What oil to run in 2.3 liter Explorer

[buzzard302]

At 40k miles, I'm still using Motorcraft blend and Motorcraft filter. Change at 7500 miles. Might try Some Castrol Magnatec next time based on supposed good results in ecoboost engines. But at the end of the day, the Motorcraft oil seems to have proven the test of time.

 

[Jost]

Plenty of reason to use something else. Kirkland is 25% cheaper than Motorcraft, and it's a FULL synthetic instead of a BLEND. There are several other top tier FULL synthetics available for the same price or cheaper than Motorcraft. Even Mobil1 is only $1.50 more for 5 qts at Walmart. Seems foolish to me to run Motorcraft.

I have always used the viscocity and type of oil that was recomended for my cars .

Plenty of reason to use something else. Kirkland is 25% cheaper than Motorcraft, and it's a FULL synthetic instead of a BLEND. There are several other top tier FULL synthetics available for the same price or cheaper than Motorcraft. Even Mobil1 is only $1.50 more for 5 qts at Walmart. Seems foolish to me to run Motorcraft.

I have always used whatever oil was recomended by the manufacturer. Not necessarily the same brand but the same viscocity and type , ie: synth, or blend, or dino. I don't do my own maint. on my cars in order to save money, I do it as a hobby and its fun. Never had a problem with any motorcraft oil, filters, etc... and I know many professional mechanics who feel the same way. If I said no reason to use anything else I meant from a quality standpoint..but I never insinuated that anyone was foolish?

 

[kam327]

I have always used the viscocity and type of oil that was recomended for my cars .

I have always used whatever oil was recomended by the manufacturer. Not necessarily the same brand but the same viscocity and type , ie: synth, or blend, or dino. I don't do my own maint. on my cars in order to save money, I do it as a hobby and its fun. Never had a problem with any motorcraft oil, filters, etc... and I know many professional mechanics who feel the same way. If I said no reason to use anything else I meant from a quality standpoint..but I never insinuated that anyone was foolish?

Still doesn’t change the fact that you can choose an oil that protects your engine better and costs less.

 

[slow3v]

Still doesn’t change the fact that you can choose an oil that protects your engine better and costs less.

TBH I don't think anyone has ever had anything bad to say about Motorcraft oil. Blend or not, with an OCI of 5,000 miles which is about where I change mine (on ANYTHING turbocharged), you'll never see any difference.

I don't want to give you an aneurysm but I typically put whatever good oil I can find on sale in our vehicles, always with a Motorcraft filter. Right now on the roster (aka the oil shelf in the garage) I have..

• 5qt Castrol Edge Full Syn. 5w-30
• 13qt Mobil1 Full Syn 5w-30
• 6qt Havoline ProDS Full Syn 5w-30
• 12qt Motorcraft Syn Blend 5w-30
• 12qt Pennzoil Platinum Full Syn 5w-30

it all lubes well for a street car with an OCI of 5,000 miles.

 

[CDW6212R]

TBH I don't think anyone has ever had anything bad to say about Motorcraft oil. Blend or not, with an OCI of 5,000 miles which is about where I change mine (on ANYTHING turbocharged), you'll never see any difference.

I don't want to give you an aneurysm but I typically put whatever good oil I can find on sale in our vehicles, always with a Motorcraft filter. Right now on the roster (aka the oil shelf in the garage) I have..

• 5qt Castrol Edge Full Syn. 5w-30
• 13qt Mobil1 Full Syn 5w-30
• 6qt Havoline ProDS Full Syn 5w-30
• 12qt Motorcraft Syn Blend 5w-30
• 12qt Pennzoil Platinum Full Syn 5w-30

it all lubes well for a street car with an OCI of 5,000 miles.

That oil change interval of just 5,000 miles is way more beneficial than any of the oils. Going as long as the OEM recommends is poor oil maintenance to me. The oils may be good enough in most applications, but most vehicles these days are very hard on oil. So a standard OCI of 7500 or more is not planning well for hard usage like turbo's or people who drive harder than most.

Keep doing it at 5,000 miles, that engine will last a long long time.

 

[1sttimeexplorerowner]

I know this is old, but how do you have free oil changes at the dealer on your Explorer?

Rick

I got i believe 40,000 points or 42k points or so at the time i leased the car. Which would equate to about 3 oil changes.

I didn't do that. I was able to convert all those points into oil and filters to take home. In fact, one of the parts guys messed up because when i picked up the oil and filter, he didn't apply it to my account. I waited i believe 2 months because i thought it takes some time for it to show up on my account. But it didn't. So i went back and got even more oil and filter, for basically nothing LOL.

 

[07EddyB]

I've switched my 07 Explorer and my 08 Taurus over to Mobil 1 full synthetic. They both used to live on the Motorcraft blend. I had changed my wife's minivan over to it also because they all used 5W-20 and it was just easier to keep one type of oil. I always had a few changes around and it was very convenient. Of course, now the van is gone and the new Ex takes 5W-30 so that puts a kink in that plan. I intend to make the first few changes with the Motorcraft blend just to get it through break in and any issues it might have to go back to the dealer on. I will move it to Mobil 1 at some point though. The question then is - do I move my other cars to 5W-30 at that point so I don't have to stock two different oils.
Actually that's a rhetorical question - it's been done by many with no ill consequences. I'm just not sure I want to jump in to that wholly out of convenience.

 

[CDW6212R]

You can start using full synthetic oil after 1000 miles or so on a new factory vehicle engine. The last number in the oil type is the hot viscosity, either oil 0-20 or 0-30 will be fine for almost anywhere. In really hot temps like over 100*, I'd much prefer a 0-30 over a 0-20 oil. Today's oils are vastly better than oil from 30-40 years ago, evidenced by the rating standards they meet today. Old oils I grew up with were SD oil rated, SF was a new spec in the early 80's IIRC. Today they have moved up many many levels of quality, the brand chosen is not very important any longer.

 

[marcomurabia]

I know about them and avoid at all risk, you are liable to get 20 different opinions analyzed at 20 different levels on oil.

Nox Vidmate VLC​

 

[Deere2022]

I use Amsoil OE or Boosted levels with a Amsoil or Wix filter. I did change the filter out for a larger one. I use the Amsoil EAO34 filter or a wix 51516xp. It adds a little
Capacity and more filter media. This photo was from our 2020 2.3 ecoboost explorer.