Can I use 5W30 instead of 5W20?

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Part of the reason I think 5W30 might be OK is that I have read a few posts indicating that 5W30 is what is spec'd for this same car in Australia and Canada. That would seem to indicate that the 5W20 was a US/CAFE mandate type decision rather than a technical based one. Also, several posts have indicated that 5W20 is a better oil but doesn't 5W30 have a stronger film strength? I live in Phoenix where the temperatures can hit 120 deg in the Summer and seldom get down below about 30 deg in the winter.
 
Originally Posted By: k1rod
Part of the reason I think 5W30 might be OK is that I have read a few posts indicating that 5W30 is what is spec'd for this same car in Australia and Canada. That would seem to indicate that the 5W20 was a US/CAFE mandate type decision rather than a technical based one. Also, several posts have indicated that 5W20 is a better oil but doesn't 5W30 have a stronger film strength? I live in Phoenix where the temperatures can hit 120 deg in the Summer and seldom get down below about 30 deg in the winter.


If you don't mind the potential warranty hassle (which is incredibly unlikely anyway), you can certainly use the 5W30 and there will be no real adverse effect. Yeah, I actually think the lighter weight would be 'better', but the difference is minimal, more so in your climate--and as you said most 5W30's shear down close to 20W after a short period anyway.

But don't get hung up an all of the logical fallacies which surround thicker oil. "what they use in XX country" doesn't really matter. You don't live there, so why is that an issue? Why do THEY choose the oils they do? It isn't all about CAFE (availability and their regulations play a part as well). Also, thicker oils don't necessarily have higher film strength when the oil is under extreme pressure (in some cases, the inverse is true, thinner oils actually create thicker films). And film strength is just one parameter important to oil and wear. There are many other considerations as well (cooling and lubricating engine oil seals among them).

If I were in your shoes, and assuming I didn't have another vehicle which used 5W30, I'd probably use it up, then buy 5W20 when it's gone.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Personally, I'd use 5W-20 for warranty reasons alone. I doubt there is any technical reason you can't use a 5W-30, though I have heard that drain holes in Ford engines have been smaller within the last decade...

Ha. Posts such as this are amusing. Smaller oil passages. Oh man that's hillarious


Its more like just stupid.
 
Originally Posted By: k1rod
Part of the reason I think 5W30 might be OK is that I have read a few posts indicating that 5W30 is what is spec'd for this same car in Australia and Canada. That would seem to indicate that the 5W20 was a US/CAFE mandate type decision rather than a technical based one.


IMO True. I agree, and there are maybe 4 others on BITOG that would agree with me.

Originally Posted By: k1rod
Also, several posts have indicated that 5W20 is a better oil but doesn't 5W30 have a stronger film strength? I live in Phoenix where the temperatures can hit 120 deg in the Summer and seldom get down below about 30 deg in the winter.


IMO False. Translation - 5W30 "might have" less shear adds than a 5W20 because (this thread promotes fear) it would be a disaster to the engine if an already thin 5W20 were to shear to say a 10. There are maybe 4 other people on BITOG other than me that think this. So i would say your better off with the 5w30 in that very hot weather. But I am in the extreme minority.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
it would be a disaster to the engine if an already thin 5W20 were to shear to say a 10.


There are what, a few thousand UOA's posted on this site? Can you point to one in which a 20W oil has sheared into a 10W oil? Talk about fear mongering...
 
Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
it would be a disaster to the engine if an already thin 5W20 were to shear to say a 10.


There are what, a few thousand UOA's posted on this site? Can you point to one in which a 20W oil has sheared into a 10W oil? Talk about fear mongering...


You know (or maybe you don't) thats nearly impossible to prove. We have 2 choices. Jump on the latest bandwagon, thinnest oil as possible. Or sit and watch to see what happens for a couple of years. Been through slick50, duralube, things you probably never heard of. Nobody was afraid of those either. Recently it was seafoam, now people are complaining about that. I'm going to sit and watch. And recommend from a historical prospective and 30 years of driving. Unless I'm not allowed to have my own opinion?

Also, if your going to criticize come out of the closet, add a sig so we can see what you got.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Unless I'm not allowed to have my own opinion?



You're allowed to have an opinion--but suggesting that a 20W oil "may shear down to a 10W oil" is simply ridiculous, as there are literally thousands of UOA's on this site--and I haven't seen a single one where the oil has sheared to a 10W! Not one.

If you go back to the archives of this forum, 10 years ago, you'll see all of the hand-wringing about thinner oils. After lab tests demonstrated that they protected as well or better than ticker oils, there was the 'well, we'll see' comments. Well, that was 10 years ago. How much "real world" evidence do we really need? Where is this mysterious evidence that thicker oils protect better, because I haven't seen it.
 
Wow this is not a recent issue! Ford recommended 5w20 10 years ago. People have been using it for 10 years.

How many miles have been driven in that time on 5w20? Well most people don't even choose their oil. They let the dealer or other oil change place put in what is recommended.

And have you heard stories of widespread failure? There would certainly be something out there. Think of how many stories of sludge there have been in Toyota, VW, etc. It only takes hundreds of cases out of millions of cars sold, for a pattern to emerge. With 5w20 I certainly haven't seen any stories of issues! Just gut feelings!

Personally, I've run 5w20 and 5w30 in my Ford. It's just depended on what was convenient or cheapest. No problems with either. Now, my butt dino is quite sensitive and I would say I feel the engine spun more freely with 5w20, but it's about the same difference, whether real or just perceived, that I felt when I drove my 5w30 Lexus fast on the freeway in 100f+ temps.
 
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I was responding to the wild eyed claims that 5w30 was somehow bad now, but as usual this has twisted into a defense of thin oil again. BITTOG (extra T for thin). I should have expected it.
 
Ok, well I don't think either is bad. And I don't interpret those who recommend 5w20 as twisted. I take the recommendation in the context that if the manufacturer recommends it, then listen to that recommendation as there may be merit in it.

I can imagine that some engines are designed and run better on 5w30 and some are designed and run better on 5w20. I can also imagine that some engines that are designed and spec'd for either, show no noticeable difference when using the other.

I have a Mercedes that Mercedes say can use 30 or 40. I wouldn't put 20 in it.

I have a Ford that says use 20 and used to use 30. I would put either in it, but wouldn't go to 40 in it.

I had a Lexus that said use 5w30 but they said if no other oil is available, then 10w30 is acceptable but change it back to 5w30 at the next oil change. Then they moved that engine to 0w20. Now that one I don't understand, but I only ever put 5w30 in it and don't own it anymore so don't have to worry about it anymore!
 
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Originally Posted By: k1rod
Thanks LeakySeals for the information. BTW, I'm originally from Medford.


Hey! I'm in Arlington. Actually snowing, another mild winter.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
I was responding to the wild eyed claims that 5w30 was somehow bad now, but as usual this has twisted into a defense of thin oil again. BITTOG (extra T for thin). I should have expected it.


Just F.Y.I. I have a 3.0 liter Ford Freestyle, 2006. I drive back and forth 3-4 times a year between Long Island NY and Charleston SC. I use Motorcraft Semi Syn 5w20 in the summer and Kendall or PP 5w20 full synthetics in the winter. All the long trips are straight through, only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks. I carry from 4-5 passengers and a dog. I have a Sears hard luggage carrier and a soft strap-on luggage bag on the roof. At least 2 of the trips each year are in the summer in 90-100+ degrees. Even after going from a full tank to just approx. 1/8 tank, around 79mph with the dual zone AC on, when we stop, the engine is purring. not a tick, nothing. I am pretty satisfied with the 5w 20. I have had this car from new and have only used 5w20 in it.

Similarly, I use 5w30 in our Chevy Cobalt and the Caddy with no issues there either.
 
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Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
I was responding to the wild eyed claims that 5w30 was somehow bad now

any chance you could point to the post where someone said 30W oils was "bad"?, cause I sure didn't see it..
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
but as usual this has twisted into a defense of thin oil again. BITTOG (extra T for thin).

What on earth are you talking about? People suggested he use what the manual suggested, or that he just use the oil he has on-hand. People (including me) also suggested that any suggestion that a 20W oil is somehow inferior in a case which calls for it is ridiculous (it is).
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
I should have expected it.

you see to be seeing what you want to see, to suit your strawman argument...
 
smaller oil passages are really that funny to you? How about bearing clearances are they funny also because they have changed very much over the years, they are now smaller than ever. When it comes to oil thin is in.. Will a 5w30 destroy an engine calling for a 5w20? probably not but it will add wear because 5w20 gets into places faster than 5w30 at any temperature. The only reason to go a little thicker is if the engine leaks or burns oil
 
To get back to the original question. Yes keep a maintenance log of with the date and mileage of the oil changes and receipts of your oil filters and you will be fine as long as the 5W-30 is GF-4/SM or GF-5/SN Spec'd.
 
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
That new Ford Fiesta sees thicker than 5w-30 in Europe. Does just fine with thicker oil too.


what exactly does that prove, and who said his car wouldn't do fine on the thicker oil? We don't live in Europe and we have more options for oils.
 
Originally Posted By: k1rod
I bought a 2012 Ford Fiesta for my daughter and I was surprised to see that the car calls for 5W20 motor oil. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), I have several cases of QS 5W30. I guess what I don't know is if there is a real technical reason for using 5W20 or if it was just called out to meet some drubbed up CAFE standard? I know somebody's probably going to jump in here an stearnly warn me about invalidating my warranty but I really don't believe Ford would ever be able to tell the difference. Heck, my oil analysis company can't definitively tell the difference. And conventional 5W30 rapidly shears down to a 5W20 anyway. So... What it the BITOG verdict?


klrod,

It's funny you ask this question because on another forum I asked if I can use a 5W-20 oil in my 01' Durango V-8 instead of the speced 5W-30 to help save a little gas and the answer was DON'T DO IT BECAUSE YOU MIGHT/MAY DAMAGE THE ENGINE BEARINGS!!!!! Once I saw that reply i decided to stay using the 30W as a standard.

I wonder if that's possible in reverse?? This was before Mobil came out with a 0W-30 synthetic oil and the label said it was a replacement for the 5W-30's. In a way I'm now confused about all this so it's best to saty where I am on the oil weight issue.

Durango
 
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