Engine oil for high mileage 4.0L xls?

[edwx]

I know this seems like a simple question and it is, but the reason I'm asking is because of all the new dino/blends/full synthetics on the market....plus it seems that vehicles are lasting much longer, so now there are oils for extended mileage vehicles and truck/suv oils, etc. The choice is getting harder. I have 145k on my Explorer and I have used Castrol Syntec from the beginning, until the last few oil changes, when I switched to the only full synthetic for high mileage vehicles, which was the Valvoline Maxlife Full Synthetic. I know Mobil 1 recently came out with a Synthetic for high mileage vehicles but I haven't seen it in 5w-30. I also haven't seen the Maxlife Synthetic recently either. I switched to the 'high mileage' synthetic oil because of a small oil leak from the front seal. I have an email in to Valvoline to find a retailer for their Maxlife Synthetic. I'm considering just going back to my old standard Castrol Syntec and not worring about it! Any suggestions? What about additives like Bars stop leak, or Lucas oil stabilizer? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Like I said in the beginning, it seems like a simple question.....I've been changing my own oil for 30 years and all of a sudden I seem stumped.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

The Lucas is pointless with using synthetic oils.

I personally don't like using any thing that claims to stop seals from leaking.

 

[410Fortune]

I would use Castrol conventional 5w-30 and a motocraft filter


Works great!

Synthetics work great but it is true they can make current leaks worse SOMETIMES (I have switched to synthetics on a few high milege OHV's with no increase in leaking)

 

[edwx]

Do any stores sell Motorcraft oil filters, or do I have to go to a Ford Dealer?

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

Do any stores sell Motorcraft oil filters, or do I have to go to a Ford Dealer?

They have them at Wal-Mart. In fact, they're cheaper than the junk Fram filters that are clogging the shelves there.

High mileage oil is more marketing hype than anything else. Do yourself a favor and spend a couple hours in the forums at www.bobistheoilguy.com and read up on various oils. You'll learn more there in a few hours than you knew the rest of your life prior. There's some fantastic knowledge on those forums.

If it were my truck, I'd probably go with Pennzoil Platinum (in the OEM recommended weight) and a Motorcraft filter. Drop at ~5000 miles and you'll be just fine. Maxlife (synthetic or conventional) is also a pretty decent oil. It's unlike most other Valvolines in that it actually does have quite a robust additive package. For a regular conventional oil, Chevron Supreme or Texaco Havoline are hard to beat. Even some synthetics can't match the wear numbers in used oil analysis that Chevron or Havoline have put down.
As for filters, I like anything not made by Fram. Wix, Hastings, Baldwin, Motorcraft, Purolator, and even the cheap STP filters are all excellent.

I run either Schaeffer Supreme 7000 or Pennzoil Platinum in mine. Both have been great. Interestingly, Pennzoil Platinum seems to make the engine run a little smoother and quieter. I've heard others comment likewise about it too. For filters, I've run mostly Motorcraft on mine just because they're readily available, and reasonably priced at Wal-Mart. One time I ran a Baldwin since I didn't feel like going to two places to get oil and filter. It worked just fine too, and I really didn't notice any difference between the two.

 

[Oldwolf]

I have been using Rotella T Syn 5w-40 with a Puroltor PureOne filter in my 4.0L SOHC with great results. But, I have been thinking about next time using Mobil1 10W-40 High Mileage Syn oil next time around. The reason being that I would then only have to keep one kind of oil around for both my cars.

 

[edwx]

Just curious Oldwolf....isn't the recommended weight for your 4.0L SOHC, 5w-30? What are the benefits of use another weight other than what is recommended? You mentioned 5w-40 and 10w-40.

 

[Pinshooter13]

I only play a mechanic on tv...

I have had many service trucks over the years. I have learned that unless you MUST HAVE a synthetic product per the manufactures specs, you really don't need it. High milage is my regular duty use, since I keep my service trucks until they DIE! My record is a Dodge van with 285k. My average daily milage is about 80 to 120 miles depending on the service call load and I use regular old motor oil, usually Castrol when I do the change myself, or whatever the mechanic uses when I have him change the oil. A good filter, nothing fancy needed, but not the cheep one's either. I like using an oversized filter that fits properly. Takes some practice to judge the proper fit, or your mechanic can tell you which larger filter will fit. Change it every three to five thousand miles and keep up with the general maintence on the engine. In twenty years of commercial driving the only failure I have had was towing a load through the mountains in Virginia, up I-77, when we moved my daughter to North Carolina. That was a piston that went bad in my F-250 w/351 Winsor. I just pushed the crap out of it going up that BIG, BIG Hill..... Wasn't oil related....... Treat the Ex like a pretty girl, keep her lubed before you use her, and cool her down slow. Make shure she warms up for a few minutes before you excercise her in the cold weather to reduce the strain on vital parts. Clean her out thourghly once in a while. I like using the Lucas stabilizer in the winter to keep the engine sticky when it sits over the weekend, but most mechanics I talk to say it is not needed. Just a preference, I guess. My biggest concern is with fuel quality. I have had injectors go bad and the mechanic tell me it was because of crappy gasoline. I try to use Marathon in the work trucks, and BP in the Ex. I like the additives that the Ammoco fuel has for keeping the fuel lines and injectors cleaner. But maybe I'm just full of ****, too. These things may make no difference at all since I can't see inside the engine while it's running, and I'm not going to break it down to analize it when and if it fails.

 

[Thelt]

As long as you keep the oil changed regularly it probably does not make that much difference what oil you use. I let the quicky lube do the high mileage stuff that was supposed to increase mileage but I saw no difference. I went back to the standard house oil. I am at 112k now with no engine problems so far.

 

[Oldwolf]

I have the slightest amount of cam chain noise at 110,000 miles in my 4.0. Using 5w-40 quiets it down considerably. It's made the noise since 40k miles. Plus, the 5w-40 synthetics are some of the best oils out there these days according to what I read on BITOG. I change my cars oil at 10k miles and my Explorer at 7.5k miles.

 

[edwx]

thanks to everyone for your input!!

 

[unixlife]

Please advice what sort of oil should I put and at what mileage? My mechanic suggest 20W-50 rather than recommended 5W-30 on the oil cap and change filter at every other oil change. Does it make any difference on engine life or fuel economy? I live in a place where temperature goes to well over 112F in Summer and 53F in winter!

 

[JAYBOOGY1717]

ive had 20w50 in mine the last few months.....made mine quieter...and it doesnt leak from the oil pan anymore, i guess cause the oil is thicker...i put in a qrt of lucas too...i had buddys that thought i was crazy for doing this but i too had old mechanics tell me its best, and i havent noticed any negative affecs

 

[Oldwolf]

I've been using M1 0W40 in my Explorer and Chevy for awhile now with good results.

 

[ahodges]

That thick oil trick is an sign of an old mechanic. That works fine in old small block and big block engines, especially if they have been modified because the gap tolerances are much larger and they need the thicker oil. For our much more sophisticated lower tolerance engines, the thicker oil can starve (especially valve train) parts of oil flow.

I would say that the thickest I would ever feel comfortable with is 5W-40.

unixlife, I would say that if you aren't having any trouble with your engine then use 5W-30, but if your engine is getting loud or leaky then it would be safe to use 5 or 10W-40 since you live in such a hot climate.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

That thick oil trick is an sign of an old mechanic. That works fine in old small block and big block engines, especially if they have been modified because the gap tolerances are much larger and they need the thicker oil. For our much more sophisticated lower tolerance engines, the thicker oil can starve (especially valve train) parts of oil flow.

I would say that the thickest I would ever feel comfortable with is 5W-40.

unixlife, I would say that if you aren't having any trouble with your engine then use 5W-30, but if your engine is getting loud or leaky then it would be safe to use 5 or 10W-40 since you live in such a hot climate.

And change the filter with EVERY oil change. Not every other oil change.

 

[ahodges]

and change the filter with every oil change. Not every other oil change.

x2 !!