So today I was in an autozone, prefer napa closed though, and I was getting oil. I was picking out 10w-30 when the guy asks what kind of truck for filter and yadadada... anyways he said I should be using 10w-20 and if I am correct this is a thinner oil. I did one oil change and put 10w-30 in it, so is this guy correct or what do you guys use.

 

My 05 called for 5w-20, used full syn 5w-30 with no issues..Probably says on the oil cap, or in the hidden owners manual

 

Mine said 5w-20 as well, I used both 5w-20 and 30 with no problems.

 

ya i use 5-20 also

 

In my '99 I used 10W-30 but in my '08 I have 5W-20

 

For the 3.0, i would never use 5w20 in it. The motor was designed with 5w30 to be used in it and ford decided to use 5w20 for fuel economy reasons, even though it has the consistency of brown water. My 3.0 has 175k on it and i run 10w30, but i have a feeling i am gonna switch it back to 5w30 because it is noisier for about 5 mins upon cold start up

 

i run 20w50 in all 150+ domestics.
This is all my ranger sees

 

5W20 according to owners manual, dealership and the oil cap on the motor. So thats what I use.

 

my cap says 5-30

 

Alright, I am right though that 5w-20 is thinner then, well I bought this so I will use it. Now that I am talking about oil though, since it it a thinner oil will it wear faster? I feel like it would not be as rich and will wear faster? correct me if I am thinking wrong.

 

One thing to watch is not use two "thick" of a oil in your truck. The oil pump will not be able to push it when it cold. Then you have a whole boat of problems.

I used to put like 10w30 in everything because that's what one of my trucks called for and I got used to buying so it's what I just automatically went for.

The old man seen a case sitting the garage one day before I changed my oil and goes "you aint putting that in there are you?" And then he told me about that.

Apparently he had some guys changing there own oil in their boat ended up blowing the motor and the Merc rep came out to the marina and voided the warranty because of it.

That's the other reason your 1st oil change on brand new truck is so important. They these manufactures put a lot of stuff in that oil to help everything seat properly.

 

I run 5-30

 

You are supposed to use the weight of oil that is specified in your Ranger's Owner Manual.

 

K well i read some stickers in the engine bay and found that the engine wants 5w-30 so it looks like I am going back down to exchange for the oil. Is there a difference in 3.0 models with the flex fuel engines that makes different people use different oil. If I am correct in 99 or something did they make two different engines that year or change it or something?

 

I run 10w30 in the summer and 5w30 in the winter. Both full synthetic.

I would NEVER run on 5w20. I don't care what the cap says. That is way too thin for the type of engine that this is.

I also run 15w50 Mobil 1 in my turbo mazda engine. Runs like a dream on it and the turbo loves it.

 

5w30 in my 01 4.0 sohc, thats what it says under the hood...

 

K k thanks guys, i never used 5w20 and really did not want to when the guy told me to get it, im giogn to return it tom for some 10w30 like i wanted. Thanks for the input guys.

 

I initially put 10w30 regular cheap-o oil in....engine ran like a dog... My cap called for 5w30. I had a brain fart when I was also getting oil for the wife's Outlander and bought 5w20 synthetic blend all around. I put it in to try it. I got the Valvoline MaxLife. Runs great now! I plan on changing at 5k miles and sending a sample into Blackstone for an anaylsis.

 

i guess 06' was different than all of ya'll, my manual says run 5w-30...i use the synthetic blend Motorcraft from either walmart of autozone

 

oil and spark plugs both stir up debates.

What justin said is what I understand. Ford switched to 5w-20 to help with cafe standards. They backdated it, meaning if your older 3.0 said (as an example) 10w-30, they still recommend you go with the 5w-20.

i have used the 5w-20 mobile one since the second oil change. It turned over 180,000 hard miles with no internal work needed.

 

id like to change to mobil one, but that crap is expensive! i guess that motorcraft stuff i use is ok stuff, it ran great in my 94'....plus ford recommend it (of course its their product!), so i dont really know...im sure there's a thread up here all about oil though!

 

My 2000 calls for 5w20 but I use Mobile 1 0w30 for better lubrication at start-up.

Richard

 

walmart has a 5 qt jug for $26 which is the exact amount you need. Go to Autozone and their jug is only 4 qts and it costs the same. After you buy a $7 quart from autozone to get the 5 quarts, you are way past $30.

 

i know...but i can get a filter, and 5 quarts of Motorcraft for like $20-$22...thats still cheaper than just Mobil 1 oil. I dont think im taking the cheap way after all thats what ford puts in it, but i drive way too much to be spending almost twice as much using mobil 1.

 

Well with Motorcraft you also change it at what 5k? You can run Mobil1 for 7500+