Okay, ready to go to synthetic. Everyone's talked me into it. I found an Amsoil dealer who drives a '92 Explorer 4.0l, original owner, has 140K miles, and has changed his oil twice a year after break in period. He has always used and recommends 20W-50. My '98 F150 4.6 calls for 5W-30. He says the 20W-50 oil flows and lubricates better than dino 5W-30.

I have 50K on the truck now. He also has the Amsoil engine flush. What does everyone recommend? Use the flush? Use the 20W-50 or stick with 5W-30? Thanks for your input !!!

 

Amsoil dealers talk a better line of bull**** than anyone I have ever heard. Having said that: Do NOT put a 20W 50 oil into an engine that has a 5W rating. Its not the upper end that matters so much... clearly Ford is using light weight oils to meet emissions and mileage standards... but you want FLOWABILITY on the low end when the engine is cold... and a 5W is better than a 20W... way better.

Nothing wrong with Amsoil... as far as synthetics go, it is right in the pack with all the rest of them. Don't put any other additives or flushes in your motor. If you want a heavier high end weight, then look at the Exxon synthetic, 5W 50. And, remember, it is the rare Amsoil dealer that doesn't exaggerate.

 

5w-30. Its what the engine calls for. Nuf said...

 

Jeez, not all dealers are full of it. I spend many hours a day keeping up with the latest information on lubrication technology and other brands of lubricants!!!

My first recommendation for you is too look in your owners manual. does it list a proper SAE grade. I would imagine that it would be 5w30 since all fords have called for that grade since the 1980's. If it is a new truck then it would be 5w20.

Now, if you want more protection I would go down not up. The Series 2000 0w30 can be used in place of all x-w30 weight oils. This will give you the best protection and engine performance.


I have not heard of anyone having problems using the engine flush. If you do not feel comfortable using it. I would at the very least change filters earlier. Say in 2,000 miles. So that when the oil breaks down all of that sludge and varnish and it goes to your oil filter it will not be clogged prematurely. Otherwise you are good to go.

 

So I am an AMSoil "delaer" because I use it and my frineds do but I don't sell it for a profit. I think any "bull talking" I do has nothing to do with AMSoil

At room temperature, AMSoil products "flow" better than the same weight dino oil. How do I know? Well a not so scientific study done by me with two plastic containers of my own making, a stick, an oil pan, and a stop watch. Measured the time it too it to por out of the same size hole with proper ventilation of the container (side hole). Why? Because I was curious and skeptical about "snake oil".

All that said, I do not think that putting 20-50 into a car that doesn't call for it makes any sense. In fact, your dealer may be remembering days gone by when you might want to put 20-50 into an older car because the thinner weights managed to leak out faster. Or perhaps he thinks that 20-50 protects better (not true even as stated by AMSoil documentation). At any rate, I believe he is incorrect. Use the weight specificed for your vehicle.

And the message that msparks said is true even though it seems counterintuitive. The 0-30W racing oil is better protection than the thicker non-race application oil in a newer motor. Hopefully, he isn't trying to sell you the 20-50W racing oil. That would be just plain wrong.

Chuck

 

Thanks for everyone's input. I am planning on using the flush and sticking (or should I say non-sticking, since this is oil we're talking about) with the 5W-30.

 

IMud and msparks, I should not have painted everyone with a broadbrush... I don't know you, and you certainly deserve a fair chance. Please accept my apology... and any other Amsoil dealer I may have offended.

My experience relates to my motorcycle boards and to a lesser extent, boat motors wherein the Amsoil folks bragged about 3 mpg with Amsoil in the crankcase, three more with Amsoil tranny oil, and what the hell... throw in a couple more mpg for differential and power steering... next thing you know, I'm getting 30 mpg out of a 350 motor... NOT!

But, y'all posted reasonable posts and I apologize... everyone desrves to be known on their own merits and not be steteotyped.

BeastRider

 

You'll never hear more than 8.2% out of me. Most of the time it will be 3-5%.

Though I do have 1 guy that hauls cars with a F350PSD that went from 10 to 12 mpg. that is a 20% increase. But even I find it hard to believe. I told him to average your miles per gallon over 10,000 to 20,000 miles then we will see.

But most everything that I have read and seen is 3-5%. I alway's like to go with the low side too, and if you get more that is great for you, makes me look better, if you don't see that big of increase, then its no harm no foul.

I accept your apology.

 

Correction for msparks.
Ford has not recommended 5w-30 in all of its vehicles since 1980s
My 89' Ford Ranger calls for 10w-30.

You still have good advice by referring to the owners manual

 

I just bought a '99 4.6 and the first thing I did was buy 3 gallons of 5-30W AMSOIL, a pint of AMSOIL Engine Flush and a cheap filter.

A friend, who has been an AMSOIL Dealer since about 1968, sells me oil at his cost because his only reason for becoming a dealer was to get the product at dealer cost himself.

He and I dropped off my existing filter and screwed on the cheapie to hold the pint of Flush. We ran the engine about 20 minutes at and idle and then dropped off the filter and then the oil pan plug. The flush is a good idea, especially when you are switching from hydrocarbon oil to a synthetic oil. According to AMSOIL it's better not to mix the two. (But, not harmful to your engine if you do.)

We put a gallon and a half (six quarts) in my 4.6 V8 and looked for any oil leaks, allowing the engine to run for a short while.

My engine seems to run smoother but I suppose that is just akin to washing and waxing my truck ... it just "seems" to run nicer.

BillVoyles

______________
'99 Red Step-Side Regular Cab
K&N OEM Replacement Filter

Getting ready to Lower and put "L" Wheels
and Bridgestone 285/50 HR18 Tires on it.
Lowering will probably be 2 - 4
using front Lower Control Arms with 2" Drop
and Rear Leaf Springs for 4" drop.

 

Forgot to mention that I merely bought the "cheapie" filter to hold the pint of engine flush. When we were finished with the flush, I installed AMSOIL best filter. It has, as do all good oil filters, a valve that prevents the oil from flowing backwards when you shut off your engine. Without this valve, your engine cranks a one or two "dry" strokes without any oil in the line. This type oil filter prevents "dry start ups".

BillVoyles

 

BeastRider,

I knew where you were comin from and took no offense. There are all sorts of wild claims out there from a variety of vendors and what a suprise when Joe Schmuck from around the corner is the company's spokesperson, you might get a bit more B mixed in with the normal S

Now truth be told, I have found that using AMSOil in the boudoir improves love making by 42% on cold mornings and 68% on hot nights How's THAT for advertising!!!

Chuck

 

I just wonder what my wife is gonna think when I put plastic sheets on the waterbed and start spreadin' Amsoil 5W 30 all over her body!

 

Tell her it's a "gear head thing"! I know my wife would appreciate that, she is a gear head. When she was pregnant (all 3 times) during the last trimester she had a craving to sniff gasoline fumes! Plus her favorite sound is a large cam lope. Guess you know one of the reasons I snapped her up

Chuck

 

There are people who swear by certain oil brands and viscosities. I just turned 186,000 miles on my '93 5.8l F150 and use the recommended oil in it (in summer I go with the higher 10w-40 due to the high temps in the desert where I live.) I use Valvoline every 3,000 miles. I have never used engine flush. The truck was used for the first 20,000 miles to pull horse trailers and currently pulls a boat occasionally. It has just recently started to leak oil, a problem for which I am going to bench it for a solid weekend shortly (have 1 more trip to the dumps coming up after some serious yard work). I can't say anything about Amsoil or any other synthetic or oil flush, but dino oils work when changed regularly.