The Great Oil Debate

o2sys

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Damn, Bruce got me wondering if I should not use my 10W-30 that JDM speced to break in my new motor!!!

Maybe I should just use 5w-20/30...

Damn it Bruce...you make a good argument!!

Anyone need 8 quarts of VR1 10W-30? lol
Although my engine builder said my bearings looked normal after 10K miles. lol
Been running 10W-30 the whole 10K miles.

But I will ultimately go with what my engine builder specs.


JDM only recommends vr1 10w-30 for break in only.
 

Pentalab

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The coyote will run most oil you throw at it. Most people run 5w-20 or 5w-30 for everyday driving. Most time 5w-50 is only used when you are going to autocross the car. Just run 5w-20 or 5w-30. Which ever one makes you sleep better at night. I run what ever full synthetic is on sale.

5w-50 is only recommend to track pack and the BOSS due to people who buy those cars have a higher chance of autocrossing them then a normal GT. As that's the money you spent extra for is factory autocross parts.

A typ 60 second autocross run is not going to tax anything..including brakes.
100% synthetic 5W-30 would be more than ample for DD / auto cross.
If you are going to do 20-30 min track sessions with the car, then sure, 5W-50 is preferred, and perhaps an oil cooler, bigger eng rad, hood vents etc, etc. IMO, 5W-50 will be too thick for fall / winter use. No big deal, since if you change the oil twice a year, just use 5W-20/30 in fall/winter ...and 5W-50 in spring /summer.
 

deepimpact

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oil with sc

I know this has been talked about before but I can't seem to find it anyhow. I always like royal purple oil but should I run the factory weight or go with something heavier with the SC ?
 

BruceH

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I know this has been talked about before but I can't seem to find it anyhow. I always like royal purple oil but should I run the factory weight or go with something heavier with the SC ?

Is the supercharger somehow changing your bearing and cam journal clearances?

BTW this will be merged into the oil thread.
 

deepimpact

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I see it is here now and that is what I was thinking as well my internals are all the same but I noticed some guys running heavier cause the extra power I think royal purple 5 20 is fine just wanted to get some more input on this mainly cause I'm due for an oil change just don't wanna waste money on it if I need to change
 
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stkjock

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guys running heaver weights may not have stock motors
 

BruceH

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I see it is here now and that is what I was thinking as well my internals are all the same but I noticed some guys running heavier cause the extra power I think royal purple 5 20 is fine just wanted to get some more input on this mainly cause I'm due for an oil change just don't wanna waste money on it if I need to change

I gave you a smart ass answer but it was for a reason. Many people believe they need thicker oil. Why? Because someone else said so? I'm somewhat opinionated when it comes to blindly switching things like oil viscosity.

IMO you can get away with 5w-30 with the 3v clearances but why do it? The motor is designed around 5w-20. One thing in common with spun bearings and stock mod motors is that the owners used thick oil. It doesn't happen right away but a thicker oil will not flow through the bearing clearances in the same volume or pressure as 5w-20. This reduces cooling and the oil wedge that provides positive separation between the bearings and components. The oil has to go through the bottom end and still have enough volume and pressure to make it to the top end. In the top end it has to pressurize the lash adjusters, maintain a wedge for the cams, and make it to the phasers.

I'm sure that many people will tell you to run delo 15w-40 or some crazy thing like that but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

It's a pet peeve of mine. Ford makes a fantastic product with machinery that can hold tight tolerances and some people want to treat it like it's a small block chevy 350 from 1976. All in the name of protecting the motor because of the "stupid" Ford engineers.

I decided some time ago that I don't have the knowledge, education, or experience to reengineer the fluid dynamics of the lubrication system for the mod motor. If something were failing then maybe I'd give it a try. As is the mod motors are capable of handling large amounts of power in stock form. The breaking point is usually the rods, not the lubrication system.
 

Pentalab

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I see it is here now and that is what I was thinking as well my internals are all the same but I noticed some guys running heavier cause the extra power I think royal purple 5 20 is fine just wanted to get some more input on this mainly cause I'm due for an oil change just don't wanna waste money on it if I need to change

What year is your car ?

FWIW. Saleen sez to use 5W-20 if NA..and 5W-30 if their blower is used. (oem 05-10 3V eng)
 
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Grabber

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I run 5W50 in my 14' 5.0 Not just because the oil cap says so, but, during Chicago summer which a lot of people take lightly (100 degree temps PLUS 60% and up humidity) I do a lot of heavy driving in my car and the oil will shear down to a 5W30 easily with these temps.

My car is bolt-ons for now, but, I want to run a thicker weight oil to add more protection to my motor. I am sure I could run a 5W30 all day in Amsoil, but, I figure for the same price, the thicker oil will not hurt my car and in fact give it a slight bump in protection.

My thought on this anyhow.
 

deepimpact

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I gave you a smart ass answer but it was for a reason. Many people believe they need thicker oil. Why? Because someone else said so? I'm somewhat opinionated when it comes to blindly switching things like oil viscosity.

IMO you can get away with 5w-30 with the 3v clearances but why do it? The motor is designed around 5w-20. One thing in common with spun bearings and stock mod motors is that the owners used thick oil. It doesn't happen right away but a thicker oil will not flow through the bearing clearances in the same volume or pressure as 5w-20. This reduces cooling and the oil wedge that provides positive separation between the bearings and components. The oil has to go through the bottom end and still have enough volume and pressure to make it to the top end. In the top end it has to pressurize the lash adjusters, maintain a wedge for the cams, and make it to the phasers.

I'm sure that many people will tell you to run delo 15w-40 or some crazy thing like that but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

It's a pet peeve of mine. Ford makes a fantastic product with machinery that can hold tight tolerances and some people want to treat it like it's a small block chevy 350 from 1976. All in the name of protecting the motor because of the "stupid" Ford engineers.

I decided some time ago that I don't have the knowledge, education, or experience to reengineer the fluid dynamics of the lubrication system for the mod motor. If something were failing then maybe I'd give it a try. As is the mod motors are capable of handling large amounts of power in stock form. The breaking point is usually the rods, not the lubrication system.


Lmao enuf said yea and if it is like old 5.0 push rod motor they never like thick oil too I agree completely the oil has to flow between the bearings fast enough to lube I didn't take it smart assed at all I knew where you were going already. Then again some guys may have aftermarket motors with this application.
 

BruceH

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Lmao enuf said yea and if it is like old 5.0 push rod motor they never like thick oil too I agree completely the oil has to flow between the bearings fast enough to lube I didn't take it smart assed at all I knew where you were going already. Then again some guys may have aftermarket motors with this application.

I agree. Custom motors are a whole different thing. IMO it would be fairly difficult to increase the bearing clearance on a mod motor and be able to get enough oil to the top end to keep positive separation for the cam journals. Higher oil pressure along with larger clearances and a thicker medium (oil) should be able to compensate. If it was electricity there would be a simple formula like ohms law that would tell you how changing parameters like resistance (clearances) changes flow (amperage) and psi (voltage).

There probably is a formula out there for fluid dynamics that calculates the restrictions, viscosity, psi, and volume. From that a person would need to know what specific parameters are needed to maintain an oil wedge for rotating components throughout their operating range and insure that parameter was met on the top end.
 

bujeezus

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i've been drinkin tonite so forgive me if this had been brought up, but Bruce, you seem to really know yer shit. have you heard that Ford Europe recommends 5w-30? i swear i've seen that somewhere but what do i know? i'm drunk.
 

skwerl

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i've been drinkin tonite so forgive me if this had been brought up, but Bruce, you seem to really know yer shit. have you heard that Ford Europe recommends 5w-30? i swear i've seen that somewhere but what do i know? i'm drunk.

5w-20 is only an American standard to maximize fuel economy requirements. The same cars and engines have 5w-30 recommendations everywhere else in the world. This is why I run 5w-30.
 

BruceH

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5w-20 is only an American standard to maximize fuel economy requirements. The same cars and engines have 5w-30 recommendations everywhere else in the world. This is why I run 5w-30.

Other countries didn't have the capability of manufacturing 5w-20 until recently.

i've been drinkin tonite so forgive me if this had been brought up, but Bruce, you seem to really know yer shit. have you heard that Ford Europe recommends 5w-30? i swear i've seen that somewhere but what do i know? i'm drunk.


I've heard a whole lot of things but I'm a skeptic when it flys in the face of reality or common sense. You may certainly come to your own conclusions, it's your motor after all. You paid for it and you take care of it. I've seen enough spun bearing threads with the common theme of using a thicker oil to protect the motor to stick with my line of thought.

I do not believe there would be a noticeable difference in mpg between 5w-20 and 5w-30 to make a difference. I do believe that places like bitog have more bad info from people with "man cards" than good info. But that's me, I don't think like others.
 

Wraith

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Tranny and gear oil

What you guys using gonna need to pick some up at some point soon when I out this heep back together.


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JUSTA3V

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Mobil 1

Or penzoil synchromesh

Or unicorn tears... Just depends on which tranny and gear carrier you are using.
 

07 Boss

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Wastoldfrommyfirsttrannybuilderto mercon v now new rebuild IDK but he added some other micro lube that he has sean reduce temps always used dino oil in back 80-90 think ford recommends 75-140 something like that
 

TGR96

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Forum member Greg Hazlett is an Amsoil dealer. When it warms up and I decide to start working on my car again, I am going to hit him up for some Amsoil transmission oil for my crappy MT-82 and some gear oil for the rear diff.

You may want to shoot him a PM.
 

Wraith

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Thanks TGR I know that Greg H guy!


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