20w-50
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From: Camas Valley,Oregon
20w-50
i was told to use some thicker oil in my f150. they recommended anything in the 50 range. 10-50, 20-50 what ever. so i went with the 20w-50. will it cause any problems?
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From: Pennsylvania
I GIVE UP !!!!!!! I tryed and tryed to explain to yunzs guys about motor oil, OK let go over it again, Basic Motor Oil 101 The "W" means "Winter" not weight, all motor oils are the SAME weight, this does not mean how thick the oil is, the weight is measured by the concintration of the motor oil. like a SAE 30 and and a 10W30 is the same thickness of oil, but have a diffrent concintrarion, the number after the "W" is the viscosity of the oil, its resistance to flow, the higher the number the more resistance. Ford requires a 5W20 thats low viscosity, that means the Ford Engine Engineers want the oil to get to the internal parts of the engine faster, a 5W20 will flow faster than a 5W30 or a 10W30, but all these oils are the same thickness. Think of it this way, when you buy cheap shampoo, its less concentrated and you have to use more, but it looks the same thickness as the more expensive shampoo, but the more expensive kind is more concentrated and u use less to do the same job. Tell me? how did you guys ever get by without my vast intellectual knowledge?
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Easton, Pa.
All these engines call for 5W20 all year round.
Those who doubt this, take a look at the FORD Motorcraft website for info on all the engines from 96 up.
The only two mod engines that don't call for 5w20 is the new 3v 5.4 and the Mustang HP GT engines and, of course, the Diesels.
You should stop trying to second guess the factory.
Those who doubt this, take a look at the FORD Motorcraft website for info on all the engines from 96 up.
The only two mod engines that don't call for 5w20 is the new 3v 5.4 and the Mustang HP GT engines and, of course, the Diesels.
You should stop trying to second guess the factory.
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From: Aggieland, TX
IMO you need to use the lightest (I know this is probably the wrong terminology but you get my point) oil you can use that the engine does not burn off too quickly.
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From: PA
The oil I use is 05w-50 SYNTEC by Castrol, when I change the oil il the winter below 20deg. in my unheated garage where i keep the new oil it pours out of the bottle fairly easy, definitally not like 20w-50 which i use in my hot VW in the summer,oh my VW is a 67 beetle with a 68 engine putting out about 225HP and runs low 14sec quarter miles.
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From: Seabrook,NH
Originally posted by MotoF150
I GIVE UP !!!!!!! I tryed and tryed to explain to yunzs guys about motor oil, OK let go over it again, Basic Motor Oil 101 The "W" means "Winter" not weight, all motor oils are the SAME weight, this does not mean how thick the oil is, the weight is measured by the concintration of the motor oil. like a SAE 30 and and a 10W30 is the same thickness of oil, but have a diffrent concintrarion, the number after the "W" is the viscosity of the oil, its resistance to flow, the higher the number the more resistance. Ford requires a 5W20 thats low viscosity, that means the Ford Engine Engineers want the oil to get to the internal parts of the engine faster, a 5W20 will flow faster than a 5W30 or a 10W30, but all these oils are the same thickness. Think of it this way, when you buy cheap shampoo, its less concentrated and you have to use more, but it looks the same thickness as the more expensive shampoo, but the more expensive kind is more concentrated and u use less to do the same job. Tell me? how did you guys ever get by without my vast intellectual knowledge?
I GIVE UP !!!!!!! I tryed and tryed to explain to yunzs guys about motor oil, OK let go over it again, Basic Motor Oil 101 The "W" means "Winter" not weight, all motor oils are the SAME weight, this does not mean how thick the oil is, the weight is measured by the concintration of the motor oil. like a SAE 30 and and a 10W30 is the same thickness of oil, but have a diffrent concintrarion, the number after the "W" is the viscosity of the oil, its resistance to flow, the higher the number the more resistance. Ford requires a 5W20 thats low viscosity, that means the Ford Engine Engineers want the oil to get to the internal parts of the engine faster, a 5W20 will flow faster than a 5W30 or a 10W30, but all these oils are the same thickness. Think of it this way, when you buy cheap shampoo, its less concentrated and you have to use more, but it looks the same thickness as the more expensive shampoo, but the more expensive kind is more concentrated and u use less to do the same job. Tell me? how did you guys ever get by without my vast intellectual knowledge?
You are close but not right.
All oils are not the same weight. W may stand for winter but it is still the cold weather or cold pour viscosity. The second number is the warm or engine operating temperature viscosity. This is similar to the SAE weight as measured at 100 degrees C.This range is created by using long chain polymers and other viscosity modifiers to create today's multigrade oils. The polymers unwind or spread out as temperature changes to help stabilize the oil. Concentration has nothing to do with it.
Here is a good quote for you:
Multigrade oils typically begin as base oils, such as 10W. Then viscosity-index modifiers (polymers) are added in an effort to stabilize the viscosity. This allows a 10W40 oil to flow like a 10W at cold temperatures and a 40W at higher temperatures.
The multigrade oils' viscosity modifiers are long-chain molecules that lessen the change of viscosity with temperature variance. In the past, the polymer additives (used to thicken the oil) were sometimes susceptible to viscosity loss. Permanent viscosity loss occurred when high shear forces (such as the relationship between the main bearings and the crankshaft) actually break the polymer molecules into less-effective smaller pieces. On a similar note, temporary viscosity loss also occurred when the polymer molecules aligned themselves in order to create a path of least resistance.
Fortunately, today's additive packages have improved oil's shear-resistance. However, oils with the same rating from different manufacturers can exhibit different viscosity ratings in an operating engine, depending on the shear stability of their viscosity-modifying additives.
For technoids, weights are defined thusly (stokes and centistrokes are measurements of viscosity):
"SAE 30 is SAE 30 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 0W, 5W or 10W. This viscosity in centistokes (cSt) @ 100 degrees C is with the minimum of 9.3 cSt and a maximum of 12.5 cSt.
"SAE 40 is SAE 40 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 5W, 10W, 15W or 20W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minim of 12.5 cSt and a maximum of 16.3 cSt.
"SAE 50 is SAE 50 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 5W, 10W, 15W or 25W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minimum of 16.3 cSt and a maximum of 21.9 cSt.
"SAE 60 is SAE 60 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 10W, 15W or 25W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minimum of 21.9 cSt and a maximum of 26.1 cSt.
"There is no SAE 70 and no one is likely to make one with a "W" prefix number although it is possible using a synthetic base oil. This viscosity is identified as Grade 70. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C has a minimum of 26.1 cSt and no maximum."
The difference between a multigrade and a singlegrade oil: The singlegrade can't pass the low temperature viscosity test. If it did meet one of the following "W" viscosities, it would be a multigrade.
Singlegrade oils will become obsolete for performance engines in the future. We dropped SAE 30 and SAE 40 because SAE 10W40 does everything 30 or 40 can do—and some things the straight grades can't do—like increasing horsepower. If an off-roader doesn't like 10W40, then use 20W50. It can do everything a 10W40 can do except pass the sub-zero viscosity test at -20 degrees C.
Multigrade viscosities are run at six different sub-zero temperatures. When a racing-oil designer puts a formula together, he has to know the viscosity at 100 degrees C of every component in the additive composition. He has to have a target viscosity objective for the finished oil in each SAE grade. Once a formula is established, the technician who supervises the blending has to duplicate this formula in the correct proportions every time the product is blended. The viscosity at 100 degrees C has a plus or minus written into the oil's quality-control specification.
The multigrade oils' viscosity modifiers are long-chain molecules that lessen the change of viscosity with temperature variance. In the past, the polymer additives (used to thicken the oil) were sometimes susceptible to viscosity loss. Permanent viscosity loss occurred when high shear forces (such as the relationship between the main bearings and the crankshaft) actually break the polymer molecules into less-effective smaller pieces. On a similar note, temporary viscosity loss also occurred when the polymer molecules aligned themselves in order to create a path of least resistance.
Fortunately, today's additive packages have improved oil's shear-resistance. However, oils with the same rating from different manufacturers can exhibit different viscosity ratings in an operating engine, depending on the shear stability of their viscosity-modifying additives.
For technoids, weights are defined thusly (stokes and centistrokes are measurements of viscosity):
"SAE 30 is SAE 30 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 0W, 5W or 10W. This viscosity in centistokes (cSt) @ 100 degrees C is with the minimum of 9.3 cSt and a maximum of 12.5 cSt.
"SAE 40 is SAE 40 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 5W, 10W, 15W or 20W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minim of 12.5 cSt and a maximum of 16.3 cSt.
"SAE 50 is SAE 50 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 5W, 10W, 15W or 25W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minimum of 16.3 cSt and a maximum of 21.9 cSt.
"SAE 60 is SAE 60 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 10W, 15W or 25W. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C is within the minimum of 21.9 cSt and a maximum of 26.1 cSt.
"There is no SAE 70 and no one is likely to make one with a "W" prefix number although it is possible using a synthetic base oil. This viscosity is identified as Grade 70. The viscosity @ 100 degrees C has a minimum of 26.1 cSt and no maximum."
The difference between a multigrade and a singlegrade oil: The singlegrade can't pass the low temperature viscosity test. If it did meet one of the following "W" viscosities, it would be a multigrade.
Singlegrade oils will become obsolete for performance engines in the future. We dropped SAE 30 and SAE 40 because SAE 10W40 does everything 30 or 40 can do—and some things the straight grades can't do—like increasing horsepower. If an off-roader doesn't like 10W40, then use 20W50. It can do everything a 10W40 can do except pass the sub-zero viscosity test at -20 degrees C.
Multigrade viscosities are run at six different sub-zero temperatures. When a racing-oil designer puts a formula together, he has to know the viscosity at 100 degrees C of every component in the additive composition. He has to have a target viscosity objective for the finished oil in each SAE grade. Once a formula is established, the technician who supervises the blending has to duplicate this formula in the correct proportions every time the product is blended. The viscosity at 100 degrees C has a plus or minus written into the oil's quality-control specification.
Last edited by Norm; Jan 19, 2005 at 09:11 AM.
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From: Fairfax, VA
Originally posted by MotoF150
The "W" means "Winter" not weight, all motor oils are the SAME weight, this does not mean how thick the oil is, the weight is measured by the concintration of the motor oil. like a SAE 30 and and a 10W30 is the same thickness of oil, but have a diffrent concintrarion, the number after the "W" is the viscosity of the oil, its resistance to flow, the higher the number the more resistance. Ford requires a 5W20 thats low viscosity, that means the Ford Engine Engineers want the oil to get to the internal parts of the engine faster, a 5W20 will flow faster than a 5W30 or a 10W30, but all these oils are the same thickness.
The "W" means "Winter" not weight, all motor oils are the SAME weight, this does not mean how thick the oil is, the weight is measured by the concintration of the motor oil. like a SAE 30 and and a 10W30 is the same thickness of oil, but have a diffrent concintrarion, the number after the "W" is the viscosity of the oil, its resistance to flow, the higher the number the more resistance. Ford requires a 5W20 thats low viscosity, that means the Ford Engine Engineers want the oil to get to the internal parts of the engine faster, a 5W20 will flow faster than a 5W30 or a 10W30, but all these oils are the same thickness.
SL
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Fairfax, VA
API chart
Here's a link to a quick ref. chart from the American Petroleum Institute: http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache...iscosity&hl=en
SL
SL
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Fairfax, VA
Originally posted by kievitk
well sounds good. 20w-50 it is then. and im pretty sure that (W) doesnt mean Winter. lmao
well sounds good. 20w-50 it is then. and im pretty sure that (W) doesnt mean Winter. lmao
SL
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
I think that your truck may start saying nasty things to you...
If you go with a 20W50 oil. Like mentioned above, tight tolerances don't like thick oils.
You think it clatters now when it's cold?
UFM82
You think it clatters now when it's cold?
UFM82
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From: Puyallup, WA
If you are just cruising around at less then 2000 rpms, what good is that maple syrup going to do?? That thick stuff is for high reving engines. Even when I'm towing my travel trailer in 90* heat, I just run the 5w30... I'll be pulling rpms of around 2500 all day long. I've got almost 138,000 miles on the clock now...
But, it's like was said..... It's your truck..... Run what you want and makes you feel good......
But, it's like was said..... It's your truck..... Run what you want and makes you feel good......
