So how did it go? I'd like to know before I go blow more cash on a new filter.

 

I went and purchased a Mobil1 filter like I normally buy. Ticking went away after install. Had to add some oil, but not too much to get it back to the full mark. From what I can tell, the Mobil1 filter doesn't have an anti-drain back valve, but I can't see it making a difference since the oil filter is located at the bottom, so oil can't drain from the filter. A lot of the foreign made vehicles put the oil filter sideways or even upside down, so an anti-drain back valve is ideal for those vehicles, so I guess that's a large reason why they are made.

 

Yes, you can use 5W-30 safely, and it will VERY SLIGHTLY reduce your fuel economy. Absolutely, if you have lifter noise, you must do what is required to get lubrication loaded into that lifter. I base my decision on my Internal Combustion Engine classes that I took in college, and on my Machinery Design classes, especially with regard to bearing design.

 

Thanks, i'll be changing that filter out tonight. I don't like hearing my baby making those noises.

 

my 2006 was right at 1,000 miles and barely a month old when the check engine light came on. after a few days in the shop and a lot of mystery, they replaced the o-rings on the fuel filter and problem solved. a couple of days after i got my car back, something started to rattle. not all the time, but most of the time. and it started the first day we got some cooler weather. i can't tell if it's coming from the engine or inside the dash, but it's been bothering the heck outta me. :bang:

i don't think the two are related but not knowing what the service dept tinkered with, could i have a similar problem? should i take it back in to the dealer for a little rattle? new cars shouldn't rattle!

edited to say that it only seems to rattle on colder days. warmed up this weekend, no rattle at all.

thanks for any help or thoughts!
marlene
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mustang #3: 2006 legend lime V6
mustang #2: 2000 arctic white V6
mustang #1: 1996 rio red V6

 

Hi Marlene,
Without a more specific description of the noise, I would think it unlikely that the same issue is causing a different syptom (i.e. engine light versus a noise). I would recommend that you bring it back to the dealer and have them take a listen.
Good luck, Brian.

 

Ok all....Gearhead has a V-6 Mustang which calls for 5W30 I believe. GT Mustangs come with 5W20 recommended weight. I didn't know if you guys knew this but wanted to point this out. If the 20 weight oil is good for fuel economy, then why wouldn't Ford recommend it for both?
Holiday Savings tip......If there is a Pepboys autoparts store in your area, look for their Holiday calender on sale at the register for FOR $1 with money saving coupons in it. Last years calender had a "Buy 3 quarts of Mobil 1 Get 3 free" Instant savings NO mail in rebate either!coupon in it, as well as several other buy 1 get one free coupons.

 

here is a tip for you. Before installing the new filter, fill it about 3/4 of the way with oil and then install it. That way the filter is already primed when you start the car

 

i'm on my third mustang and i've never had a rattle. taking it back to the dealer for this seems like such a hassle. plus it took them four days to figure out the reason for the check engine light.

ugh, no new ideas on what could be causing my rattle. i'd thought it was a loose wire to a gauge. i can tell the sound is coming from directly in front of the driver seat, perhaps inside the dash or possibly under the hood. but sometimes it sounds so close i feel like i could reach up under my dash and fix it!

thanx,
marlene

 

Hi Marlene,
Since you are in Houston, TX (the greatest spot on Earth, right?) someone might be able to recommend a Ford Service Department with which they have had exemplary service. Could anyone recommend the best Houston Ford Dealer for Service for Marlene? Hopefully with a 1-day turn-around???

 

couple more opinions-

I did read something a little while back that ford was using matched bearings in the 4.6 now, sized like to millionths or something...it used to be racing engines(long ago) were built a bit on the loose side- but that seems to have changed, and I think the extremely tight clearances were for 2 reasons- thinner oils= more mpg/power, and tighter clearances with these oils would add to durability.

I am planning on an accusump as the tight clearance worries me concerning cold starts- much rather prime the lube pressure before cranking. I keep cars way too long. cold starts are the lions share of wear, and from what I'm reading into the mobil1 'puffing on startup' posts, I cant help but think it might runoff worse than some other oils- aggrivating cold start issue even further- especially if car sits a lot like over the winter months- I'd start it up fairly often to keep things wet- or get an accusump and forget about dry starting forever.

I bet if the cars had a real oil pressure gage, the mobil1 would show lower pressure- I'm completely guessing, but have read several posts about noises and puffing at startup, so it sure seems even though same rated, the synthetic might act thinner in use. the GT gage is only activated by a switch, it is not a gauge, but more of a idiot light without the light. look for aftermarket to start offering drop in upgraded gages soon.

on filters, I always prefill mine as much as possible without making a mess- any you get in there is that many seconds less dry running your engine. I also always carefully reach in and feel for burrs in the threads- they 'formtap' these, and arent supposed to get shavings in, but Ive seen three with a metal chip clinging to the inside of the thread- careful feeling in there as it might be like a needle...ouch...in any event I'd rather have it in my finger than my engine...I dont know for sure if inside is inlet or outlet, or if it varies by engine mfg, so I always look. My cousin asked me to help him put a k&n filter in his transam(cant recall year,buy it was a mover!) looking in the filter found a staple...from packing? from parts store? who knows- but if its got exposure to the inside of your engine, make sure its right.

regarding oils, as long as everything meets ford specs, should be ok, but if anything not recommended, theres probably a reason somewhere. they gotta warranty these things and surely will recommend whatevers best for durability.

 

When talk of millionths of an inches comes up, that would be the tolerance of the bearing, not the bearing-to-journal clearance.
The critical number for these oils is the first number, the "5" number. At 0F, that is when your bearing is going to have the toughest job to do, and that is to load-up with oil that has a thickness of 3,000 Saybolt without a film separation. As any oil from the 5W-20 to the 5W-50 oil heats-up to the boiling point (212F), the viscosity will be tremendously thinner than 3,000. This range will be from 50 to 95 Saybolt. The bearing is designed with the clearance to ingest and flow with the thick 3,000 Saybolt viscosity, and whether the upper number is 50 or 95 or somewhere in-between, the bearing will easily flow the oil. What you need an oil that is thick enough to support the lifters too, and hopefully not be so thin as to leak past the valve seals. You will not hurt your engine with higher 2nd numbers, but you will expend a little more energy pumping that oil around. If the lifters make noise, try moving the second number up by 10 (say from 5W-20 to 5W-30).
The converse is ABSOLUTELY NOT true. A 10W-40 at 9,000 Saybolt at 0F is way too thick to properly flow. Yes, these new engines do have tighter bearing-to-journal clearances, and where our old 1970s engines worked great on 10W-40, the bearings on these new engines could very well crash by the thicker base oil numbers.
As a final FYI, 10W-40 oil doesn't thin-down to 3,000 Saybolt until it reaches 25F. our "5" base oils allow us to cold-start and operate the engine safely from 0F to 25F.