What engine oil for the new 5.0 TiVCT and 3.7L
 

What are you guys going to run in your new 2011 5.0 GT or 3.7 V6? I have been wondering if higher weight oil will interfere with TiVCT function. I know its a different engine and brand, but my friend has a Honda with a 4 banger and it has variable cam timing. When he put higher weight oil than was factory recommended it messed up his variable cam timing. I haven't ever heard the 3v guys saying anything about different oil messing with their VCT. I just want some thoughts on this. :dunno:

I asked a local shop about Royal purple and they said it was marketing BS.

Stick with what the manual says man. For my 08 B its Motorcraft 5w-20 semi-synthetic. You can get it cheap at wmart.
Some run full synth and run it for thousands of miles. I don't care how good full synth is for durability, you still get poison in the oil from blow-by gases and I want that junk out of my crankcase!! So why pay more when I'm going to change it within 5k anyway??

Look at what an oil separator catches:


http://www.charliehorse.com/Separator%20Shotglass.JPG

and that's with clean oil:

http://www.charliehorse.com/Separator%20Dipstick.JPG


03-04-2009
"You'll find that the Motorcraft semi is a blend oil. In the case of Motorcraft oil, unless something has changed recently, it was being bottled by Conoco-Phillips. It had the same formulation as the Phillips Trop Artic and Kendall oils. Both of these use far more GP III synthetic basestock than most other blends with the percentage closer to 60% per tech at CP. FWIW, the blends are the best of all of the oil technologies and turn in the lowest wear metals versus full synthetics. There is no standard as to how much synthetic has to be in the mix to be a blend. Apparently, a splash will do."

My Ford dealership gives free oil changes for the life of the vehicle, every 5000 miles. It's better than nothing!

Thanks for the info cdynaco. I am so paranoid that I change my oil every 3k. Do you use a Motocraft filter also? Last I heard they were made by Fram.

Stick with motorcraft filters while under warranty. I have read that fram filters (though I have used them for years in my older rigs) do not have a proper anti-drain back needed for the 4.6. I can't speak to the 5.0. Just follow your owners manual. But even if you change your own oil, if you have motorcraft products (with your receipts) they can't give you any warranty crap. Its not that big of a price difference and it is according to spec.

I don't drive in heavy conditions so I change every 5k or once per year whichever is sooner. (I rotate a few different vehicles winter and summer and don't drive every day.) The 5.0 has a larger oil pan and takes extra quarts. Regardless it gets blow-by contaminents in there.

My plan is that as long as I have factory warranty, I wait for the coupons and take it to Ford. Never to the quick change places with the teenage hacks.

Before this, I have always changed my own oil and used fram or purolator filters and have hundreds of thousands of miles without problems. So I don't think it is too critical for older cars.

But for new ones under warranty? I'll pay a few bucks to satisfy warranty and 'build a relationship' with my Dealer. If there's any problems, there will be hell to pay - out of their wallet.

IMO

PS: the VCT is sort of a hydraulic system so that's why you don't want it too thick.

That's going to get very pricey at 10 quarts per change. If I were you, I would at least double your change interval given the amount of oil in the engine. Increasing the recommended interval was one of the reasons Ford went with the larger volume of oil in the engine.

I will be using Mobil 1 EP and changing it once a year.
Will only be driving a couple of thousand of miles a years and it will be garaged in the winter months.
Been doing this with my 89 for almost 20 years.
Was doing it with my 97 Cobra also before I sold it.
Can hardly tell the difference between the old oil coming out of the car from the new oil from the bottle.

Chris ... the 5.0L holds 8 QUARTS of oil, not 10. 3.7L holds 6 QUARTS.

Filter for both engines is a Motorcraft FL-500S.

It has a 22x1.5MM thread, so interchanging to a larger element (if there is room) will require some research. On my '98 3.8L & '04 3.9L I made a filter spacer so it would accept the full size 1-Quart Ford FL-1A and ran the Pure-One PI30001 (one of the best oil filters I found). FYI std. 3.8/3.9L filter holds only a 1/2 qt, and the new 3.7/5.0L filter appears to be similar in size.

Back when I had my '98, I bought just about every filter out ther and cut them apart. Every FRAM (regardless of package hype) had the same basic element with PRESS-BOARD ends and far less media than the others !! Motorcraft, Purolator, Mobil One, were all similarly constructed with STEEL ends and more media.

Doug

for me it will be mobil 1 full syn and mobil 1 filters...or Royal Purple and mobil 1 filters.

The subject of oil and filters has been discussed to the Nth degree elsewhere on the internet. There are entire sites dedicated to it. I've taken the time to read through much of it. Use what the manual recommends: Motorcraft 5w20 and a Motorcraft FL500S filter.

From what I recall, the Motorcraft stuff rates pretty high. Plus it isn't ridiculously expensive. I've been using the 5w20 and Motorcraft filters in my Fords and I've been happy with the results. I've pasted some info on the filter and oil below.

MOTORCRAFT FILTER
From: http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfi...y.html#mc-fl1a
MOTORCRAFT 5w20 OIL:
From: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1666049

I went from the recommended 5w-20 to 5w-30 in my Dodge 4 cylinder that has (dual variable timing) vvt. I lost .4 tenths of a second on my 0 to 60 times. I changed back to the recommended oil weight.

I think i will end up using Mobil 1 in my V-6 after the first 2 or 3 oil changes. Too many 'high dollar' cars come with Mobil 1 as standard factory fill to ignore.

I used Royal Purple 5-20 and the Ford Racing oil filter due to my open track runs. I've had multiple oil sample tests run and everything checks out.
Orange....If you find a way for the FL-1A or better yet the current FL820's to fit, please post it.

Noted, thanks. I think the '10' from the 10k mile oil change interval is what stuck in my head.

I run Mobil 1, switched from Royal Purple due to cost. Mobil 1 5qt. jugs are only $22 at walmart.

As to the filters, one thing to make sure of is the anti-drainback valve. The "S" in the part number of the motorcraft filter denotes that it has a synthetic valve in it. These last longer and hold better than the rubber valves used in lesser filters. Wix filters also have this valve and also have a very high capacity filter media so they can trap more dirt before becoming clogged and they also use metal or synthetic caps on the media instead of cardboard that can deteriorate easily.

As to what weight, use the recommended 5W20, that is what the motors are designed for, what the bearing tolerances are setup for.

Also, I think that if I get a 2011 that I would probably change the filter at about the midway point of the 10K oil change interval just for extra insurance.

The "S" doesnt stand for Synthetic but your right that its not rubber.

Always use Motorcraft filters. If not, they can claim engine damage (including ticking noises in the valvetrain) is caused by an aftermarket part, thus voiding the warranty.

I see commercials for Royal Purple all the time and wonder if its any good.

I was planning on just sticking with Mobil 1 synthetic, 5-20 and a motorcraft filter though.

Aftermarket filters cannot void your warranty so long as they meet the OEM minimum specs and all the name brand filters do meet those specs.

No offense, but using that logic wouldn't that mean you should put more expensive tires, more expensive brake pads, and more expensive, well, everything on it? Just because it's "high dollar" doesn't mean it's better for a "low dollar" car.

I had some really cool 186 MPH tires on my Focus ST. They were amazing. Except the car won't go 186 MPH. Ever. Even with a tail wind. It was just extra money I paid because I wanted those tires. (they had a couple of other features that I liked.)

Also, didn't Consumer Reports do a study with NYC taxi cabs and conclude that simply changing the oil regularly was the best thing you could do for engine longevity. All the "snake oils" being sold really didn't make a difference for normal driving?

From the Wikipedia reference: According to their study, synthetic oil is "worth considering for extreme driving conditions: high ambient temperatures and high engine load, or very cold temperatures"

I won't be driving "extreme", in high ambient temperatures (Texas???), high engine load, or very cold temperatures (Alaska???)

I'll stick with Motorcraft Synthetic Blend and a Motorcraft Filter.