5w20 or 5w30 (Caribbean)

[JohnD]

The Gen 2 ('15-17) and Gen 1 (11-14) motors are very different, as are the Gen 3's again. Ford spec'd the oil appropriately for each of those engines. And I'm talking stock, unmodified engines. Once you start dinking around with the motor you're on your own anyway so run whatever you like, Ford won't care since they won't warranty it anymore. I just love oil threads, so many smart guys out there who know way more than Ford and their 10,000 engineers.

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[GT Pony]

The Gen 2 ('15-17) and Gen 1 (11-14) motors are very different, as are the Gen 3's again. Ford spec'd the oil appropriately for each of those engines. And I'm talking stock, unmodified engines. Once you start dinking around with the motor you're on your own anyway so run whatever you like, Ford won't care since they won't warranty it anymore. I just love oil threads, so many smart guys out there who know way more than Ford and their 10,000 engineers.

Couple of good threads on the subject ... read the links within these threads also to get all info.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4399032/2017_F150_5.0

http://mach1registry.org/forums/showthread.php?t=112712

 

[engineermike]

I have a different set of priorities than the "10,000 engineers" at ford. You really think those guys would run the same thing in their own personal performance or enthusiast's vehicle that they spec for the million consumer products they manufacture?

 

[Strokerswild]

I run 5W-30 Mobil 1 in everything late-model in the fleet for the simple reason I only have to "stock" one oil. Never an issue in the decade plus I've been doing so.

CAFE was most of the reason for the industry shift a few years back to 5W-20 anyway....

 

[engineermike]

Cafe is absolutely the reason for the 20 weights. It's also the reason for 0w16 and 0w12 that are coming (technically, 0w16 is already here).

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

I run 5W-30 Mobil 1 in everything late-model in the fleet for the simple reason I only have to "stock" one oil. Never an issue in the decade plus I've been doing so.

CAFE was most of the reason for the industry shift a few years back to 5W-20 anyway....

Not being a jerk but do you have a source for this? Because if it is true that would explain the trend in the industry.

But of course if the driving force is CAFE MPG maybe the tolerances were tightened in subsequent generations to accomodate the new thinner oil weight spec so there is no going back. Also this could just be Ford looking at all the Coyotes they've seen wearing out over the years and then changing their recommendation as a result.

Anyway 5w-30 and 5w-20 are very close in viscosity anyway in the real world.

Hell there's so much data who knows what to believe anymore. So maybe best to just run the specified oil and keep up the warranty.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

But of course if the driving force is CAFE MPG maybe the tolerances were tightened in subsequent generations to accomodate the new thinner oil weight spec so there is no going back. Also this could just be Ford looking at all the Coyotes they've seen wearing out over the years and then changing their recommendation as a result.

Since Ford recommends 5W20 in some markets and 5W30 in others with the exact same engine, neither is LIKELY to cause a problem inside the warranty period. And since Ford recommends thicker oil even in 5W20 markets for track use, its clear 5W30 does provide more protection. So if you want a few tenths (or hundredths) better MPG and don't feel unlucky, use 5W20, otherwise use 5W30.

Not Coyote but years ago (early 2000s) Ford tried to fill cars from the factory with 5W20 so they could be CAFE tested with it but list 5W30 in the owners manual. The gov told them: NO. So they had to list 5W20 in the manuals. Leaked internal documents made it clear the reason they wanted people to use 5W30 was to reduce engine warranty repair costs. I'm sort of pissed that I lost those documents at some point.

 

[engineermike]

It's not coincidence that everything high performance and everything not under cafe is not gravitating towards lower viscosities. Diesels, outboard boat engines, pwc's, performance oriented cars, and motorcycles generally call for 40's and 50 weights.

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

Not Coyote but years ago (early 2000s) Ford tried to fill cars from the factory with 5W20 so they could be CAFE tested with it but list 5W30 in the owners manual. The gov told them: NO. So they had to list 5W20 in the manuals. Leaked internal documents made it clear the reason they wanted people to use 5W30 was to reduce engine warranty repair costs. I'm sort of pissed that I lost those documents at some point.

Fair enough. Those documents would be a score!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Fair enough. Those documents would be a score!

I should add that Ford did not expect much increase in damages with 5W20 just less than the value of better CAFE numbers. The odds of any individual engine having a problem was a tiny tiny tiny fraction of a percent.

 

[engineermike]

Oil film thickness is a function of oil temp (in the load zone), oil weight, and load. Therefore, if you rarely run the engine hard or hot (aka, most consumers), then the 20 weight is fine. But if you're a car enthusiast....

 

[Strokerswild]

Since Ford recommends 5W20 in some markets and 5W30 in others with the exact same engine, neither is LIKELY to cause a problem inside the warranty period. And since Ford recommends thicker oil even in 5W20 markets for track use, its clear 5W30 does provide more protection. So if you want a few tenths (or hundredths) better MPG and don't feel unlucky, use 5W20, otherwise use 5W30.

Not Coyote but years ago (early 2000s) Ford tried to fill cars from the factory with 5W20 so they could be CAFE tested with it but list 5W30 in the owners manual. The gov told them: NO. So they had to list 5W20 in the manuals. Leaked internal documents made it clear the reason they wanted people to use 5W30 was to reduce engine warranty repair costs. I'm sort of pissed that I lost those documents at some point.

This.

It's not just Ford. I had a Jeep a few years back that called for 5W-30. I upgraded it to another identical Jeep (except color) a year newer, which called for 5W-20. There were no differences between those two engines between those two model years other than oil spec. Interesting, no?

It's all about the manufacturers eking out every MPG possible for CAFE here in the US....

 

[AmericanLegend]

I keep thinking of switching to 5w-30 from 5w-20.

I agree the slighlty thicker film of 5w-30 will help in the 100F heat in Texas. However, my one reservation with going with a thicker oil is that most of the wear on an engine occurs during cold starts. A thinner oil will help minimize this, as it flows quicker throughout the engine.

So do you trade a very small oil film thickness benefit for slightly slower oil circulation at start up? Plus the fact that the oil film thickness of 5w-20 vs 5w-30 is minimal at operating temp.

Most 4-cylinder engines Ive owned make a ticking noise at cold startup. My 0w-20 oil Mazda6 has never made the tick tick tick noise when cold. I think it's because of the thin oil.

 

[engineermike]

First of all, at cold temps during startup, the 5w20 and 5w30 are very close to the same viscosity. They differ at higher operating temps. Secondly, the oil pump is a positive displacement pump so thinner oil does not flow through the engine quicker on startup.

 

[engineermike]

First of all, at cold temps during startup, the 5w20 and 5w30 are very close to the same viscosity. They differ at higher operating temps. Secondly, the oil pump is a positive displacement pump so thinner oil does not flow through the engine quicker on startup.

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