So I was changing my oil and I had a thought enter my head. Isn't 5w-20 considered bad oiil, or not as good as 5w-30 or 40? I usually prefer mobil 1. What oil does everyone else use and whats the best?

 

My 96 will eat 5W20 if used. However, this is only if the car is pushed before reaching operating temperature. If I jump in and pound on it for 5 mins or so, I could eat up to one Litre of Oil. However, after doing the PI Swap this stopped. My consumption now still rises above standard tolerances if the car is driven hard before reaching Operating temperature but the amount was drastically reduced. This, along with other symptoms lead me to beleive that the Valve Guides on my NPI heads were bad, and I was correct.

In any case, getting a little off topic:

5W20 is the standard weight used by FoMoCo for most vehicles. 4.0L's use 5W30, but for the most part 20 is the standard. This is conventional oil, however: I know nothing of Synthetics as I don't prefer to use them

 

What made you think that? I dont think ford would specify you to put bad oil in your car.

 

My friend was reading up on oils for his Audi, and he said that in general, 5w-20 was a crappy oil. I know European cars need other oil but I was just curious. What does everyone else use?

 

If that were in fact the case, would it not then be the particular brand of 5W20 that werre 'crappy' in general? It's almost like you're saying "Cars with this particular brand of Tires are crappy'

Your application calls for a specific weight, plain and simple. There are plenty of Brands of oil out there which I feel to be sub-par, however the weight in question is not what you're basing that on. Up here in Canada, some people I know use 0W20 in the winter due to the needed lower viscosity, allowing cold starts in fridgid temperatures.

 

damn, that's crazy! haha OFF TOPIC but, if oil does freeze, at what temperature dois it freeze? I live in Bakersfield, CA and when I see my front grass full of ice I happen to think my oil is really thick and maybe cause something bad to happen inthe long run; in the winter of course!

 

Ok this is an Audi your talking about. One of the most expensive Euro cars to maintain VS an American car fairly cheap to maintain. A buddy of mine has an 04 A4 he uses Royal Purple 5w20 in it & its just fine. I've used Royal Purple 5w20 in mine since the warranty ran out, and have no problems either. Like stated before Ford wouldn't put it the car if it was crappy oil.

 

You have nothing to worry about it does not get cold enough here in Cali to f with your oil like that.

 

I run Valvoline 5W20 in my car, no issues.

 

LMAO I have to to start my cars at 40 below where I am stationed in Alaska! If I didn't plug my block heater, oil heater, and tranny heaters in at these temps they would be frozen solid and the car would not even be able to start! I have started running mobil 1 0w20 in the winters here. I don't ever drive the stang at those temps. It stays in the garage. I do however drive my beater 87 pathfinder and 2010 Fusion hybrid.