Join Our Ford Truck Forum Today

Document your Ford truck project here and inspire others! Login/Register to view the site with fewer ads.

what viscosity do you use? NEW POLL.

what viscosity?

  • 0w20

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 0w30

    Votes: 2 6.5%
  • 0w40

    Votes: 1 3.2%
  • 5w20

    Votes: 10 32.3%
  • 5w30

    Votes: 5 16.1%
  • 5w40

    Votes: 2 6.5%
  • 10w30

    Votes: 9 29.0%
  • 10w40

    Votes: 1 3.2%
  • 15w40

    Votes: 8 25.8%

  • Total voters
    31

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
30/10-30 in the 750
5-20 in the Lincoln
20-50 bikes
15-40 in the 350
20-50 Shelby
0-40 atv
Haven't thought about the 150 yet
 

5.0Flareside

GingaNinja
14,463
384
La Vergne, TN
20w-50 havoline in the '78 F250 with 400. 15w40 Delo in the Cutlass with '69 350. 10w30 Havoline in '00 Grand Prix. Older engines have larger clearances, so I prefer a 15w40 or 10w40 in an older engine that's freshly built or a 20w50 with an older engine with more miles or with a small leak or if they smoke some.

Not really true. Older engines didn't have as precise of clearances, not that they're bigger. If your using a thicker oil to cover up burning or leaking, it needs work, not a weight change.

Also older engines called for anywhere between SAE20-SAE40 depending on region and weather. So modern oils would be 5w20, 0/5/10w30 or 10w40(extremely hot regions). But the thought behind suggesting heavier oils back then was the shearing issue back then. Heat would cause the oil to shear down to a thinner grade.

So a robust xW30 would be fine in any of your older engines.


And as far as the havoline conventional, it's been tested, to have at times higher than API certifiable NOACK. They give some wiggle room so it does still certify, but it's typically testing 15.1/15.2% API requires <15%.
 
We all can't afford $10/qt oil Chris :p. I have never had any problems with havoline oil & there are several good reviews on it out there. With the looser bottom ends on the 351m/400 engines, I feel a that 10-40 or 20-50 is the way to go. (Winter & summer or climate). 10-40 is good to 0 degrees. I was just throwing that out there on the worn engines, but I'd rather use a thicker oil on a smoking engine or one with low oil psi to prolong its life until you save up the $ to rebuild it or drop another in as to running 5-20 with a smoke cloud behind or no oil psi Lol. I like the 15w40 Delo mainly because it has more zinc for the cams on my older engines. I could use the rotella 10-30, but it's said to have less zinc now, but it's out there.
 
Last edited:

5.0Flareside

GingaNinja
14,463
384
La Vergne, TN
We all can't afford $10/qt oil Chris :p. I have never had any problems with havoline oil & there are several good reviews on it out there. With the looser bottom ends on the 351m/400 engines, I feel a that 10-40 or 20-50 is the way to go. (Winter & summer or climate). 10-40 is good to 0 degrees. I was just throwing that out there on the worn engines, but I'd rather use a thicker oil on a smoking engine or one with low oil psi to prolong its life until you save up the $ to rebuild it or drop another in as to running 5-20 with a smoke cloud behind or no oil psi Lol. I like the 15w40 Delo mainly because it has more zinc for the cams on my older engines. I could use the rotella 10-30, but it's said to have less zinc now, but it's out there.

Im not saying you have to buy Amsoil, there are DEFINITELY more benefits to it. but not a must have always.


all diesels since the CJ4 spec have had a massive reduction in Zinc Content, not just rotella. but Delo does have a higher Zinc Content around 1400 PPM in it vs. Rotella just over 1k PPM.

Any SN rated oil is typically around 850 PPM of ZDDP. which is plenty in a already broken in Flat Tappet Cam engine.


as far as havoline goes..
conventional vs. conventional
Havoline Specs: http://www.pqiamerica.com/TexacoHavoline.htm
Valvoline Specs: http://www.pqiamerica.com/Valvoline.htm

the biggest difference is the NOACK. otherwise Havoline specs better pretty much everywhere. Zinc, Moly, Calcium. I've never said Havoline was bad. but it does burn off quicker due to the higher NOACK.
 
Last edited:

racsan

4xford
pennzoil 5w30 conventional, usually change every 3-4 months, milage varies depending on the vehicle, in the blazer its probly about 2,000 miles. (this engine is a junkyard replacement, motor has 200k plus, chassis has 188k) the ranger its about 3,000 to 5,000 miles. ('93 4.0 ohv, has 163k) daughters suzuki reno is probly about a 4,500-6,000 interval (this 4cyl has about 162k) i ususally run purolater filters, used to run ac delco in the blazer and motorcraft in the ford, but heard that the gm filters sold at walmart were cheaper made, so i stopped getting filters at walmart, the engine in the blazer was changed last spring after a oil-system failure, had just had a oil change the week before, related? not sure, but it spun every rod bearing and the middle 2 mains, sounded like a diesel, no power and overheated after it stopped running on me, im surprized it restarted. i had to walk a mile home to get a vehicle to jump it after it just quit on me. the junkyard engine got a new high-volume oil pump and new crankshaft seals (and a good general going over) before it was dropped in the engine bay, so far, so good. 5w30 is what is on the oil fill caps on all 3, so thats what i use, the suzuki uses a little oil, the ranger drops about a quart every 3,000 (and much of that is due to a leaky valve cover on the left bank) and the blazer is down about a 1/2 qt at 2,000 miles.
 
Last edited:

5.0Flareside

GingaNinja
14,463
384
La Vergne, TN
pennzoil 5w30 conventional, usually change every 3-4 months, milage varies depending on the vehicle, in the blazer its probly about 2,000 miles. (this engine is a junkyard replacement, motor has 200k plus, chassis has 188k) the ranger its about 3,000 to 5,000 miles. ('93 4.0 ohv, has 163k) daughters suzuki reno is probly about a 4,500-6,000 interval (this 4cyl has about 162k) i ususally run purolater filters, used to run ac delco in the blazer and motorcraft in the ford, but heard that the gm filters sold at walmart were cheaper made, so i stopped getting filters at walmart, the engine in the blazer was changed last spring after a oil-system failure, had just had a oil change the week before, related? not sure, but it spun every rod bearing and the middle 2 mains, sounded like a diesel, no power and overheated after it stopped running on me, im surprized it restarted. i had to walk a mile home to get a vehicle to jump it after it just quit on me. the junkyard engine got a new high-volume oil pump and new crankshaft seals (and a good general going over) before it was dropped in the engine bay, so far, so good. 5w30 is what is on the oil fill caps on all 3, so thats what i use, the suzuki uses a little oil, the ranger drops about a quart every 3,000 (and much of that is due to a leaky valve cover on the left bank) and the blazer is down about a 1/2 qt at 2,000 miles.

the ac delco filters are no different at Walmart that anywhere else. what happened is some are an e-core design. plastic internals. but those Ares designated with a E on end of part number lie pf47-e instead of pf47.
 
engine needs a qt of 5w20

adwAlwtY
 
^^^ :rolling laugh: :rolling laugh: :rolling laugh:
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
5w-20 in the mustang as thats what it calls for... and 15w-40 in the truck... same reason...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
Years ago, oil was used somewhat as a "shock absorber" between the crankshaft and bearing surface. Because of that, heavier oils were used. Today, everything is machined at such close tolerances, heavy oil is not necessary. We've actually had vehicles that could develop driveability issues if too heavy oil was used. Orifices are smaller, and heavier oils won't flow through them as well.
 
Years ago, oil was used somewhat as a "shock absorber" between the crankshaft and bearing surface. Because of that, heavier oils were used. Today, everything is machined at such close tolerances, heavy oil is not necessary. We've actually had vehicles that could develop driveability issues if too heavy oil was used. Orifices are smaller, and heavier oils won't flow through them as well.

smilieIagreesmiliewhathesaid Yep i still get calls to go see why someones Isuzu Wizard won't start after an oil change ..... high pressure direct injection system on that 3.0 diesel is all driven from oil pressure - too thick an oil means that you can crank it all day long but the injectors won't squirt into the cylinder.
 
We have a new baby Kubota back-hoe with the little 3 cylinder
engine in it,its time for its first oil change,what viscosity oil would
be recomended for it?...:)

We always just use the heavy duty diesel engine oil in the old 80's john deere,
An I thought about this thread today,so sense the tractor is new,I figured
that I better get some quality opinions on it...smilieFordlogo
 
Should be listed in owners manual. I could try to look up with year and what model and engine size

Yea,we got the tractor about 2 yrs ago,it has 130 hrs on it.
The owners manual got misplaced somewhere,I think the supervisor
had put it in the pouch behind the seat an someone else took it.
We think its one of the city workers,sometimes they borrow are
tractor for smaller quick jobs.

I know that the Kubota fluids are exspensive,but If I could find out
the right weight oil,an find a good quality brand I think that I should
be good.
It does sometimes in the winter could get as cold as 18 deg. during
the night,but we will never use the tractor at night,it is rare that
it gets that cold.
The tractor is just a 3 cylinder,an are common in comercial mowers.
I could look at are new grasshopper mower manual,I think they run
almost the same type & brand engine.I know that john deere runs
the yamar deisel engines.
I told the supervisor that the oil may need to be changed,because
of the hrs thats been put on it,an it being a new engine,but he told
me to go get some heavy duty deisel engine oil....:hammer:

I remembered this thread an what was said about viscosities of oil
an engine tolerances...:)
I will look on the tractor itself an see about the size engine,an see if
it has a oil chart..:)
 
Last edited:

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
I use what the manual says, and it's a great full synthetic to boot.
 
Rotella T 15w40 in everything from the lawn tractor to the Tahoe. This includes my 3 bikes and numerous atvs. I like it cause it's cheap, yields good results, and I can buy it by the 55 gallon drum if I desired. Haven't changed the oil on the f150 yet but it should be soon.
 
I run 0-40w synthetic in my truck as we have +35 cel summers and -30 cel winters and find that the 0-40 weight synthetic oil makes cold morning starts that much easier during our long winters and gets the engine warmed up quicker while still giving good protection during our short but still hot summers.

I run 0-20w synthetic in my wife's Honda Civic for the same reason.

Our +35 Celsius summer days are the same as + 95 F.

And something to ponder, when I was in northern Australia most cars and trucks ran 20W-50 oil!
 
Last edited:

Ford Truck Articles

Top