Damn!!! Looks like I'm going to become an Amsoil customer. $5.20 per quart at their Online store, OUCH!! This sucks....

Steve

 

I have one of the earlier Supercrews assembled. The oil filler
cap suggests 5-30. However, my 2001 Lightning calls for
5-20. (Pennzoil is available at you local Auto Zone)
I am almost willing to bet that the only change was that the
assmbly plant used the old filler caps on the 5.4 in the Screws
until they exhausted that supply, then went to the same one
for the later model Screws and the Lightnings.

 

I had begun to hear valve train (lash adjusters ?) clatter on the first startup of the day,for a few to several seconds, on my 2001 5.4L SC. I was using 5w-20 mcraft oil and mcraft filters til a few weeks ago when I changed to Amsoil 5w-20 and Amsoil filter. That clatter disappeared when I changed over to the Amsoil. The engine had about 17k miles at the change-over. My intuition has me wanting to use 3qts of 5w-20 plus 3 quarts of 5w-30 for these 90 to 100 degree summer months. I will probably move to New Mexico this year, and I'm more concerned with eng longevity than with a mile per gal loss . Apart from the warranty issue, is there a disadvantage in doing the 1/2 n 1/2 routine ? I guess I need to check to see if there's a difference in specs for the 2 oils and ,if so, what that diffence means.

 

Oils are designed by chemical engineers. They put just the right amount of additives in the oil along with the proper basestock so that the oil performs as it was designed.

While it will not hurt your engine by adding a different oil during your routine maintenance I would personally not get into self designing an engine oil by adding different brands, different viscosites or any other oil additive that might be on the market.

I just use the best that money can buy and sleep well knowing the fact that my engine has the best protection in any climate hot or cold.

There is no reason why you can't use the Amsoil 5w20 year round in any part of the country!!

 

All of the vehicle OEMs in the U.S. have agreed that a warranty cannot be denied because a customer was using any brand of motor oil at any length drain interval unless an engine failure was directly attributable to the oil or drain interval. For example, if your radio, power steering unit, air conditioner, etc., broke down, they could not void the warranty that covers those items because you were changing your engine oil at 6,500 miles or one year. If it is not an oil related failure, they cannot void the warranty. The law supports this position.

Ironically, in Europe the auto manufacturers recommended drain intervals are from 12,000-18,000 miles using petroleum products, and are moving even higher. In the U.S., it has been published that auto manufacturers are also going to be moving toward extended drain intervals of up to 15,000 miles in the not too distant future. G.M. is currently moving toward a system that tells you when to change your oil based upon a computer program that evaluates your driving habits.

SO THERE!!!

 

ruger is on the right track i think . . our bmw monitors its own oil and driving situation . . . most of the time we are going about 10,000 miles on the oil changes . . . i have quized the dealership mechanics and they say that bmw is adamant that changing oil more frequently is a waste of natural resources and does nothing to prolong the life of the engine . .. i'm going with bmw on this one . . . i'll change the oil every 5,000 on the F150 through the warranty period and then go to longer intervals . . . and this is with conventional dino oils by the way . . .

 

Do you worry about that fumotovalve popping open while off road? Thanks for the tip, too.