[BillDawg]

Having only owned my '99 Cougar V6 A/T for about 4,000 miles, I was a little puzzled to see that when I went for my first oil change last weekend, the invoice listed the oil used as Pennzoil 5W-20. I've never owned or seen a car (except I think maybe the Ford Focus) that uses such a light oil, and I'd only expect something like that moreso in a high-rev 4 cylinder than an engine like mine. Is this customarily what is used or recommended for this car?

 

[B3NN3TT]

It's what Ford recommends - but they only recommend it for the sake of emissions and fuel economy, not necesarily for the health of your engine.

I use 5W-30, and I think that's a little lighter than I need.

 

[DanG]

Bill:

The 2.5L Duratec is a high-precision, high-revving V6, much akin to your expectations of a strung-out 4 banger. The Duratec's tolerances are incredibly tight, thus a lightweight oil is necessary. Remember, we're filling 24 lash adjusters, splashing 24 rollers, lubricating 4 cams, 2 timing chains, plus connecting rods and the main bearings. Volume is key because of all the necessary parts, so viscosity must be reduced.

'99 and '00 Cougars are stock with 5W-30, but Ford issued a bulletin confirming that 5W-20 was backwards-compatible with the '99 and '00. '01+ used 5W-20 stock.

 

[skater]

Err, does "backward-compatible" mean "recommended"?

Edit: One garage put 10W-30 in it. Idiots. It's clearly marked under the hood to use 5W-30. Have any Ford cars built in the last 10 years recommended 10W-30? Also, after 3000 miles on that oil change, it was a quart low--but I suspect the reason is that those thieves put 5 quarts in and called it good (since it never has used oil, I don't often check it; I checked it the other day at about 1000 miles on this change, and it's still at Full).

Thanks.
--RJ

 

[eurocrisp]

I thought it was 0-30 not 5-20 that was later reccomended

5-20 would be thinner when cold than 5-30, no? 0-30 is thinner when hot? the lower the number the thinner it is. 0 is of water.

 

[DanG]

My understanding of the multi-vis oils is that the first number is the cold weight, the second is weight of the oil that it mimicks as it heats up, i.e. 5W-30 gets no thinner than straight 30W would when hot.

Please check me on that, though...

 

[MrFroge]

Originally posted by: DanG
My understanding of the multi-viscus oils is that the first number is the cold weight, the second is weight of the oil that it mimicks as it heats up, i.e. 5W-30 gets no thinner that 30W would when hot.

Please check me on that, though...

Correct for a multi-weight oil .. for addition oil weight and applications information, check the post I made in Group Buy.

click-here :biggrin:

 

[Magoo]

I could find out correctly for you at my work tomorrow.

 

[BillDawg]

Well thanks for the input everyone. Glad I asked