Changed my oil today, and to my surprise I found 5W-20 Mobil 1 at Wally World. I couldn't believe it! Until now I've been running the 0W-20. This may be old news to you guys, but I was pleasantly surprised....
I'm now waiting on my 2nd Blackstone report. The last one they recommended I increase the drain interval. This is the first one with the oil in there longer than I'm comfortable with, so we'll see what they say. If all is well, I'll keep doing what they recommend and cut my samples back to once a year or so.
Very interesting... I tried the 0W-20 and I was way low on the dipstick when it was time for my oil change (~3,000). That scared me pretty good and I haven't tried it again. Other than that 1 oil change I have been using the Mobil 1 5W-30 along with a Mobil 1 filter.
I might be switching to the Motorcraft 5W-20 when I get back. Going to try and save a few $$$.
I noticed that mine was down a bit too before this change. I never thought of it being the oil, but now I'll watch it even closer.
Generally speaking I love the Mobil 1 stuff. The only real complaint I've got is the weight selection (fixed for now) and the price.
My '90 F150 saw only Mobil 1 since it's first oil change, and it's still rocking along, and it's got to have well over 200K on it by now. It had 170K on it when I sold it, and I never had the valve cover off. I doubt seriously if it has yet. I know the guy I sold it to - I'll have to get an update from him.
I was draining at 4,000 miles because the truck sees mostly short trips (less than 10 miles), with engine shut down after each one. I crept up to the 4,000 mile drain from 3,000 solely on the marketing hype that the synthetic could take it. I asked Blackstone specifically to look for signs in the oil that I was doing damamge with this type of driving, and they indicated that I could easily go 6,000. We'll see what they say this time - it's my first test with a 6,000 mile drain. I suspect (hope) they'll tell me I can go even further.
Another interesting thing I saw at Wally World - a house brand full synthetic. 2 weights, both the more common M-1 weights but not 5W-20. Even came in a silver bottle with a blue (or red) cap! Could it be that M-1 is co-branding for Wally World? If it's true, it was not much more expensive than the Motorcraft blend. Could be a great way to save some $$ and get the same benefits. I scanned the label thouroughly looking for a clue about who the OEM was, but the label was no help. The only information was that it was made in the USA. Mob-1 is made in the USA too. Coincidence?
I've been going about 7,500 miles between changes with similar driving using M-1. I came up with 7,500 by averaging the owners manual recommended 5,000 and the magic 10,000 number I've heard of for fully synthetic oil. I've thought about sending in a sample, just haven't got around to it. I'll feel good if your 6000 report states you still had life in the oil.
Yea, that would be real nice is the synthetic Wally oil turned out to be rebranded M-1.
I've heard of several guys running Rotella in their 460's with great results. What grade do you think they'd run?
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<font color="blue">2005 National 2nd Place Winner in Agricultural Mechanics in Repairs and Maintenance for The National FFA Organization.</font>
Traded in: 1995 Ford F-250 XLT Super Cab Longbed 4x4, 460, auto, 3.55's., K&N filter, glasspack duals. Miss everything about this truck but the gas mileage....
Some days you're the dog.....Some days you're the hydrant.
I have sent samples to Blackstone from at least five different vehicles. One thing that comes to mind is that they are looking for what's floating in the oil, but don't seem to get into detail about whether the oil components themselves are worn out. We still seem to be mainly seeing how contaminated the oil is, (filtration??) vs. how capable the oil itself is still able to do its job minus any effects of the contaminants.
I have used probably a thousand dollars or more of the stuff to this point. Their marketing is starting to bug me, with all this mileage stuff added to the label. They have a full syn as usual and now a full syn with 15K miles capablity for 75 cents more. I wish it didn't have to come to this, but still a great product. I am afraid consumers are still at the mercy of their ignorance, strange ways of thinking, and persuadabilty from marketing techniques.
I wouldn't worry much about 0-20 vs 5-20 vs 5-30. I have used 5-30, 10-30, and 15-50, and am of the opinion that I would probably be just as well, if not better served, by choosing one, like 10-30 for every application, no matter what the owner's manual or filler cap says.
Lot's of opinions and still fun to debate at times.
The reason for the changing oil specs year to year is to improve efficiency and ultimately fuel economy. Tighter, better tolerances when building these Triton engines allow a thinner oil to perform well and not have as much retention on slinging parts like the crank which in turn frees up the rotation of the engine, less blow-by, etc.
Be careful putting heavier oil in one of these new motors, if it came down to it it would void the warranty. My old Porsche (ironically, a single overhead cam V8 giving 300hp) needs that 20w-50 and I'd never put 0w-20 in it out of fear, and vice versa. While 0w-20 is an OK sub for the spec 5w-20 , 15w-30 isn't. Seems trivial, sure, but I won't push my luck.
And the oil ads do imply that the consumer is a dolt. Run the oil to the factory recommended interval and use the best filter possible.
Alex
New to forum 4/25/05
'05 F250 4x4, 5.4/AT standard cab
'05 F450 4x2 DRW, V-10/AT 11ft Scelze utility box, in shop with bad vibes
The Motorcraft 5W20 blend oil now used in the modular motor family is a very fine product. Together with the Motorcraft oil filter, it is a tough combo to beat. Seems like a lot of users, like spending their money on Mobil products. If you follow the owners manual and use Ford service products, money will be saved and the vehicle will last just as long. I recently sold my 1994 Escort with over 200,000 miles on it. Only Motorcraft oil, filters and auto trans fluid were ever used on the car. Not many people get vehicles to last that long here in the heat in Arizona (Phoenix).
These V10s are not like your daddy's old bronze 'n leaded bearings of yester-year.
The Modular V10 has very close clearances, and the bearings are mostly aluminum....thnk about that a sec.
I can direct you to half a dozen threads in the last two years from some unfortunate soul who had engine failure and Ford denied warranty claim due to improper maintenance, like wrong spec lube, or extended change interval.
The last 5 Ford motors I have owned past 200,00 miles are still on the road and only ever got MotorCraft oil and filters.
I have nothing against full synthetics or Mobil 1, other than to say most of the advertising is hype, the cost is not warranted, and many times the expensive stuff evaporates at a faster rate than the Ford MotorCraft semisynth. IMHO most bang for the buck is the MC 5w20 and FL820s filter. I pay $1.79-$2.39 per Qt and $2.79-$3.59 for the filter.
My dealer will change the oil for $19.99 +Tax and stamp my book. On my new trucks I let him do it every 3000 miles for the warranty period.
I live in sandy, dusty, gritty, Fort Hood, Central Texas. My motors last a long long time.
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White 05 F350 King Ranch 3 valve V10 5R110 Auto 4.30:1LS 4x4 LWB SRW born on 3 Sept 04
I believe I've even seen a 0-40 and I need to add 0-30 to my list.
I have an 84 Honda Prelude that a friend is driving while he gets his tendacy towards debt squared away. I'm looking for creative ways to keep it 'and' keep putting miles on it. It has receieved synthetic oil, either Mobil 1 or for probably 20-30K NEO since 150K. It now has 335K on it with little to no oil consumption. It gets the within 1-2 mpg of what it always did with two carbs that should have been rebuilt long ago, with good drivability. I use it as a test bed to satisfy my curiosity. It spent the first 150K on whatever brand 10-30. It has seen Mobil 1 5-30, 10-30, and 15-50. It has seen NEO 0-7, 5-30, and 15-40 diesel spec. It has also seen Shell Rotella 5-40.
It has had the valve cover off maybe 4 times in it's life either to change the seal or adjust the valves maybe 2-3 times in it's life.
I have to say I could feel the difference between the 0-7 NEO and 15-50 Mobil 1 by the seat of the pants. It has had Mobil 1 10-30 or 15-50 in the manual tranny since 150K. It hasn't been rebuilt and shows no signs of needing it either. I agree with you guys who say it's unecessary to buy anything other than a conventional product or possibly a blend. With Mobil 1 we're not really talking about necessary in anything including a racing environment. In my opinion, synthetics are added insurance in a street vehicle and an extender of engine life into the unknown but by the few for a typical non commercial street vehicle. In a race engine I think the value of that insurance goes up. I have owned two engines that are raced, one a max effort 8-9K rpm Bonneville engine, and one a street horsepower road raced V8 engine. Neither have experienced engine failure and neither have every had anything in them but synthetic oil under racing conditions.
In summary...if a dealer got on my case for an oil related failure for having used anything except possibly the 0-7 I would have been on their case in a big way to prove my negligence. Strangely enough that motor was well clear of 200K when it ran the 0-7 with no apparent ill effects.
Sure the lighter oils will improve fuel economy. I feel there are particular advantages to using lighter oils, particularly of the synthetic variety in colder climates, but only for their cold start pumpability characteritics. Once it's running and up to temp, my feeling is just about any engine would be fine on a 50 weight oil in Barrow Alaska in January or Phoenix Arizona in July. I don't think there are any particular downfalls to running a brand new factory engine or a 20 year old factory engine on -20, -30, or -50 oil as long common sense it used about the temperatures it's operated (mainly repeatedly cold started) in.
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