5w30 oil ok for 4.6?

[stangg01]

Can I use 5w30 engine oil for my 4.6 GT instead of 5w20 as required? I couldn't find 5w20 synthetic blend oil at Pep boys. I found 5w30 synthetic blend oil. I know that the 30 means that it can handle a higher temperature ranges on a conventional engine. My concern is that modular engines might be different and require 5w20 only for tolerance reasons.

I think this is a stupid question but I don't want to be wrong.

 

[SilverBullet00]

I have run 5w-30 mobil 1 in my car for years, wouldnt use anything else.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

WalMart should have Motorcraft 5W-20 for cheap and FL-820S filters also...

The tolerances of the 4.6 are so mad tyte that you have to run a slightly thinner oil than what regular engines use

Also, Motorcraft is a special synthetic blend that is touched by the hand of teh Mustang God... Here is what the Bullitt Archive has to say about it: http://www.bullittarchive.com/5012.htm

 

[Superhereaux]

i run 5w20 synblend, wouldn't use anything else (ok, maybe full synthetic)


5w30 or 10w30 should be fine

 

[bdcardinal]

these motors were originally designed to run on 5w30. there are no internal tolerance differences from when ford specified 5w30 or 5w20. you will have no problems.

 

[ToplessStang]

Mobil 5W30 for me thanks.

 

[TweekedGT]

Use 0w30 or 0w40 Mobil 1 for your car. I've just gone through a major training session for work on lubricant properties and engine wear. There is no better oil out there. All synthetics are not made equal. Some companies call there synthetic oils synthetic only because they have hydrocracked them. The governement in Britian and the US have given them legal right to call them that when they are actually not. Sorry, just fits right in with what I've been doing for the last few days. No I don't have shares in Mobil, just through testing it is a far superior product.

 

[bdcardinal]

true, im considering running either Mobil 1 or Liquid Cosworth when i build my new motor.

 

[BurningRubber]

Im running Motorcraft 5w-30. It calls for it right in my owners manual, at it gets hotter than hell here in the summer. Definatly dont want too thin of an oil.

 

[Pennywise2]

It really depends on what climate you live in for
what weight oil you run.
I run 10W30 Royal Purple all year around.

 

[the98stang]

5w30 in the summer
5w20 in the winter

Mobil 1 synthetic and motorcraft filter

 

[RochesterGT]

Royal Purple 5w-30 or go home.

 

[Mustang5L5]

The tolerances of the 4.6 are so mad tyte that you have to run a slightly thinner oil than what regular engines use

Actually, the 4.6L was designed with tolerances for 5W-30 oil.

Ford found however that switching to 5W-20 in all 4.6's around 2001-2002 would bump fuel economy by ~0.25MPG and help it's CAFE number. They didn't change any tolerances.


I could care less about the ~0.25 MPG, i'll run the oil the motor was engineered to use.

 

[trinity_gt]

Judging by the noises my engine makes when it's cold I highly doubt the tightness of the tolerances...

 

[steveb24]

mustang5l5 knows the truth. thats why in our owners manuel and on our oil caps it changed from 5w-30 to 5w-20 in 2001. as for me and my stang, royal purple 5w-20 and motorcraft filter. and i gotta get it from mt cause thats the only place i can find rp 5w-20. plus its cheaper with the free shippin and discount by almost 8 bux than pepboys.

 

[Will Smith]

Can I use 5w30 engine oil for my 4.6 GT instead of 5w20 as required? I couldn't find 5w20 synthetic blend oil at Pep boys. I found 5w30 synthetic blend oil. I know that the 30 means that it can handle a higher temperature ranges on a conventional engine. My concern is that modular engines might be different and require 5w20 only for tolerance reasons.

I think this is a stupid question but I don't want to be wrong.

depending on where u live ford puts different labels on the mustang. If u live up north they put 5-20 if u live in the middle belt of states they typically put 5-30 and if u live down south they put 10-30. it all depends on where u live and the temps u have. so base it off where u live.

For delaware 5-30 should be fine

 

[01Steeda]

I live in the deep south and mine says 5W-20

 

[timeless2]

Can I use 5w30 engine oil for my 4.6 GT instead of 5w20 as required?

Yes.
It has been stated that 5w-20 was chosen to help the fleet meet CAFE standards.

 

[rs-turbo]

Yes.
It has been stated that 5w-20 was chosen to help the fleet meet CAFE standards.

As an Amsoil Dealer, this is what we were told as well. Same holds true for Honda who also switched to 5W-20. But if you go out of the country, I understand they all still say 5W-30. I'm still running 5W-30 in my 99, and 0W-30 in my wife's Honda.

One of the other Dealers I know tried different viscocities in his Explorer (or Expedition) with a few of the various Amsoil oils, ranging between 0W-30, 5W-20, and 5W-30. After several thousand miles on each, he did note that he did get some extra MPG from the 5W-20.

 

[stangg01]

This was helpful

Thanks everyone