5w-30 or 10 w 40? | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums

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5w-30 or 10 w 40?

run 5w30, it will get better performance and mileage, and keep everything lasting longer.

dont run synthetic with that many miles though, you will burn through it way too fast
 



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i run synthetic in my 93 and it has 150,000 miles on it
 






dont you burn through it quickly?
at least that has been my past experience with synthetic and high miles, that it just seems to need changing much more often
 






Interesting

I have a 93 x, and I use 10/30 with Lucas added in, after reading this i may switch to 5/30.
 












201k, synthetic blend for the last 1-1/2 years... No oil burned OR dripped! :)
 






pensoil platinum full synthetic and I don't burn a drop
 






4.0 Rerolxpe, I use 10 30 with lucas added in also, I think it helps, I use it because my Ex has 230,00 hard driven beaten miles, the valves tap and the oil vescosity breakes down quickly. The oil pump is fine, and the truck keeps on running and running.
 






10w30 is ok in the summer, but never use 10w40
 






maybe i will switch back to synthetic after reading this, i thought i would burn through it since i have 150k,
since my friend did in his chevy with 170k, i guess its not the high miles, its just the chevy :) lol
 






I just switched to mobil1 synthetic with the 10k mile guarantee. I've put on 2.5k miles since changing it and it still looks great! I'm going to change the oil filter every 5k miles and top off. So far with 2.5k miles the level hasn't dropped 1mm on dipstick since adding it.

For the Amsoil fans, I'd give it a try but I can get the Mobil1 for $26 for 5qt jug and not have to wait for it to be shipped to me. The tests I've seen for Mobil1 make it to 20k miles without oil becoming as deteriorated as regular oil at 3k miles.
 






They make Mobil1 in a high mileage flavor, read the bottle and does all the things the regular "high mileage" oils do. Helps seals and has protection for leaks, stuff to help blow-by and all that jazz. It was $22 for a 5 qt jug at Wal-Mart, going to pick some up on my next oil change and try it out. If it leaks then oh well, I'll switch to something else. I'll change when it gets dirty or 6-10K, whatever comes first. :)

With filter and a drain pan that I'll need, even the wrench, I'll come out less then having Wal-mart do it for $40, and the $40 Wal-mart change just has like regular Quakerstate or something, to get them to do Mobil1 is like $60. When it was $18 for the basic change with filter it wasn't a bad deal, but now the basic service is $40, screw that. I'll spend $30 every 6 months or so and run the good stuff. Think I'll switch my Hyundai to Mobil1 while I'm at it.

I haven't done my own oil in a long time, was cheaper to have it done at Wally world, but now it'll save me money. And for less then any local shop will do it I can run synthetic. Hell it's like $15-$17 for regular(high mile) 5 qt jugs of oil anyway, for the extra $5-$7 buck why not run the stuff that proven to work better, longer, and get ya better MPG? LOL

*EDIT* Forgot to answer the question, as for me, unless the motor is modified or has special requirements because of some special use (or you live in a Tropic/Arctic zone), I'd always just go with what the manufacturer recommended. I'm the first to cuss an raise hell with ford and GM engineers, but they don't come up with the oil requirements lightly, and have probably done more in depth and extensive testing to come up with what works best then all the shade tree mechanics combined. I'd stick with the 5w-30, seeing you live in Montana , and the winters can get cold there, I'd say stay away from anything 10w, I would say even 10w-30 would be unwise for you, might not hurt a thing, but why chance it. For a Texan 10w-30 would be fine I'd think. Anyway, my .02 cents.
 






i always run 5-30 here in montana, since only 3 months of the year its warm enough to run 10-30, i just stick with 5-30.

but i think i will switch to mobil1, currently i run castrol in the ranger and X, but i might put synthetic in both.
 






i always run 5-30 here in montana, since only 3 months of the year its warm enough to run 10-30, i just stick with 5-30.

but i think i will switch to mobil1, currently i run castrol in the ranger and X, but i might put synthetic in both.

Oops rileyrs, your post was at the top of this page and I thought you were the original poster. Ok, so the OP WAS in Texas. Then 10w-30 would be ok I would think, but I'd never use 10w-40 myself, maybe in Mid Mexico or something, but not in the USA.
 












5w30 and 5w40

5w30 in the winter for my 4.0L v6. 5w40 in the summer. the 5 weight is always gonna be the same at operating temps. i like the 40 weight full synthetic in the summer, the 40 weight allows it to thicken a bit. I also use Mobil Delvac 5w40. good stuff.
 






I must say- only been a week, but I can tell a difference in how smoothly the truck runs on the Motorcraft syn blend. I'm happy with it...
 






Tremblor, The 5 has nothing to do with operating temp. That is the viscosity at startup. The second number is viscosity at running temp. Run something with a 30 as the last number in a first gen.
 






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