Help about 5w-20, 5w-30, 5w-40 and 5w-50 oil

[MRASPHALTO1]

Use what the cap says. If there is an issue, change brands. My 03 Mach 1 4.6 32V absolutely hates Mobil 1 but thrives on Castrol Edge. Ford does say that 5W30 is recommended for track use, for street use, 5W20. GT350s, Boss 302s, HioPos and Ford GT get a 5W50 recommendation, but have you seen it come out of the bottle or the oil pan? Like water. Not even thick water.

I'd swear that the higher the number after the W, the thicker the oil would be, but it's reassuring to know I could use 0W-40 or 0W-50 without any problems. I'll try 0W-40; if I don't see any improvement, I'll take the car to a shop to have the timing chains, tappets, and camshafts checked.

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[robvas]

youtube.com/watch?v=zLBgIve1YzY

20hp difference in this case
Probably not be as big of a gap between 5w30-5w50

Only 3-4hp when the oil was up to temp

 

[robvas]

youtube.com/watch?v=zLBgIve1YzY

20hp difference in this case
Probably not be as big of a gap between 5w30-5w50

Also, if you're not testing on a Coyote engine you can't really determine much. Another test, but this time the thicker oil makes more power. But again, different engine.

 

[GregO]

I'd swear that the higher the number after the W, the thicker the oil would be, but it's reassuring to know I could use 0W-40 or 0W-50 without any problems. I'll try 0W-40; if I don't see any improvement, I'll take the car to a shop to have the timing chains, tappets, and camshafts checked.

Since you decided on a weight I’ll add a bit more info. to current major oil brands.
Since API has instituted gasoline engine oil rating ”SP” a few things have changed, one is Castrol EDGE ”Fluid Titanium Technology” is gone to the wayside. Castrol “SP” additive package currently is more aligned with Mobil 1 formula.
Bottom line is to pick either Castrol, Mobil or Pennzoil. All are great oils with some indicators pointing to Pennzoil owned by Shell gas to liquid (GTL) process having a slight advantage.
Castrol Edge Euro used to be imported from Belgium which was thought by many to be a higher quality oil but Castrol Edge Euro “SP” rated is now blended in the USA.

 

[Pistol_91]

It's pretty simple.
N/A = 5w-30
Boosted = 5w40 or 5w50.

Or you can do like I do and just still run 5w-30 because that's what I've been running for 7 years without an issue between 2 different cars. I don't track my car. I don't race it at the strip. Its a street car with some highway pulls.

 

[MRASPHALTO1]

It's pretty simple.
N/A = 5w-30
Boosted = 5w40 or 5w50.

Or you can do like I do and just still run 5w-30 because that's what I've been running for 7 years without an issue between 2 different cars. I don't track my car. I don't race it at the strip. Its a street car with some highway pulls.

That's the same use I give mine, although I'm thinking of doing circuit and drag racing at least once a year. For those occasions, I would use 0W-40 or 0W-50.

 

[sk47]

Hello; I think Ford like many manufacturers went to the 0-w-something for the hope of meeting ever more stringent emission & MPG standards as imposed on them by alphabet agencies such as the EPA. The calculus appears to have been accepting the drawbacks of thinner viscosity oils in order to get fractional MPG improvements.
(side note-the crucial measurements of MPG & emissions often happen on test bed cycles and do not necessarily reflect real world driving.)

If I were running a 0-w 20 oil there would be some cautions I would take. For example a longer warm up before pushing the engine. give that thin oil time to warm up and get to the 20 weight viscosity. Even with 5-w-30 I use I take the first mile easy. My driveway exits onto a 55 mph highway so I try to wait for no oncoming traffic and slowly accelerate.
I would only run the thin oils to stay in good with a factory warranty. Not an issue for the OP.

Both my current vehicles call for 5-w-30 but in the owner's manual I am allowed to run 10-w-30 as long as the temps are above freezing. Not an issue for the OP.

Hello; I also refer to ENGINE MASTERS often. They usually run pushrod engines and more often GM or Mopar engines. Fewer Fords. An important thing is they do real condition tests so the results are hard to challenge. Another thing is results depend on specific engine configurations. Change the setup of an engine and the results can vary. One which burst one of my long held beliefs was that a single exhaust on a V8 did make better power than a dual setup.

 

[GregO]

That's the same use I give mine, although I'm thinking of doing circuit and drag racing at least once a year. For those occasions, I would use 0W-40 or 0W-50.

0W-40 or 5W-40 in your case, keep it simple don’t over think it.
To make your head spin, for dedicated drag racing you’ll want 0W-20 or 0W-16. Actually there‘s a member on M6G running 0W-16 that lives in Hawaii, search markmurfie.

 

[MRASPHALTO1]

0W-40 or 5W-40 in your case, keep it simple don’t over think it.
To make your head spin, for dedicated drag racing you’ll want 0W-20 or 0W-16. Actually there‘s a member on M6G running 0W-16 that lives in Hawaii, search markmurfie.

Ty

 

[robvas]

If I were running a 0-w 20 oil there would be some cautions I would take. For example a longer warm up before pushing the engine. give that thin oil time to warm up and get to the 20 weight viscosity. Even with 5-w-30 I use I take the first mile easy.

You should definitely let the oil warm up before you get on the throttle.

However, the 0W doesn't 'thicken up' to 20W or anything. The -30 is measured at 100 degrees C, the 5W is measured at a much colder temperatures, and the oil only gets thinner as it heats up even though 20 is larger than 5

 

[Noleftist]

This is all assuming you live and drive in a moderate climate.
Most times you drive your vehicle at operating temperature for long enough to burn off the moisture and gas in the oil, approximately 20 minutes or more.

If you want to support our economy use 0w-8 to 0w-30. Quality 5W-30 is not horrible for an easily driven vehicle in the right conditions. Changed often enough.

If you want your engine to last longer partially due to a thicker film barrier use quality 5w-50. And change about every road course weekend with a couple thousand miles on top. You can also send your oil off to have it tested afterwards to verify your results. That’s what some of us do.

if you only use your car as a daily driver quality 5W-50 and then change it out at 5000 miles. While doing so collect some of the used oil and send it out to an oil testing lab to verify.

Watch and read what Tribologists say.
You can also read UOA reports.

I am curious to know do some of you think 5w-50 will make your engine blow up the moment a drop enters your engine And why?

 

[robvas]

I am curious to know do some of you think 5w-50 will make your engine blow up the moment a drop enters your engine And why?

Probably the same reason why other people think 0W20 will make it blow up

 

[barron64]

I was running 5w-30 NA, 5W-50 now, boosted with a Whipple.

 

[horsepower addiction]

You should definitely let the oil warm up before you get on the throttle.

However, the 0W doesn't 'thicken up' to 20W or anything. The -30 is measured at 100 degrees C, the 5W is measured at a much colder temperatures, and the oil only gets thinner as it cools down even though 20 is larger than 5

What?
The 5 is measured at 30°C and the 30 is measured at 100°C. The lower number is how thick the oil is going to be when it is cold. The higher number is how much it is going to thin out when warm. So I 5w30 is going to have the viscosity of a 5 weight oil when cold and thin out to the viscosity of a 30 weight oil when warm. A 5w50 is going to be the same viscosity cold as the 5w30 but it will not thin out as much as the 5w30 when warmed up

 

[sk47]

What?
The 5 is measured at 30°C and the 30 is measured at 100°C. The lower number is how thick the oil is going to be when it is cold. The higher number is how much it is going to thin out when warm. So I 5w30 is going to have the viscosity of a 5 weight oil when cold and thin out to the viscosity of a 30 weight oil when warm. A 5w50 is going to be the same viscosity cold as the 5w30 but it will not thin out as much as the 5w30 when warmed up

Hello; My take has been the opposite. The multi weight (viscosity) oils are thin when cold and additives cause the oil to thicken when hot. This is the opposite of what happens naturally to oils. A sort or petrochemical "magic". The idea, as I understand it, is to have a less viscous oil (thinner)at start up. The oil flows easier and the engine turns over better.
Then the additives increase viscosity with heat.

About time for some sort of link to clear this up.

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