Sport Oil questions & Analysis

[CobraJohn]

I have a 2014 Sport on order and am curious about the following:

1. What type of oil is recommended for the Sports? Synthetic or Regular?

2. What weight oil does the Sport call for? 5W-30? 5W-20?

3. If the Sport comes with regular oil, how many miles before converting to Synthetic?

4. Can you really tell a difference between Synthetic and Regular oil?

 

[1995E]

I would think synthetic oil would be used with turbos since turbochargers will make the oil break down faster. Synthetics last longer because it can better cope with heat and pressure. I don't know what the Sport uses but I was told by my dealer my Fusion which is 2.0L Ecoboost uses a synthetic blend so it's conventional oil mixed with synthetic oil.

After break in to like 3,000 - 5,000 miles. If you want to change to full synthetic, it'll be a lot better for you in the long run. Especially if you like flooring it, do lots of cold starts, and what not. Synthetic oil flows better than conventional even when it's really cold. It doesn't get as thick and hard to run through as regular oil.

Lots of people recommend Mobil 1 and Amsoil. I would personally go for Mobil 1 because it's cheaper and it's been around. My friend's 2006 Cadillac CTS has the oil cap with Mobil 1 only and that Cadillac has been floored, improper cold starts, and everything and still runs well.

That's just my 2 cents.

 

[tucker_bmd]

I have a 2014 Sport on order and am curious about the following:

1. What type of oil is recommended for the Sports? Synthetic or Regular?

2. What weight oil does the Sport call for? 5W-30? 5W-20?

3. If the Sport comes with regular oil, how many miles before converting to Synthetic?

4. Can you really tell a difference between Synthetic and Regular oil?

For questions 1 and 2 here is a link to the manual.
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pubs/content/~WOEEXP/~MUS~LEN/42/14expom1e.pdf

One page 387 you will find Ford recommends their usual synthetic blend 5W30.

Don't have an opinion on 3, I just stick with what the people who built the thing recommend. If they want my return business they better recommend products and service that will keep my Ford running properly.

On 4, no personal experience since I don't use Synthetic in my Explorer. But in the VW TDI I used to own I used a Mobil Synthetic Oil for diesels and the car ran fine. You might poke around the modified forum and find there is a hypermiler that claims using synthetic oil will get you better gas mileage.

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

I have a 2014 Sport on order and am curious about the following:

1. What type of oil is recommended for the Sports? Synthetic or Regular?

2. What weight oil does the Sport call for? 5W-30? 5W-20?

3. If the Sport comes with regular oil, how many miles before converting to Synthetic?

4. Can you really tell a difference between Synthetic and Regular oil?

1) IDK
2) IDK
3) anytime you want, sooner the better, IMO
4) No, in my opinion, but I am not running UOA's.

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

It doesn't get as thick and hard to run through as regular oil.

No. A 5W20 (for example) is a 20 weight oil, on the hot end, regardless if it is a dino oil, synthetic oil, a blended oil, or olive oil. A 20 weight oil is a 20 weight oil.

 

[Ryan327]

I have a 2014 Sport on order and am curious about the following:

1. What type of oil is recommended for the Sports? Synthetic or Regular?

The motorcraft oil used by ford is a sythetic blend but you can run anything on either side or in between

2. What weight oil does the Sport call for? 5W-30? 5W-20?

sport calls for 5W-30, you can run other oils if you know a lot about what the numbers mean but you should just stick with that for now.

3. If the Sport comes with regular oil, how many miles before converting to Synthetic?

You can switch to synthetic at any time really but just read you owner manual and be sure to follow the recommendation, IE no special additives or break in oil should be used. if you stick with any regular 5W-30 you'll be fine.

4. Can you really tell a difference between Synthetic and Regular oil?

No, it really comes down to oil change intervals in that synthetic doesn't break down the same as regular oil. The problem seen so far though is that the direct injection is causing more fuel to be dilluted in the oil. that dillution causes the viscosity to change and most things i'm reading are to disregard the oil life monitor and go with 5000-6000 mile intervals max. You have to decide what to do here...

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

Ryan327, you can NOT run on "either side" as you state above. The minimunm oil requirement for ALL new Explorers is a blended oil. A full dino oil is not allowed, as you suggested above.

 

[peterk9]

For questions 1 and 2 here is a link to the manual.
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pubs/content/~WOEEXP/~MUS~LEN/42/14expom1e.pdf

One page 387 you will find Ford recommends their usual synthetic blend 5W30
.

Your link does not seem to work. The following comes up;
An Error has been detected.

•You do not have permissions to this site/page or
•Your access permission may have timed out.

The following link will take you to the 2014 Owner's Guide;

https://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/OwnerGuidePage

Peter

 

[Ryan327]

Ryan327, you can NOT run on "either side" as you state above. The minimunm oil requirement for ALL new Explorers is a blended oil. A full dino oil is not allowed, as you suggested above.

Where is your reference for this?

The owners manual states

"Your engine has been designed to use engine oil that meets Ford specification. It is also acceptable to use an engine oil of recommended viscosity grade that displays the API Certification Mark for gasoline engines."

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

Where is your reference for this?

The owners manual states

"Your engine has been designed to use engine oil that meets Ford specification. It is also acceptable to use an engine oil of recommended viscosity grade that displays the API Certification Mark for gasoline engines."

Search old threads. This was confirmed many times by Ford Customer Service as well.

And re-read page #412 in your OM.

 

[Ryan327]

I'll take that to mean you have no reference then.

Valvoline conventional 5W-30, per the spec sheet below, meets all requirements of FORD WSS-M2C946-A (aka Motorocraft synthetic blend).

http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/premium_conventional.pdf

 

[peterk9]

Ryan327, you can NOT run on "either side" as you state above. The minimunm oil requirement for ALL new Explorers is a blended oil. A full dino oil is not allowed, as you suggested above.

Bill, the 2011 Owner's Guide, Under Maintenance and Specifications states;
Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 Super Premium Motor Oil (Canada),
Motorcraft SAE 5W20 Synthetic Motor Oil (Canada)

Use of synthetic or synthetic blend motor oil is not mandatory. Engine oil need only have the API Certification mark and meet the requirements of Ford Specification WSS-M2C930-A.

I also checked the 2013 Owner's Guide and in the chart it shows Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil with no mention of synthetic at all.

My dealer has been using the 5W-20 regular oil in mine.

The 2011 specs only show the synthetic blend or full synthetic for the U.S. models and this now seems to have been removed from the 2013 and 2014 manuals.

Peter

 

[plumbago]

Say what you will, but you are a darn fool if you can get a synthetic oil, and don't use it in a turbo, period...............best regards Plum

 

[Ryan327]

Just to be clear to the original poster since it's getting a bit muddy in here.

Different oil is recommended for the 3.5L V6 then for the 3.5L Ecoboost in the sport. 5W-20 for the 3.5L V6, or 5W-30 for the ecoboost which is what you are asking about.

 

[182RG]

GF5 spec 5W30. GF5 is available in Dino or Syn.

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/2013_ExplorerSport_Specs.pdf

Mobil 1 Full Syn 5W30 from Walmart, and Motorcraft filters (I buy 6 at a time from Amazon) runs about $35 a change.

I don't run Dino oil in anything anymore. Syn is cheap (except for the spec in my Touareg TDI)

 

[Ryan327]

Say what you will, but you are a darn fool if you can get a synthetic oil, and don't use it in a turbo, period...............best regards Plum

I'll bite here....why?

 

[tucker_bmd]

Say what you will, but you are a darn fool if you can get a synthetic oil, and don't use it in a turbo, period...............best regards Plum

OK, honest, I'm not trying to be a dick or a "jackass" as I was called in another thread. I am asking this as nicely as I can. Based on what you say above, why do you think Ford doesn't recommend pure synthetic oil for the ecoboost turbos?

 

[1995E]

No. A 5W20 (for example) is a 20 weight oil, on the hot end, regardless if it is a dino oil, synthetic oil, a blended oil, or olive oil. A 20 weight oil is a 20 weight oil.

From what I've heard from some mechanics, they said on cold starts, synthetic is better because conventional oil gets like a little gel like at cold temperatures and doesn't get around as easily.

 

[1995E]

OK, honest, I'm not trying to be a dick or a "jackass" as I was called in another thread. I am asking this as nicely as I can. Based on what you say above, why do you think Ford doesn't recommend pure synthetic oil for the ecoboost turbos?

This is because the cars would end up having to come with full synthetic from the factory which costs a lot more. As I am starting to think, Ford is really cutting costs anywhere they can from glovebox lights and messing with options without making it clear, etc.

Plus, break in, you do need a little friction to get the parts broken in with each other so the parts can smooth each other out into a nice fit.

However, after break in, it's so much better to use synthetic. Especially in cold climates, the synthetic oil gets run through the system way faster. Synthetic oil has better temperature performances and lubricates the engine way better. Conventional oil just comes out of the ground with a little tweaking. Synthetics were made and used in racing because they can lubricate so well even when being revved so hard. Think about it, why don't formula 1 cars and any racing cars use conventional oil? It just doesn't cut it.

 

[Ryan327]

No. A 5W20 (for example) is a 20 weight oil, on the hot end, regardless if it is a dino oil, synthetic oil, a blended oil, or olive oil. A 20 weight oil is a 20 weight oil.

From what I've heard from some mechanics, they said on cold starts, synthetic is better because conventional oil gets like a little gel like at cold temperatures and doesn't get around as easily.

This is what the W means in 5W30 (since this was about sports)

W means winter or cold weather viscosity. So if you take a 5W30 and a 10W30, both will perform exactly the same at operating temperature, a 30 weight oil, only difference will be how they behave at cold start temps.

This is a pretty basic explanation, but should give you the gist of it. See the cSt numbers. So what you've been told is partially correct you could say, but not in terms of synthetic vs dino

MOTORCRAFT® 5W-30 PREMIUM SYNTHETIC BLEND MOTOR OIL

SAE Grade 5W-30
API Service GF-5/SN
Specific Gravity @ 60°F (15.6°C) 0.860
Density, lb/gal 7.17
Flash Point, COC, °C (°F) 206 (402)
Viscosity:
cSt @ 100°C 10.8
cSt @ 40°C 65
cP @ -30°C 6,300
Viscosity Index 163
Pour Point, °C (°F) <-42 (<-44)


MOTORCRAFT® 10W-30 SYNTHETIC BLEND MOTOR OIL

SAE Grade 10W-30
API Service GF-5/SN
Specific Gravity @ 60°F (15.6°C) 0.871
Density, lb/gal 7.25
Flash Point, COC, °C (°F) 224 (435)
Viscosity:
cSt @ 100°C 10.4
cSt @ 40°C 69
cP @ -30°C 5,900
Viscosity Index 157
Pour Point, °C (°F) <-42 (<-44)

Now here is Valvoline conventional (non synthetic oil)
http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/premium_conventional.pdf

or

Mobile 1, a grade 3 sythetic
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_5W-30.aspx#