7,500 mi old and switch to Full Syn - questions

[globey]

I've got a 2006 Ford Fusion 2.3L I-4 Manual and I'm about 200 miles short of 8K. I've been wanting to make the shift to full synthetic, so I went to AutoZone and got their synthetic special - 5 Qts of Valvoline SynPower and a Fram Tough Guard filter. They didn't have the cartridge filter I needed, so I got some filters for my father's Taurus and ended up going to Napa for the Napa Gold's for the oil change. Here are my questions:

1. I was unable to get 5W-20 which is called for in my vehicle, so I bought 5w30. Will this be acceptable? If so, what would the differences, performance wise, be in my vehicle.

2. What kind of interval can I go with this type of setup, knowing my vehicle is fairly new (Valv SynPower + Napa Gold filter).

I plan on getting a UOA on the stuff I take out of the crankcase at this oil change. Thanks, in advance, for your input.

 

[Merkava_4]

Quote:

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1. I was unable to get 5W-20 which is called for in my vehicle, so I bought 5w30. Will this be acceptable? If so, what would the differences, performance wise, be in my vehicle.

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Boy, that sure is a loaded question right there. To all you 5W-20 guys out there, this is your chance to preach your sermon.

 

[Greggy_D]

5w30 is fine.

 

[globey]

I was hoping to get a little more advice on both questions...anyone?

 

[dkryan]

Globey,

With all due respect, you're too new to this board (welcome, though!) to sweat such details. However, since you asked,

1. 5w30 will be fine for your car, especially in Biloxi in the summertime. Performance differences? You won't notice any, though some on this board claim to experience "immediate and noticeable differences via their butt dyno" anytime they switch brands and/or viscosities of motor oil.

2. It depends. Your interval will be based on your driving habits (city vs. highway, etc.), among other things. I think you're smart to obtain a UOA on this oil change in order to establish a baseline to use to compare future UOAs by. Just ensure the oil temp is up to normal before having the oil drained. In fact, make sure it's been at that temp for a few miles before changing it out.

I'd try 6k on your first Synpower run and see what the UOA tells you, then adjust your OCI accordingly. Good luck.

 

[globey]

dkryan, excellent...that's the info I wanted to get. I do mostly city driving and I'm not real hard on the vehicle but I don't baby it either. I appreciate your response.

You know, before I found BITOG (I've done a lot of reading, only a few posts), I wouldn't have thought twice about the 5w30, but this forum has kind of opened my eyes after seeing some of the UOAs posted. I have a part-time job working at a major auto parts retailer and I'm glad I found this forum...I can make even more informed recommendations. Thanks again!

 

[smokey1]

why is important the temp gage reach it's normal operating position before oil change to dino ? To get most of the dino to drain out for the refill of synthetic ? Or other reason(s)?

 

[globey]

From the directions I've read, I believe it has to do with grabbing the sample for the UOA. Grab mid-pour and make sure the vehicle has run for about 20 minutes. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[globey]

Another question came to mind, do you think I'll see a slight decrease in mpg due to use of the 5w30 rather than the 20? I'm just curious...I want to know what was causing it if it does slightly decrease.

 

[dkryan]

smokey1:

Yes, the oil will drain better if it is hot, but you also want to avoid sampling oil where the engine has only been run a short amount of time (stop and go traffic or just sitting there idling) to avoid by-products of combustion, etc. You could end up with a higher fuel level detected in the oil due to a "cold and rich" mixture condition.

globey:

I doubt you'd be able to attribute a "slight decrease in mpg" to using 5w30 versus 5w20, especially if you have only 8k miles on your engine. The UOA you'll have performed will go a long way in telling you if your engine is broken in yet. That factor alone will make a difference in mpg.

Lastly, don't get me wrong, 5w20 oil is great for your engine. You can use either viscosity and you'll be fine. With mostly city driving, keep the OCI to 6k miles until you can obtain another UOA on the Synpower.