Is Motorcraft still the choice for oil change?


quahog

GT Owner
Mar 12, 2017
36
Cape Cod
quahog

Seeking the correct oil and possible options I asked Mobil if their Mobil 1 full synthetic 5 - 50 met fords wss-m97b51-a1 spec / per owners guide . The reply was NO... it does not .
 

Indy GT

Yea, I got one...too
Mark IV Lifetime
Jan 14, 2006
2,526
Greenwood, IN
GT Oil Selection

Seeking the correct oil and possible options I asked Mobil if their Mobil 1 full synthetic 5 - 50 met fords wss-m97b51-a1 spec / per owners guide . The reply was NO... it does not .

WHOOOO, quahog!

I would hope that Mobil 1 would NOT meet your cited Ford Specification wss-m97b51-a1, as this is for Motorcraft antifreeze coolant….??? Perhaps a typo on your part, but a significantly different specification from the 5W-50 Motorcraft OIL Specification WSS-M2C931-A/B/C.:facepalm:

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Owners have passionate reasons for using a particular oil choice. It’s your engine, your choice. Ford worked with Conoco-Phillips 66 during the engine development phase of our 5.4L supercharged engine to develop the “A” version of this oil. This 5W-50 oil was used exclusively for all endurance and qualification testing and when production released, was the recommended oil by Ford for this (Ford GT) singular application.

Because of perceived catalytic converter fouling tendencies of an oil additive “zinc dialkyldithiophosphates” (often referred to as ZZDP) in the oil, the EPA forced oil manufactures to reduce or eliminate this compound from their oil additive package. Thus the lowered/removed ZZDP formula was rolled to the “B” version.

The Ford engine design team did go back and run limited testing to insure the newly formulated oil would still provide acceptable wear characteristics which is obviously important for customer satisfaction and warranty claims. With the “B” version oil rollout, engine development continued on the (then) new 5.8L Trinity engine in the new GT500 and the Boss 302 5.0L Road Runner engines. The newer version of this Motorcraft oil was used during the development of these new Ford engines. The “B” version oil when released was marketed for both the Ford GT and Shelby GT500 applications.

Although I do not have the specifics on why the Motorcraft 5W-50 oil spec was rolled to the now current “C” specification (see below), I personally am confident that the Ford team continues to evaluate and insure the oil provides the necessary wear/lubrication properties for each engine application. As indicated below, from the Ford Motorcraft Oil site application of the 5W-50 oil is now extended to the Boss 302 engine and though not stated on the bottle label is the Ford recommended oil for the newer 5.2L Voodoo flat-plane crankshaft engine in the GT350/350R.

It may be of future ownership interest that the production release the new twin turbocharged 3.5L engine in the 2017 Ford GT was developed, qualified and the recommended oil usage has been changed to Castrol EDGE Supercar 5W-50. It is well known that Castrol/BP is a major sponsor of the new Ford GT racing program. Just look at any picture of the race car rear. And since the Castrol 5W-50 meets the Ford WSS-M2C931-C spec just as the Motorcraft 5W-50 oil, you now have two choices to use in the 05-06 GT. :thumbsupI continue to use the Ford recommended Motorcraft 5W-50 in my GT. My thoughts are why worry about equivalency and whether this/that oil meets the Ford oil specification. I choose to just use the engine designer’s recommendation and enjoy the drive.

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Casper

GT Owner
Oct 24, 2006
24
Great Falls, MT
Hello MTV8, I've had my GT tested ever since I bought mine in 2005, & have had several Blackstone oil tests, done for my car. Don't now what the issue is with the comparison test. I know that is a comment that is old.

Mark
 

The Grey Ghost

GT Owner
Mar 13, 2009
685
Kansas City
Still just what the doctor ordered, even for the new GT.

Noticed the bottle was shaped a little different when I changed the oil a couple weeks ago, but thought, marketing is always changing things for effect, presentation, etc. Didn't think much of it at first.
Got to looking closer and saw they added the new car to applications on the back side.
 

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soroush

Ford Gt Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 8, 2007
5,256
i use the ford stuff too.

btw nice pictures especially of the interior who took the pics?
 

MTV8

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 24, 2010
1,017
Houston Texas
Hello MTV8, I've had my GT tested ever since I bought mine in 2005, & have had several Blackstone oil tests, done for my car. Don't now what the issue is with the comparison test. I know that is a comment that is old.

Mark

The comparison figures provided by Blackstone are not specifically Ford GT results. They have combined results for all Ford 5.4L SC engines regardless of composition or internal components.
 

BIGFOOT

GT Owner
Jan 18, 2012
739
Northeast
I use the Motorcraft in the GT and the race car. Just wish they would put it in a 5q bottle..
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,267
Kalama, Free part of WA State
I've been getting oil analysis from Blackstone labs over the past 30Kmi. They have recommended increasing the oil change intervals, and I'm now up to 12Kmi interval. The Motorcraft 5W-50 oil has held its viscosity and TBN over that period, and the metals are minimal. Does anyone know of a problem extending the oil change intervals if I keep getting analysis at every change?
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
It's amazing how long the synthetic oils hold up.
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
It's amazing how long the synthetic oils hold up.

Especially in high stress, hi -temp applications.

Going 5K miles on a diesel truck on the other hand is pushing your luck.
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
I’m still old school though, changing the oil in all the performance vehicles every 3,000 miles. Yes, I know I’m wasting money, but it makes me feel better. It gives me an excuse to poke around the cars.
 

Biginch Blake

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Nov 4, 2008
983
Rockville, Indiana
I am sticking with Motocraft oil and am like Sinovac change at 3,000 miles. My 06 gets several track miles a year “700+“ this year so start each year we new Motocraft oil. The Boss 302S is a different story. Ford recommended oil change even 400 miles, this under 100% track use. It holds 14 qt. so between the 2 cars I use about 6 cases a year. Wish it came in larger containers and glad it for reduced price from local dealer. At try to reinvent the wheel.
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
Is this 30K miles in a year, or what time frame? Book says every 5K or 3 years. According to your numbers, this represents 6 changes? More than enough points to define a line.
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Is this 30K miles in a year, or what time frame? Book says every 5K or 3 years. According to your numbers, this represents 6 changes? More than enough points to define a line.

MAXIMUM oil change interval is every 5k mi or ONE year, whichever comes first.
 

AJB

GT
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 28, 2006
2,943
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
I stick exclusively with whatever Ford Motor Company recommends.
The 2017 Ford GT uses Castrol. Just had mine changed at 600 miles. It has gold leaf and zircon flakes in it I think >:):)

andy (ajb)
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,267
Kalama, Free part of WA State
I put 12,000 miles on the last oil change in 3 months, so didn't get anywhere near 3 years, or even one year. That included my drive to the Left Coast enroute to Rally 12 and about 80 miles of track time in Utah, then back to the Right Coast. With oil analysis, I'll keep extending the change interval in miles, although I plan to change once a year if I don't hit the miles (but at my rate I will hit the miles). Of course, I will only do that with continuing oil analysis. But, since it only costs $35 to do the oil analysis (including the $10 extra for TBN measurement), I'm definitely saving money on oil changes. :wink

Seriously, you guys who change your oil every 3000 miles are just throwing it away. Forget about the cost (who's keeping track on $200K+ toys anyway?), you are also putting more waste to be disposed into the environment. Yeah, I know it gets recycled, but that adds to the stream of crap too. At the very least, go the recommended 5000 miles, then get an oil test.
 

nautoncall

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 6, 2014
1,093
I️ use Blackstone as well.. they are great at telling you how your oil is. I️ didn’t have but 2000 miles on one car over the year. I️ took a sample and sent it to them. They said it was practically unused and send another in another 2000 miles. Oil doesn’t go bad in the containers so why should it go bad in your car if little use.

This is just occasional use and no track days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
Andy, isn't a zircon a fake diamond?
 

AJB

GT
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 28, 2006
2,943
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Frank..
Yeah .. My point being that the Castrol blend for the new GT is VERY expensive.
Didn't Zappa use zircon encrusted tweezers to pick dental floss from the Dental Floss bush.?
andy (ajb)
 

MTV8

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 24, 2010
1,017
Houston Texas
Oil doesn’t go bad in the containers so why should it go bad in your car if little use.

According to Blackstone, there is no reason to change oil on just a time interval.