ok i did some searching here and didnt really find a definite answer so if i missed this posted somewhere i am sorry. i have a 06 screw with 36k on it. i was talking oil changes with a friend and he said i should use 10w30 because it provides better lubrication than 5w20 and that ford uses 5w20 for fuel mileage purposes only. is there any truth to that ? i hardly believe that ford would go with a less lubricating oil but hey stranger things have happened . thank you in advance

 

These engines have very tight tolerances. Use the 5-20 Motorcraft recommended by Ford. You won't be sorry. Mine purrs like a kitten at 92,000 miles and uses no oil. You may have no problems with the 5-30, but why do something different?

You won't find definitive answers on much of anything on a forum. Just lots of differing opinions.

 

I have used nothing but 5w-20 viscosity weight as specified by Ford since I have owned the truck! Now three years later & at 43K miles, the truck runs better than new! It actually seemed as if the truck took 10K miles just to break in as the 5.43v seemed to improve in peformance/MPG for the 1st 10K miles! I have used nothing but Synthetic after the 1st 3K oil change however, & the engine is quiet, & has no startup noises or rattles that many people complain of here! I think that some of them used another oil different than the 5w-20 viscosity!.......

 

No offense but your friend clealry does not know the Ford engine. Use the recomended 5-20 and never look back. Listen to the two guys above me.

 

The cam phasers on that engine absolutely demand the correct oil and filter. This is an engine you do not want to screw around with when it comes to the oil you put in it. 5w-20 and a motorcraft filter (or better) period.

 

thanks guys i have been using 5w20 and i will continues to do so i figured he was wrong

 

He also doesn't know much about oil.

 

lolz @ what back yard mechanics and buddies think...... rofl

 

5w20... keep it

 

my trucks been running 10w30 since before i got it. and i've continued to use it because thats what its been running. the motors got 180k and going strong. *knock on wood*

should i // could i change to 5w20?

 

eh dont bother.. damage already done... might start getting a ticking sound if you change now

 

Had a 97 that around 180K I was changing with 10W30 either Valvoline (first 100K) then Castrol (last 80K). About the same time when Ford put a word out to use 5W20 is when oil prices started to climb. It was only another 3 - 4 dollars to use a semi-synthetic MC oil. So I switched over to that. Put another 100K on the truck and did not get any lifter noise or nothing. Never burned any oil either.

Also, 10W30 as soon as it heats up will end up near the 5W20 viscosity levels anyways. I know some guys in the summer heat will use 10W30 MC oil and then switch over to 5W20 in cooler temps.

The main thing is to use a decent quality oil, change it on a regular basis with a decent filter, and take care of your engine (emissions, etc.). You do that then oil type really doesn't matter. The MC oil is actually a really good deal though so I will continue to use it (quality/price) compared to other full synthetic oils.

 

The older engines without variable cam timing, it's not so important to use a 5W20 even though they recommend it. So long as you ain't doing something stupid like using 20W50, you'll be fine.

3Vs with VCT though, use 5W20.

 

Ummmm, not hardly. That's not how oil works. Using that logic, you could then also say a 5W20 would end up a 10 weight when it warms up, and that just ain't so.

An oils weight (viscosity, the second number, not the XW number) is measured and advertised as warm. 99% of oils on the market are measured and give their weight number at 212*. So f you're using a 10W30, it's not a 30 weight and does not act at that viscosity until then.

It's OK to say some 30 weights are thinner than others (this logic applies to any weight oil [but that's another conversation]) but you can't say an oil thins out like your stating when it warms up.

 

Guys - thanks for the info.