Not for the thin crowd

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jorton

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Co-worker tows a 29' travel trailer with f-150 4.6. When he went to the coast(Gulf of Mexico) he turned 4500 rpm into a headwind in order to maintain 60mph. Pretty sure his Motorcraft 5w-20 was about the thickness of water which surely hurt compression.

I'm going to recommend an oil to match his severe servive. What would be Mobil's or Castrol's version of Amsoil 5w30 HDD?

Thanks!
 
Did he report any specific symptoms that would indicate that the 20wt was not up to the task (consumption, unusual noise, etc.)? I have no concern that using an xw-30 as you suggest would do any harm, of course, but OTOH, Ford must have tested under conditions like this and gotten at least acceptable results. How old, time and miles, is this truck?
cheers3.gif
 
Would Motorcraft 5W-20 be a problem for towing? Isn't it what's specced for the vehicle? Does the manual have any recommendations?

That said, Mobil 1 5w30 Turbo Diesel Truck is rather robust oil. I'd imagine it'd work quite well. Maybe just straight Mobil 1 would be ok.
 
"Specific symptoms"?? How about sustained 4500rmp on the highway? Geezzzzzzzzzzz.

Thanks. I didn't know TDT was available in 5w30.
 
Originally Posted By: jorton
"Specific symptoms"?? How about sustained 4500rmp on the highway? Geezzzzzzzzzzz.

Thanks. I didn't know TDT was available in 5w30.


I'm not sure why you'd think the oil didn't do its job? Any 5w30 will be acceptable though.
 
You can't possibly believe that Ford didn't test the scenario out of the engine running at 4k or more for exteneded periods with 5W-20 beofe recommending it?

You don't think they thought of that?

Gimme a break!
 
There is no "thin crowd".

There are only people who hold on to their decades-outdated ideas of how engines work, and think they somehow know better than the engineers who designed their engine in the first place.
 
Originally Posted By: jorton
"Specific symptoms"?? How about sustained 4500rmp on the highway? Geezzzzzzzzzzz.

Thanks. I didn't know TDT was available in 5w30.


Perhaps you should stop procrastinating on taking your meds. . .

4500rpms on the highway is simply an operating parameter. Long ago I drove a Civic that generated similar numbers as a matter of routine operation (well, somewhat lower, but you get the idea...).

Yes, that parameter is extreme for that engine at that speed. I'm looking for consequences following from that. OK?
 
Just have him use any good full syn 0w or 5w30 oil and call it good.
That will give you both a better warm and fuzzy feeling. Whether it protects better in his application shall remain a mystery until you start doing UOA or two.
 
Originally Posted By: sw99
Or... Stick with the MC5w20. Ford did tons of testing on this.


Exactly! Ford took whatever the rated towing capacity was for the truck and towed that weight plus up and down every interstate you want to think about using whatever oil they recommend in the manual (and I'm sure other oils).

If you want to be concerned, I'd be more wondering how the ATF is doing over any motor oil.

Recommend what is in the manual. Ford has done more testing that any of us "experts" will ever think about. (and much less do)

Bill
 
My Father has a rather large motor home with a Ford V10 and always runs MC 5-20 oil and last summer he drove it across country and back and in some places he said he was winding his truck out in second and third gear to maintain speed on long hills. I cant recall how many miles he ran (MA to CA) but he did not use any oil at all and it runs great to this day.
 
Originally Posted By: Fbear
My Father has a rather large motor home with a Ford V10 and always runs MC 5-20 oil and last summer he drove it across country and back and in some places he said he was winding his truck out in second and third gear to maintain speed on long hills. I cant recall how many miles he ran (MA to CA) but he did not use any oil at all and it runs great to this day.


Was that the blend or full synthetic?
 
Originally Posted By: jorton
"Specific symptoms"?? How about sustained 4500rmp on the highway? Geezzzzzzzzzzz.

Thanks. I didn't know TDT was available in 5w30.


Sustained 4500 rpm is not a symptom, it is the condition the engine was operated under. A symptom would have been blue smoke, oil use, low oil pressure, over heating, knocking, and a host of other things not considered normal.

If Ford felt a different oil was required for towing in hot climates they'd state it in the OM. I wouldn't be worried at all.
 
It sounds like he was not in the proper gear.
[4500 @ 60]

Without an oil temperature gauge reading, we can only say the 5-20 was doing it's job very well.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: jorton
Co-worker tows a 29' travel trailer with f-150 4.6. I'm going to recommend an oil to match his severe servive.


This sounds like a job for RTS 5w40 man!!!!!!! ;-)
 
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