full synthetic oil

[burtman]

Picking up my 2015 Limited Explorer in the morning and thinking about the Ford Maintenance plan. The dealer quoted price is with FULL synthetic oil change every 5,000 miles. Is this right. My BMW takes full synthetic and was changed every 15,000 miles. My last Ford (2011 Edge) took a Synthetic Blend.

 

[binaryman3]

Full Synthetic Oil Change in Maint Plan

Depends on what the cost difference is between the regular synthetic blend oil changes and the full synthetic is in the maint plan. I have seen dealers in my area charge around $75-80 more for full synthetic and still charge $39 for the blended change since it takes 6 qts and they charge $29 for the 5 qt blended oil change. 5000 miles is the low end of the blended change interval but to me its on the excessive side for a non turbo engine for full synthetic. I change my own oil and have used 100% synthetic on all my 8 and 6 cylinder Fords and eco boost and it cost me about $70 in oil and a filter that is Amsoil. The filter and oil exceed Ford specs. Based on the filter spec for the motorcraft filter the filter size and capacity is the limit on range more so than the oil. For your engine I would say 10-15K on a full synthetic oil and filter like Mobile one would be okay unless you drive under severe conditions. But with a non turbo I would you probably only need the blended oil change at the 5k interval. Warranty does not require full synthetic. If you are going to keep the explorer past the powertrain warranty or even an extended period of 6-7 years or longer you would want to look into full synthetic oil changes.

 

[rip]

At least on the 2013, the official line is depend on the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor, which will tell you when to change it. Expected interval is upto 10,000 miles or 1 year.

I think synthetic is spec for both turbo and non at this point, but haven’t read them closely (I know there was a slightly different spec turbo vs non, but they're both synthetic.)

 

[peterk9]

The specs in the U.S call for a synthetic blend although a full synthetic can be used. I ran just plain old regular oil in my former 2011 Limited. I don't drive that much and change the oil every 6 months. For me full synthetic would be a waste of money. The oil specs are listed in the Owner's Guide.

You can download a PDF version of the Guide and other info from the following site. Unfortunately they don't have the 2015 Owner's Guide available there yet but I'm guessing it would be much the same as the 2014 Guide.

https://owner.ford.com/servlet/Cont...oLogin=Owner/Page/OwnerGuidePage&ord=85100321

Peter

 

[bigdude2468]

I do my own changes and using Mobil 1 and a Wix filter I spend about $35. Have only changed twice as it is a 2014 purchased in December. I had about 6000 miles the last time I changed and the oil life monitor showed 30%. BTW, Consumer Reports STRONGLY recommends using the oil life monitor for the correct interval. A few years ago CR did a study using New York City taxis. Took half of I think it was about 30 vehicles and changed oil every 3000 miles. The other half went with the manufacturers recommend interval of 7500 - 9000 depending on the specific vehicle. They then tore them down after an extended period, something like 200,000 miles. Absolutely no difference in the condition of the engines. They think short intervals are a waste of money and resources. You can Google it and the last time I looked it was still out there.

 

[Dr Plastic]

5K is right for a full synthetic. And by the way I really hope you are not waiting until 15000 to change the oil in the BMW. You need to read up on the oil sludge issues and failed engines on BMW! it is pretty bad!

 

[182RG]

5K is right for a full synthetic.

10K is right for a full synthetic. 5K is a waste of perfectly good oil. I did a Blackstone and posted it on here last year. 10K is no problem.

 

[burtman]

Thanks for all the response ! I went with the Ford Maintenance which includes oil changes, Tire rotation etc. I went with the blend synthetic oil at every 5,000 miles.

 

[Dr Plastic]

The Blackstone testing is only valid for the specific engine the oil was used in. Every engine is different. I would never run my engine past 5k on an oil change!

 

[182RG]

Every engine is different.

Driving conditions...different. Turbo...different. Same engine in different cars....not so much.

 

[bigdude2468]

Old habits are tough to change and modern vehicles are better equipped to go much longer between oil changes. The five, six and eight speed transmissions result in engines working much less than 20 years ago when a four speed with a lock up torque converter was cutting edge. A car that had to run at 3500 rpm's to go 65 mph now runs at 2000 rpm's or less.

It would be interesting to have someone {BOBTHEOILGUY PERHAPS) look at what the difference is between today's oils and lets say an SC or SD when that classification was the current standard. Today's oil are thinner at low temperature,hold their viscosity much better and are more resistant to sludge build up and the additive packages in oils are far superior. How much better do you think today's synthetics are compared to the SAE 30 or 40 weight I used during the summer of 1970? Cars used to race at start up until the choke kicked down and we were flooding the combustion chamber with gas on a cold start up which contaminated the oil. Most engines are now overhead cam resulting in fewer moving parts and a more precise firing sequence. No more hydraulic valve lifters which were a chronic wear point. Getting 200K + miles on an engine today is not at all unusual whereas 30 years ago 100K made you feel good. Advancements in the materials they use along with tighter tolerances all add to engine life. I cannot remember the last time I heard of someone needing a valve job; this was a regular occurrence with older cars.

There is no good reason for a manufacturer to recommend a 7500 or longer oil change interval if it was not justified. I do not think that doing so is a sales tool. Stretching oil change intervals and then having unhappy customers / warranty claims and a dealer network that wants those vehicles in their shop getting oil changes more frequently would be the easy way to go. The oil life monitors use a sophisticated algorithm that measures not only mileage but temps, type of driving- city high way, length of trips, how aggressive the driver is along with other operating conditions. Personally I have been going with 6000 miles which comes out to about twice a year. I figure I need to crawl under and get a look around anyway so why not change the oil at the same time.

 

[Halwg]

I have been wondering about the validity of the oil change monitor on my 2014 XLT. I'm old school, and I started driving cars when oil changes every 3000 miles (who came up with that number) was a must to keep your warranty validated. My last Explorer, a 2010, had a fixed 7500 mile oil change recommendation. I never went that long, opting for a change every 5000.

This morning I checked my monitor, and with 2800 miles on the car, it says my oil life is still 65% which translates to an 8000 mile change interval. Again, it's doubtful I go that long. I'm going to use a synthetic blend and keep the 5000 mile interval at this point.

 

[gypsy321]

Oil to use : Motorcraft or Pennzoil 5W20 full synthetic ?

Picking up my 2015 Limited Explorer in the morning and thinking about the Ford Maintenance plan. The dealer quoted price is with FULL synthetic oil change every 5,000 miles. Is this right. My BMW takes full synthetic and was changed every 15,000 miles. My last Ford (2011 Edge) took a Synthetic Blend.

Has anyone out there actually used motorcraft 5W20 full synthetic oil in their vehicle and are they pleased ? . Also it looks like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum might be an excellent oil ........... not available in Canada yet as far as I can determine. Has anyone in the US used the ultra platinum yet .........specifically the 5W20 full synthetic?
Gypsy

 

[SHAD0W]

Has anyone out there actually used motorcraft 5W20 full synthetic oil in their vehicle and are they pleased ? . Also it looks like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum might be an excellent oil ........... not available in Canada yet as far as I can determine. Has anyone in the US used the ultra platinum yet .........specifically the 5W20 full synthetic?
Gypsy

I'm sure someone has used Penzoil Ultra Premium, and had good results so far. But the key words are "so far."

I think most people have had good results using full synthetic overall, but I think it's a bit premature for most Ex users (particularly owners of newer model Ex's) to offer real results on the use of full synthetic in their trucks. Maybe 2011 and 2012 owners can offer the best advice, but even then, the best advice can be given from someone who has used a particular brand, synthetic, and viscosity over several years.

I find it difficult, and particularly unbelieveable, for a person to attribute the improvement of a vehicle's performance or the prolonging of a vehicle's life, to the use of a specific brand, type, or viscosity of oil, without accounting for the almost unlimited other factors of a vehicle's life (environment, conditions, maintenance history, driving style, manufacturer defects, etc). Unless we dissect our engines every few months and study the effects of the oil, no one really knows what's happening until problems arise. And usually problems attributed to motor oil that appear right away, are likely due to using the wrong viscosity or outright bad oil.

I can say that I've used full synthetic for most of my adult driving life and have not suffered from any major problems. But can I solely attribute my good luck to the oil? Not necessarily. I'm sure folks who use standard oil and have excellent maintenance history have just as equal chance of prolonging the life of their cars as I do.

 

[peterk9]

"I'm sure folks who use standard oil and have excellent maintenance history have just as equal chance of prolonging the life of their cars as I do."
I agree, and at much less cost. Have been driving for 50+ years and always used standard oil and never had any engine issues. Until 1998 many of the vehicles were 'used' cars.

Peter

 

[amd2800barton]

It can also depend on the service. Turbocharged, direct injected engines can run very hot. The last thing you want is your lubricant breaking down due to the high temperatures. A synthetic oil is much less likely to break down at high temperatures.

I use Penzoil Platinum (full syntheic, haven't bothered to spring for the Ultra full synthetic yet) and it works just fine. No matter what brand you go with, as long as it meets the spec listed in the owners manual, Ford can't deny your warranty for not using Motorcraft brand. Now if you want to have a little more confidence that your vehicle will continue to perform well after the 36k mile factory warranty, you might want to invest in a slightly better oil.

 

[DeepBlueSC]

So here's the science side of this debate, if it is in any way a debate. Bear in mind driving habits and condition affect most aspects of vehicle maintenance...

1. 5W20 and 5W30 synthetic oils pour at 18 degrees lower than the comparable weight conventional oils. Knowing that 80% of wear happens at cold start-up this means the oil pump can force more oil through the engine faster and with more volume at the time it is most critical to the reduction or potential elimination of engine/lubricated parts wear. Lest anyone forgets, oil is also responsible for absorbing and carrying away heat from the parts it comes in contact with.

2. Conventional motor oils are mineral based products refined from crude oil.

3. Synthetic oils are made from the same natural ingredients as conventional oils except they have been distilled/refined in a chemical plant to a degree well beyond what any conventional oil receives.

4. Here are the qualities that synthetic oils bring to the table:
* Have multi-viscosity, all season properties with some able to flow 7-times faster than conventional oils.
* Can handle extreme engine temperatures more efficiently than conventional oils.
* Can extend oil change intervals by lasting upwards of 10,000 miles.
*Contain fewer contaminants that contribute to sludge formation and build-up.

5. Everything above is common to all synthetic motor oils. Is any one brand better than any other...Everyone seems to have an opinion about this and it's generally not based in fact or science, but on someone's opinion or someone somebody knows opinion. Amsoil performed an extensive testing on the available synthetic motor oils last year. While some oils 'outperformed' Amsoil in individual test categories and others 'performed' as well, or comparable to, the data indicated Amsoil was really good in all categories.

DISCLAIMER: No I am not affiliated with or a distributor of Amsoil. Nor do I claim to be a fanatic "Give me Amsoil or give my engine death!" or even a regular user.

 

[peterk9]

I am aware of the advantages of synthetic oil. I didn't mention that I used it for about 3 years in my '81 Datsun 510 wagon when I worked shift and it sat out in a windswept parking lot all night. I found it started much easier due to the oil remaining more fluid. As for the 10k miles on synthetic, the same mileage figure is reported in the 2011 Owner's Guide for the Limited I had and the recommended oil was standard premium oil for Canadian Explorers with full synthetic as an option. I am not in any way disputing the advantages of synthetic oil. I just feel that for most drivers, a good premium standard oil will do just fine. I don't know what oil I have in my MKT but will discuss the possible use of a full synthetic or blend to see what the recommendation may be. Keep in mind that I change the oil every 6 months which in my case equates to about 2000 miles. My vehicles are always garaged when at home and my vehicles are leased for 3 - 4 years.

Peter

 

[Halwg]

Well, I just checked the handy, dandy oil life monitor on my '14. I'm at 3200 miles and it shows 63% life remaining. That equates to an 8650 mile oil change. No way I am going that long. I'm going to do this first change at 5,000 with a synthetic blend and then see how it goes from there.

 

[pingbling23]

Well, I just checked the handy, dandy oil life monitor on my '14. I'm at 3200 miles and it shows 63% life remaining. That equates to an 8650 mile oil change. No way I am going that long. I'm going to do this first change at 5,000 with a synthetic blend and then see how it goes from there.

It's been proven on several sites, you will just be wasting money/resources for peace of mind. Just follow the computer and don't worry about it.