First oil change in Ford Duratec

[Leonardi]

I've got a new Ford Freestyle SEL with a 6cyl Duratec. It has 2,450 miles on the engine and would like to change oil and filter for the first time.
My questions:

Is it time to change at 2,450 miles? Or should I wait a bit longer?


Is Pennzoil 5w20 an appropriate oil to use?


Must I use the Motorcraft filter?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[racer12306]

pennzoil 5w20 is good, any 5w20 is good. no you dont have to use motorcraft filters but they are good. you can use any brand you want. pureone, wix, purolator premium plus, ac delco are all good ones, there are others that are good too. what does your owners manual say for oil change intervals?

 

[wavinwayne]

Please save the factory oil filter. A BITOGer might even pay shipping for it, just to be able to cut it open.

The filters that are put on at the Ford factory are not the same as Motorcraft filters, & nobody has ever cut a factory filter open & posted pics.

 

[Ray H]

Actually the filters Ford installs at the factory ARE "Motorcraft". But they're made by a different company (forget who...) than the aftermarket Motorcrafts (which are mostly made by Arvin-Meritor - the parent company of Purolator filter division). The Purolator company of old reinvented itself a while back as a package delivery service. Isn't the Byzantium we call, "corporate America" truly a wonder to behold?

 

[brianl703]

Motorcraft is a Ford line of replacement parts that are available for distribution outside of the dealer network. You can order any Motorcraft part you want from Rockauto and other suppliers.

Motorcraft and Ford part numbers are different. All Motorcraft parts have a Ford part number, but not all Ford parts have a Motorcraft part number (in fact, most do not, and these are only available at the dealer).

 

[mikemc]

1) You can change now if you like
2) As stated above, there are several good 5w20's and Pennzoil is one of them.
3) I would use a Motorcraft filter. Its an excellent filter at a bargain price and is designed for your vehicle.

 

[Whimsey]

Ford factory oil is nothing special. I'd certainly change it by now. Pennzoil is a good oil and so is Havoline and Motorcraft. In my Ford vehicles I've run Motorcraft 5W-20 to 5,000+/- OCI's and have had real good results. Of course I'd at least do an UOA to see how your oil of choice is working for you. What oil filter does your engine use? If it's a Motorcraft FL820S Then your best bet is to get it from Walmart for $3.28. If you don't have a Walmart near you then Advance Auto had them for $3.68 last time I looked. Motorcraft is usually less expensive than PureOne and Wix and it's a great filter for the price. I've run them for 10,000+/- miles in my wifes Explorer with no problems. The insolubles level and overall UOA were REAL GOOD.

Whimsey

 

[Woody]

I have been "warned" by more than one Ford service department to use Motorcraft filters in case I ever had a oil related warranty issue. They are good filters and I can by them most anywhere including wally world for the prices stated above. When my '02 Ranger 4.0L was under warranty, I ran the appropriate FL820. When it ran out of warranty, I ran Wix, Purolator or Motorcraft – depending what I could find on sale. I just bought a new '05 F-150 5.4L and it takes the Motorcraft FL820, so that is what I will strictly use, at least until it’s out of warranty.

 

[JohnnyO]

Odds are your manual says to change the oil every 5000, and 2450 is halfway there, so I'd say change it now and again at 5000 and every 5000 after. That's what I do when I get a new vehicle.

(BTW, I wanted to trade the wife's Taurus wagon on a Freestyle but we ran into the same problem of the dog blocking the back window, so she's holding out for a minivan. Oh the horror....)

 

[ekpolk]

Unless Ford has a waiver (from the FTC, IIRC), they can NOT require the use of their part as a warranty claim preconditon, unless they provide the part free of charge on the required schedule. Sure, if you used a non-MC filter, and it failed, causing harm to the engine, you'd be in the cold, but as the few Fram loyalists around will quickly point out, not even the much-maligned Fram seems to fail very often in actual use.

 

[LC]

I also own a Ford Freestyle.
I changed the oil out at 1000 mile and than again at 2500 miles and will again at 5000. Than every 5000 miles. I have always used Motorcraft Filters on all our Fords (we have 3 at present) I am using Havoline 5w-20 in the Freestyle.
I would stay with the Motorcraft Filter and 5w-20 oil and 5000 mile changes,until the warranty runs out since that is what Ford recommends. *note* save your receipts and keep good records, just in case you run into a problem.

 

[Leonardi]

Thanx to all who replied.......I'll keep the original filter and would be happy to share it with someone who has an interest. By the way, what/who is a BITOG er? To LC: I hope the filter and plug are easily accessible on the Freestyle. Thanks again....

 

[TonyC230]

Just a word here about filters. I for one have cut open a few Factory filters and after market filters to find a difference between the two. I have counted the number of pleats in the paper used to filter the oil and always find less pleats in the after market filters. The only other thing I have read is that there is a pressure relief valve that may not be the same pressure as factory but don't quote me on that one. Bottom line is, the diffence in price does not warrant useing after market filters in my eyes and I always try to get a " Case " price which brings down the price that is close to after market filters anyway.

 

[LC]

The filter and oil plug are very easy to get to on the Freestyle. By far the easiest of all our vehicles I own. Every thing is right under the front of the car. No mess no hassle.

 

[JohnnyO]

quote:

---

By the way, what/who is a BITOG er?

---

You are, now. Bob Is The Oil Guy.

 

[Leonardi]

Okie Dokie.........Thanks again for all the help. I'm a BITGO er...........tee, hee, hee, hee............ I'm going to go change the oil in my Ford........Have nice day......

 

[Ryan00TJ]

I changed the oil on my Mothers 500 at 2900 miles. The factory filter was a plain jane white can that looked exactly like a WIX w/o the name. 6 large holes and a orange silicon ADBV. The inside holes were just like other Wix filters I use.

I've been using Exxon Superflo 5W-20 $1.18 and a Motorcraft 820S at 6 month intervals.

Factory 2005 Ford 500 oil filter.........

 

[LargeCarMan]

Now Leonardi is Officially a BITOGer...and has just clinched the weekly BITOGer award for changing his oil in the Winter...

 

[JohnnyO]

Yeah, I put Blizzak snow casters on my creeper.

 

[Leonardi]

One more question: Once a particular brand name oil is put in an engine at the first change, what is the thought to continuing to use that same brand for the life of the engine? Is it ok to switch from Pennz 5w20 to Quaker 5w20, then to Havo 5w20 without adverse effects on the engine? Leonardi