5W-20 vs 5W-30 question

[LexAtlanta]

I searched but found no results, so I thought I would make this new post.

I just purchased a used 2003 Ford Escape with the V6. 158,000 on the odometer and it looks to have been maintained. The oil fill cap states 5W-20 is to be used. Can I run 5W-30 instead? Will it damage the engine, shorten it's life or give performance issues? We live in Atlanta and use the A/C about 9 months a year. The vehicle will be used by my high schooler to drive back and forth to school, which is about 2 miles each way, plus after school functions. I am looking at using Pennzoil Platinum also......maybe Amsoil but that is a bit harder to get since I have to order it and have shipped. PP is available at Wallyworld.

Thanks in advance for your responses

 

[SLCraig]

You can use either, but I'd just use what they suggest. I have been using 5w20 in my Honda in the summer months and there have been no issues, and I don't foresee any issues to come from using it. Have used 5w30 once and noticed no difference.

 

[bepperb]

Sure, a 5-30 is fine. And even though I use xw-20 in my cars I won't give you the "why not just use 20" spiel. In your climate it won't matter much, and I'd expect 30 weight has probably been used in it some of that time.

IMO skip the AmsOil in such a middle of the road application. There are about a billion of those 3.0's and I'm not aware of any oil related issues.

 

[lexus114]

I would suggest sticking with the 5W-20. PP or MC.

 

[bourne]

If the uoas are any indication, 5w30 generally shears down a grade thru its oc cycle. 5w20 is more shear stable. I recommend either MC , PP, MAXLIFE, QSUD . Roughly the same price point. If you do end up using 5w30, I recommend PP , its on the thinner side of the range and has a nice hths rating of 3.0. Keeps you closer to stock. Btw most manufacturers test for high temp at the death valley where it gets pretty darn hot. So sticking to 5w20 will not adversely affect your engine wear. Closed liquid cooled engines already operate at the temp quite a bit higher than ambient.

 

[4x4chevydude]

5w30 will work fine in that application, I would not go with AMSOIL with the short miles being put on it the PP would be fine for you

 

[Eddie]

I'd use the 20w until I had serious consumption issues then switch to the 30.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
I'd use the 20w until I had serious consumption issues then switch to the 30.


Which with "serious" consumption issues probably would not make any difference...

IF a 5W-30 shears down it will likely be a thick 5W-20 which is better than a thin 5W-20... The 5W-20 speck is so wide it can thin by 40% and still be in grade...

 

[mechtech2]

Given the miles and where you live, I'd use a 5-30 without reservation.

 

[KCJeep]

Valvoline is a "thin" 5w30 with good flow and good resistance to shear. Great compromise IMO.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Given the miles and where you live, I'd use a 5-30 without reservation.



I agree with this.

 

[SIXSPEED]

I plan on switching from PP 5W20 to their 5W30 for the next oil change on my 2004 Honda Odyssey with 162K miles.

 

[Zako2]

This type of question comes up every other day. The outside temperature should have little relevance to how hot the oil is. (I am sure there is correlation, but that's that). Water cooled engine has a thermostat for controlling engine temperature.

Having said that, I believe that the V6 engine engine in your Escape is the Duratec 3.0 V6. This engine first appeared in mid-90s in Taurus/Sable. Back then Ford recommended 5W30 and this is what I see on the cap of my Taurus. Later, Ford switched all new cars to 5W20 and retroactively back speced most of the old ones for 5W30 too. Before you get worried about 5W20 being too thin, note that the dino 5W30 shears to thick 20-grade after a couple of thousand miles. The modern 5W20 shears too, but it's made to a higher standard. And then, you can also go with a good synthetic 5W20 like Mobil 1 or PP/PU and those should have insignificant shearing. So to me it seems logical for Ford to back spec the old cars to 5W20 as well.

Nonetheless, since at different points of time, Ford recommended 5W30 or 5W20 for Duratec V6, I take it that this engine will run fine on EITHER motor oil. These engines are very stout and not known for many oil related failures. People have reached 200,000 with these engines running only on 10W30, 5W30 for others, and then 5W20 for those who like to go by the book, and then there are some who are running 0W30 or 0W20 for better cold start performance.

You have an older engine with many miles, and so manufacturer's recommendations at this point can go out of the window. I like the recommendation that says to stay with 5W20 and switch to 5W30 if there is oil consumption. I would switch if the car consumed a quart or more over the OCI. Start with a synthetic 5W20, such as Mobil 1 and keep an eye on it.

 

[garlicbreadman]

put 5w-30 supertech in girlfriend's v6 escape for a while. ran top until transmission randomly grenaded. do be prepared for unexpected transmission failures..its common on this vehicle

 

[2cool]

I drive a 2001 F-150 company truck with a 4.6. Just past 171k, calls for 5W-20, and that's what the techs use. I use the truck as a training aid as well as transportation. It's normally hot and humid in the Northeast, so a lot of A/C time too. I doubt 5W-30 would hurt anything at all, but why bother? Use 5W-20, it's available everywhere and it works, at least for 171,000 miles so far.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: LexAtlanta
The oil fill cap states 5W-20 is to be used. Can I run 5W-30 instead? Will it damage the engine, shorten it's life or give performance issues? The vehicle will be used by my high schooler to drive back and forth to school, which is about 2 miles each way, plus after school functions. I am looking at using Pennzoil Platinum also......maybe Amsoil but that is a bit harder to get since I have to order it and have shipped. PP is available at Wallyworld.

With such a short commute even a 5W-20 will not often get up to temperature and will therefore be thicker than optimum most of the time.
I'd definitely stick with a 20wt oil and would actually recommend a high VI oil like the Toyota 0W-20. PP 0W-20 would be a secondary choice.
If you want to stick with the 5W-20 grade, PP 5W-20 would be my first choice.

 

[dave1251]

Will the engine still work and will 5W30 provide more than adequate protection. Yes. I hope that answers your original question. Do you want to use 5W30 to make your "fleet" maintenance simpler?