Oil Opinions

[AzTumbleweed]

Let's get a debate going. A few years ago Ford released a technical service bulletin calling for 5W20 oil in the Escort. (As well as other Fords.) This makes some since to me but now my car has nearly 300,000 miles on it and I'm moving to the Death Valley area where I'll see plenty of 120+ temperatures. So what oil should I use?

[mightymoose_22]

I dunno... kinda depends on the car sometimes too. Even with the higher heat in the desert, the car is still supposed to maintain temp in the same range... so your cooling system will have a bigger burden. Anyway... I think I would go with 10W40, but the difference between the 10 and 15 isn't really much. Certainly not 20 though.

[Arnoldtheskier]

Hi mileage is no reason to change oil. I ran my last one on Penzoil 5/30 winter/10/30 summer. I don't like 5/30 in the summer in anything..no problems for me..just gives me the heebeejeebies.
I haven't had great experiences with synthetics. In fleet maintenance..taxi/police I never saw any benefits. I tried it again in my Escort with about 200k on it. ZERO knocking/leaking/burning. ZERO! Ya..AS SOON as the synthetic went in and I started it..in about less than 30 seconds it started knocking,smoking a lot and dripping oil in the drive. Nice. I IMMEDIATELY drained it out and out and put some new Penzoil back on. Ya ya..some synthetic worshippers said to give it time to allow it to flush out the old dinosaur oil deposits and allow the seals to shrink down from their un-natural swollen state. I gave an engine with 200 k on it ENOUGH time to diddle around. 30 seconds. Back to where I was. Penzoil 10/30. No knocking,leaking,burning..and drove the car another 150 k.

I remember ALL the rage about synthetic..how great it was..you could run a 0 weight. Right. HMMMMMM...I wonder just WHY then did they all start manufacturing and selling the stuff in MULTI GRADE then??? Guess it wasn't so great.
Ask some knowlegeable Geo Metro owners how great it is.

Synthetic 2 stroke oil..synthetic grease. FANTASTIC STUFF!

The "X" series of oils(HD "X") for diesels..15/40 is pretty much the best/toughest oil there is. Still has most of the good additives left in it! Shell Rotella has the most good additives left. Very cold starts are a bit harder and noisy. Used that year round in fleet service in all engines..including gas and propane too. Used it in personal vehicles and hi heat hi performance use too.
I wouldn't use it in modern vehicles..or in Escorts or most small engines.(not enough clearance) And NO way for those in cold starts.

Your case: Dessert. 120 deg. I'ld use it.

[Crash1181]

I'd keep using the same oil you've always used. If it were me I'd use royal purple synthetic 5w20, and I'd made sure my radiator was in good shape.

[inafogg]

iIMO 10w30 thats it

[marksatterfield]

I'd use any synthetic, 0w-20 through 10w-30. So the 5w-20 works in my formula.

Heavy oil makes me nervous!

--Mark

http://www.marksatterfield.com

[AzTumbleweed]

Great discussion guys! I'm going to run 15W40 for the rest of the summer up here in Utah. Moving back to the Death Valley area in November.

When I worked in Death Valley I'd leave work (in July) and it would be over 120 degrees. The place I worked was 90 feet BELOW sea level. I would drive, (with max A/C on) in about 15 miles, to a 4,000 foot mountain pass and then back into Nevada. This was brutal. I must say that the temp gage probably never went past the half way point. Amazing. That's why all of the manufacturers test down there. I think the Park Service has permitted 27 manufacturers to test there. I'm getting hot just thinking about it!

[knelleken]

i would think that 5-20 would blow right past 300k rings and seals. i have always had good luck with 10-40 in higher mileage engines. i used 15-40 for a while in my 4.0L jeep engine and i think that it actually made the ticks and knocks more noticable. maby its the high detergent level? i just know that it deffenently did not help. 20-50 is a little on the thick side for anything. and synthetic cleans so well that i would be scared to you it, a good cleaning on a 300k engine and theres nothing left holding it togher.

my vote is 10-40