truck since it's very first oil change. I also ran it on my 97' F150. Truck is still running like a top, but I will admit all the recent hoopla about Mobil1 being so crappy has got me thinking about changing to another synthetic oil.
 
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Old 11-06-2009, 04:41 PM
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It's the 5W30 standard Mobil 1 that's been failing tests. I use the 5W20 EP with no problems. I also use a Mobil 1 filter and run it to about 8k to 10k miles.
 


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