What weight oil do you use?

[engineermike]

@50BMG the evidence that zddp poisons catalyst isn’t very dramatic and is over a timespan much longer than we typically run our mustangs. We’ll wreck them due to thermal transient way before poisoning them with zddp. And the difference we’re talking about between api sp and acea a3/b4 is 800 ppm vs 1000. Another interesting bit is that the lower zddp limit in api sp only applies to 5w30 and lower, so the 5w40 can carry both the api sp and acea a3/b4 ratings at 1000 ppm zddp but the 5w30 can’t. So either the extra zddp doesn’t hurt the cats as long as it’s in 40 or 50 weight or it just doesn’t have a significant effect. My bet is on the latter.

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[G.T.]

Plus EVERYONE can see it

 

[K4fxd]

Wouldn't 0W-20 make more sense for the winter then?

No

 

[dirtwarrior]

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2012/03/zddp-when-where-what-why-how/

 

[1 old racer]

Red line 5w 50 for track use and Red Line 5w40 for street use.

 

[robvas]

No

Why not? It would flow better at cold temps than 5-20

5-20 should flow similar to 5-30 when cold, and be thinner when it's warmed up

 

[K4fxd]

Why not?

Because the 20 grade is for emissions, not protection

0w-20 and 0w-30 will flow the same cold. Close enough to not make a difference.

 

[Unas2k5]

The Ford recommend 5W50

 

[robvas]

Because the 20 grade is for emissions, not protection

0w-20 and 0w-30 will flow the same cold. Close enough to not make a difference.

Agreed, but he said he switches from 5-30 to 5-20 in winter. Didn't make sense to me since they are both 5W

I'm sure there's a 0-30 oil but I've never seen it on the shelf

 

[K4fxd]

Agreed, but he said he switches from 5-30 to 5-20 in winter. Didn't make sense to me since they are both 5W

Same thing. they both flow the same cold. There is no advantage to using 5w-20 over 5w-30. They both flow the same at start up and the 30 grade protects better when hot, at operating temp.

 

[Mustangpursuit]

Been using 5W-20 since I got the car in 2018 and past year I just switched to full-synthetic. I just had my entire oil pan section replaced due to a small leak that they noticed the past 2 oil changes. I decided to get over with the repair sooner than later before my MBI expires. I might try 5W-30 since that is what they now recommend for later years. But car is running fine and smooth.

 

[Robottrainer]

Getting ready to do my first change tomorrow and thinking of going with 5w30 instead of 20.

Car gets DD regardless of weather and M-F it sees a 80 mile round trip.

I don't track it but do a few WOT pulls each week. Might see the drag strip 1-2 times this year, maybe.


Wondering if stepping up to 30 will be beneficial, and what you guys run.

5w50 as per Roush.

 

[50BMG]

@50BMG the evidence that zddp poisons catalyst isn’t very dramatic and is over a timespan much longer than we typically run our mustangs. We’ll wreck them due to thermal transient way before poisoning them with zddp. And the difference we’re talking about between api sp and acea a3/b4 is 800 ppm vs 1000. Another interesting bit is that the lower zddp limit in api sp only applies to 5w30 and lower, so the 5w40 can carry both the api sp and acea a3/b4 ratings at 1000 ppm zddp but the 5w30 can’t. So either the extra zddp doesn’t hurt the cats as long as it’s in 40 or 50 weight or it just doesn’t have a significant effect. My bet is on the latter.

Thanks Mike,
I'm leaning to agree with you that the zinc/ZDDP is likely not as much of an effect on the cats as "they say" it can be. Especially with the variable zinc contents of the heavier weight oils that ou illustrated (unless they are thinking those much heavier weights will likely be nearly exclusively used in cat-less/high performance applications???).

Honestly, I'd also bet it's the oil manufacturers doing a CYA move when they lowered zinc content a bit, just so they have deniability to some degree and so they don't get roped into buying a bunch of cats, which likely failed for non-zinc related issues that you detailed.

So, since I no longer have cats, I may even add ZDDP on the next oil change... Why not?

 

[50BMG]

I use WD-40 weight. Takes forever to fill though.

Wanna hear a funny and 100% true story about oil filling?

In my senior your of HS, I had a buddy whose slightly older sister decided she was going to change the oil in her/her family's early/mid 70's Pontiac Lemans (307/350 V8 engine? Can't remember).
Well, she actually bought the correct oil filter, jacked the car up, and seemed to get it done.
BUT, she didn't bother to check what the motor's designed oil capacity was (I'm guessing probably 5 quarts with the filter, maybe 6 tops).
So, you might have guessed it: she used a FULL case+ of oil that the father had bought shortly before this event, and she FILLED THE MOTOR "FULL"/TO THE TOP OF THE VALVE COVER!
When she tried to start the car, she got maybe 1/2 a crank and it wouldn't turn over anymore...
It was completely oil locked.
The dad was pissed.
Oil was everywhere!

LoL....

 

[engineermike]

So, since I no longer have cats, I may even add ZDDP on the next oil change... Why not?

I wouldn't. The oils have a balance of additives, all with their own purpose. I know this is hard to envision, but the additives actually compete for surface area in the engine and are also up against solubility limits of the base oil. As such, the concentration of additives are carefully balanced by companies that engineer the formulation. Not to mention, there are all sorts of different flavors of ZDDP so who knows what happens microscopically when you start mix-matching them. One thing is for sure, all the certifications listed on the bottle go out the window when you start mucking around with the formulation.

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