oil recommendations
07-18-2008, 11:27 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
oil recommendations
Just bought a 2006 Supercrew 4x4 5.4. I am getting ready to change the oil. I know that ford recommends 5w20. I have talked to other ford owners and they have told me to run anything from HD30 to 10W30 to 10W40. I live in VA. where thr temp can be 100 or as low as in the teens. I have always changed my oil at 5,000 when synthetic and 3,000 with conventional. I am probably going to run coventional oil only because I am not sure what the previous owner ran. I have heard more negative things when changing over to synthetic to conventional oil than possitive. Also I saw a little blue smoke from the exaust the other morning when I started it up. I haven't seen it since. Any suggestions?
07-18-2008, 06:58 PM
#2
Senior Member
First, a belated welcome to the site! Doggone - I leave the country for a few weeks and there's a whole bunch of new members!
Suggest to stick with the OEM recommendations on viscosity. Strongly recommend to avoid single viscosity oils, and to be sure the API rating - SF, SG, SJ, or whatever - at a minimum, aligns with your vehicle's specs.
I'm a dino-person myself, but many members prefer various brands of synthetic or semi-synthetic. Not sure about any issues with jumping back and forth between types.
IMO, the key issue is to change the oil at appropriate regular intervals - the intervals you mention are good rules-of-thumb. Synthetics are probably something to strongly consider if you plan on keeping the vehicle over 200,000 miles. But - everyone has their own opinions, and I'm just offering up mine.
Blue smoke is typically oil, but sometimes can be a rich mixture. Suggest to monitor your oil consumption, and to 'sniff' the oil occasionally to verify that fuel is not draining down in the crankcase.
Suggest to stick with the OEM recommendations on viscosity. Strongly recommend to avoid single viscosity oils, and to be sure the API rating - SF, SG, SJ, or whatever - at a minimum, aligns with your vehicle's specs.
I'm a dino-person myself, but many members prefer various brands of synthetic or semi-synthetic. Not sure about any issues with jumping back and forth between types.
IMO, the key issue is to change the oil at appropriate regular intervals - the intervals you mention are good rules-of-thumb. Synthetics are probably something to strongly consider if you plan on keeping the vehicle over 200,000 miles. But - everyone has their own opinions, and I'm just offering up mine.
Blue smoke is typically oil, but sometimes can be a rich mixture. Suggest to monitor your oil consumption, and to 'sniff' the oil occasionally to verify that fuel is not draining down in the crankcase.
07-18-2008, 09:32 PM
#4
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's no ill effects from flip flopping from synthetic to conventional and vice versa. As far as blue smoke in the morning, usually comes from oil seeping past the valve seals down the valves into the cylinders.
07-29-2008, 03:06 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: montana
Posts: 478
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i would run secfide weights but run a synthetic . tv show trucks had a deisel unit showing them dyno the truck with reg oil and then put royal purple in and gained 8horses. im not sure if there is onefor your year is way better than redline crap
07-29-2008, 05:05 PM
#6
My girlfriend is white.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you get higher milages like 80,000+ you get sludge build up... now that's not a problem because it's minimal at that point. But you see if you start running synthetic your going to a high detergent oil that breaks that crap up and can cause problems. It can cause clogged oil pump pickups and make gaskets starts leaking. Some of your gaskets get plugged up with sludge deposits and the synthetic washes it out.... next thing you know you got a oily spot on your driveway and you slip and fall in it. Or worse, you step in it and track it in the house. The wife will be complaining and freaking out. You probably will be going without for a very long time if you know what I mean.
If the truck has lower milage then go ahead and run synthetic.... but don't flip flop back and forth. Run it or don't.
07-29-2008, 06:41 PM
#7
Senior Member
Agree with what has been said. Pretty much! I would definitely stay with Ford Reccomended 5W20, do not be concerned about your temp, am sorry forgot the state, I'm in Las Vegas. We haven't seen daytime temps below 100 since early June. Absolutely no problem with consumption. 172K, 4.2 V-6, pulling a 21 foot boat up a 2900 foot grade over 14 miles. I'm locked in second gear, running 3000 RPM, and no problems. Obviously, I would prefer a larger engine, but I got what I got. The oil does not break down, as we used to believe back in the 50's. Time will tell if your new truck has been used or abused. Glad you are aboard the site.
