5-20 sae oil ? In 5.4's? - Diesel Forum

Capt. Caper · 06-03-2001, 05:12 PM

Hi all,
I got a new Super Duty and I can't find oil yet that is required. My book and engine decal say 5-20 weight only, whats the scoop on that. Where or how can I get the oil that weight.

3992824 · 06-03-2001, 06:50 PM

It seems to be the consensus that the 5w-20 recommendation in the 2001's is to obtain the best mileage possible. Ford issued a bulletin that recommends this weight for prior years previously recommended for 5w-30.

Do a search for "5w-20" and you'll find more info.

**DIESELSITE** · 06-08-2001, 12:42 AM

Amsoil released thier 5w-20 last month. Not many have it yet. Some dealers just received their first batch recently.
Bob

AlH · 06-09-2001, 09:42 AM

I just bought a new Honda Accord for the wife and it also requires the 5w-20. Wal-Mart has the Motorcraft (Ford) oil in that weight.
Al

Wayne B · 06-09-2001, 10:59 AM

All the Wal Marts I have been in lately have had the Motorcraft 5W-20 in stock.

If the place you usaully buy your oil from doesn't have it, just ask to talk to the manager and ask them to start stocking it. It is the new standard oil for many, soon to be all manufactures.
Wayne B

Capt. Caper · 06-10-2001, 05:19 AM

thanks for the info, my Wal-Mart here doesn't stock it yet, also autozone neither. But I will keep looking at other Walmarts etc. The truck is new and I'll probably have the dealer change it for the first few years anyway, but I might need a quart here and there inbetween when plowing or putting alot of miles on between changes.
I say a good report by Comsumer Reports on oil, they took new engines, and mic'd them before putting them in cabs in N.Y. city. They left them in until there was 70,000 on them and then took them down and mic'd them again. Some had synthetic, some changed oil at every 3,000, others at 6,000, some didn't change at all. Some had slick 50.
Theh report found that there was no difference between changing at 3,000 or 6,000. Also no difference between synthetics or Slick 50 kind of things.
It blew the myth of frequent changes and also about snythetics.
The report was out a good few years ago.

Mark Kovalsky · 06-10-2001, 10:17 AM

I read the Consumer's Reports test on oils with interest. I think they missed a critical part that makes their test almost worthless.

An engine that never has a warm up/cool down cycle is very EASY duty, not the extreme duty they led us to believe. Most of the wear on an engine is when it is running at less than it's designed temperature. Also a large part of the blow-by (combustion products that get past the rings) happens when the engine is cold and has larger than normal piston to cylinder clearance.

If you run a taxi 24 hours a day 7 days a week then the test is valid for your use. For any other use all I can see that CR demostrated is that they don't have an in depth understanding of how an engine operates.

Wayne B · 06-10-2001, 11:27 AM

I like consumer reports, but when it comes to anything about cars, they do not have a clue. Try and find a domestic car that gets a good rating from them or a forein car that gets a bad rating. They are VERY VERY bias towards forein cars and do not have a clue about what causes engine wear or what makes oil break down. 60% of engine wear happens at start up and that is where sythetics SHINE. A taxi that runs 24/7 has 60% less wear then the normal engine.

Makes me wounder if any of the other stuff they test is tested properly.
Wayne B

**DIESELSITE** · 06-11-2001, 12:45 AM

Mark,
Thanks, that was very correct. I read that years ago as well and thought, "well, that was nice labratory test". No were near the real world we as average people put theirs thru.

You will not get oxidation from moisture, no taxi cab that I know tows, and they did not extend the intervals to where a synthetic would show it's real benefit. Heck, cars now even have 7500 mile intervals with regular oil in some cases.

It didn't put any myth to rest [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Bob