My new truck will be here in a few weeks and I really wanna use Mobil 1. After I called Mobil earlier this week and asked them if they were gonna make 5W-20 in tri-synthetic and they said no, I really wanna know the right, true, honest answer from Ford regarding using 5W-30 in my 2001 5.4. I use 5W-30 in my fiance's 2000 Taurus and the last analysis @ the 13,500 mile mark with 5300 miles on the oil said "like new oil". I know they said recommend 5W-20 and that can be preceived as you can use 5W-30. BUT...has anyone got a straight answer? I am going to my dealer tomorrow to check on order status and will go talk to service manager also about this. I will let y'all know what he says. If he says it is ok to use 5W-30 I am gonna ask for something in writing to have in case of warranty claim.

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ORDERED 4/16/01 - WOOHOO!!!
2001 F-150 Supercrew XLT 4wd. 5.4V8, 507A, 3.55LS, Captains chairs, bed extender, cab steps, power moonroof, power seat, skid plates, trlr towing, aluminum wheels, AM/FM cass with 6 cd changer. Bright red clearcoat with DARK graphite interior

IMMEDIATE MODS:
Wet Okole seat covers
Fox Weatherboots front and back
AR Baja's 16x8
Cooper A/T's 265/75/16
Tint front
Line-X

 

Hi Scooby,
I visited my friendly Ford service center to set up a new brales all around under warranty appt for tomorrow and I asked about the oil issue with the new 5-20 recommendations. I was advised that "they" are aware of the concerns, but will continue to use 5-30 for their maintence bays, and use 15-40 for "older" vehicles with higher mileage. Outside was a "Deckman" oil truck pumping oil into their storage tank, so I kinda wandered over and asked what was on tap today. I was told 5-30. So there you go, no more clarity than before. This is Rochester, NY's largest Ford service center with mega-lots of bays, and they really do good service, and I dont see that the guy has any reason to BS me. They'll be using 5-30, until any major change over is put into place. Also mantioned was that there isnt a bottle of 5-20 on their shelf (yet).
Ask your dealership for their view and more importantly, whats on tap out in their maint. bays, that'll tell all........
Rick..

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"99" F-150 4x2,SC, med red / silver, 4.2L, auto, 3.55's, 265x16's premium snd w/cd, 4 wheel antilocks, leer "too heavy" matching cap, Mobil 1.
"Gutless thing!!"

 

Thanks Rick...

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ORDERED 4/16/01 - WOOHOO!!!
2001 F-150 Supercrew XLT 4wd. 5.4V8, 507A, 3.55LS, Captains chairs, bed extender, cab steps, power moonroof, power seat, skid plates, trlr towing, aluminum wheels, AM/FM cass with 6 cd changer. Bright red clearcoat with DARK graphite interior

IMMEDIATE MODS:
Wet Okole seat covers
Fox Weatherboots front and back
AR Baja's 16x8
Cooper A/T's 265/75/16
Tint front
Line-X
Ravin Z-55 Duals out the back

 

https://www.f150online.com/f150board...ML/004103.html


Here try this.


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Ruger's F-150

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"With Amsoil You Can't Go Wrong"
E-MAIL ME:
pureamsoil@bigfoot.com
MY HOME PAGE:
PureAmsoil

 

I would a million times over use a full synthetic 5w30 in my truck than dinosaur oil 5w20, just because it is recommended by Ford to give a .4% mileage increase. Until some good synthetic 5w20 comes along, it should not even be a consideration to use dinosaur 5w20. Just my opinion, but based upon some good facts that synthetic anything is wayyyyyy better than mineral, or even a synthetic blend.

 

SCOOBY14B,

Just a word of advice. When you get your truck read the owner's manual. Follow the recommendations set out in the manual. It is that simple. If it means getting your oil changed somewhere else so be it. If my dealer did not have the proper oil in stock I would write him a letter detailing my concerns and advise him of the inconsistencies of his practices. Basically you have two choices; follow the book or not.
You decide.

Kindest regards

Jean Marc Chartier

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00 F-150 XLT SC Flairside 4x4 4.6 w/5spd 3.55LSD
Warn XD9000i, skid plates, Draw tite class III,
Rancho RSX Reflex shocks, MAC 8.8 Axle Girdle
BFG 285/75 R16 MTs,
Borla Cat Back, Hedman Headers,
Custom air intake system with modified
air box, Ported Throttle body,
Shortened MAF sensor tower,
K&N air filter,
Superchips

 

for what it's worth, i was curious about this too. i took my truck to the dealer for its first oil change (at 1000 mi.) just to see what they'd put in... 5w30. I'm keeping the receipt so if later on if something breaks they cant hassle me about not using 5w20; i can show that they put 5w30 in themselves. as far as 5w20, it just sounds way too thin for the summers down here (last summer we had 14 straight days of 100+)... when i hit 4,000 miles i'm going to mobil 1 5w30; the extra 0.4 mpg isnt worth a siezed motor in august. also i'm just not sure how important this all is... my first car was a '94 civic that i shared with my sister while i was in college... it was meant for 5w30 but it got 10w30 about 99% of the time and i never had a single engine-related problem with it (she wrecked it with 90,000 miles) and i ragged hard on the motor (6800 rpm rev limiter was hit about 5 times a week). i think the most important thing is just to keep oil in the car (check it often) and get it changed frequently

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2001 F-150 XL SWB
4.2L 5-spd, 3.55

 

My dealer said that I must use 5W-20 unless I wanna have my warranty no good. I asked him what they changed from 2000 to 2001 so that it has to have different weight and he said "I dunno". So thats the answer I got.

------------------
ORDERED 4/16/01 - WOOHOO!!!
2001 F-150 Supercrew XLT 4wd. 5.4V8, 507A, 3.55LS, Captains chairs, bed extender, cab steps, power moonroof, power seat, skid plates, trlr towing, aluminum wheels, AM/FM cass with 6 cd changer. Bright red clearcoat with DARK graphite interior

IMMEDIATE MODS:
Wet Okole seat covers
Fox Weatherboots front and back
AR Baja's 16x8
Cooper A/T's 265/75/16
Tint front
Line-X
Ravin Z-55 Duals out the back

 

Hi Guys

Was on another thread about this, but....

Seems that Ford "recommends" 5/20, but so far havent found anything that says "required" Ford sure flip/floppin!

Does this mean Ford has left the door open, but how far? 5/20 or ?????

Most peculiar, especially the one about 5/30 in a F550 SD. If i remember correctly.

Anyhow, most interesting.

Have a good one. OT

 

For what its worth, my first oil change was free from the dealer. When I got the receipt, it listed 5W-30. I asked the service manager why they had not used the recomended 5W-20, he stated that they didn't have a supply yet and that it was strickly a fleet milage issue for Ford. I had him circle the oil weight on the receipt, and note "warranty not affected" and sign. On the 6000K change i switched to Mobil 1 5W-30 and it runs great.

 

In a recent taste test, 9 out of 10 blindfolded Ford service writers actually preferred the taste of 5W30 to 5W20.

If they can look at my oil and determine what I am using, more power to them! Otherwise they will have to come by and check the empty oil bottles in my trash to figure it out.

I'm with JRM1493 on this one, our Texas summers are brutal enough that I am sticking to 5W30. To heck with what Ford is recommending to help meet the governments CAFE requirements. Besides, if there is a problem I will simply produce documentation and point to that SKINNY A** 1.02" radiator and say "here is the culprit!", "you bafoons installed the wrong radiator with the tow package."





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Ordered 2-20-01 TPW of 3-12-01 assigned on 2-26-01 DELIVERED 3-21-01! '01 F150 SCab XLT 4x4 SWB
507A Pkg.
Oxford white
Dark Graphite Interior
Captains Chairs
5.4 Triton
Auto Tranny
Off Road Package
Towing Package
Power Moonroof
3.55 Limited Slip
Heated Seats
AM-FM Cassette/6 disc CD
Power Drivers Seat
Sliding Rear Window
Adjustable Pedals
Electronic 4x4 Shift

16x8 Weld Typhoon wheels
& 285-75-16 Bridgestone Dueler AT tires ordered 4-16-01.

 

I still don't understand why people still think a particular multi visc oil is too thin for hot climates. Our engines operate with the coolant temps at 195 degrees. If the ambient temperature is 60 degrees, just how much hotter is the oil when the ambient temperature is 100 degrees? The engine coolant temperature is still 195 degrees.

To make this subject even more confusing to me is the late night/early morning Mobil 1 ads on cable tv. They do a multiple question thing and they ask if conventional oil gets thinner, thicker, or stays the same the hotter it gets. The ad goes on to prove that oil gets thicker by cooking the oil in frying pans.

Anyway, I guess the basic question I have is, do you follow what Ford says or do you do whatever the heck you wanna do?

 

I own my own auto-repair and towing business. My first oil change was at 1200 miles. I used what Ford calls for : 5/20W.
There are several different companies making the oil. Here are a few : Mobil makes "drive clean 5/20". NEO makes a Synthetic 5/20W. Valvoline makes a 5/20W that NAPA stocks.
I don't want to get into a pissing match should any warranty issues arise. Good luck in whatever you choose to use.


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Rick
'01 Red Lightning Ordered 11/30/00
Built On 2/20/01
Arrived at Dealer 3/19/01
Picked Up 4/5/01

 

Actually an oil analysis would tell that the oil was a 20 weight instead of a 30 weight.

according to my analysis book:
SAE 20 @100C is 5.6-9.3 cSt(centistrokes)
SAE 30 @100C is 9.3-12.5 cSt.

So if something did happen and they did an analysis you would be in the wrong!

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My Home Page


Lubrication Forums

 

Msparks....I doubt seriously that there would ever be a problem with an engine because the owner chose to run 5W30 oil over 5W20. I further doubt that Ford would take the initiative to have the oil analyzed, but we are in an area of pure speculation here. Nonetheless, I bow down to your knowledge of the centistroke, you da man!



And for those Forum members who might consider oil analysis for their trucks or cars, I highly recommend Blackstone Laboratories in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. You can reach them at 219-744-2380. I used their service quite a bit when I was driving a Powerstroke diesel and plan on sending in a sample every now and then from my new F150.


[This message has been edited by Zach (edited 04-22-2001).]