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  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

5w30 oil ok for 4.6?

  • Thread starter Thread starter stangg01
  • Start date Start date Jul 25, 2006
S

stangg01

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Mar 17, 2006
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#1
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #1
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.
 
S

SilverBullet00

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#2
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #2
I have run 5w-30 mobil 1 in my car for years, wouldnt use anything else.
 
K

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?
10 Year Member
Mar 30, 2005
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Jul 25, 2006
#3
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #3
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

chicks make me feel inadequate
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Jul 25, 2006
#4
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #4
i run 5w20 synblend, wouldn't use anything else (ok, maybe full synthetic)


5w30 or 10w30 should be fine
 
B

bdcardinal

tree hugger
Jun 10, 2003
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santa barbara, CA
Jul 25, 2006
#5
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #5
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

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Jul 25, 2006
#6
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • #6
Mobil 5W30 for me thanks.
 

TweekedGT

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Jul 26, 2006
#7
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #7
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.
 
B

bdcardinal

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Jun 10, 2003
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santa barbara, CA
Jul 26, 2006
#8
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #8
true, im considering running either Mobil 1 or Liquid Cosworth when i build my new motor.
 

BurningRubber

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Dec 6, 2004
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Jul 26, 2006
#9
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #9
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.
 
P

Pennywise2

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May 16, 2006
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Jul 26, 2006
#10
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #10
It really depends on what climate you live in for
what weight oil you run.
I run 10W30 Royal Purple all year around.
 

the98stang

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Aug 12, 2005
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Clovis, CA
Jul 26, 2006
#11
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #11
5w30 in the summer
5w20 in the winter

Mobil 1 synthetic and motorcraft filter
 
R

RochesterGT

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Jul 18, 2006
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Penfield, NY
Jul 26, 2006
#12
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #12
Royal Purple 5w-30 or go home.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
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Jul 26, 2006
#13
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #13
Kilgore Trout said:
The tolerances of the 4.6 are so mad tyte that you have to run a slightly thinner oil than what regular engines use
Click to expand...


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

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
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Canada
Jul 26, 2006
#14
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #14
Judging by the noises my engine makes when it's cold I highly doubt the tightness of the tolerances...
 

steveb24

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wilmington, DE
Jul 26, 2006
#15
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #15
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.
 
W

Will Smith

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Aug 8, 2004
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Cape Coral, FL
Jul 26, 2006
#16
  • Jul 26, 2006
  • #16
stangg01 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
0

01Steeda

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May 29, 2005
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Jul 27, 2006
#17
  • Jul 27, 2006
  • #17
I live in the deep south and mine says 5W-20
 

timeless2

Vi Veri Veni Versum Vicus Vici
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Nov 29, 1999
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Jul 27, 2006
#18
  • Jul 27, 2006
  • #18
stangg01 said:
Can I use 5w30 engine oil for my 4.6 GT instead of 5w20 as required?
Click to expand...
Yes.
It has been stated that 5w-20 was chosen to help the fleet meet CAFE standards.
 
R

rs-turbo

Founding Member
Aug 14, 2001
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Orlando, Florida
Jul 27, 2006
#19
  • Jul 27, 2006
  • #19
timeless2 said:
Yes.
It has been stated that 5w-20 was chosen to help the fleet meet CAFE standards.
Click to expand...

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.
 
S

stangg01

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Mar 17, 2006
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Jul 28, 2006
#20
  • Jul 28, 2006
  • #20
This was helpful

Thanks everyone
 
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