What engine oil are you using?

[Big Jim M]

Yeah! I agree also..
Big JIm

 

[mhughes165]

5w-30 is the exact same viscosity as 10w-30 when the engine is at operating temperature.

yup, and the 2.9 likes to really tick when its cold, and the thicker oil helps with that....thus the point

 

[Tedybear]

Back on topic...(I hope)

Plugs: NGK V-Power. Used 'em before, and the truck(s) love 'em. Your mileage may vary <G>

Oil: Summer time: 10w40 Synth. (normally Mobil one or Royal Purple if it's on sale)
Winter time: 5w30 Synth. (also Mobil one...)

And I stay as far away from FRAM as possible. Either Wix (Napa Gold) or the Mobil-1 oil filter.

S-

 

[Tims03svt]

yup, and the 2.9 likes to really tick when its cold, and the thicker oil helps with that....thus the point

Thick oil and cold weather? Sir that does not add up. Also stated in another post of yours. "your a fool if you run syn in a 2.9" I think you might offened people with that statement... It's your choice to run whatever you like in your truck but don't state that someone is a fool for using something other then what you use. On another note you say you buy whatever is cheaper? You know it's not wise to change brands of oil. You pick a brand and stick with it.

 

[jcd302]

Whatever

I ran 5w/30 in my 94 4.0L. Valvoline, Meijer, Mobil 1, Castrol, Parts Plus. Dino & synthetic. If I had money I bought the better stuff, broke... cheaper. Sold it 3 years ago with almost 200k. I still see it around town 220k now and still no leaks or usage.
You can go back and forth w/o problems. This is not the only vehicle I have done that on. But don't skimp on the filter. Motorcraft/Pureolater or Mobil 1 have given me the best results. AVOID FRAM!! Almost lost a fresh rebuilt 460 because of a bad Fram filter.

 

[84stealthranger]

I'm gonna start runnin 80 90 gear oil lol when it warms up

 

[rusty70f100]

Here's what I'm doing with my 2.9L, take it or leave it:

It's winter out, and it regularly gets below zero (Farenheit) outside.

As such, I run Redline 0w30. I also run a Wix #51773 oil filter, as it's larger than the standard #51515. My theory is that means more filtering media, less restriction, and the ability to flow more oil through it before it goes into bypass. The other good thing is that it's a longer filter, and therefore much easier to get a band type oil filter wrench on.

After I switched to the 0w30 (from the Redline 10w30 that I run in summer) I noticed a much reduced time that the lifters will tick on a cold morning. It used to be they'd tick for a good 15 seconds on a cold morning. With the 0w30 that's been reduced to about 3-5 seconds.

The reason for the synthetic is this: Have you ever seen the inside of a 2.9L running conventional (dino) oil? There is, almost always, a good thick layer of black sludge coating everything. My hope is that the synthetic will not deposit that junk on everything, instead holding it in suspension until it gets to the oil filter.

Anyway, that's my reasoning. It's probably worth about what you paid for it.

 

[Vanner1993]

I run pennzoil in my worked 302 with no problems and always a motorcraft filter. Just changed the oil in my 2.9 ranger, had a stinking fram....put a motorcraft filter on and 5 quarts of 10 30 pennzoil.

 

[Duane867]

Thick oil and cold weather? Sir that does not add up. Also stated in another post of yours. "your a fool if you run syn in a 2.9" I think you might offened people with that statement... It's your choice to run whatever you like in your truck but don't state that someone is a fool for using something other then what you use. On another note you say you buy whatever is cheaper? You know it's not wise to change brands of oil. You pick a brand and stick with it.

His ideas behind that statement are mostly sound actually.
Shitty oiling design, bad cam bearings, and the like prove it sound to a degree.
Lightly worn cam bearings are what cause the lifter tick and eventual knock in a 2.9L. Thicker oil is the only cure no mater the time of year for this problem. Thinner oil will work at start up but once your at operating temperature its useless in a 2.9L with any mileage on it. I know it sound sass backwards but its true. I've had three of the turds and they all suffered from the same problem and the only thing that temporarily cured the impending failure was thicker oil in all three cases. I'm not saying run 20W50 in the winter time but a little thicker oil is definitely the key with a 2.9L IMO.

 

[90B24wd]

Don't forget that worn muffler bearings can also cause 2.9's to tick also!

 

[rusty70f100]

His ideas behind that statement are mostly sound actually.
Shitty oiling design, bad cam bearings, and the like prove it sound to a degree.
Lightly worn cam bearings are what cause the lifter tick and eventual knock in a 2.9L. Thicker oil is the only cure no mater the time of year for this problem. Thinner oil will work at start up but once your at operating temperature its useless in a 2.9L with any mileage on it. I know it sound sass backwards but its true. I've had three of the turds and they all suffered from the same problem and the only thing that temporarily cured the impending failure was thicker oil in all three cases. I'm not saying run 20W50 in the winter time but a little thicker oil is definitely the key with a 2.9L IMO.

Ok, so switch to something like a 0w40 or 5w50. They're both made by popular synthetic oil manufacturers. That way it'll be light enough at startup, but thick enough at operating temperature to prevent the lifter tick.

OBTW: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83

If you look at my other thread, I'm now running 0w20 synthetic in mine.

 

[holyford86]

The reason for the synthetic is this: Have you ever seen the inside of a 2.9L running conventional (dino) oil? There is, almost always, a good thick layer of black sludge coating everything. My hope is that the synthetic will not deposit that junk on everything, instead holding it in suspension until it gets to the oil filter.

Lack of maintenance causes sludge in an engine, no matter what it is. I tore down the 279k mile engine I pulled from my truck, It was clean as could be inside, the previous owner ran dino oil in it from day one and so did I. Synthetic oil will not help clean an engine by holding the junk in suspension any more than regular oil would.

Ok, so switch to something like a 0w40 or 5w50. They're both made by popular synthetic oil manufacturers. That way it'll be light enough at start up, but thick enough at operating temperature to prevent the lifter tick.

OBTW: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83

If you look at my other thread, I'm now running 0w20 synthetic in mine.

I'm running Rotella 5w40 full synthetic in my truck, yes it contradicts what I just said but you simply can't get that kind of viscosity spread in a conventional oil. I'm also running a NAPA Gold 1515 filter. I wouldn't want to run a bigger filter simply because that's a hell of a lot of cold oil to get moving. It doesn't matter how much volume a filter can process if that bypass valve still opens at 8 psi, I'd imagine that new clean oil would do that in a new clean filter in sub freezing temps.

To help my oil heat up to a good temp in the winter I'm running a plate type oil cooler as well, Helps the oil heat up quite quickly, I'll notice my oil pressure stabilizing at it's warm reading after about 5 minutes in 10* weather. I'm in the process of adapting that useless oil level sensor port in the side of the pan to work with a temp gauge so I'll keep you posted as to what my actual oil temp is once I get that done.

 

[rusty70f100]

That's a common misconception, that the oil in the pan is any warmer on a cold morning than the oil in the filter. If you use a pan heater, then yes, it could be warmer. But in a motor that's been sitting overnight, it's all cold.

Also, that 8psi is pressure drop across the filter, not total oil system pressure. You're sitting at about 14psi atmospheric pressure right now, in front of your computer. Do you notice it? What I'm saying is, that more filter media will mean less pressure drop across the filter, meaning less likelihood that the oil filter bypass will open. The reason that the oil filter has a bypass is so that the pressure differential across the filter doesn't become so great as to blow the filtering media out and into the engine!

This would happen, say, on a cold morning with thick oil, or in a filter filled up with contaminants and unable to flow any more. In the first example, a cold morning with thick oil, you need to lower the viscosity. Either through running a thinner oil, or heating the oil. In the second example, the filter and probably the oil are long overdue for changing.

Note that this can only be worse with a smaller filter. With a smaller filter, you have less filtering media for the oil to go through. It will clog up quicker, and you'll have a greater pressure drop across the filter in all instances.

The "cold oil in the filter" thing just doesn't hold much water either. That oil will be out of there, through the motor, and back in the pan in a matter of seconds after you start the motor, assuming the oil in the pan is the correct viscosity. Interestingly, you would benefit more from having the correct viscosity for the ambient temperature than you would from simply heating the pan. That way, the oil in the filter would be thin enough as well.

Was the 279k mile engine you tore down a 2.9L V6? When was it made?

 

[RavoHimself]

i run penzoil 10w30 in my 4.0L
my dad uses it in all his cars too. you wouldn't belive what kind of sludge it gets out

 

[94xlt4.0]

why does every thread about oil, spark plugs, or intakes turn into a giant argument. the op just asked what people use not about everyones OPINIONS on synthetic vs. dino oil.

that said i used motorcraft 5w20 synth blend with the fl1a filter before but im using the shell rotella 15w40 with the fl1a and the lifter tick was drastically reduced