5.M0NSTER

^ THIS

I think is the core of the debate. If the Coyote can take 5-50 and it can also take 5-20 it can take anything in between. I don't know that much about oil, but it makes sense that if you can handle the extremes for daily operation you can also take anything in between.

With that said, the rest is speculation. So let's MOVE ON.

OP. Your choice. Your gain or your loss*.

*Loss not scientifically quantifiable or likely.

lakersfreak

wow sorry everyone. didn't mean to start an argument or get anyone roused up! I've just read and heard too many different things about the oil change and wanted to see all of your opinions here. Once again I apologize for the commotion it has created!

2011 Kona Blue

Heck if I know the truth. Maybe 5W 20 is better. Crap if I know. You research and get 100 different opinions. Some articles say the 5W20 is better because it get down into areas of the engine 5W 30 doesn't get too. I don't k know man. Where does a brother go too get the facts and the true real correct answers.

cdynaco

There you go again. You even lie to yourself and then claim you're not.

As I have repeatedly posted, use what you like. But your stating Ford's recommendation (which is on the cap and printed in the Owners Manual for each engine for the conditions the vehicle is used) is "only" because of CAFE - puts you in the buffoon crowd like the many other threads on this and other forums where some phony "expert" winds up posting the same lie against Ford. But never has any proof other than "I read on the internets".

I have hundreds of thousands of hard commercial miles on Ford V8's, never had a failure, never been stranded. All of them driven hard and put away wet, always hit redline once/day at least, fully loaded screaming up mountain passes, and all (7) have gone well past 100k. My own F150 has 254k on it. I've always followed Ford recommendations printed in the Owners Manual and followed the maintenance schedule for my usage. So yeah - I trust Ford's Owners Manual for fluid recommendations. I'm sure as hell not going to stop now and listen to the clowns on this thread.

ion_arch

+ 1,000,000 on this one....

Bucko

They are great (mufflers). Sound is what I was looking for.

I continue to pursue to find the explaination as to why Ford has recommended the 5w-20 for our Mustang (excluding the Boss). To me, the design intent of the Boss gave reason for Ford to recommend a different viscosity oil. We don't buy them for their "fuel mileage", we buy them to run them hard; others do this with their non boss Mustang as well. To my apparent "simple minded" thought train, this indicates I could use a higher viscosity for the same reason: warmer climate where the car runs, and "sprited driving" (I track my Mustang a couple of times a month at a local airport).

A few years back, I can remember oil viscosity ratings that varied in the owners manuals, depending on the climate you lived in. Now Ford sticks with one rating fits all. I realize that engines today have much tighter tolorences, but they get run just as hard as they did in the past.

Someday, I hope to find a Ford engineer that will explain the oil recomendation to me. I'll post his/her explaination if I get it, and hope I don't get accused of being an oil know it all. This is why informative posts such as this one (excluding the chest thumping posts) make for good reading, even if it's an oil thread.

88lx50

I always felt that manufacturers were able to spec lighter weight oils because the manufacturing tolerances were so much better and clearances were tighter. I could be wrong though. But the testing an engine goes through before it is in production is fairly rigorous and usually involves every extreme you can think of. They run them hot, cold, low on oil, overfilled on oil, at various angles to simulate sitting idling, extreme hot, and then to extreme cold by adding super cooled fluids, etc. There is a great article on it in this months Car and Driver. I think engines and drivetrains are far more reliable today then they ever have been and failures are usually due to owner abuse(drag racing) and even then they seem to take a royal beating. I always ran manufacturer spec'd oil weight in my cars and haven't had any engine failures yet. Not to say that it can't happen, but so far, so good.

2011 Kona Blue

Seems like 5W 20 is kicking 5W 30's butt with users. Lol

elkk

Perhaps I have missed the point, but why not use the oil recommended by the Ford engineers and avoid any warranty issues that may arise? They have no doubt run more tests in every condition possible, done the math and come with the best answer. There are so many other things to think about....

88lx50

A good thread on another board about lighter weight oils. Interesting part is that Ford went to lighter oils for better reliability. Not sure how much facts are there. I am trying to find an article about it.
http://www.silveradosierra.com/engin...t31745-20.html

typesredline

I think the egos Z is referring to are the ones like "you read articles on the internet and think you're an expert?! Pffffff IIIII had MY oil tested, so that means I know more than you!"

88lx50

I think the difference in weight to 5w30 is minimal and well within factory specs. I don't think it would hurt. This always seems to be a big debate. Not sure why people are so passionate about it.
Next up will be a heated oil filter debate.

typesredline

I'll ask you again to PROVE that the label being 5-20 for CAFE is a lie. Never once did I say I was an expert. And reading the internet is indeed a valid source guy. Maybe you go to the library and check out books but this is 2014. Not sure where you got it in your head that reading stuff on the internet is automatically discredited.

I think it's great that you drive your "fleet" hard and have had great results by following the manual. However, that does not prove that if you ran 5-30 for instance, you wouldn't have the same if not better results.

The funny thing here is that you have a double standard. You accuse of not have proof yet you also have none. The only buffoon here is you sir, and everyone sees it but you.

typesredline

I agree bucko. It does make for good reading. And hopefully someday some can ask a ford engineer (even though they will be greeted with "that guy was an idiot" from the crazy crowd).

Anyway my logic says that the boss motor which is fundamentally the same as the gt uses 5-50. The track pack gt with the exact same motor uses 5-50 where the standard gt uses 5-20. It is well documented that the reason for the difference is that ford feels the boss and track pack gt's will be driven harder thus need a thicker oil for protection and a thicker oil for heat dissipation.

Obviously since we have read even on this very thread that ford is the guardian angel for our cars and their recommendations will lead to forever lasting life (of the motor), they wouldn't recommend 5-50 if that oil was too thick to reach certain places in the motor.

That leads me to discredit the belief that the motor needs a thinner oil to run safely.

Now I ask myself "self!", if I drive hard, what's the harm in running 5-30? It's thinner than 50 weight in case the 20 weight fans are correct. Yet thicker for what ford clearly says is better for track driven cars.

See this is called reading and then forming a knowledgeable opinion based on known facts. Doesn't make me an expert. But it does mean that my choice is based on an open minded analysis as opposed to being hard nosed.

Bucko

^^^^
Yes, these are points that I have wondered about with this motor oil debate. I'd have to make a strong assumption that the track pack 5.0 used in the Boss goes through the same assembly engine tolorences as that of the GT 5.0, and even the V6 3.7.

We accept the fact that the track pack 5.0 was built to run "spiritedly", so Ford recommends the 5-50. So, what if you run your GT 5.0 or 3.7 V6 "spiritedly"?

So, wouldn't a higher viscocity such as 5w-30 offer some better protection in this case?

I also believe that 5w-20 is going to offer some slight gas mileage benefit, so spread over hundreds of thousands of cars sold by Ford, this helps them meet the Feds requirements for fuel economy numbers advertised. However, it is most likely not the only reason (?) for it being recommended?

My kingdom for a Ford engineer to help on this subject.

2011 Kona Blue

Doing research on the internet in no different than doing research in a library. What's the difference in obtaining information? The library has books that people can touch that have printed material that states either facts or opinions about a topic and subject. The internet has the same or very similar documents as the library only in electronic format which are written materials that state facts and opinions.

Now granted I'm not saying there isn't a lot of bull and garbage out on the web but there is also tons of good solid articles and posts that are informative and educational. So here's the million dollar question. Where does someone find good factual solid information that shows 5W20 oil is better or 5W30 oil is better too use?

Here is the part that really confuses me so perhaps your wisdom can explain! Person A owns a 2014 5.0 and the oil cap reads 5W 20 oil. Person B owns 2014 5.0 with trac pack option yet Ford recommends 5W 50 weight.

Ford engineers state that 5W 20 weight works better because it can lubricate areas of today's tight spec engines in areas better than a thicker oil say 5W 30. A base 5.0 and 5.0 with trac pack have the identical tight spec engine yet the one with the trac pack calls for 5W50. How can 5W 50 oil possibly properly lubricate two identical same engines when Ford calls for 5W 20 on the one engine. That doesn't make sense too me. So, if a 5.0 gets 5W 50 oil then why couldn't someone safely use 5W30 oil in a car that calls for 5W 20 oil and also uses 5W 50 oil? I'm lost on that?

88lx50

I think you guys are over-analyzing this. Obviously, if the same engine in the track pack car can run on the heavier oil, anything in between should be fine.

Bucko

Yes, should be fine, but here lies the issue; why is Ford stating one oil for an engine that is refered to as a track pack, and another oil in an engine that is not? I'm aware that the Boss has some additional goodies to give it a 'go faster' capability. Is it because the Boss 5.0 has forged internals? Are these forged parts requiring this difference in oil viscosity? Forged internals have different tolorences "metal to metal?

I'm guessing the Boss does not factor into any CAFE statistics for fuel economy, so I'm rulling that out.

2011 Kona Blue

Exactly my point but why. Why does the manufacturer give two different oil weight recommendations for the same exact car and engine. Yet Ford claims 5W20 provides better lubrication and engine wear because of the tight engine specs and it gets down to parts where thicker oil can't get too. Then at the same breath recommend 5W 50 oil for that same car, same engine with upgraded suspension parts. That just goes too show that 5W 30 is not going too hurt anything according too Ford.

Bucko

Not quite the same engine...the Boss's engine has forged internals. Could this be the reason it requires a different viscosity?