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

[jaywish]

The basic orange frams are real econo filters that cost a little more than a no-name econo. The only nice thing about them is the grippy paint.

[slack]

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.

Interesting. I had a similar issue with a Fram filter. Back when I had my '91 Grand Marquis, I did an oil change with 10w-30 and a Fram filter. Less than a week after the oil change, the oil light came on. I parked it immediately. Swapped the filter for a (I think?) Mobile filter. Oil light didn't come back on again for the duration I owned the car. That was last time I bought a Fram filter. I had used them for years before this without ever having a problem but one close call was enough for me to not chance it again.

On topic, 5.0 or 4.6, I always use 10w-30 @ ~3000k miles.. but most of the cars I've owned have been higher mileage to begin with anyway.

[DerekTheGreat]

The orange econo Fram filters are garbage. They're made of cardboard and junk craftsmanship. Take a look at this thread and see the difference between the econo Fram & a wix:
http://forums.focaljet.com/showthrea...s-other-filter.

I run Fram air filters when Motorcrafts aren't around but I'll never run any of their oil filters.

[jaywish]

I do like the fram premium gold colored filters. They are called Ultra. I have cut open a used one and it still seemed in perfect condition. As you know I agree about the orange ones.

http://www.fram.com/oil-filters/fram...-oil-filter/#2

[Primalzer]

I do like the fram premium gold colored filters. They are called Ultra. I have cut open a used one and it still seemed in perfect condition. As you know I agree about the orange ones.

http://www.fram.com/oil-filters/fram...-oil-filter/#2

Apparently the high end Fram's aren't bad filters...but for just about the cost of an orange Fram filter I can get a Motorcraft filter, which are great filters. When you consider their price, they are almost unbeatable.

[mercurygm88]

Interesting. I had a similar issue with a Fram filter. Back when I had my '91 Grand Marquis, I did an oil change with 10w-30 and a Fram filter. Less than a week after the oil change, the oil light came on. I parked it immediately. Swapped the filter for a (I think?) Mobile filter. Oil light didn't come back on again for the duration I owned the car. That was last time I bought a Fram filter. I had used them for years before this without ever having a problem but one close call was enough for me to not chance it again.

On topic, 5.0 or 4.6, I always use 10w-30 @ ~3000k miles.. but most of the cars I've owned have been higher mileage to begin with anyway.

I have read several places that you should never ever use a Fram filter on a Ford 4.6 even the filter made for the 4.6, because the Fram filter doesn't have an anti drain back valve. The 4.6 needs the anti drain back valve or the timing chain tensioners will bleed down and lose tension, and then you get to replace the chains and guides. That is if you catch it early enough.

[mercurygm88]

Apparently the high end Fram's aren't bad filters...but for just about the cost of an orange Fram filter I can get a Motorcraft filter, which are great filters. When you consider their price, they are almost unbeatable.

Unless you go for the premium brands and lines of filters (K&N, Bosch, Fram High Mileage, Royal purple) they're all within 50 cents of one another at auto parts stores around here, I can get a Motorcraft filter for $3.99 thats 30 cents more than store brand and 20 cents less than the shitty Fram. I can get the Motorcraft filter for $3.19 or $3.50 at Walmart, and the Motorcraft oil is cheaper there too.

[gadget73]

When all else fails, its a safe bet to use the OEM filter. The manufacturer doesn't want warranty work because their own filters are shitty.

[Primalzer]

Unless you go for the premium brands and lines of filters (K&N, Bosch, Fram High Mileage, Royal purple) they're all within 50 cents of one another at auto parts stores around here, I can get a Motorcraft filter for $3.99 thats 30 cents more than store brand and 20 cents less than the shitty Fram. I can get the Motorcraft filter for $3.19 or $3.50 at Walmart, and the Motorcraft oil is cheaper there too.

But are those filters really worth double the cost of a Motorcraft filter? I've bought M1, AMSOIL, K&N Filters before...but they get used up just as fast as the tried and true Motorcraft. Like @gadget73 says, Ford doesn't want to be doing warranty work because they have shitty replacement filters. OEM isn't always the best, but when it's just about the cheapest option, and is comparable in quality to products twice as expensive, it seems stupid NOT to go OEM.

[mercurygm88]

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

The '95 said 5w-30 for all climates in the manual but there is a printout in there with a TSB from Ford in 2001 saying to use 5w-20 in all 4.6's, my grandparents must have printed it out and put it in there when they had the car as a reminder. The '01 Town Car specifically calls for 5w-20 in the owners manual.

[GM_Guy]

Thank god for rockauto, I can get real filters again for a decent price. Basic Fram Orange Can is 5-7 bucks up here. Any of those fancy schmancy Mobil 1 type filters are $15 and up. No thanks.

[IPreferDIY]

The '95 said 5w-30 for all climates in the manual but there is a printout in there with a TSB from Ford in 2001 saying to use 5w-20 in all 4.6's, my grandparents must have printed it out and put it in there when they had the car as a reminder. The '01 Town Car specifically calls for 5w-20 in the owners manual.

I recall reading something along the lines of Ford going with 5W20 to squeeze out more fuel economy but that 5W30 was still preferred. Damned if I know.

[knucklehead0202]

After trying "other" crap, my '98 definitely preferred Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w-30 and Motorcraft filters. It got to the point where the local dealer was sending us so many coupons that it was cheaper to have them do it than do it myself. I now take the '90 there and am using the same oil. They recommend 5000 miles and that's what I stick with. It usually starts looking kinda shitty by then.

[mercurygm88]

After trying "other" crap, my '98 definitely preferred Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w-30 and Motorcraft filters. It got to the point where the local dealer was sending us so many coupons that it was cheaper to have them do it than do it myself. I now take the '90 there and am using the same oil. They recommend 5000 miles and that's what I stick with. It usually starts looking kinda shitty by then.

Everything I've ever owned had oil that looked really shitty by the 3000 mile mark, except my Town Car, at 5000 miles the oil still looks pretty damn clean.

[DerekTheGreat]

They say that's how you can tell the oil is doing it's job. That or tons of sludge hiding out in your engine lol. Oil starts out the color it is in the bottle but by the time we get ours changed it's a dark tan, but not black.