Oil choice

[b2tamer]

What oil weight are you guys running in your 2.9l engine. I was thinking about 10w40 for the summer months and going to 10w30 or 5w30 for the winter months. What are your guys opinions?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[pcollins]

I believe it takes 5w-30 all year round. Changing oil viscosity every season went out the window a long time ago. the "w" in 5w-30, 10w-40 etc etc, stands for "winter".

 

[b2tamer]

I thought the w stood for weight not winter. And yes it suppose to be 5w30 but that's just seems like to thin of oil. And I read somewhere else that running 10w40 would make the ticking sound go away in my engine.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[kimcrwbr1]

1983 2.8 with 10w40 and if the engine is noisy add a quart of lucas oil stabilizer

 

[a31ford]

88 2.9 XLT, Winter up here is a KICKER, it's currently minus 22 (-22), 15w-40, BUT it has a block heater, AND it is idled for about 3-5 before driving to town.

EVERY engine on the property is 15w-40, trucks, cars, tractors, crawler, I simply got tired of having to rebuild them, cause of crappy thin oil.

Greg

 

[adsm08]

Originally they were spec'ed for 10W-30. 5w-30 was not really a thing until the early 90s.

I personally run CJ-4 spec diesel 10W-30 in my two 2.9s.

If I could find a CJ-4 spec 5-30 I would use that.


And the W does not stand for "winter".

Read this:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

 

[a31ford]

ADSM... (BTW, this post is NOT at you, it's at thin oil in general)

I just read your oil link, interesting and not bad, BUT... (there's always a but

Here's the thing, Most of my driving is done in cold to extreme cold ( -40) here's the thing, I run 15w-40. why you ask ???

when you go out to your engine (that actually has a real oil pressure gauge), start it cold, and notice how long it takes for the pressure to build.

NOW, say go to a corner store (away from your engine, not running for say 3-4 minutes)

NOW, start it again..... note the time for the pressure to build... about the same, I would guess.... about 1 to 2 seconds, You know why ???

15w40 is used in heavy trucks, trucks that have to do "million mile service" sure some run almost 24/7, BUT, then again, some are parked over night (a gravel truck is a good example). guess what? that gravel truck still gets into "the million mile club" with that same engine. why ?? because it's NOT driven as soon as the engine is started, most get a small warm up period as the driver does his/her truck inspection , and it builds brake air.

I know i will NOT convert many to thicker oil in this one post, but trust me, the thing that most oil companies do NOT mention is that even a 1 minute warm-up at least stabilizes the engine's "CORE" temperature.

Another point is that "thick oil" does indeed act like "molasses" it stays ON the bearings, it says on the cylinder walls..... (even till the next morning)

When I start my truck in the cold, the oil pressure gauge goes "BANG" to 60 in about 1/4 of a second, lets see the thin oils do that.... (they drain back into the oil pan, and the pump has to prime again).

Trust me, thicker oil is better period. (BUT I will also say yes, it does indeed take a couple of extra HP to do it), but if you are running 500 hp or so, 2-3 hp is nothing, for engine protection..............

ONE last thing... if THIN oil is good then it should ALSO by good for heavy equipment, then why don't they use it also, heck, the extra HP would be worth it wouldn't it ???? (NOT over engine longevity...)

Greg

 

[b2tamer]

So should I just stick with 10w30 or is 10w40 better. And what do you guys think about the Lucas oil additive?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tedybear]

I've never had any issues with Lucas Oil Additive.

I run full synth. 5w40 in the winter time and 10w40 in the summer months.

I can run 10w30 or 10w40 in the winter time---but as the pressure may build? The engine rattles like nickels in a tin can---So there is a volume issue. With the 5w oil in the winter time? The engine starts a tad noisey...BUT it shuts up a lot faster then if I had 10w oil in it. The oil flows quicker and gets to the valve train faster.

It's just one of those things. When the ford dealer techs see the truck and remark it's the quietest 2.9v6 they have ever heard? I take that as a good omen. (I'll be putting 5w50 into it soon enough)

S-

 

[jhammel85]

Just 10W30 here. Mobil 5000 or Valvoline maxlife (though my truck likes the mobil more, it seems)

 

[aspevacek]

all the 4.0 in my truck has ever seen is Castrol 5w-30 Syntec. I change the oil once per year at the begining of summer because the truck gets about 1500 a year put on it. Most of the time the oil drained is almost the same color it was when I put it in. I think the truck left the factory with a synthetic nlend from motor craft but with in the first 500 miles it was on syntec.

 

[exbass94]

And the W does not stand for "winter".

Read this:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

The W absolutely DOES stand for winter. Go right back to bobistheoilguy.com and ask what it stands for on their forums.

Or go right here and see what Valvoline says it means:
http://www.valvoline.com/car-care/motor-oil-myths/

 

[exbass94]

ADSM... (BTW, this post is NOT at you, it's at thin oil in general)

I just read your oil link, interesting and not bad, BUT... (there's always a but

Here's the thing, Most of my driving is done in cold to extreme cold ( -40) here's the thing, I run 15w-40. why you ask ???

when you go out to your engine (that actually has a real oil pressure gauge), start it cold, and notice how long it takes for the pressure to build.

NOW, say go to a corner store (away from your engine, not running for say 3-4 minutes)

NOW, start it again..... note the time for the pressure to build... about the same, I would guess.... about 1 to 2 seconds, You know why ???

15w40 is used in heavy trucks, trucks that have to do "million mile service" sure some run almost 24/7, BUT, then again, some are parked over night (a gravel truck is a good example). guess what? that gravel truck still gets into "the million mile club" with that same engine. why ?? because it's NOT driven as soon as the engine is started, most get a small warm up period as the driver does his/her truck inspection , and it builds brake air.

I know i will NOT convert many to thicker oil in this one post, but trust me, the thing that most oil companies do NOT mention is that even a 1 minute warm-up at least stabilizes the engine's "CORE" temperature.

Another point is that "thick oil" does indeed act like "molasses" it stays ON the bearings, it says on the cylinder walls..... (even till the next morning)

When I start my truck in the cold, the oil pressure gauge goes "BANG" to 60 in about 1/4 of a second, lets see the thin oils do that.... (they drain back into the oil pan, and the pump has to prime again).

Trust me, thicker oil is better period. (BUT I will also say yes, it does indeed take a couple of extra HP to do it), but if you are running 500 hp or so, 2-3 hp is nothing, for engine protection..............

ONE last thing... if THIN oil is good then it should ALSO by good for heavy equipment, then why don't they use it also, heck, the extra HP would be worth it wouldn't it ???? (NOT over engine longevity...)

Greg

Everything you said complete nonsense. Heavy equipment use thicker oils because they have diesel engines. Diesel engines have always used thicker oils. That's all. Ford Crown Vic taxis go over 500k+ miles using nothing but the Ford recommended 5w-20. Proof that thick oils are not needed to go lots of miles. You want the oil to flow as fast as possible on start-up. That's when most engine wear occurs. The thing you said about thin oils draining too fast and the pump needing to prime again makes absolutely no sense. That simply does not happen. I don't know where or how you came up with some of these theories.

 

[exbass94]

So should I just stick with 10w30 or is 10w40 better. And what do you guys think about the Lucas oil additive?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

Lucas oil additive is garbage. It's basically a THICK (thicker than a 60 weight oil) base oil with no beneficial additives. Just stick with plain motor oil, leave the additives on the shelf, and then engine will outlive the rest of the truck.

 

[Twister]

My 85 got 5w30 before it died, when i bought my current truck the guy had been running 10w30, i changed it right before winter and when i start it up there is some valve ticking or something for like 10 seconds, thinking about switching it to 5w30.