Oil for older cars?
Question:
I’ve used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now when I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity stuff? My Explorer doesn’t use much oil (never lower than the middle of the crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump replacement and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone? TIA Dan
Response:
> I’ve used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now when > I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier > weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck > has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity stuff? My > Explorer doesn’t use much oil (never lower than the middle of the > crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump replacement > and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone?
I’ve been wondering the same thing. Until I hear a good reason to switch, I’m going to leave well enough alone.
Response:
Just another marketing ploy. Check to see if the new "higher mileage oil" has a higher price point. You will probably find it does. My 92XLT has 156,000, no leaks aside from the valve cover gaskets. The gaskets are original, and the leak is just enough to be irritating to the nostrils when the truck warms up. I just check the oil level more religiously, and if the check oil light goes on, I pop in a quart. That "high mileage" oil is just a higher viscosity oil, anyway. Ford says 5W-30. 5W-30 it is. If your engine compression is good with the standard oil, stick with it. If not, get the engine worked on instead of dumping mouse milk into the crankcase. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’ve used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now > when > I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier > weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck > has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity > stuff? My > Explorer doesn’t use much oil (never lower than the middle of the > crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump > replacement > and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone? > I’ve been wondering the same thing. Until I hear a good reason to > switch, I’m going to leave well enough alone.
Response:
From what I’ve read the "high mileage" oils main difference is not viscosity, you can get it in the same vis as "regular" oil and similarly you can get "regular" oil in high vis grades if you want. What’s different is that the high mileage oils are marketed for vehicles that are outside the main portion of the required warranty period for the emissions system. Specifically, the cat converter. As pollution requirements have gotten tighter its been necessary for the oil formulations to have less and less of the anti-wear additives that would clog the cat converter. Since the emissions warranties have been extended to around 75,000 miles give or take, the car makers oil requirements and the regular oil specs for use in new cars have to reflect additive levels that will not cause cat clogging during that warranty period. So different additives have to be used or amounts used have to be reduced. For the high mileage oils you might find that they do not conform to the latest and greatest API ratings but might be one or two categories behind which allows the higher additive amounts. Why would you want higher additives in high mileage vehicles? Well, with greater bearing clearances, anti-scuff additives in higher amounts might be more important during dry/cold starts. And additives that can hold dirt in suspension might be more useful. And the oil might be just as good but cheaper to produce, it just doesn’t meet the low additive spec needed for new cars. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Just another marketing ploy. Check to see if the new "higher mileage >oil" has a higher price point. You will probably find it does. My 92XLT >has 156,000, no leaks aside from the valve cover gaskets. The gaskets >are original, and the leak is just enough to be irritating to the >nostrils when the truck warms up. I just check the oil level more >religiously, and if the check oil light goes on, I pop in a quart. >That "high mileage" oil is just a higher viscosity oil, anyway. Ford >says 5W-30. 5W-30 it is. If your engine compression is good with the >standard oil, stick with it. If not, get the engine worked on instead of >dumping mouse milk into the crankcase. >> I’ve used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now >> when >> I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier >> weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck >> has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity >> stuff? My >> Explorer doesn’t use much oil (never lower than the middle of the >> crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump >> replacement >> and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone? > I’ve been wondering the same thing. Until I hear a good reason to > switch, I’m going to leave well enough alone.
– Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts: "What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." – Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789
Response:
My Explorer is a 1992 with 322,000+ miles engine has never been out of the truck. Org. everthing except the usual stuff..plugs,one water pump, two thermostats,plug wires, two trans. rebuilds and two clutches… runs just fine on the oil it always has Mobil 1 syn…5-30 will not change no matter what anyone says…does not use any oil (burn) and ALWAYS passes smog. Mark
Response:
> I’ve used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now when > I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier > weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck > has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity stuff? My > Explorer doesn’t use much oil (never lower than the middle of the > crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump replacement > and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone? > TIA > Dan
Hi Dan, I wondered the same thing also. I have a 2000 Exp. limited with 78 k on the clock…V8 AWD limited slip diff….and the fellow that had it before me had converted to Mobil 1 supersyn so I continued it….and do my own changes. I went to Wallyworld to get another 5 qt. jug and was a bit confused as to the "for newer vehicles" label change. I went on a couple trips and looked around at a couple stores and noticed that Mobile 1 has some for SUV oil out now too. So I called Mobil 1 and asked one of there reps. about it the new label wording changes.. They said that the formulation had not changed but that they developed the new labels to let people know that the oil was good for NEW vehicles../…(for what it is worth, it is so had to find out the truth sometimes, for various reasons) As someone else said on this thread, Ford says 5W30 so 5W30 it is. bill
Response:
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