What brand and weight oil are you using and what mileage interval?

[Primalzer]

Reading up on this over the past couple of days. Everyone seems to have a different opinion with their own rationale. I'll let everyone else comment on their choices and rationale...

Current vehicle: 2008 CVPI 126K miles Chicago area weather conditions

Currently I am running Mobil 1 Extended 0W20 with a Motorcraft FL820S filter...will extend the interval out to 10K for this change.

I prefer the 0W20 in the colder months to aid in oil flow at startup. We've been having bitterly cold winters (many days and nights never get above freezing, and occasional highs in the single digits), so anything to help out getting the oil moving short of installing a block heater.

I've run a few different oils so far....started off with AMSOIL 0W20....supposedly you can run that out to 25K miles...I wussed out after 12K.

So let's hear it!

[84GrandMarquis]

In my '85 GM I use Mobil Super 5000 high mileage 10w-30 with a Motorcraft FL-1A filter. I go about 4000 miles between changes, even though factory recommendation is 7500 miles. That number sounded a little high the first time I heard it but I guess the factory knew what they were doing. I would feel comfortable going up to 5000 miles however I like to change my oil when it's nice out (beginning of Fall and then beginning of Spring) which brings me to about 4000 miles.

Edit: Wow, 12,000 miles, that's intense. You're braver than myself, although I've heard amsoil is great stuff

Second Edit: Oops just realized we're in the 4.6 section. I use Mobile Super 5000 in the factory recommended weight 5w30 and factory recommended filter FL820S in my '97. I plan on doing 5000 mile changes.

[DerekTheGreat]

Oil is cheap. I don't care what they say I'll never run anything past 6k. Both Ashley and I run Valvoline Synpower (full synthetic) 5W30 year round in our pushrod 5.0's with Motorcraft FL-1A filters. We do 6k/6 month intervals. Ash hits the mileage mark while I end up hitting the time mark. With both cars you can tell it's time because they start to use a bit of oil at the end.

If you really want to see if you can get that kind of mileage out of your oil I'd send a blank sample (fresh oil) along with a sample taken at the end of your cycle off to Blackstone labs for analysis, they'll give you the facts as to whether or not your oil is still holding up.

[IPreferDIY]

For my 2000 MGM, the 5W30 is recommended, so that's what I use. I just use the cheapest oil I can find and replace it every 3,000 miles. I work from home so I don't drive much. Rust will kill my car before anything else, so I don't see the point in going synthetic.

[Primalzer]

Edit: Wow, 12,000 miles, that's intense. You're braver than myself, although I've heard amsoil is great stuff

@$75 per oil change, it isn't cheap either! The economics of going to 25K miles are there with AMSOIL, but only if you can actually get out to 25K. If I'm going with dyno or semi-synth, I won't go past 5K miles. The higher quality oil, I'll stretch out. I've taken the car to my buddy, who works at Firestone, which uses Kendall semi-synth (which after doing some reading on Bob Is the Oil Guy, is rumored to use the same manufacturer as Motorcraft oil, which is pretty universally loved among Ford people.) I don't trust it to go past 5K, but I don't feel guilty putting it through when I don't have the time to do it myself. In those cases, it gets 5W20. Maybe it's my imagination, but I always felt the car ran smoother and better for longer with Mobil 1 or AMSOIL in the crankcase, with better mileage, but that maybe down to the 0 weight oil.

[sly]

5w20 synth in the 93 pi swap, 5w30 synth in the 2000 npi stock, 10w40 high mileage blend in the 88 because Texas summer heat turns it into 10w30 pretty quick... and 154K miles likes to clatter a lot on startup. The little thicker oil helps to shut it up MUCH faster than 10w30 will.

as for brands... Valvoline, Castrol, or SuperTech for the synthetic, depending on how thin the wallet is at the time and what brand has the best deal at WalMart if not buying the SuperTech, and Valvoline high mileage for the dino oil in the 88.

Stock Motorcraft filters all around.

oh yeah... 5K miles on the Synthetics and 3K on the 88. They're all almost if not totally black by then.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I run either Valvoline Full Synthetic or Motorcraft Synthetic Blend 5w-30 with the Motorcraft FL820S filter. I switch up based on what's on sale at the time. I know I can run out the oil change distance longer, but usually I'll change synthetic blends every 3,000 miles and full synthetics every 5,000 miles. It cost me around $30 for each oil change, so it's no big deal.

[mercurygm88]

The only thing I've ever run in a 4.6 is Motorcraft Synthetic Blend 5w-20 with a Motorcraft FL820S and change it every 5k miles. Both my '95 Grand Marquis and the '01 Town Car recommend that oil and oil change interval, though they don't specify synthetic blend. Back in 2010 when I had the '95 I had never even seen the Synthetic Blend, now I don't see anything but the synthetic blend so it's what I use. In my '88 with the 5.0L I ran Quaker State conventional 10w-30 and a Motorcraft FL-1A filter and changed it every 3k miles as per the manual. I've seen the oil passages in a 4.6 they're tiny and I personally wouldn't run anything heavy in them, my father on the other hand has three 4.6 vehicles and has owned them all since new. They all have between 180,000-300,000 miles on them and he only runs Rotella T 15w-40 without any issues, me personally no way in hell I'd run that shit it's like molasses.

[Primalzer]

I've seen the oil passages in a 4.6 they're tiny and I personally wouldn't run anything heavy in them, my father on the other hand has three 4.6 vehicles and has owned them all since new. They all have between 180,000-300,000 miles on them and he only runs Rotella T 15w-40 without any issues, me personally no way in hell I'd run that shit it's like molasses.

I've ALWAYS wanted to use Rotella T6, as I've heard nothing but great things about it. Most people say it's the best kept secret and best overall oil money can buy.

[gadget73]

10w30 WalMart synthetic in the Lincolns, changed every 3k. Excessive, but it ends up being about once a year.
5w30 WalMart synthetic in the truck, changed when I think of it. Its generally around 3-4k, or once a year.

Filters I use what I can get of reasonable quality for a good price. Next filter on the Chevy truck is a Motorcraft, next several changes on the Lincolns are PowerFlo (Purolator). Both came from RockAuto on closeout.

[t65neon5]

85 crown vic 302......5-30 Castrol full synthetic....wix 51515 filter........88 town car (with 270,000+ miles) Castrol hi mileage dino oil, wix 51515....both get changed at 5,000 miles.

[sly]

The only thing I've ever run in a 4.6 is Motorcraft Synthetic Blend 5w-20 with a Motorcraft FL820S and change it every 5k miles. Both my '95 Grand Marquis and the '01 Town Car recommend that oil and oil change interval, though they don't specify synthetic blend.

Interesting. The 2000 CV specifically says 5W30. On a good and tight engine, I have no doubts that 5W20 would be fine, though.

[GM_Guy]

2008, penzoil 5w20 synthetic. revs easier. I did run 5w30 on my last change, car idled lower initially, and you feel that it was not the best choice. Back to 5w20 and my cold start idle was significantly higher during the relearn process. Idles smoother.

Box, and my other old detroit iron, 10w30 during the summer, occasionally 15w40. 5w30 synthetic in the winter.
In the box, 5w30 during the hot summers would burn oil during long highway drives. Didn't burn a drop with 10w30 under same conditions and trip destination.

Alex.

[jaywish]

I use Mobil 1 extended with appropriate extended life filter either Mobil 1 or Fram. Most cars get the 5-20 but I usually go 5-30 in the 5.0 wagon. It is great, I do the whole family fleet every April as nobody goes to 15K miles. It saves time & money + keeps things simple. BTW Walmart has by far the best price I can find on the Mobil 1 Extended, though they don't sell the correct filters, I get those on Amazon or Rock Auto as my local flaps does not have them either.

In a really cold area I think the 0 weight is a good idea, Maybe you could find 0-30?

The exception to my above comment is the Mercedes which calls for 0-40.

[FordMan77]

I've run Motorcraft 5W20 syn blend with a stock Motorcraft filter in my 03 CV Sport since I bought it in 2008. Sitting at 165K and so far no issues/noise/oil burn. I change it about every 5K miles. Didn't seem to have an issue in colder months but then again it's been getting tucked away in the garage for the last 3 years once it gets past freezing and doesn't see the light of day until spring.

My 84 Vic I ran 10W40 in the summer and 10W30 in the winter- always Valvoline dino oil with a Wix or Motorcraft filters FL-1A. Keep in mind this motor has 400K+ on it so tolerances are probably a bit out of the norm, lol... Always changed at 3K miles.

NONE of my cars or any other things with engines ever get a Fram filter. Watched a buddies 5.0 drop pressure to 0 when his filter failed for some reason. Shut it down, changed the filter out and whallah- oil pressure restored. Not sure wtf happened, but it was enough for me.