Best oil to use

[shadowless127]

2001 Eddie Bauer 5.0 w/116,x.. miles. What's the best oil to use? I've been using regular for the 13,000 miles I've owned it.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Castrol dino and a Motorcrap filter. Filter FL-820S

 

[FIND]

They are all pretty much the same as long as you don't buy the cheap crap and change it regularly. Synthetics last longer and change less during their life and under stress/heat, but conventional oils work just about the same.

The Motorcraft 5w20 is cheap, and you can use an FL-820S filter.

 

[shadowless127]

They are all pretty much the same as long as you don't buy the cheap crap and change it regularly. Synthetics last longer and change less during their life and under stress/heat, but conventional oils work just about the same.

The Motorcraft 5w20 is cheap, and you can use an FL-820S filter.

I've more or less used strictly Valvoline on my 03, 98, 97, and up untill the last oil change on my 2001 (The place I always had do my oil for $20 used Valvoline). Last oil change I had pepboys do while they were doing my inspection and they used crappy Shell.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

I use the Motorcraft Filter, and Valvoline Maxlife 5w-30 on my 1996 5.0L. it makes start ups a lot easier (it seems), and it seems to increased my fuel mileage too. not by a lot, maybe .25-.50 of a mile. but I did notice because of the seal sweller, my slight leak had stopped.

 

[JohnnyO]

I occasionally send my used oil out to get tested. In all of my family's vehicles of all different makes, Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic consistently gave the best lab results of anything I've tried, Mobil 1 included (and the Pennzoil is cheaper than M1).

In your case I would suggest either Pennzoil Platinum or Valvoline Max Life and a Motorcraft filter. Motorcraft oil is also an excellent value given the UOA's posted at BobIsTheOilGuy.com.

If you regularly change the oil every 5000 miles or less it doesn't matter much what oil you use. A Used Oil Analysis is the only way to know for sure.

www.blackstone-labs.com Costs $25.

 

[FIND]

I agree. Mobil 1's quality has been dropping in recent years. They used to be a premium oil, but these days... I don't know what it is, but ever since they got it so they could call hydrocracked conventional synthetic oil, their quality in everything else has dropped significantly. I don't know if they changed their additive packages, or just lowered their quality standards for base stock.

 

[96eb96]

Motorcraft semi-synth oil and Motorcraft filter. I'm sure Ford does everything to minimize warranty issues for their products, so they have a business interest to keep their oil top notch. Their oil was proven in many UOAs.

BTW, ford does not recommend regular dyno for their cars, they call for their semi-synth product or equivalent. The other good ones are Valovline Max life, Castrol, Penzoil Plat.

 

[drdoom]

Motorcraft semi-synth oil and Motorcraft filter

I have been using these for a while now.

 

[96eb96]

I have been using these for a while now.

Good Choice!
I suggest ONLY motorcraft filters, they are really inexpensive at places like walmart or advance.

There was a framed TSB in a local dealer about aftermarket oil filters. They said any engine noise(and about 10 other symptoms) or damage is not covered by warranty if it is proven the filter is missing a drainback valve or other OEM design. They said to contact the filter company. Many filters are OK, but why take chances? The TSB had cutouts of various filters and some were definitely missing components.

 

[LONO100]

if you wanna take it to the next level, you could go synthetic. mobil 1, royal purple and redline are the best in my opinion, but for an explorer, i would stick with good quality regular stuff.

i prefer castrol gtx. its cheap and gets the job done. get a decent oil filter though, no matter what brand/type of oil you use. im off fram competely, try motorcraft or bosch or wix. just started using wix, and its been pretty damn good.

 

[pirate4722]

Best Oil

Castrol GTX + Lucas & Fram PH8A = 267K...Works For Me

 

[JohnnyO]

I agree. Mobil 1's quality has been dropping in recent years. They used to be a premium oil, but these days... I don't know what it is, but ever since they got it so they could call hydrocracked conventional synthetic oil, their quality in everything else has dropped significantly. I don't know if they changed their additive packages, or just lowered their quality standards for base stock.

The UOA's I've got on Mobil 1 weren't bad, just that the UOA's on Pennzoil Platinum were better. Mobil 1 was okay for 5000 miles but when I pushed it to 7500 the iron ppm took a big jump. This was the 0w-30 Fuel Economy Formula however, and not the 5w-30. Still, the Pennzoil Syn was perfectly fine after 7500 miles so I'm sticking with that. I switched to a Mobil 1 or K&N filter after I stepped the oil change interval to 7500 miles because they have synthetic media instead of paper.

 

[eddie95]

I always use Quaker State or Mobile with a Wix filter. My dad has been using that combination for years without problems!

 

[Kyllster]

If I may interject, I have an oil question as well. My X is starting to grow up, it's got over 180k now. Talking about oil with a mechanic friend, he recommended switching to a higher viscosity oil. I've always used 10w-30 (owned since 150k miles), and he's telling me it will help to go to 10w-40. Another tip I got was to use a LucasOil additive and stick to the same oil. The only additive I've ever put into it was an egg, it needed a snack on the way to pick up a new Radiator.

I've just recently read the TSB about using 5w-30, and searching the forum led me a bit closer to an answer. I drive in Pennsylvania, so I have to prepare for temperatures between -20 and 115 at all times of the year.

So can anyone share an accepted answer?

 

[FIND]

Don't switch to 10w40. You should be using 5w30 or 5w20. Don't bother with the additives either. If your engine is getting so worn out that it would require higher viscosity oil, then higher viscosity oil wouldn't help anything anyway. Running that higher weight oil will just accelerate engine wear, especially at startup, which is really when most engines see the most wear anyway. If clearances between moving parts were already that large that you would need a 40 weight oil, then you would need to be thinking of an engine rebuild. My engine is full of motorcraft semi-synthetic 5w20 by the way, and it is higher mileage than yours. Between Minnesota, North and South Dakota, where most of my driving is, my Explorer will see temperatures between -45 and 110.

The correct oil for your engine, according to ford, is 5w20. Original spec was 5w30, the TSB changed that to 5w20.

 

[OffTrac]

Another fan of Valvoline Max Life here.

 

[pirate4722]

Best Oil

I'd say use the 10W40 & LUCAS! That's what I use.If you got 180 grand on that baby you don't want to be dumpin' that piddly 5-30 in it.Also I'd recommend Castrol 10-40 High Mileage (or maybe Valvolene HI-MI) if you don't use Lucas.If you do HI MI oil is a waste of money!

As I mentioned I've got almost 270 & don't use a drop & you can't even hear it run.

I've owned vehicles for 50yrs & never used any synthetic or Pennsylvania oil.Except some Kendall NITRO 70 in a Shelby GT350 I raced years ago.Kendall Racing oil was great stuff (not paraffin base).

 

[OffTrac]

I'd recommend Castrol 10-40 High Mileage (or maybe Valvolene HI-MI) if you don't use Lucas.If you do HI MI oil is a waste of money!

I don't follow. :scratch:

 

[FIND]

Or, instead of listening to people who are basing their knowledge of oil on old wives tales and stuff they heard in the 1970s, you can go to www.bobistheoilguy.com and check out that forum. Plenty of experts on there who actually understand mechanical engineering and the science of oil and lubricants.