What made Ford want to back specify oil weights?

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A good example would be the change from 5w30 in most vehicles, to 5w20 in nearly all of the new fords, excluding most of the EcoBoost engines and etc. Is 5w30 better, and is it true that 5w20 is only to meet CAFE standards? Wouldn't 5w20 protect an engine better, since it was designed for it? Any thoughts?
 
Well look at the Honda Civic R18 motor. Since mid 2000 and not much has changed except it started on 5w20 and later went to 0w20. Take the same car, same engine and look at EU/UK and you will see 0w30 or 5w30. I talked to an individual off record and the visit was insightful and all my thoughts were made confirmed. I'm not gonna fuel this debate or argument but my way for my way of driving is better.
 
I'll bite. IMO initially it was CAFE driven, because in many instances most if not all of the engine internals and specs remained the same as they were when the engines were calling for 5W30. Regarding back specing older engines? If you think about it, at the time 5W20 oil wasn't flying off store shelves, so back spec'ing an older engine would increase demand, slightly, since only enthusiasts would know if their engine was back spec'ed or not. Dealers might have made the change, increasing demand more, but my guess is they'd be using whatever oil they could get cheaper.
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I've wondered this for years myself (why 20 weight oils). I've read plenty of posts about the subject here, but just can't shake the idea that this was pretty much in response to fuel efficiency standards. It's the idea that engineers would have made drastic changes to their designs because of the difference in oil that always gets me stuck🤔
 
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?

Around 1999 Ford back spec'd all U.S engines from 1993 on to 5w-20. Exception vehicles were 4.0 and later Ecoboost engines. Back in the 90's Ford back spec'd their 10w-30 engines to 5w-30. Ford never recommended 10w-40.
 
My personal Ford E450 with the 6.8l V10 shows 5w-20 on the oil cap and owners manual. In 2016 Ford changed it to 5w-30, same engine. Some Ford insiders reported it was because the 20 grade didn't have the longevity they expected. I believe when the engine was first introduced 5w-30 was spec'd.

Go figure, a truck engine making 457 torques pulling who knows what while turning 3-5k rpm most of its life needs a stout oil? The timing chain is right around 2 miles long. I came to my senses early.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?

IIRC Ford did change a few models back to 5W30, some say it was to reduce warranty claims in certain applications. Others claim they weren't getting the longevity they expected as Lotl stated.
 
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?

Around 1999 Ford back spec'd all U.S engines from 1993 on to 5w-20. Exception vehicles were 4.0 and later Ecoboost engines. Back in the 90's Ford back spec'd their 10w-30 engines to 5w-30. Ford never recommended 10w-40.


https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1897871&page=all
 
Originally Posted by coleyork250
A good example would be the change from 5w30 in most vehicles, to 5w20 in nearly all of the new fords, excluding most of the EcoBoost engines and etc. Is 5w30 better, and is it true that 5w20 is only to meet CAFE standards? Wouldn't 5w20 protect an engine better, since it was designed for it? Any thoughts?

Both 5W20 and 5W30 that Ford recommends are CAFE driven. Those 5W30 are not Euro spec. 5W30 that are almost W40 oils.
Personally in Ecoboost, I would run ACEA A3 oils.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?

Around 1999 Ford back spec'd all U.S engines from 1993 on to 5w-20. Exception vehicles were 4.0 and later Ecoboost engines. Back in the 90's Ford back spec'd their 10w-30 engines to 5w-30. Ford never recommended 10w-40.


https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1897871&page=all

I would like to see that "sheet" the dealer gave the customer recommending 10w-40. I have all the Ford oil TSB's and they never mentioned 10w-40 (except for diesels).
 
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Same with the Acura TSX. It started off using 5W30 and ended up at 0W20. Didn't Ford also bump some models back up to 5W30 from 5W20? And didn't Ford also put out a bulletin years ago on certain models telling people with noisy engines to install a 10W40?

Around 1999 Ford back spec'd all U.S engines from 1993 on to 5w-20. Exception vehicles were 4.0 and later Ecoboost engines. Back in the 90's Ford back spec'd their 10w-30 engines to 5w-30. Ford never recommended 10w-40.


https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1897871&page=all

I would like to see that "sheet" the dealer gave the customer recommending 10w-40. I have all the Ford oil TSB's and they never mentioned 10w-40 (except for diesels).
A Oasis message is not a factory recommendation.
 
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