176 mile commute....pick my oil

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Originally Posted By: meborder
When I had your commute a decade ago I had a 94 ford escort. I had always ran 5k oci with motorcraft.

It didn't take very many months to figure out that monthly oil changes suck.

I ended up running castrol syntec and just changed the oil every 3 months regardless of miles. It was always between 10k-12k at that 3 month interval.

That car now sits in the shed with 220k on the clock and ran like a champ when I parked it. Never did have to ad oil in that 3 month oci.

Back in the same boat, id do the exact same thing without hesitation.

Did that drive for a year and a half. Was worth every penny spent on fuel too because it got me where I am today. I consider it the best investment I've ever made. I invested in my career and it rewarded me by going from $13/hr to over $30/hr.

I hope your drive works out for you as it did for me, my friend.
Godspeed.


I sure hope it's all worth it.
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Mobil1 EP, send a sample to Blackstone, and see how long you can take the oil. You'll save time, money, and resources.


This might be what I do.
 
You are paying a lot for gas. I would in this situation go with a good but inexpensive oil. Supertech can and will get you down the road with no problems. I used it for years in my 99 Tacoma Pickup. I was a satellite installer and put a lot of miles on the vehicle. I sold the truck to a guy who now has it for his bug exterminator business. With 170,000 miles it was not using or burning oil. I would change out the oil every three to four months. I really don't know the milage I was putting on between the oil changes. It just seemed to be working out pretty well and I was having no problems with the engine.

You can use more expensive oil if you prefer. Your vehicle, your choice. M1 is a good oil. Pennzoil Platinum is another good choice. Heck there is an isle of good choices at any auto parts or Walmart. I started using it at first when I went from conventional oil to Synthetic in the vehicle. One day I just decided I would try Supertech and I had no reason to regret doing it. Saved some cash and got identical results.
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
Have a similar commute with my partner's '11 Focus. Running 10k changes, although we're up to 12.5k on the current M1 5-20 fill. Might be a good one to UOA.


I would be interested to see it.
 
Originally Posted By: MRtv
You are paying a lot for gas. I would in this situation go with a good but inexpensive oil. Supertech can and will get you down the road with no problems. I used it for years in my 99 Tacoma Pickup. I was a satellite installer and put a lot of miles on the vehicle. I sold the truck to a guy who now has it for his bug exterminator business. With 170,000 miles it was not using or burning oil. I would change out the oil every three to four months. I really don't know the milage I was putting on between the oil changes. It just seemed to be working out pretty well and I was having no problems with the engine.

You can use more expensive oil if you prefer. Your vehicle, your choice. M1 is a good oil. Pennzoil Platinum is another good choice. Heck there is an isle of good choices at any auto parts or Walmart. I started using it at first when I went from conventional oil to Synthetic in the vehicle. One day I just decided I would try Supertech and I had no reason to regret doing it. Saved some cash and got identical results.


That is a good point, Supertech seems to be good oil.
 
Originally Posted By: blupupher
Cheapest name brand 5w-20 Syn oil you can find (even Supertech for like $12/jug) and a Wix or better filter and do an oil change every 3 months.

When I had my Elantra I did 7500 mile OCI when under warranty, and went to 10,000 miles when warranty was up using whatever Syn was on sale and a Wix filter. I was not driving as far as you every day (was doing ~400 miles a week, 95% highway no traffic), but had no issues with it.


I like this idea also. Do it 3 months regardless of miles.
 
I'd use Mobil 1 0w20 EP and go at LEAST 10k miles, if not longer. I'd do a used oil analysis maybe at 12k miles and see how it's doing.
 
Originally Posted By: tomcruise
I just started commuting 88 miles each way to work.

The car in question is a 2009 Ford Focus with the manual, specs 5w20.

The commute is about 94% highway, speeds between 60-75. I normally drive hard, but there is no traffic and the car just plugs along at 3k rmps the whole way.

Climate is dry with temperatures over 100°.

My parent's have owned this car since it had 10k miles on it (123k currently) and has had oil changes done at home with Motorcraft or Chevron Supreme with a Motorcraft filter at 5k mile intervals.

The car has zero issues and uses no oil.

Should I continue with what my dad has been doing or something like Mobil 1 EP so I don't have to change it each month or so?




With your driving, Schaeffer 9000 or M1 or Amsoil SS will easily take you at LEAST 10k miles. With UOA, you could probably go further. Your commute is perfect for an extended UOA...but before you do, make sure to do a UOA (I'd leave it in until the results cam back) to be sure of how far you could go. M1EP would be good also, but whatever oil you choose a UOA will tell you how long it can go.

Plus, be sure to use a filter rated for the longer mileage (Amsoil, M1, Fram Ultra)
 
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The thing to also remember is that these Focus engines are a low performance, low friction motor. Similar to the Escorts before them.
They were designed with longevity and little maintenance in mind (mine wasn't even equipped with an air filter from the factory).
 
I'd run motorcraft 5w20 and a motorcraft filter and do 10k mile changes with that commute. The new fords have a 10k mile normal service interval anyway.

Run a 5w20. Don't listen to all the 15w30, 5w30 etc.. 5w20 is spec'd, and does a great job. Plenty of very high mileage vehicles on the roads today running 5w20. It's protected it for 123k it won't stop protecting it during the next 123k.


Good luck!
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Cristobol;
I like the SAE40 part of your recommendation with it's 3.7 HTHS (which is the same as Delo 15w30), but why the 0W in 100F heat?


Their isn't a downside to going 0W even in the heat. It may not be absolutely necessary, but it certainly does not hurt.
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
I would be tempted to run Delo 15w30 @ 10K mile oil drain intervals.


Never heard of 15W-30?

That car specs 5W-20, maybe Mobil 1 or whatever he was using up to this point. That engine is very clean.
 
OK, the actual cost of the oil in your situation is very small compared to everything else (gas, tires, general maintenance). I would look at M1 Extended Performance or Castrol Edge Extended Performance. Good quality oil that is designed for extended oil change intervals. Like others have said, do a used oil analysis somewhere around the 8 or 10,000 mile mark and you might find that you can go a few thousand miles further.

Yes you could go with a generic store brand and save a few bucks come oil change time but why? The cost difference between an extended performance oil from Mobil1 or Castrol and Walmart Supertech on a 10,000 mile oil change interval is something like 0.0008 cents per mile. Yes the extra cost is about 8 ten thousandths of a cent per mile for a brand name EP oil!!
 
I would use a good brand name 5W-30 (the 30 is for the heat and the fact that it may shear down some over time) and fit the biggest filter that will physically fit the space. I'd change it every six months and to heck with the mileage.

Pennz Platinum would likely be my starting point, but there are other good alternatives
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Cristobol;
I like the SAE40 part of your recommendation with it's 3.7 HTHS (which is the same as Delo 15w30), but why the 0W in 100F heat?


I just think it would make matters simpler. Summer heat is around there, but near it are places that see real winters. It is not stereotyped California weather.

If he is around Ridgecrest, he will be in cold temperatures on winter nights, especially at higher altitudes and if he goes north of there. Ridgecrest will see snow on occasion. Ely in Nevada, and Bridgeport, CA are a few hour's drive away and they both can see -20F. in winter. Sooner or later he will be driving over a high altitude hump, staying in a motel there, and getting out in the morning to a very cold engine.

Also, on a very cold winter day when you are coasting downhill from one of those passes your engine temperature will drop a lot of you use your heater. At Towne Pass in Death Valley, going downhill eastbound will give you a road where you can go 70 miles per hour for ten miles straight without touching your accelerator. Literally.

0W-40 Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil can handle that huge temperature range, so that is a solution. It will do for extended drains as well as the severe service in long-distance, high speed driving. Match up that oil or something like it with an extended service filter and he will do great.
 
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