What Oil do you use....in Your

[Rio Wil]

F150.......

I just changed the oil in my F150 5.4L Triton engine (50K miles) and just can't stomach putting in the recommended weight 5-20 synthetic blend.........dang, I have had scotch with more viscosity than that!!! Matter of fact, I suspect pee has more viscosity than 5-20 oil!  Now I have just discovered that the 100K plugs used in this engine have a tendency to freeze in the al-u-min-e-um head and strip the threads out or break the plugs and they are expensive! Makes me want my 1998 assembled in Mexico Dodge pick-up back...

[The Anvil]

Oh man, I was hoping it was gonna be "deep fryer". 

[The Anvil]

BTW, pull those plugs and put on some copper anti-seize if it's worrying you. We use it on spark plugs and exhaust parts in particular and the stuff works.

[Brad]

Don't use a heaver oil.  That modular engine that Ford uses has real tight tolerances and the heaver oil doesn't get to where it needs to fast enough and doesn't drain back into the pan quick enough and can cause oil starvation.

[Varmintmist]

10W-30, of any decent brand, in the 98 F150 I own, the ones that I have owned before and the 07 F250. Same with my fathers 05 F150

The deal with the light oil is that using it the engine will use less fuel. Not enough so that you would notice, but Ford can say that its crop of trucks meet or exceed the regs with the 5W-20 when used over 400,000 trucks.
It is the CAFE standards, here is a article http://bestsyntheticoil.com/info/5w20-cafe.shtml

[Buda]

anti-seize for sure should take care of any worries about ur plugs 

[Hoser]

I use 10-30 in my lincoln, it recommends 5-30, has not failed in 150,000 miles    Hoser

[The Anvil]

Don't use a heaver oil.  That modular engine that Ford uses has real tight tolerances and the heaver oil doesn't get to where it needs to fast enough and doesn't drain back into the pan quick enough and can cause oil starvation.

I'm not real familiar with that particular engine, but gas turbine engine oil is very thin for the same reason; small passages to lots of different places and it needs to flow FAST. So I can see the theory behind the low viscosity oil. Of course oil sees less shear load in a turbine engine than it does in a reciprocating engine but it also sees much higher RPM's in the bearings.

[Rams]

Seems like I heard that many Ford engines use hydraulic timing chain tensioners.  Using the wrong oil can throw off the tension causing problems.  Again, I think I was told that.  I'll try to get more info.

[JP in SC]

I've got a '99 f350 with the 6.8l modular v10. It came out of the factory with 5w30 then ford sent a letter and new underhood decal calling for 5w20. The less viscous oil must work or ford wouldn't specify it for engines still under warranty. I can't testify to its effectiveness as I'm still using 5w30 at 125,000 miles with no problems. 

my opinion: 5w20 is purely for meeting federally mandated fuel economy requirements

[Tropic traveler]

Don't use a heaver oil.  That modular engine that Ford uses has real tight tolerances and the heaver oil doesn't get to where it needs to fast enough and doesn't drain back into the pan quick enough and can cause oil starvation.

Spot on correct. The 5.4 aint no old 390 FE motor.
Use the recommened 5W20. I've seen 5.4L Fords go well over 200K using 5W20 with NO oil related problems.

[Rio Wil]

I just hit on a good idea......replace the 5.4 with a Valk motor and I can use anything from 10-30 to 80-90 gear lube, the phat lady isn't too particular as long as it is slippery! Just kidding about the 80-90.....  
It's interesting to see other folks are using 5-20/5-30 with relatively high mileage engines and no problems. It's been several years since I have looked at bearing clearances or built an engine, but I don't remember clearances being much tighter than when I first built up a 265 ci '55 Chevy. I suspect that rod and main journals can be machined 'rounder' these days allowing a bit tighter bearing....I just don't think that oil molecules  know the difference whether they occupy a space of .001 or a .003 if sufficient pressure is maintained.  While I am at it, how does this multi-viscosity thing work....if you drain 10-30 oil when its cold, it runs out somewhat slowly, if its drained when hot, it runs like water....whats up with that? All marketing hype I tell you.....next thing will be pigs can fly and a bumble bee breaks the sound barrier!

[john]

2001 f250 180,000 miles ...
  5-20 synthetic blend
runs like champ ...
they want it to flow ...
like water           

[The Anvil]

Seems like I heard that many Ford engines use hydraulic timing chain tensioners.  Using the wrong oil can throw off the tension causing problems.  Again, I think I was told that.  I'll try to get more info.

Jet engines also have a lot of oil pressure activated valves and other things (like the hot/cold section seal in a Rolls-Royce) that are dependent on preoper spressures and flows to do their job. I could see that.

[Robert]

Have seen quite a few of these engines and Ford really has good engine designs. They go many miles without  much and with all the variations of this engine like the 4.6 the 4.0 in the Jags and the Mustang engines, all of them take alot of abuse. These are really throw away engines meaning its cheaper to buy a engine than to service these with major repairs. I have seen very few fail and have come to like the reliability and simplicity, but they dont like 2 things. Over heating and long or non existent oil changes. I would use the 10w 30 synthetic and maybe the 0w 40 but as long as you change the oil frequently and I would use water wetter also then you should go many miles.

[Jabba]

how does this multi-viscosity thing work....

5w-20

When it's cold... it flows like cold, 5 weight oil.  When it's hot.  It flows like hot 20 weight oil.

cold 5 weight oil has more viscosity than hot 20 weight oil.

Jabba

[Tx Bohemian]

... but they dont like 2 things. Over heating and long or non existent oil changes.

I guess this is why I keep seeing Mike Rowe ("dirty jobs" guy) and the supposily "Ford" mechanic (I guess he's Ford's answer to Mr. Goodwrench) hovering over a messed up engine warning everybody to "change your oil!"

[Robert]

I had to replace an engine because the cam shaft seized on the cam journals. On tear down of this engine it looked like a moon scape inside with sludge build up on every surface. You couldn't even see the metal on the heads or just barely make out  the cams and rockers. The cam was the thing that stopped the engine but I think the pick up was actually clogged and starved it for oil. This I have also seen on a couple of engines. Just kinda interesting is the Aston Martin v12 engine is actually the same engine with some cylinders added and a much different price like to the tune of 82.000 from the factory. Had to replace one of these too not from oil change but from hydrolock.

[Jim Ross]

I'm certain to start a debate here, but here goes anyway.
Put in 0w30 Ams/Oil and forget about it.  You will never look back.  This is the best,..BY FAR,.. engine oil for a gas engine that I have ever used.  My last oil change with that oil and an Ams/Oil filter was at 16K miles on an '89 Bronco 302 cid and it was down almost 1 PINT and still clear when I changed it.
Use what you like, i KNOW what I like and what works.

[Rams]

I'm certain to start a debate here, but here goes anyway.
Put in 0w30 Ams/Oil and forget about it.  You will never look back.  This is the best,..BY FAR,.. engine oil for a gas engine that I have ever used.  My last oil change with that oil and an Ams/Oil filter was at 16K miles on an '89 Bronco 302 cid and it was down almost 1 PINT and still clear when I changed it.
Use what you like, i KNOW what I like and what works.

I've got to ask, are you an Ams/Oil dealer?  I have several friends that are and I hear the same or a similar pitch from them.  I'm not flaming you or them, I'm just skeptical when it comes to claims like this.  I don't doubt Ams/Oil is a good product but, oil staying clear after 16K miles is not just a function of the oil and filter.