What engine oil and viscosity are you using?

Monkeyporn

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I used Motorcraft 5W-20 semi-synthetic for the first 80k miles. Since then, I've been running Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 full synthetic and the engine's currently at 103k miles. I change the engine oil/filter religiously every 5k miles and the oil level hardly moves.
After I installed oil catch cans some five years ago, I noticed the engine oil stays cleaner for longer. Therefore I'd highly recommend a driver's side catch can at any mileage (a passenger side catch can is overkill but it's a bit more underhood bling.

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Thanks DINO your always bring the good advice. I've been contemplating getting a catch can. You got any recommendations on which one to get as I value your opinions. I've been using the Mobil One 5w20 full Syn changed every 5000 miles.
 

Dino Dino Bambino

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Thanks DINO your always bring the good advice. I've been contemplating getting a catch can. You got any recommendations on which one to get as I value your opinions. I've been using the Mobil One 5w20 full Syn changed every 5000 miles.
Mine is almost identical to this and it works very nicely.:


There's absolutely no need to go for a $100+ unit.
 

Laga

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My wife drove our 05 3 days a week to work. It was a 4 mile round trip. That’s about the worst thing you can do to a modern engine. After 12 years, she retired and I installed a Edelbrock supercharger @ 48K miles. 3 years, and 12K miles later, and a lot of track time. I had the engine rebuilt with forged rods and pistons.
I was there was the shop was dismantling the engine. The owner of the shop was measuring everything to see what work would be needed. Everything was within factory specifications for a new engine. I guess that Amsoil 0W-20 really works.
Now that I removed the PCV valve and run catch cans. I use Amsoil Dominnator Racing Oil 5-20 which contains zinc.
 

rocknrod

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My wife drove our 05 3 days a week to work. It was a 4 mile round trip. That’s about the worst thing you can do to a modern engine. After 12 years, she retired and I installed a Edelbrock supercharger @ 48K miles. 3 years, and 12K miles later, and a lot of track time. I had the engine rebuilt with forged rods and pistons.
I was there was the shop was dismantling the engine. The owner of the shop was measuring everything to see what work would be needed. Everything was within factory specifications for a new engine. I guess that Amsoil 0W-20 really works.
Now that I removed the PCV valve and run catch cans. I use Amsoil Dominnator Racing Oil 5-20 which contains zinc.
Impressive. Zinc on the older engines was for cam break-in and damage caused by not having zinc. So your using a zinc infused oil now, any reason?
 

Laga

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Impressive. Zinc on the older engines was for cam break-in and damage caused by not having zinc. So your using a zinc infused oil now, any reason?
I’m running 11 pounds of boost along with E85. I didn’t pick Amsoil Racing Oil because of it. Amsoil puts it in there for protection for high performance engines. Zinc will clog up a catalytic converter, but without a PCV valve the amount will be minimal. In a normal year, which this year being far from normal, I take to the drag strip and HPRE track days multiple times a year.
 

Juice

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Mobil 1 or Supertech.
10W40 High milage M1 as they dont sell 10W40 full synth M1. In the bikes that call for 10w40.
ST 10W30 synthetic in the 'general purpose' Fords that call for 5w20.
Been using it for years, on a "once a year" change. Used to put over 10K on the daily car per year, much less now. Current odo is at 185,000 on the Grand Marquis.
0w40 M1 in the Coyote. Engine has over 100,000 now.

Ps: overheating is the achilies heel of these aluminum modulars. So don't ingore a very minor coolant leak! And never ever drive it overheating. Yes, it is cheaper to get it towed vs melting down the engine.
 
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SVT Rider

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I used Motorcraft 5w-20 synthetic mix and FL820S Motorcraft filters for much of my 07's daily driving. The filter is really a good filter with the proper anti-drainback valve.
Once the car became a HPDE road course car, I switched to 5w-30. The 5w-30 is a better oil weight all around, especially if you don't know if the timing chain tensioners have leaks reducing your top-end pressure.

I'm now using: Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-30 with the Ford Performance Oil filter (M-6731-FL820).
Noticeable difference in this Pennzoil on my engine after trying a couple other brands of 5w-30.

Highly recommend a oil separator can on the driver's-side valve cover. Requires you dump it at every oil change, but it keeps the engine so much cleaner.
 

JC SSP

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To the OP… do an oil analysis from Blackstone. For $40 it is a no brainer, especially if you don’t have service records or not sure how the vehicle was treated.

Regarding oil brands, I use Mobile 1 5W-30 on all my Mustangs. My Audi gets 5W-40 Liqui Moly and my new Dodge Durango R/T gets factory 5W-20 Penzoil Platinum. All with factory oil filters.

The important thing… use quality oil and filters and change at a regular interval.

Post some pics of your new Mustang.
 

Monkeyporn

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I used Motorcraft 5w-20 synthetic mix and FL820S Motorcraft filters for much of my 07's daily driving. The filter is really a good filter with the proper anti-drainback valve.
Once the car became a HPDE road course car, I switched to 5w-30. The 5w-30 is a better oil weight all around, especially if you don't know if the timing chain tensioners have leaks reducing your top-end pressure.

I'm now using: Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-30 with the Ford Performance Oil filter (M-6731-FL820).
Noticeable difference in this Pennzoil on my engine after trying a couple other brands of 5w-30.

Highly recommend a oil separator can on the driver's-side valve cover. Requires you dump it at every oil change, but it keeps the engine so much cleaner.
Please explain WHY the catch can should be on the Drivers Side ? Why should it be on the divers ide as opposed to the passenger side where there is so much more room to install ? Thanks Brandi
 

Dino Dino Bambino

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Please explain WHY the catch can should be on the Drivers Side ? Why should it be on the divers ide as opposed to the passenger side where there is so much more room to install ? Thanks Brandi
The driver's side is where the intake manifold vacuum (naturally-aspirated engine) draws oil vapors from the crankcase via the PCV hose. On the passenger side, the vacuum under the valve cover (again in a naturally aspirated engine) pulls in fresh air from the intake tube in front of the throttle body. That should be oil free unless you have piston ring/bore blow by. Therefore a passenger side oil catch can is overkill though there's no harm in putting one there anyway.
Keep in mind that you need 5/8" rubber hose plus catch can fittings on the driver's side, and 3/8" rubber hose plus catch can fittings on the passenger side.
 
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Pentalab

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The driver's side is where the intake manifold vacuum (naturally-aspirated engine) draws oil vapors from the crankcase via the PCV hose. On the passenger side, the vacuum under the valve cover (again in a naturally aspirated engine) pulls in fresh air from the intake tube in front of the throttle body. That should be oil free unless you have piston ring/bore blow by. Therefore a passenger side oil catch can is overkill though there's no harm in putting one there anyway.
Keep in mind that you need 5/8" rubber hose plus catch can fittings on the driver's side, and 3/8" rubber hose plus catch can fittings on the passenger side.
Nailed it. catch can goes on the driver's side. With ford semi synthetic 5W-20 oil used, my catch can would be almost full to the top, and look like a chocolate milkshake. It's a mixture of oil + moisture + gasoline.

With 100% synthetic 5W-20 / 5W-30 / 0w-30 oil, made by anybody, I get barely anything in the catch can...and it looks like new eng oil too.

Without the catch can, all that choc milkshake crap ends up on the blower elbow, all over the rotors in the M-90 blower, and all over the intercooler, and also all over the aluminum roush intake manifold....pooling up in the 4 x corners. It will also lower the octane of the gasoline used. It's one helluva mess without the catch can.

And that Ford semi synthetic crap is only 3% synthetic and 97% dino oil.
 

Miker

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Catch cans are illegal in CA! Oh the horror!
I would rather run 10W-30 instead of 5W-30 for the shear stableness of the oil.
I see a few are running the 10w-30. What is the downside if you are in a warmer climate? Seems I have read something about oil not getting where it needs to fast enough on initial startup with the 10w-30. Also read that the bypass valve could open with too much pressure with the thicker oil.
 

SVT Rider

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Catch cans are illegal in CA! Oh the horror!
I would rather run 10W-30 instead of 5W-30 for the shear stableness of the oil.
I see a few are running the 10w-30. What is the downside if you are in a warmer climate? Seems I have read something about oil not getting where it needs to fast enough on initial startup with the 10w-30. Also read that the bypass valve could open with too much pressure with the thicker oil.
Are you sure it is Catch Cans and not vent breathers that are illegal in CA? I wouldn't put it past the state, but the closed system Can separator seems stupid (but so are a bunch of other laws and taxes in that state).

As for the winter weight of 5w vs 10w, the weight difference in warmer climates is likely negligible since the temperature/viscosity curves will converge at 30 at the higher temp. However, I seem to recall there are other characteristics of initial startup that the 5w helps with in the Modular 4.6L 3V (VVT with the oil pressurized sprocket, maybe?). I do hear you about the shear stability due to viscosity modifiers that wear down after time. I change the oil enough and do oil tests to confirm the viscosity has not lowered outside the 5w-30 rating, which makes it justified in my mind that the 5w-30 is holding up with track duty.
 
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Miker

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Are you sure it is Catch Cans and not vent breathers that are illegal in CA? I wouldn't put it past the state, but the closed system Can separator seems stupid (but so are a bunch of other laws and taxes in that state).
Any modification to the emissions system in CA is a fail at the bi-annual smog check.
 

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