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2004 - 2008 Ford F150 General discussion on the 2004 - 2008 Ford F150 truck.
View Poll Results: Specifically for the 2004-2008 5.4L V8 Triton, what oil do YOU use?
0W-40
9
1.06%
5W-20
474
55.76%
5W-30
289
34.00%
5W-40
18
2.12%
10W-30
33
3.88%
10W-40
13
1.53%
Any of them, it doesn't matter
5
0.59%
Other
9
1.06%
Voters: 850. You may not vote on this poll

5.4L Engine Oil - "What Should I Use?"

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Old 03-24-2016, 02:51 PM
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136,400 on my '07 5.4L. 5W-20 for every one of those miles. Still quiet and runs great.
Old 03-24-2016, 05:59 PM
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Royal Purple 5W 20! Ebay has the best deal on oil I have found
Old 03-24-2016, 06:05 PM
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Isnt the whole reason the cam phasor starts to tick due to lack of oil getting to it? I was told the oil ports are small and by time oil gets to the last phasor it does not have to pressure and some what is starving it of oil. I usually only run motorcraft oil but after hearing this I started running royal purple, just because I figured it would be (slicker)
If im wrong please let me know, but thats what I have been told.
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Old 03-27-2016, 07:55 PM
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I run Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 with a motorcraft FL-820S filter. I use it on all of my fords. My 02 mustang gt, 05 mustang gt and my 06 F150 Screw FX4
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Old 03-28-2016, 09:23 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Dukus832
I usually only run motorcraft oil but after hearing this I started running royal purple, just because I figured it would be (slicker)
If im wrong please let me know, but thats what I have been told.
Myth. 5W-20 is 5W-20 is 5W-20 (as long as it's accredited, and need I point out, Royal Purple is *not* accredited because its detergent amount is too high to pass accreditation). It's money wasted. Now in terms of quality, some are better than others because they resist shear better, but you can get a UOA from Blackstone to see if your choice in oil is doing that or not.

Plus I wouldn't trust any oil that's purple... that's not the "natural" color of it, so there has to be some kind of dye in there (unnecessary, useless additive).

I'm using Castrol GTX high mileage syn blend. Works for me.
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Old 03-28-2016, 10:25 AM
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What is more important is how often you change your oil, what filter you use and if you are using a oil with high detergent content. If you are changing your oil every 3000-3500 miles you are going to have a long happy engine. If you buy into the bull of extended oil change intervals and using cheap oils then well you will end up with this.



Only 92K used Motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend its whole life. It had 5K-6000 mile oil change intervals. Varnish from oil being in there too long killed this motor. It is on a stand waiting for a stroker kit, with forged rods, pistons and crank. This will be under a nice positive displacement supercharger.
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Old 04-01-2016, 05:01 AM
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^^ Agreed ^^

I find it wasteful though for those who will buy a full synthetic, and change it at 3000 to 4000 intervals; that is wasting money; switch to a synthetic blend for that interval. If I use full synthetic, I leave it in for at least 5000 miles. I have 140K on my 4.6, pull a 6000 camper often, and the engine is running fine.

I switch between semi and full synthetics, depending on which is on sale at the time of my oil change. If I get semi synthetic, its changed at 3500 miles tops, and with full synthetic, no more than 5500 miles, a little less if I pulled the camper more during that oil install. I also run with an engine oil cooler.

Last edited by Mod (Ret.); 04-01-2016 at 05:05 AM.
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Old 04-01-2016, 07:24 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by 4.6owner
What is more important is how often you change your oil, what filter you use and if you are using a oil with high detergent content. If you are changing your oil every 3000-3500 miles you are going to have a long happy engine. If you buy into the bull of extended oil change intervals and using cheap oils then well you will end up with this.



Only 92K used Motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend its whole life. It had 5K-6000 mile oil change intervals. Varnish from oil being in there too long killed this motor. It is on a stand waiting for a stroker kit, with forged rods, pistons and crank. This will be under a nice positive displacement supercharger.
I asked you about this engine in your other thread. It's really got me wondering about its life prior to your ownership. I say that because my old 05 expedition with 97K miles didn't look anywhere near as bad as that. It had an oil seep coming from the passenger's side cam cover, and the gasket needed to be replaced. I was rather surprised at how clean things looked, considering it lived in the hot FL climate, idling in traffic during the daily commute. I bought the Expy with a little under 12k miles on it. For the first 36K (under warranty), the Ford dealer did the oil changes. After that, for the next 60K miles, I changed my own oil: Motorcraft 5W20 synthetic blend, motorcraft filter, 5K mile interval. I just don't understand how it's the oil's fault. If it was bad oil, wouldn't my engine have looked as bad? Granted, I don't live on all forums that speak to the mod motor, but Motorcraft 5W20 has a pretty good reputation. What did that engine come out of? Could the first 92K miles been severe service?
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Old 04-01-2016, 09:28 AM
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It came out of a 05 mustang, manual trans. Extensive dealer(s) records but the thing that stuck out the most was the intervals between a service. Almost all were 5k and above with most between 6-7k. I feel like the oil is fine for 3-4000 miles but beyond that you have depleted the additive package beyond what I feel comfortable with. Now combine that with the known issue of weak oil pumps and low oil pressure and you have oil that doesn't circulate as it should, in there a bit to long and you have what you see here.
Old 04-01-2016, 02:18 PM
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Here at work we use Shell Rotella T 15w40 or Mobil Delvac 1300 15w40 in everything we work on, Police cars (Crown Victoria's with 4.6) , light duty trucks (5.4L & 6.8L) & Heavy Trucks, We have never in my 15 years here had an engine failure due to engine oil! Other then when the oil pan was ripped off the engine while in pursuit. 250 Hrs. or 4,000 miles, whichever comes 1st.
5w20 was introduced so the "warm up" time could be cut down to increase miles per tankful.
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