can I run 5-20 if I change it ever 1500k or so?

[Teddy GreeneII]

Unfortunately my sister and her fiance split up recently, he left about 3 cases of mobil 1 5-20 in her garage, just wondering, can I run it if I change it out more often. Little concerned about the heat but I dont run my truck hard either. Wondering if it would do any harm to change it to that and see how it does. I can change it out every 1500 or whatever seeing that I have 3 cases, guess im being cheap but its a lot of savings even if I do swap it out halfway through. Can any damage happen? thanks guys.

 

[Glenn Lyle]

don't know about it really, but I'm cheap too - try swapping it for the kind you normally use. It ain't like it's expired or anything



Worth trying if those in the know tell you not to use it!!!!!!

 

[Tom Schindler]

5W20 is not recomended for the 4.0L SOHC engine. With that being said, do you honestly hink it is worth it?



IMO, I would not chance it.





Tom

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Mobil 1? I'm no expert, but I'd do it. The full synthetics don't break down like the dino oil, so I'm guessing you could go 3,000 miles. I seem to recall someone even saying they used 0W20, which I had never even heard of before I saw it here.



I'm sure someone here will give some expert advice. You could also check the label on the can/bottle to see whether the Mobil 1 oil meets the specs in the owners manual. I'm betting it does.

 

[Bill Ellis]

0W20 vs 5W30 has nothing to do with the change interval. Oil does not "break down". Rather, the additives that suspend dirt and counteract acids do become depleted in all oils. In general, synthetics have longer service life because they do both of those things longer than dino oil. Chances are, for normal driving, not towing, 0W20 probably won't hurt anything. But, note the word "probably" here. If you use it and all is well, you'll find out that it's OK. However, if you fry your engine due to lower than recommended oil viscosity you'll find the cost of a new engine to be a lot higher than those cases of oil. If you live in a cold winter climate, use it then but only if you are doing normal duty driving. Many here don't remember the days of single viscosity oil [10W30, etc, weren't around yet] when we always put straight 5 or 10 weight oil in the engine. 20 years ago just about all engines used 10W40 oil. Now, with better materials and closer tolerance fits, most engines use 5W30 or even 0W20. I suspect with the Mobil 1 you would have no problem as long as you do normal service driving. Just my opinion.....but, I wouldn't try it myself. I'd find someone to buy the oil for about half of the retail price.

 

[Teddy GreeneII]

Yeah, my concern is the heat and the 20 number, if its a 5 in the pan, thats that but Im wondering if the 20 side of things is enough to protect it for say 1k or 1500 miles. thanks guys.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Teddy,



It isn't so much that it will only be able to protect for so many miles, it is the fact that the oil is not designed to be used in the 4.0L SOHC engine. It doesn't matter if it is used for 100 miles or 100,000 miles. It isn't the right oil for the engine.



1500 miles isn't much, 1500 miles is long enough to cause damamge if any should occor. Is possible engine damage worth the savings you get from "free oil".



The engine is not designed to run 5W20 oil. It doesn't matter if it is only 1500 miles. It doesn't matter if it is 1000 miles, or even 500 miles. It isn't designed to run with 5W20.



That is the point.



You could try running it. Heck, it might run great. You might feel you want to run the oil 5000 miles.



You could also subject your engine to damage that does not show up until 45,000 miles. Maybe sooner. Then you will be upset, blame Ford for building a crappy engine and have to fork out thousands of dollars in engine repairs. Was the damamge caused by the oil? You really wouldn't know for sure.



Is it honestly worth it? I mean seriously, is it really worth it? Do you want our opinions or do you want to rely on the recomendations of the engineers that design, build, and sell the 4.0L SOHC engine.



Our recomendations and ideas are not scientifically based. We can only recomend something that works for us. Personally, my engine is worth more then a case or two of oil. Find a car that uses 5W20 and use it in it. Use the proper oil in the engine. 5W30.





Tom

 

[Mark B]

Here's an interesting letter from Ford Engineering. It's for 2004 models, the guy states 5W-20 is recommended for all Ford vehicles except the SVT Focus 2.0L Zetec HP and all 4.0L V6s. Manufacturers love to standardize materials, it's unusual they wouldn't spec 5W-20 across the board. There must be some good reason Ford makes an exception for these 2 motors although that's not explained.



I always thought the SF, SG, SH... rating was the important thing and you could vary viscosity ratings as needed depending on climate and season. Maybe not anymore.

 

[Teddy GreeneII]

Thanks guys.

 

[Tom Schindler]

fy10lyny,



I know what you mean about the API designations. I think the main thing to look at is the W20 part. 0W30 would work, 5W30 would work, and 10W30 would work. 5W20 doesn't. Is it because of the lower "hot" viscosity. Maybe the oil is just too thin to lubricate the 4.0L properly.





Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

I agree with Tom. Don't run the stuff unless you don't care about your Trac.

 

[Tom Schindler]

At the same time, don't run it in yourf Trac if you plan on selling it. Some family might spend thier hard working money on it and if it fails, Ford Motor Company is the SOB for building a bad car, not the prior owner. We seem to forget that the vehicle will be sold to someone else.



Just don't use it.





Tom

 

[Dre L]

Just ebay the oil man.

 

[Cory Richards]

I wouldn't care if I got free 5W20 oil for life..if the owner's manual doesn't recommend it for my engine, I ain't using it.