Sponsored

New oil specification for GDI engines

Cobra Jet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Threads
707
Messages
16,237
Reaction score
17,949
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 EB Prem. w/PP and 94 Mustang Cobra
Not sure if anyone reads RockAuto newsletters, but this is a recent post that may be of interest to GDI vehicle owners. Original link from where below was extracted:
https://www.rockauto.com/Newsletter/


This year brought us a new specification for motor oil; ILSAC GF-6 / API SP. One of the primary goals of the new oil spec is to reduce incidence of two problems gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines have been experiencing.

GDI blasts the fuel directly into the combustion chamber at high pressure. This leaves less time for the air and fuel to mix together. The resulting air/fuel mixture may burn unevenly which may generate a lot of soot. As the pistons move up and down, the soot gets mixed into the motor oil. The soot travels with the motor oil through the engine and causes wear.

The most noticeable wear often occurs between the pins and bushings that hold timing chains together. As the bushing holes wear and enlarge, the timing chains stretch. Eventually the timing chains may stretch to the point that they slip across gear teeth or otherwise are unable to correctly connect the crankshaft to the camshafts. The computer generates a trouble code, the engine goes into limp-in mode and/or the engine stops running. GF-6 / SP oil resists collecting and circulating the harmful soot.

10-1-20tomstory-png.png


GF-6, API SP and API SN PLUS on label

The second problem, low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI), is also related to the uneven burning of air/fuel in GDI engines; specifically, turbocharged GDI engines. When running at relatively low RPM and under heavy load, like when moving away from a dead stop, severe knocking may occur inside the cylinders. Scientists figured out that traces of engine oil mixing and burning with the air/fuel mixture contributes to the damaging engine knock. GF-5 / SN-Plus spec oil was released a couple of years ago to combat this problem (watch for the “Plus” after SN). The new GF-6 / SP oil helps with both the soot and knock problems.

Ford has produced the most turbocharged GDI engines. Small 1L, three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engines power Ford Fiestas, and big 3.5L, six-cylinder EcoBoost motors are in work trucks that rack up a lot of severe-duty (towing, dust, etc.) miles. The soot and knock problems have been studied most thoroughly on EcoBoost engines. The new specification actually requires that new GF-6 / SP oils pass tests running in Ford EcoBoost motors!

These new oils, higher fuel injection pressures, intake manifold port injection coupled with GDI, etc. help solve these problems on older engines and prevent them on newer engines. GDI engine owners may be able to help the most by simply changing their vehicles' motor oil frequently and always using the correct oil. Instead of waiting for the longest, light-duty, oil change interval (often 7,000+ miles/11,000+ km), change the oil closer to the severe-duty interval (often 3,000 miles/5,000 km).

You can check to see if your specific vehicle's engine uses GDI by looking at the “Info” pages and part descriptions for the engine's Fuel Injectors found under “Fuel & Air” in the RockAuto.com catalog. Find the correct engine Oil for your vehicle under “Engine.” Oil is also listed by viscosity/weight under the “Tools & Universal Parts” tab.

Note: The “A” in GF-6A means the oil is a viscosity/weight compatible with existing engines. The “B” in GF-B means the oil is only to be used in recent engine designs that require completely new viscosity/weight oils such as 0W-16.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com
Sponsored

 

Jimmy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
189
Reaction score
109
Location
Ontario
First Name
Jimmy
Vehicle(s)
2019 Mustang GT PP 6MT
I don't think this is relevant to the 2018+ Coyote engine. Although it is a GDI engine, it has regular fuel injectors that spray the gas on the intake valve, in addition to GDI injectors. So soot doesn't build up like on other GDI engines.
 

BrianH87

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Threads
13
Messages
382
Reaction score
228
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Vehicle(s)
2020 Mustang GT ; 2021 Explorer ST
This is indeed irrelevant to port and direct injected models like the coyote and raptor. But it does apply to the DI EcoBoost motors.
 

2018OFPP1?2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
659
Reaction score
445
Location
CA
First Name
Walt
Vehicle(s)
'92 LX 5.0 Vert, 2018 GT PP2
Interesting that Ford announced the SN Plus recommendation for the ecoboost engines, but nothing about this new GF6. Regardless, that's what I'll be looking for on the next oil change for the F150. Thanks @Cobra Jet !
 

HoosierDaddy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Threads
232
Messages
3,373
Reaction score
7,131
Location
Winchestertonfieldville (ok, Scottsdale), AZ
First Name
Randy
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT Premium PP
Mixed feelings about having to prove good enough to save Ecoboosts to earn the rating.

The new specification actually requires that new GF-6 / SP oils pass tests running in Ford EcoBoost motors!
 

Sponsored

ICU812

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Threads
40
Messages
1,760
Reaction score
1,486
Location
Prestonburg,KY.
Vehicle(s)
Ford Tempo, Ford Mustang,FFR,Crown vic.
Bet this isn't an issue If you don't try to go 8-12k on an oil change.
 

Biggus Dickus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Threads
62
Messages
1,682
Reaction score
1,648
Location
San Bernardino County
First Name
G
Vehicle(s)
Focus RS, Mustang GT, MME GTPE
This is of interest because of my RS (and actually the 2021 Escape whose 3 banger is DI). I've always used 5-50 Motorcraft Full Synthetic for the RS and that little motor consumes no oil. If the soot is circulating (as described) would this result in oil consumption?
 

Sig556

White18
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Threads
27
Messages
866
Reaction score
606
Location
North Carolina
First Name
Ed
Vehicle(s)
2020 GT Premium / Rapid Red 10 Speed Auto
This is of interest because of my RS (and actually the 2021 Escape whose 3 banger is DI). I've always used 5-50 Motorcraft Full Synthetic for the RS and that little motor consumes no oil. If the soot is circulating (as described) would this result in oil consumption?
Interesting, I was buying a 2021 Escape for my wife. I wasn't too happy knowing it was a 3 cylinder engine but we bought it anyway. We owned it one day and I returned it to the dealer and told them 'What a piece of shit" They put us in a brand new loaded 2019 Escape Platinum 4 cylinder and she is happy with her new car.
PS; The 5000 mile oil changes on the 4 cylinder are a joke I change the oil and filter at 3000 mile intervals the turbo needs clean oil.
 

Biggus Dickus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Threads
62
Messages
1,682
Reaction score
1,648
Location
San Bernardino County
First Name
G
Vehicle(s)
Focus RS, Mustang GT, MME GTPE
This piece of shit is actually fairly competent at getting my 17 year old back and forth to high school, and at 0% for 6 years, it costs about $11/day to own. It's also better than the Plymouth Volare I learned to drive on. And comes in the same color as a GT 500.
IMG_5704.jpg

That said, if there really is a problem w/ DI motors, what can you do about it?
Sponsored

 
 




Top