What's up with this 5w20 oil?

[bluebombersfan]

I just purchased my 2006 ranger sport this past year and noticed it takes 5w20? I have done some reading were this oil was done for "cafe" reason's to increase mpg's.
I kind of think this sucks because I have a couple of jugs of 5w30 synthetic soil that I bought in bulk last time it was in sale sitting on the shelf.

 

[Froggmann]

You can use the 5w-30 without any problems. When it's gone switch to 5w-20.

 

[bluebombersfan]

How about this question:

If I have the choice between 5w30 synthetic oil and 5w20 regular oil what would be the wiser choice for my engine?

I know that sythetic oil flows better especially on cold start ups so I wonder if it would be a smarter choice. I'm sure there is synthetic 5w20 oil but I imagine it would be expensive because it is so rare and probably never goes on sale

 

[Froggmann]

Try Motorcraft 5w-20 synthetic blend from Wally World. Comes in a 5qt jug for under $20.

Great oil. Started running it in my truck when it had about 145k miles on it (now at 176k) and have zero complaints. For the price it can't be beat.

 

[exbass94]

I'm sure there is synthetic 5w20 oil but I imagine it would be expensive because it is so rare and probably never goes on sale

5w20 rare? Just about every Ford, Honda, Dodge/Chrysler, and probably some other manufacturers' engines from the last 10 years uses 5W20. It is probably the most popular, or at least 2nd most popular viscosity today.

And viscosity usually has no effect on price. In other words, all Valvoline conventional is the same price, regardless of viscosity. All Mobil synthetic is same price regardless of viscosity, etc etc. If a certain brand goes on sale, it includes all viscosities.

 

[bluebombersfan]

5w20 rare? Just about every Ford, Honda, Dodge/Chrysler, and probably some other manufacturers' engines from the last 10 years uses 5W20. It is probably the most popular, or at least 2nd most popular viscosity today.

And viscosity usually has no effect on price. In other words, all Valvoline conventional is the same price, regardless of viscosity. All Mobil synthetic is same price regardless of viscosity, etc etc. If a certain brand goes on sale, it includes all viscosities.

Oh okay, I guess I just never noticed the other viscosities, I am just so used to looking for the 5w30 for like the last decade and a half.

 

[shane96ranger]

Try Motorcraft 5w-20 synthetic blend from Wally World. Comes in a 5qt jug for under $20.

I can vouch for this. Excellent oil!

 

[Airmaster]

My personal choice was the Quaker State 5W-20 5 Quart jug from Wally World. Always wished Advance Autoparts or Autozone woulda carried the 5W-20 in the larger jugs, I despised that trip to Wall Mart.... lol

 

[McCormack]

Whether it's accurate or not, it's been my observation that the majority of those that have had cam sync problems have been those that use the thinner oils along with the stock 197* thermostat. Is there a cause-and-effect in the that higher heat of the 197* T-stat is making an already thin oil even thinner and starving the cam sync of oil? I don't know, but I've put a 180* T-stat in my Ranger and I run 10W-30 in the winter and 10W-40 in the summer and I've had 150,000 trouble free miles. We'll see if it continues....

 

[bluebombersfan]

10w 30 and 10w40 seem a little thick for me, thats pretty far from the specs you r supposed to be using but yet it seems to be working for you as well. My last 4 banger ranger I used 10w30 in the summer and 5 w30 in the winter.
This 2006 3.0 now requiring the 5w20, I think will mix 1/2 5w30 and 1/2 5w20. Personally I see this as a good mix, a little bit of both worlds and still being very close to specs that r recomended.
Also I have lots of 5w30 sythetic oil sitting on the shelf anyways.

 

[Froggmann]

Rather than mix the oil, why not run the 5w-30 in the summer and the 5w-20 in the winter?

 

[adsm08]

You know, I wouldn't have any concerns running 5-30 in a 3.0. They live well on 5-20, but they ran for years on 5-30 first.

I would even consider a 0-20 or 0-30, especially if you are set on full synthetic (0W oils only come in Full synth which is why I don't run them already) and especially in the winter.

I would not run 10-30 or 10-40 in a 3.0 with less than 250K miles on it.

 

[bluebombersfan]

Rather than mix the oil, why not run the 5w-30 in the summer and the 5w-20 in the winter?

I didn't even think of that, but since I only average about 7000-8000k a year I would just mix it for all year and change my oil once a year. using synthetic oils that should do plenty.

Personally I wouldn't use the 10w30 or 10w40 ever on the 3.0. I have always heard that alot of engine wear is from start-ups, and I would think 10w40 would lubricate horribly at engine start up although it may flow nicely when your driving on the highway in the dessert.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Two years ago I was working for a pipeline company doing P+D [pickup and delivery] in the company trucks, lots of them are gas-pots. The mechanics specified 15w/40 synthetic regardless of manufacterer spec, which was 5w/20 in the majority of cases, and regardless of fuel type or mileage. I think that they would have to know something as the two mechanics were in charge of looking after millions of dollars worth of equipment. I also know they weren't worried about mileage, which, IMO, is the main reason for the lower viscosity spec in newer vehicles. Sooooo, I wouldn't worry too much about using a thicker oil. In fact, I have done that on my 2004 5.4l that was having problems with the cam phasers. Best gues is a gasket has let loose, preventing enough oil pressure to build up to operate the cam phasers properly with the spec oil - 5w/20. I have been using a mix of 10w/30 and 15w/40 with no ill effects, in fact the engine will now run at an idle instead of dying. I guess if there is one down side, it would be that the mileage is lower than it should be.

Richard

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Two years ago I was working for a pipeline company doing P+D [pickup and delivery] in the company trucks, lots of them are gas-pots. The mechanics specified 15w/40 synthetic regardless of manufacterer spec, which was 5w/20 in the majority of cases, and regardless of fuel type or mileage. I think that they would have to know something as the two mechanics were in charge of looking after millions of dollars worth of equipment. I also know they weren't worried about mileage, which, IMO, is the main reason for the lower viscosity spec in newer vehicles. Sooooo, I wouldn't worry too much about using a thicker oil. In fact, I have done that on my 2004 5.4l that was having problems with the cam phasers. Best gues is a gasket has let loose, preventing enough oil pressure to build up to operate the cam phasers properly with the spec oil - 5w/20. I have been using a mix of 10w/30 and 15w/40 with no ill effects, in fact the engine will now run at an idle instead of dying. I guess if there is one down side, it would be that the mileage is lower than it should be.

Richard