Hey all,​​​​​
I have a 2002 F-150 with a 5.4L V8 with about 195k miles on it. I am currently using 5w20 oil as per the manual, but I have been told that it is a good idea to switch to a higher weight oil when the mileage gets that high. Is it better to go with a 10w40 oil or 5w30? I live in Florida so it doesn't really get cold and ive had some ppl say that 10w40 is too thick and some say that 5w30 is just as watery as 5w20. Which is the better one or should I just stick with 5w20?

 

Stick with what is working, 5-20.

 

the 5w20 is what is recommended. I also have the same yr & engine as you, with a twitch or 2 more miles then yours. ( mine currently at 201600). I also still run the 5w20, mostly because it what is recommended and I'm up north where the cold winds blow ( currently at -9f this morning).

With that said, I probably will go with a "high mileage" oil in 5w20 from here on out. Mostly due to hearing a few extra intermittent ticks and clicks on start up. and that is for the winter months maybe for the summer go with 5w30.

It kinda depends on your engine/truck. Have you owned this unit for some time and can attest to the maintenance given to the truck? Or....is it a relatively recent acquirement and really have no idea as to previous maintenance?? So, If this new to your fleet...maybe do some investing as to its condition, get a compression check done and check the oil pressure when cold and hot idle, & warm high idle. note how close those readings are to factory spec's they are. If the spark plugs are unknown mileage replace them when doing the compression check is being done.

With you being where the warmer air stays consistent, can't see much harm in going with the 5w30, especially if you tow every now and again.

 

I don't think you will go wrong using 5w30. That was what was recommended in the 5.4 2V when it came out. My 2000 5.4 had a recommedation of 5w30. I think the switch to 5w20 was for the slight improvement in fuel economy. The guy that had the million mile 5.4 2v engine van used 10w40 if I remember correctly. that was pretty good proof. Google million mile van if you would like to read about it.

 

I bought my 2003 4.2 in 2006 with 55k on it. I've been using 5W20 Mobil 1 EP synthetic in it with no issues, it has 190k on it now.

Keep using what you are using if you have no oil pressure issues and it's not burning much.

I'm old school - I believe in picking a specific oil and using nothing but it until the engine is shot and it starts to burn a bunch. In the past, switching weights and/or brands could cause issues.

 

Being old i've heard that many times. I think it was just an excuse for the oil burning Chevys! Ha! I had an 86 Monte Carlo SS that didn't burn oil. I changed from conventional Havoline to Mobil 1 at 107k miles and it immediately started burning oil like crazy. I milked it to 124k miles until I had to remove the #8 plug every two weeks and clean off the bridged over spark plug. I think it was more coincidence and the real reason was the crappy quality GM was putting into the engines at that time. I switched brands many times on my Fords and Dodges and no oil burning happened.

 

The high mileage oils have seal and gasket expansion additives.
Otherwise there is no difference.
On the v8 and v10, motors the cams are chain driven and use long chain guides tensioned by oil pressure.
I would not increase the oil viscosity for this reason.
During cold starts the chain tension will be increased much longer until oil thins down from heat.
This wears the tensioners out faster.
The pieces can end up in the pan and can block oil pickup by the oil pump. Then you really are in a jamb as the result..
The motors are already worn, why add to it.
You can't replace wear with any super oil traits after the horse has left the barn.
Only possible reason to use heavier oil is in a worn engine with rod or main bearing knock just to keep it going a little longer.
.
277,000 and going for 300,000 miles. Still use 5w20.
Good luck.

 

I use Mobil1 5W/30 High Mileage which has in addition to the seal and gasket additives, a higher amount of ZDDP (zink and phosphorous) which have extra anti-wear properties. Here is an article I came across to support this:

The Pros and Cons of ZDDP

by Mark Gittelman



As time marches on in the automotive world, it often feels like the classic car hobby is left behind. Now, removing lead from gasoline was not a bad idea. Although it reduced engine knocking and boosted octane ratings, it was poisonous to the atmosphere.



The next blow to the classic car hobby come in the form of ethanol fuels. This type of gasoline works great for a daily driver. However, you might want to seek out ethanol-free fuel if you store an automobile for more than a couple of months.



Now the oil companies are under pressure to remove zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate, or ZDDP, from engine oils. This article will uncover details about this lubrication additive. See why this change affects classic cars more than new cars.



WHAT IS ZDDP?



ZDDP, zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate, is a compound developed in the 1940’s. Petroleum companies added it to their motor oils to enhance lubrication. It was held in high regard as being the most cost-effective metal-on-metal anti-wear additive available. The silicate-based fluid got its start in airplane engines. Designers discovered it also worked well in car and truck engines.



Studies found the anti-wear protection with flat tappets and overhead cam lobes impressive. Further investigation uncovered that the benefits applied to any engine part under considerable pressure including turbochargers and superchargers. In fact, the ZDDP oil additive substantially reduced noticeable wear in any metal-on-metal situation.



All tests we’ve reviewed conclude that ZDDP is effective at increasing the longevity of internal engine parts. When properly formulated with base oils, ZDDP is also known to have antioxidant and corrosion resistant properties. These are useful qualities for classic car enthusiasts since their engines can sit for extended periods.



CONS OF ZDDP



Over the last 40 years, there has been considerable pressure to reduce the use of ZDDP in motor oil applications because of long-term toxicity concerns. The chemical compound is especially toxic to aquatic wildlife. Unfortunately, it has long-lasting effects when it finds its way into the water table. Proper safety and disposal practices could mitigate this problem.



However, pollution is not the only issue associated with this oil additive. Further, influencing the decision is that catalytic converter lifetimes are decreased by contamination with zinc and phosphates; hence, the drive to decrease the use of the additive by lowering concentration levels. Unfortunately, this has now turned into a movement to completely eliminate the chemical compound rather than just controlling the limits as an additive.



REMOVING ZDDP FROM ENGINE OILS



What happens if you completely remove ZDDP from engine oil? As petroleum manufacturers decreased the concentration in their products over the last 20 years, concerns began to surface. The main concern is the impact on engine wear in both classic and modern automobiles.



It is now clear that modern passenger car engines are quite different in their need for ZDDP. Many are multi-valve overhead cam engines with lower spring pressures.

 

I run Motorcraft 5w20 w/Motorcraft filters only because it's under warranty still and it works in my F150.

However, I've got a '07 Compass that has over 200k and right about 8,500+ hours on the clock, and I've put in all kinds of oils (Motorcraft, Penzoil, Supertech, Amsoil, etc, basically whatever is the cheapest/on sale). Key is to change the oil regularly.

I change the oil and filter at 100 hours, which comes out to roughly 2,500 - 2,800 miles depending on how much highway -- but I change it regardless of mileage. So yes, I'm up to around my 85th oil change. I've poked around inside of the engine with my scope, and everything looks like it came from the factory, just normal wear for that many hours. Everything sounds as the day I picked it up.

It is due for new injectors, plugs, PCV valve, and air filter this Spring (probably do it in March). Suspension-wise, I need to put new struts and replace the trailing arms in the rear (probably do that in May or June).

I plan on keeping it for another 10 years. I'm curious to see how long it's going to last. Maybe a million mile Compass. lol

 

Anyone that can keep a Compass running that long has to be doing something right. That wasn't one of Chrysler's better efforts.

 

I don't know. I know a young couple who drove a Compass up to about 124k miles with minimal maintenance before it was repoed.

 

I just noticed that I made a major typo in my post above. I meant to say that I use 5W/20 -- not 5W/30. Sorry about that.

I'm a firm believer in sticking to the weight the owner's manual recommends, regardless of the brand. Even though I use Mobil1 High Mileage, I believe that any brand of full synthetic 5W/20 with the ZDDP additives would be good for any of our engines with over 100K miles on them.

 

Yeah, at your mileage it would be helpful to go up with the oil viscosity to add life to the engine. Here's what is happening inside the engine currently. The rod caps on the ends of the piston rods spray oil, supplied to them by the crankshaft, to the bottom of the pistons and to the cylinder walls. As the bearings on the crankshaft start to wear, oil escapes and that's oil that is now not going to the rings and cylinder walls. As the bearings wear and more leakage occurs, it can get to a point where the rings are running in an oil starvation situation and wear increases as does oil usage and blowby. Once you're at the blowby stage, there's not much life left regardless of what you use. But going to a thicker oil restores some of this oil to the rings making the engine last longer. When it comes to oil, the viscosity rating that you are buying is the SAE rating but not the industry Kinematic viscosity. The high mileage oils will be on the thick end of the range. Energy Conserving oils will be on the thin end of the kinematic scale. I wouldn't even look at the high mileage oils unless you have minor leaks. The high mileage oils will have seal swell agents in the formulation to stop minor leaks. In Florida, I'd suggest using the Pennzoil yellow bottle 10w-30 for the much lower ASTM D-5800 testing. Kindly remember, at one time Ford recommended a 15w-40 oil for that engine and the spec was to quiet a noisy engine. It still specs the 15w-40 oil for the high performance 5.4 engines. You might even find that engine a lot happier with a 15w-40 oil like Delo 400LE.

 

Speaking of Delo... I've been hearing good stuff about Chevron's new cross-fleet (made for both GAS/Diesel engines) oil Delo 400SDE: http://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_...l#.WkuGYTdG02w

Back to the Compass, it's been an interesting ride with it. The engine and tranny are solid (I got the 2.4l World Engine with the NVG 5 Speed), but the suspension is lack luster in terms of longevity. If I didn't have the tools, the shop, and the experience, this vehicle would've been long gone if a shop had to do it. Basically a car suspension on a SUV.

I had to replace all 4 corners at 80k. Cost me $1200 in parts. I even went with Moogs this time around and they are lasting a little bit longer, but I can tell they are starting to go... and I don't drive like a maniac either. I can only imagine if I did.

 

The Delo 400 LE is a far better choice. The issue is the SDE does not qualify to be used in a Ford diesel engine. The issue is the amount of Phosphorus in the formulation has been reduced. The SDE has roughly 780 ppms whereas the LE carries 1200ppms. The phosphorus in a Ford engine acts like a cushion and is relied upon by Ford for the injectors. Otherwise, expect injector life to be short. For a gas engine, either will work but the LE has far more detergency and anti-friction properties for the same money. The LE is still a dual rated oil just like the SDE, good for gas or diesel engines.