just bought a 03 focus with 84000 miles. owner said he ran synthetic oil, engine looks new though filler hole. i just did an oil change with Pennzoil Platinum 5w30. would it be advised to go to motorcraft 5w-20 or a high milage 5w30 on my next change? thanks for any help on this. and please no condemnation or talking down at like on my other post i do not need it right now.
03 ford focus oil
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I think you'll be fine by sticking with Pennzoil Platinum 5w30.
I don't think you need a high mileage oil at only 84,000 miles.
Motorcraft is a great oil, there are many others. Why not stick with Pennzoil Platinum 5w30?
Motorcraft is a great oil, there are many others. Why not stick with Pennzoil Platinum 5w30?
I would absolutely not use a High Mileage oil in that engine. '03 with 84K is a baby if it's been well-maintained, as it seems to have been.
What viscosity is recommended by the manufacturer, and which engine do you have--the 2.3 duratec or 2.0 zetec?
What viscosity is recommended by the manufacturer, and which engine do you have--the 2.3 duratec or 2.0 zetec?
My mother's 2001 Focus with the Zetec engine has seen 5w20 the entire time she has had it. It has 130k now and has no engine issues or oil consumption. A 5w30 would be fine as well.
I'll throw in some common Focus problems and causes:
Engine surging: vacuum leak or DPFE sensor (most common causes)
Vibration: passenger and drivers side (transmission) motor mounts
Fan wont work on settings 1 2 or 3: blower resistor
Fan wont work on setting 4: blower switch
I'll throw in some common Focus problems and causes:
Engine surging: vacuum leak or DPFE sensor (most common causes)
Vibration: passenger and drivers side (transmission) motor mounts
Fan wont work on settings 1 2 or 3: blower resistor
Fan wont work on setting 4: blower switch
it has the 2.0 zetec. fans are ok. no vibration.has 5w-20 on oil cap. i guess i am just old school by putting the 5w30 in. lol if the pp would be best , i will suck it up and pay price. the reason i chose the penzsoil was all the good reports on here. but did not know if i was doing overkill and could get by cheaper.
Well, if you can find cheaper oil, then that's fine too. I thought PP was already pretty cheap.
Originally Posted By: wmor51
it has the 2.0 zetec. fans are ok. no vibration.has 5w-20 on oil cap. i guess i am just old school by putting the 5w30 in. lol if the pp would be best , i will suck it up and pay price. the reason i chose the penzsoil was all the good reports on here. but did not know if i was doing overkill and could get by cheaper.
You aren't hurting anything, but you aren't helping anything either by going to slightly heavier oil. I'd stick with 5W20.
You can definitely use any SM or SN rated 'conventional' oil with equally good results, you just can't run it quite as long. The truth is though, if you buy ahead and watch the various rebates/sales, you can normally get a Group III synthetic for less $$ than dino. I have a small stash of Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 and Synpower 5W20, and I didn't pay more than $2.00 a quart for any of it after the sales/rebates are added up. Just keep an eye out.
it has the 2.0 zetec. fans are ok. no vibration.has 5w-20 on oil cap. i guess i am just old school by putting the 5w30 in. lol if the pp would be best , i will suck it up and pay price. the reason i chose the penzsoil was all the good reports on here. but did not know if i was doing overkill and could get by cheaper.
You aren't hurting anything, but you aren't helping anything either by going to slightly heavier oil. I'd stick with 5W20.
You can definitely use any SM or SN rated 'conventional' oil with equally good results, you just can't run it quite as long. The truth is though, if you buy ahead and watch the various rebates/sales, you can normally get a Group III synthetic for less $$ than dino. I have a small stash of Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 and Synpower 5W20, and I didn't pay more than $2.00 a quart for any of it after the sales/rebates are added up. Just keep an eye out.
Any sale 5W-20 oil will do just fine in that engine, they aren't hard on oil.
Had a buddy with a Zetec-powered 1998 ZX-2. Ran the absolute snot out of it for nearly 130k miles on bulk 5w30 every 5-7k. Ran like a top the whole time....used maybe 1/2 quart/OCI.....
Had a buddy with a Zetec-powered 1998 ZX-2. Ran the absolute snot out of it for nearly 130k miles on bulk 5w30 every 5-7k. Ran like a top the whole time....used maybe 1/2 quart/OCI.....
Originally Posted By: cmf
My mother's 2001 Focus with the Zetec engine has seen 5w20 the entire time she has had it. It has 130k now and has no engine issues or oil consumption. A 5w30 would be fine as well.
I'll throw in some common Focus problems and causes:
Engine surging: vacuum leak or DPFE sensor (most common causes)
Vibration: passenger and drivers side (transmission) motor mounts
Fan wont work on settings 1 2 or 3: blower resistor
Fan wont work on setting 4: blower switch
I have a 1996 "bought new" Contour with the 2.0 Zetec & 5 speed manual with factory wide wheels, It's my "very poor man's BMW". That engine is great with the manual transmission. It was originally spec'd for 5w30, 5W-20 did not exist then. It was finally approved for 5W-20. I've been using up the 5w30 Schaeffer Blend that I bought for my wife's then vehicle. I get ~27 mpg local and ~36 mpg highway @ 70-75 MPH. I don't burn any measurable amount of oil in my 7-9 OCI and looking through the oil fill the inside of the head is spotless. I also use LC20 & FP60 additives.
Whimsey
My mother's 2001 Focus with the Zetec engine has seen 5w20 the entire time she has had it. It has 130k now and has no engine issues or oil consumption. A 5w30 would be fine as well.
I'll throw in some common Focus problems and causes:
Engine surging: vacuum leak or DPFE sensor (most common causes)
Vibration: passenger and drivers side (transmission) motor mounts
Fan wont work on settings 1 2 or 3: blower resistor
Fan wont work on setting 4: blower switch
I have a 1996 "bought new" Contour with the 2.0 Zetec & 5 speed manual with factory wide wheels, It's my "very poor man's BMW". That engine is great with the manual transmission. It was originally spec'd for 5w30, 5W-20 did not exist then. It was finally approved for 5W-20. I've been using up the 5w30 Schaeffer Blend that I bought for my wife's then vehicle. I get ~27 mpg local and ~36 mpg highway @ 70-75 MPH. I don't burn any measurable amount of oil in my 7-9 OCI and looking through the oil fill the inside of the head is spotless. I also use LC20 & FP60 additives.
Whimsey
Originally Posted By: wmor51
i am only getting 20 mpg city .
Which city? If it's a city like Atlanta with a ton of bumper-to-bumper traffic, then 20 mpg would be normal, I think.
i am only getting 20 mpg city .
Which city? If it's a city like Atlanta with a ton of bumper-to-bumper traffic, then 20 mpg would be normal, I think.
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