I went to Wal-Mart tonight, and I saw some Motorcraft 5W-20 premium synthetic blend oil for $1.77 per quart. I am currently using Valvoline Durablend 5W-30, and I'm going to change my oil tommorrow. My question is can I switch to the Motorcraft without any problems? I drive a 2001 f-150 and Ford say's to use 5W-20. So I would rather use Motorcraft 5w-20 in case the 5W-30 should void my warranty or in case something happens with my engine and Ford says they won't fix it because I used the wrong oil!

 

You wont VOID you warranty by using the 5w-30
This I am certain of.

My 98' F-150 recomends 5w-30. I thougth all the Ford trucks were this way. In any case, I run it in mine and have no problems. I just passed 105,000 miles and I have not had one mechanical defect........ yet..........

However, the cost diferential between the two couldnt be more than like $5 total.... so I say, buy what ever you're comfortable with.

 

I don't know about the warranty thing, so I have no answer for that, but I thought that all F-150s called for 5W-20, but I don't know for sure about that either. What I do know, is it won't hurt your truck, and if you read the bottles, both Motorcraft AND Valvoline are from the Ashland Oil Company, in Ashland, KY, so it's the same oil, and I have no idea how changing could hurt your truck. Go with what you like!

 

Thanks a bushel fellers. I believe I'll go with 5w-20 just to be safe.

 

FORD recomends 2000 and before use 5w30 and in 2001 and after use 5w20 I use the 5w30 in mine but I did use 10w30 in mine 2 times and didn't see any differance from the 5w30 the truck has over 45,000 miles on it and still going strong.

 

Valvoline oil is the maker of Motocraft oil. I know this for a fact because I drive a semi-truck, and have picked up at a valvoline plant in Pennsylvania many times, and seen the pallets of motorcraft waiting for shipement. You would be amazed at how many "private labels" are actually Valvoline oil. The oil you can get at your local True Value hardware store called Master Mechanic, we would never think of putting it in our trucks, but that "cheap oil" is the same thing as the Valvoline you pay 30 cents more per quart!!

 

FWIW my 2001 S'Crew owners manual specifies 5W-30. I've posted a pic of the page here before. I bought it in August 2000. I use 5W-30 Mobil 1.

 

Do what you owners manual states. If you do anything beyond the parameters Ford has set out, they can void your warranty. Whether there is a difference or not, you are not following their instructions.





As far as private label... unless both bottles come from the same vat and you know for 100% sure that they do ... they are not the same. I dont believe that cheapy bargain bin oil is of the same quality as $1.50 oil. Private label are generally produced to a lower quality than brand label. If you are Valvoline... would you make Master Mechanic oil as good as your own that you spend millions advertising and promoting?

 

Ashland Oil makes Valvoline and the Motorcraft and many others including NAPA store brand. I doubt they have different "vats". They probablly all use commom base stocks and may have different additive packages for the different price points. This is a mass produced item not a hand made home brew.

 

OIL, OIL, OIL.......see my signature.....

 

I used to work at a Chevron Refinery here in town and you be surprised how many different companies "make" the same oil. We used to manufacture all kinds including oil for motorcraft. It just depends who has the cheapest "RAC" price. Same goes for Fuel. I cannot remeber how many times I would see competitors Fuel trucks pulling in to the refinery to get fuel.

 

Note that Ford issued a TSB in 2001 which changes the oil recommendation for some vehicles MY 1996-2001 to 5W-20. This TSB is 01-4-7. This essentially amends the owner's manual for many models.

 

The local dealership uses 5W30 everytime I take her in for an oil change..

 

LeanNcut, What year is your truck?

 

Originally posted by WOLVERINE
What year is your truck?

'99. Don't worry, I saved every single invoice and receipt for every $ I ever spent on her. Factory and aftermarket parts and services and everything in between.

I remember this one time how the service advisor gave me a strange look when I told him that I would like to replace the oil plug b/c it had a knick on it. Haha. Good thing I didn't tell him that I still have the original window sticker somewhere in these U-Haul boxes.

"Please repeat after me: I'm not obsessed, I'm not obsessed.."
"Kay, I can do this! Here we go! I am posessed, I am posessed!" Hehe.