When did Ford change the recommended engine oil for the GT?

[Derkluge]

Last week, my wife took delivery of her 2021 Mustang GT Convertible (PP1, 401A, 10SP, MagneRide, Twister Orange). I had spent the better part of 2018 obsessing about Mustang GTs (before taking a break after buying a different car), so I felt pretty confident I knew everything I needed to know about this car.

So imagine my surprise when I saw that Ford now officially specs 5W-30 oil for the GT in the owners manual. To make sure I wasn't looking at the wrong information, I looked up the recommended engine oil on the Amsoil website and it indeed comes back as 5W-30. However, if I switch to a 2018 Mustang GT, the recommended oil is still 5W-20. (Of course, my assumption is that the engine itself has not changed in any meaningful way.)

I recall from a few years ago heated debates about using 5W-20 vs 5W-30. In short, one camp took the position that Ford engineers know best and why would you put your warranty coverage at risk by going with another type of oil. The other camp believed that Ford only recommended 5W-20 to meet CAFE requirements and 5W-30 will provide better protection (especially if you ever put any amount of stress on the engine).

This raises a few questions for me:
When did Ford make this change? Why doesn't Ford change the recommended engine oil for GTs from previous years (and would they seriously deny a warranty claim for using 5W-30 at this point)? Does this end the 5W-20 vs 5W-30 debate (or do we get to argue about 5W-30 vs 5W-50 now)?

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[EFI]

So you're saying there's no such mention of 5w20 in your manual at all?

In 2018 the manual started calling for 5w30 but only during track use, and then recommended going back to 5w20 otherwise.

If in your manual it doesn't say anything about track use, and just calls for 5w30 all the time then the change must have happened in MY2021. What does your oil cap say?

 

[WildHorse]

Yep. Your right:
Motorcraft® SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil
XO-5W30-Q1SP

 

[Derkluge]

That's right. No mention of 5W-20 at all.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Trying to slow consumption?

We had a 2006 Sonata, purchased new for the wife. After it cracked 125k miles it started using oil. I swapped from 0w-20 to 0w-30, no more consumption of note.

 

[Ecoboosted]

So you're saying there's no such mention of 5w20 in your manual at all?

In 2018 the manual started calling for 5w30 but only during track use, and then recommended going back to 5w20 otherwise.

If in your manual it doesn't say anything about track use, and just calls for 5w30 all the time then the change must have happened in MY2021. What does your oil cap say?

Yes wondering the same.

 

[EFI]

That's right. No mention of 5W-20 at all.

That's interesting, but not at all surprised (me being in the previously mentioned camp that 5w20 was ONLY used to meet CAFE standards).

AFAIK, there have been no major changes to the engine in 2021 unless they loosened up all the clearances but that's doubtful. My guess is they realized as many pointed out that 5W30 protects the engine better and probably makes it run quieter after getting sick of all the ticking complaints.

 

[WildHorse]

I recall from a few years ago heated debates about using 5W-20 vs 5W-30

The only thing about that is if the first number goes up, bad things will happen. If the second number goes down, bad things will happen. EG: going from a manufacturer recommended 10w30 to a 5w20 stupid bad things will happen. As for 5w50, I seem to recall something about oil drain back intervals. Not 100% sure though.

 

[Mdtaylorjr]

Some small changes for 2021 probably happened. I know the 2021 intake manifold changed a bit but only a minor revision because the part number is the same just with a -b at the end instead if a. But no one knows what had changed about it.

 

[Rocketman]

That's interesting, but not at all surprised (me being in the previously mentioned camp that 5w20 was ONLY used to meet CAFE standards).

AFAIK, there have been no major changes to the engine in 2021 unless they loosened up all the clearances but that's doubtful. My guess is they realized as many pointed out that 5W30 protects the engine better and probably makes it run quieter after getting sick of all the ticking complaints.

I believe at the height of the bbq tick situation people were in fact switching to 5w-30 to see if it fixed it and concluded it made no difference.

I'd put money on 5w-30 being recommended for it's protective abilities.

 

[boB]

Maybe some clearances were changed to eliminate the tick (oooh, I said "tick"...) and to maintain the same oil pressure it took 5W-30.

 

[SoulHunter91]

Are Ford playing safe right now? GT uses 5w30 and eco HPP uses 5w50.

 

[Qcman17]

It appears to be a 2021 thing the 2020 manual still says 5w20. But then the 2021 manual also says this on page 283 so there's a conflict or typo that doesn't match the 5w30 that is clearly stated later in the manual.......This is what is noted in any previous years manual as well. Hmm

 

[CS19]

That's right. No mention of 5W-20 at all.

As EFI asked, "What does your oil cap say?".

 

[shogun32]

Trying to slow consumption?

no/less need to artificially jank with fleet efficiency numbers. It was NEVER a technical reason - only trying to skirt EPA Guzzler, or 'fib' about fuel efficiency claims.

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