You hit the nail on the head! I've used Chevron 5w30 since day #1.

 

I use 5w20 pennzoil conventional. I used Motorcraft at first (about 4 oil changes) and the truck always had a ticking at start-up. On my second oil change with pennzoil and no noise yet. I have always used the motorcraft oil filters though.

 

I seriously doubt that the MC oil was causing the ticking. My truck and My SIL's '07 W/5.4 have no ticking of any kind at start up. I change my own oil and hers too and when I hold the throttle to the floor for about 3 seconds after the change, there isn't a trace of tick from dry filter even. (Obviously no longer dry) Have always used Ford recommended MC 5-20 and MC filter. The MC Semi-synthetic is definitely a better oil than conventional Pennzoil.

 

Ah, Thar's your problem! Do you let your baker do your haircut or your butcher do your pest control? I wouldn't!

 

As I told 2 of my brothers who kept coming up with information from 20+ years ago in dealing with their new vehicles, (they do their own work) if you don't "go to school" on a continual basis you're going to be spending a lot of money having the dealer fix the things you messed up. (I had good reason to say it in each case). Things change constantly and as MGD said, there is very valid reason for using ONLY what Ford recommended, and it's NOT CAFE guidelines. As tolerances get tighter and more precise and more and more vehicles are using VVT as standard fare, you see more and more going even to 0-20 oil, and it's NOT for CAFE reasons. My wife's 2011 car uses 0-20 and when I change at 7500-8000mi. it's not down even a drop. Yes, it does have VVT.

 

There's really no scientific way to prove that the motorcraft oil was causing the noise. I just know that since switching to pennzoil it has not returned so I am staying with what works. The pennzoil has a much better additive package than motorcraft. Now if the fact that it says synblend on the jug makes you THINK it is better so be it. Just don't confuse fact with opinion because I don't think either one of us have the technology to prove which is better.

 

Now, I'm beginning to wonder. I bought my '07 in March 2011. The dealership had just done an oil change & I don't know what oil they used though it was a MC filter. I changed oil & filter in Sept. '11 using MC 5W20 synthetic blend & a MC filter. Since then, I've got a slight tick which wasen't there before I changed the oil. Hmm.

 

Just curious as to how you know that it has a better additive package than MC? Are you in the oil field (chemistry) or oil analysis? I'm going by what I've read about the 2 oils (quite a bit) and my own experience with MC SB. Now if you were talking about the 2 Pennzoil full synthetics, that's a whole different story, top notch, but you said conventional, not synthetic. You have the right to run used oil if you want, I won't argue that.

 

You can check VOA's on bobistheoilguy.com or on the Petroleum quality institute website. Motorcraft does not have near the moly of pennzoil conventional (40 ppm to 269) the other additives are fairly similar. If you have read up on group II+ oils you will also know that the line between conventional and synblends is getting pretty blurry, I will not get into that as I am not an expert. Pennzoil is a group II+. If the motorcraft uses a better base oil it may not need as many additives to do just as well as pennzoil or it could have some organic additives that will not show on a VOA. To really prove that though you would need several identical vehicles running in identical circumstances and do UOA's at every oil change.

 

I would have no problem running used oil. As long as it's valvoline nextgen of course.

 

Motorcraft 5W-20 (or maybe 5W-30 depending on time of year of change) Premium Synthetic Blend Motor Oil and Motorcraft filters for my '01 Merc GM's 4.6 and my '07 F150's 5.4 The "5W" part is what the engine sees on cold start up. I know what the books say.

 

Don't laugh. If the tree huggers have their way, soon that's all we'll have access to. If they have to go out to some 3rd world countries and drain their clunkers to get used oil to "reprocess", they'll do it. Before long, they'll have you drain you're oil, they'll send it off for reprocessing and in a couple months you'll be able to drive again. "We're from the Gov'ment, and we're here to help you" God help us all!

I still can't quite bring myself to use "reprocessed oil", not by any name!

 

Actually .... while I have often felt the same way, truth is the oil itself doesn't wear out. It can be reprocessed and fortified with the additives and properties returned or modified and be as good as it was the first time. After all, much of it was in the dirty earth for a long long time.

I did recently buy a 5 quart container of Next Gen in 5W30 at my Advance Auto for my '95 T-Bird along with Purolator filter for $21.99 and got a big jug to use for dirty oil to poor back in the big tank at Advance Auto and a $20 rebate too.

 

I am not using conventional oil. I'm using 5W20 Mobil 1 EP and a Mobil 1 filter. 152k, burns a quart every 6k, no noises.

You have a 4.2 which isn't anywhere near as sensitive as the OHC V-8's. You can essentially use just about anything in there. The only reason I'm using Mobil 1 is I use extended change intervals.

 

Problem is, how do you know what else was poured in with that oil? Paint thinner, used thinner from washing paint brushes out, brake fluid, your stale beer, gasoline that you've washed parts with, a little of the old anti freeze that wouldn't quite fit into the anti freeze jug, the possibilities are endless. how does ANYONE know for sure what else was in the old oil jugs. I'm just not ready to put that in my vehicles, no matter WHO reprocessed it! When they have that big tank to pour your old oil in, there is no way to check that oil and know what it has in it.