I think Glenn and Sean are both correct.

I asked my Ford Dealer and he says 0w20 is recommended for owners who regularly have cold starts at 0'F or colder. I have used it for one interval, but have had not been able to find it lately.

When you think about it, most of the hours your car is running, it will be at the 212'F mark or higher, so I must agree with Glenn that the 20 number is most important. The engine block on mine is regularly 235'F, even on sub-zero days ( while coolent water is 190'F ).

-John

 

From the table Glenn Provided, the first number relates to temperature.
0w oil behaves the same as 5w oils, just at 5'C colder.

It is definately the 20 number that "matters".

If you live in Los Angeles, or Miami, you could use straight 20 all year.

 

Doesn't that mean that essentially there isn't much of an MPG advantage to 0W20 over 5W20 because once the engine is warm.... the first number doesn't mean much anymore.

 

Be careful.. The first number means alot more than this thread is giving it credit for...

Food for thought:

Regardless of what they are acting like, if you are comfortable putting a 0 weight oil in your vehicle that was designed for, and reccomends a 5 weight oil, that choice is yours.

call me old school, but think about it... 0 weight oil???

If it were an acceptable way for Ford to squeak out some extra mpg without adverse consequences, why wouldn't they have recommended it over the 5w20?


08FEH

 

I agree with you, and I'm sticking with 5W-20 (Mobil-1). But I do wonder why Mobil recommends their 0W-20 Mobil-1 for out of warranty FEH's. They most also think their is some advantage to the 0W-20.

 

I think Sean and I can agree to disagree at this point.

0w-20 is not a 0 weight oil. It is a 20 weight oil (as defined by its minimum measured viscosity at 212F) that flows at 0w properties when cold.

 

I think that is correct.

0w20 is not going to help MPG for someone who is full time in a warm climate. 0w20 will only help me ( in sub-zero ) for the first 10 minutes as the engine warms up.

Over the long haul, on long trips, I don't see an advantage.
However, most of my daily commutes are 10 mile / 10 minute trips at near zero temperatures.

Ford recommends 5w20 for "average user" in "average conditions" or for "all season" use.

Ford does not dis-allow use of 0w20 in any way, shape, or form.
And from everyone I've ever talked to, the use of 0w20 has no effect on your warranty status whatsoever. Ford does recommend 0w20 for owners who regularly have cold starts at 0'F or colder. So if Ford does not void my warranty for using it in Minnesota... I don't see how they could void your warranty if you chose it use it in Los Angeles. You just won't get a measureable benefit using it in Los Angeles.
-J

There is SUCH A SMALL difference in the two oils folks....

 

Ford Dealer just changed mine and put in 5W30. I questioned and they said that it wont affect mileage. I will go full mobil synthetic after 5k miles, just wanted to get fresh oil in at 2500 miles.

no impact on gas mileage.

 

The maintenance schedule for my 08 MMH calls for oil changes every 10,000 miles or 200 engine hours. Since I don't measure engine hours, I'm going by miles, but it seems as if a lot folks change their oil more frequently. Is my maintenance schedule wrong?

 

I do a LOT of very cold weather driving.

I am on my 2nd FEH, the first was an 05 I drove until it had 68,000 miles on it & my 06 now has around 25,000 (it had 3900 when I bought it).

I have used nothing but 0-20 wt Mobil 1 in both vehicles & will continue to do so....

~John