I am currently using Mobil 1 5w20w right now, but I feel that it might not be protecting it as good as I would like it to in the summer time. I do not take short trips, they are normally at least 15 miles in length, and I am not a aggressive driver. Occasionally I do pull a trailer, so what would you guys suggest. Thank you
Best oil for a 01 5.4.l F150 with 64k
- Thread starter kdoss
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I have never owned a F150, but I have towed with other vehicles.
If you are going to pull a trailer even once, I would suggest that you be sure the cooling system is well maintained, and that the trany fluid and filter are changed on the most often recommended interval. Also add a trany cooler that has a cold by-pass valve so the trany will still come up to temperature fast on cold days, but not get too hot when you tow. If you have not flushed the cooling system and put new fluid in every three or four years, with a 01 vehicle I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat. Be sure to get the thermostat from the dealer, many after-market thermostats are bad or marginal.
As for oil, GC, Rotella 6T, M1 TDT would be great choices, the thicker oils would give you a little added protection if the vehicle ever ran hot.
Just my 2 cents worth.
If you are going to pull a trailer even once, I would suggest that you be sure the cooling system is well maintained, and that the trany fluid and filter are changed on the most often recommended interval. Also add a trany cooler that has a cold by-pass valve so the trany will still come up to temperature fast on cold days, but not get too hot when you tow. If you have not flushed the cooling system and put new fluid in every three or four years, with a 01 vehicle I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat. Be sure to get the thermostat from the dealer, many after-market thermostats are bad or marginal.
As for oil, GC, Rotella 6T, M1 TDT would be great choices, the thicker oils would give you a little added protection if the vehicle ever ran hot.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Rotella T6 & Mobil 1 TDT are way too thick for that application.
AZjeff
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Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat.
Seriously?? It's 10 years old with 64K miles. What would ruin the entire cooling system?
I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat.
Seriously?? It's 10 years old with 64K miles. What would ruin the entire cooling system?
Originally Posted By: kdoss
I feel that it might not be protecting it as good as I would like it to in the summer time.Thank you
I get the same feeling. I run 5w-30 in my 2005 Focus in the summer, and 5w-20 - winter. Next winter I'll look for an even thinner 5w-20 than the one I'm using now because that 4 cylinder idles too rough on cold mornings.
I feel that it might not be protecting it as good as I would like it to in the summer time.Thank you
I get the same feeling. I run 5w-30 in my 2005 Focus in the summer, and 5w-20 - winter. Next winter I'll look for an even thinner 5w-20 than the one I'm using now because that 4 cylinder idles too rough on cold mornings.
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat.
Seriously?? It's 10 years old with 64K miles. What would ruin the entire cooling system?
Time. Think time, not miles when it comes to rust in the cooling system.
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
I would flush it and then replace the radiator, heater core, all hoses, water pump, and install a original equipment thermostat.
Seriously?? It's 10 years old with 64K miles. What would ruin the entire cooling system?
Time. Think time, not miles when it comes to rust in the cooling system.
Originally Posted By: dparm
Rotella T6 & Mobil 1 TDT are way too thick for that application.
He is looking for a summer oil and he may tow with it. He is also looking for something thicker than the 5W-20 he is using in the winter.
For summer and towing I would still go with GC, or Rotella 6T, or M1 TDT.
Rotella T6 & Mobil 1 TDT are way too thick for that application.
He is looking for a summer oil and he may tow with it. He is also looking for something thicker than the 5W-20 he is using in the winter.
For summer and towing I would still go with GC, or Rotella 6T, or M1 TDT.
5/20 is too thin. does it not spec a 5/30?
i would use a 0/30 year round if it was mine
i would use a 0/30 year round if it was mine
Use your M1 5w-20 with great confidence.Ford spent a bundle of money and time on r&d to spec. 5-20 for the Modular design engines,as has been stated here before many times,you'll have no problems towing or not hot or cold.Not to mention you are using a very good syn. the spec was made with the use of conventional oil in mind so you are already exceeding the recommendiation of FoMoCo.
OVERKILL
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You have an engine that was originally spec'd for 5w30 in previous years (I have the same engine).
I have used a host of oils in this engine including what you are using currently. My choice for the "best" oil in this application is M1 AFE 0w30. Severe service in a hotter climate I'd probably lean toward M1 0w40, which I've also used.
Use a Motorcraft filter on it.
BTW, what transmission do you have in it?
Check to see if it has a drain plug in the pan. If it does, you have the 4R100. It not, you have the 4R75W. '01 SHOULD have a converter drain plug as well, makes it pretty easy to drain the entire ATF system.
If you have the aux trans cooler (you should be able to tell by the lines coming off the transmission) it has an integrated thermal circuit anyways. You likely also have an oil cooler if you have the tow package.
I have used a host of oils in this engine including what you are using currently. My choice for the "best" oil in this application is M1 AFE 0w30. Severe service in a hotter climate I'd probably lean toward M1 0w40, which I've also used.
Use a Motorcraft filter on it.
BTW, what transmission do you have in it?
Check to see if it has a drain plug in the pan. If it does, you have the 4R100. It not, you have the 4R75W. '01 SHOULD have a converter drain plug as well, makes it pretty easy to drain the entire ATF system.
If you have the aux trans cooler (you should be able to tell by the lines coming off the transmission) it has an integrated thermal circuit anyways. You likely also have an oil cooler if you have the tow package.
kdoss: Is your head spinning yet from all the divergent opinions? ( : < )
Your truck will work very well with 5W20, towing or not. Ford has proved that over the past decade or so and if the engines were dropping like flies, we'd be hearing about it. I also urge you to start monitoring the oil analysis threads concerning the modular V8s. You won't find any bad UOAs due to 5W20 oil either, no matter what the operational situation. A 5W20 isn't always the right choice, but it's right 98 percent of the time and, I think, for you.
If you short hop it most of the time, the 5W20 is ideal because you are dealing with a situation where the oil seldom gets fully heated up. It takes about 15-20 mile of continuous driving to bring my 5.4L engine oil temp all the way to normal (which varies according to climate and workload.) Until oil reaches it's 100C (210F) viscosity temperature, it's running thicker. On a short hop, your 20 grade oil may spend the majority of it's time running in the 30 or 40 viscosity grade. Imagine what a 40 grade will do. Your engine will waste a lot of energy spinning in that thick oil and your cold oil flow is reduced. For the most part, neither of those things are terminal situations but they are far from optimal.
Also, a good 5W20 is robust enough to handle an occasional towing situation. Probably enough to handle a lot more than that. If you were to go coast-to-coast some hot summer with a capacity load, that would be the time to upgrade viscosity because it's likely oil temps would dictate a jump to a thicker oil. As the oil passes that 210F point, it begins to get thinner. Again, over short periods, and with reasonable temperatures, it's not harmful to go a bit over temp. It's been proven time and time again that there is plenty of safety factor built in.
Logic and efficiency dictates that if the engine spends most of the time running easy, why spend most of it running in a sub-obtimal condition with an oil thicker than it needs just to cover that small percentage of the time when you are running at the edge. Especially when the 5W20 can cover you during those times.
As to 64K on a well maintained engine... it's unlikely anything is worn enough to need a thicker oil due to increased bearing thicknesses. Those modulars stay pretty tight.
I also run a 5.4L, but its's the later 3V version. Mine is a working truck (on a farm). I monitor oil temperature and seldom does it exceed 210F, and then only by a few degrees. I don't need anything thicker and I don't think you do either. If you're worried, go back up to the 5W30 that's in your manual and sleep better.... but 5W20 will be fine. Maybe even optimal.
Your truck will work very well with 5W20, towing or not. Ford has proved that over the past decade or so and if the engines were dropping like flies, we'd be hearing about it. I also urge you to start monitoring the oil analysis threads concerning the modular V8s. You won't find any bad UOAs due to 5W20 oil either, no matter what the operational situation. A 5W20 isn't always the right choice, but it's right 98 percent of the time and, I think, for you.
If you short hop it most of the time, the 5W20 is ideal because you are dealing with a situation where the oil seldom gets fully heated up. It takes about 15-20 mile of continuous driving to bring my 5.4L engine oil temp all the way to normal (which varies according to climate and workload.) Until oil reaches it's 100C (210F) viscosity temperature, it's running thicker. On a short hop, your 20 grade oil may spend the majority of it's time running in the 30 or 40 viscosity grade. Imagine what a 40 grade will do. Your engine will waste a lot of energy spinning in that thick oil and your cold oil flow is reduced. For the most part, neither of those things are terminal situations but they are far from optimal.
Also, a good 5W20 is robust enough to handle an occasional towing situation. Probably enough to handle a lot more than that. If you were to go coast-to-coast some hot summer with a capacity load, that would be the time to upgrade viscosity because it's likely oil temps would dictate a jump to a thicker oil. As the oil passes that 210F point, it begins to get thinner. Again, over short periods, and with reasonable temperatures, it's not harmful to go a bit over temp. It's been proven time and time again that there is plenty of safety factor built in.
Logic and efficiency dictates that if the engine spends most of the time running easy, why spend most of it running in a sub-obtimal condition with an oil thicker than it needs just to cover that small percentage of the time when you are running at the edge. Especially when the 5W20 can cover you during those times.
As to 64K on a well maintained engine... it's unlikely anything is worn enough to need a thicker oil due to increased bearing thicknesses. Those modulars stay pretty tight.
I also run a 5.4L, but its's the later 3V version. Mine is a working truck (on a farm). I monitor oil temperature and seldom does it exceed 210F, and then only by a few degrees. I don't need anything thicker and I don't think you do either. If you're worried, go back up to the 5W30 that's in your manual and sleep better.... but 5W20 will be fine. Maybe even optimal.
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