What oil do you guys run???

[ShanesTheMan]

I have a 94 XLT with 181xxx miles and im running conventional pennzoil 5w-30... it has a very small oil leak VERY minor. I'm thinking about switching oils in my next change, maybe to a high mileage oil? synthetic i've heard will find leaks. What oil are you guys using? how many miles are on your fords?

 

[FIND]

Oil is oil. Synthetic won't find leaks or make leaks, it can mix just fine with any other oil, and you can switch back and forth between synthetic, conventional, and blends at whim.

 

[dersch6221992]

i currently just turned over 120k on my 2000 mountaineer v8 awd.

i just switched my oils over to mobil 1 advanced synthetic this last oilchange. may in the near future do a trans flush/ differential oil change and do synthetic with those. but i may be getting a jeep here soon so time will tell.

 

[Foxracin]

I use whatever is on sale.

 

[ShanesTheMan]

I use whatever is on sale.

Haha WIN

 

[mehedgec]

Been using Castrol 10w-30 ever since I got my 'sploder at 160K, 212K now and still going strong.

My opinion is, just pick an oil and stick with it.

 

[Roadrunner777]

Mobile 1 extended and Wix filters.

 

[Iron Weasel]

Motorcraft FL-1A filter and Motorcraft 5W-30 synthetic blend. Both of which can be conveniently purchased at the local Wally World.

 

[ShanesTheMan]

Motorcraft FL-1A filter and Motorcraft 5W-30 synthetic blend. Both of which can be conveniently purchased at the local Wally World.

when did you switch to synthetic? I'm really interested in doing that but I've heard it exploits leaks.

 

[beauboy]

Don't go wasting your money, Shane. My 91 Ex has over 217k on it, never a hiccup with the engine, and you could eat of my valve covers, they're so clean.

I use Fram filters (because of the SureGrip), and I buy the generic oil from Advance Auto Parts. Every 50k, I use Slick 50.

Boils down to this - It doesn't really matter what kind of oil or filter you use, as long as you change it regularly (3k). You're engine will love you just the same. Too many "not in the know" will spend extra money on oil with cleaning additives, a hi-grade (and hi-priced) filter, and an additive. Just throwing money away.

 

[mr cribb]

when did you switch to synthetic? I'm really interested in doing that but I've heard it exploits leaks.

no if your truck already leaks/ burns oil it will do the same. Synthetic doesn't "cause" them.

Motorcraft FL-1A filter and Motorcraft 5W-30 synthetic blend. Both of which can be conveniently purchased at the local Wally World.

^^^ yup yup same for me too. I do the motorcraft thing because if you took your truck into ford for an oil change they'd used the FL-1A filter and more than likely motorcraft oil. If it left with it from the factory with it, and ford still sells oil changes then I guess you can't go wrong.

 

[IZwack]

:

 

[Roadrunner777]

A few words on synthetic oil... I'm not sure I would bother with it unless I were in cold climate (which I am).

I moved here from South Carolina and wanted to know for myself if synthetic made any difference. I put a jar of conventional oil and another of the same grade synthetic outside one winter and checked on it from time to time. The synthetic did seem to flow better in cold. It was not anything like twice as good, not that remarkable, but it was visibly better.

I decided to run it in a car that had issues starting in cold weather and it started better. Not as good as a block heater, but it was better.

I was attracted to Mobile extended synthetic because it said it would allow 15,000 miles on an oil change. Now, I don't drive that much in a year (I don't leave town much), but I liked that I could get over a winter on an oil change because changing oil in sub-zero is just not that much fun. In reality, I probably change at 8-9,000 miles, spring and fall. If I lived below the snow line, I'd probably still be using conventional on-sale oil, whatever met the SAE requirements.

Filters... If you think all filters are the same, do some searching on oil filters on youtube or on the internet in general. People have taken these filters apart and shared how they are made. I particularly urge you to do this if you use Fram. I used Fram for many years until I happened to be working with some engine rebuilders at the Caterpillar rebuild facility in Corinth, Miss. They sold me on WIX filters.

 

[mr cribb]

I started using motorcraft semi-syn in my old ranger. I was delivering pizzas with it so I wanted to use a synthetic based oil. I couldn't see dropping coin on mobil 1 for a truck that was worth $800. I stumbled on motorcraft stuff at walmart cause it was $20 for 5 quarts. I liked the 1-2 mpg increase I got from it. I got my explorer and continued to use the motorcraft oil.

 

[beauboy]

One more quick thing to mention, Shane. I've owned my Explorer since August of 91, so every mile that's on it, I put there, using the same basic type of oil. Again, the key is regular changes.

I do, however, agree with everyone else about the synthetic oils and the Wix filters, but only if you can't change your oil every 3,000.

 

[ShanesTheMan]

Don't go wasting your money, Shane. My 91 Ex has over 217k on it, never a hiccup with the engine, and you could eat of my valve covers, they're so clean.

I use Fram filters (because of the SureGrip), and I buy the generic oil from Advance Auto Parts. Every 50k, I use Slick 50.

Boils down to this - It doesn't really matter what kind of oil or filter you use, as long as you change it regularly (3k). You're engine will love you just the same. Too many "not in the know" will spend extra money on oil with cleaning additives, a hi-grade (and hi-priced) filter, and an additive. Just throwing money away.

This is what I'm really starting to find out. I also use the fram oil filters because of the grip! I ended up using valvoline conventional.. Haha I always keep up with my changes sometimes i even change it prematurely!

 

[Jason94sport]

Oil is oil

For a 1st gen X or even a 2nd or 3rd gen yes
I use whatever 10W30 I wind up with.

For something that is a bit more performance orientated & has a lot of power, not so much.

 

[Boodaggy]

A few words on synthetic oil... I'm not sure I would bother with it unless I were in cold climate (which I am).

I moved here from South Carolina and wanted to know for myself if synthetic made any difference. I put a jar of conventional oil and another of the same grade synthetic outside one winter and checked on it from time to time. The synthetic did seem to flow better in cold. It was not anything like twice as good, not that remarkable, but it was visibly better.

I decided to run it in a car that had issues starting in cold weather and it started better. Not as good as a block heater, but it was better.

I was attracted to Mobile extended synthetic because it said it would allow 15,000 miles on an oil change. Now, I don't drive that much in a year (I don't leave town much), but I liked that I could get over a winter on an oil change because changing oil in sub-zero is just not that much fun. In reality, I probably change at 8-9,000 miles, spring and fall. If I lived below the snow line, I'd probably still be using conventional on-sale oil, whatever met the SAE requirements.

Filters... If you think all filters are the same, do some searching on oil filters on youtube or on the internet in general. People have taken these filters apart and shared how they are made. I particularly urge you to do this if you use Fram. I used Fram for many years until I happened to be working with some engine rebuilders at the Caterpillar rebuild facility in Corinth, Miss. They sold me on WIX filters.

I just watched some of those videos after reading this post. I was very tempted to pull off my fram oil filter I just put on 100 miles ago and change it over to a Wix filter! I have been a fram man for many years too!

 

[FIND]

I use only wix filters or filters made by the same company. The fram filters are too cheaply made and I have seen a lot of failures on fram oil filters, something I cannot say about other brands.

I use synthetic oil because of the extended drain interval and the stability you see in it over wide ranges of operating conditions, especially when heated and cooled. Roadrunner mentioned it, but it is especially good for climates like I am in where you can see temperatures that dip far below 0 during the winter, but you still have to get out and beat on your vehicles. Plus, the extended drain interval helps keep me warm in the 5-6 months we call winter here.

 

['93BajaSport]

It's been Chevron 10w-30 or 10w-40 since around the mid '90s and a Fram filter here and there, but usually an FL-1A. Oil changes every 5000-7000mi. 3,000mi is excessive, IMO....it's not the 1950s anymore. 250,000mi later and no problems, no oil consumption, and no smoke.