High Mileage Oil Question

[map76]

I have a 2005 Mercury Mountaineer AWD with the 4.6 V8. Current miles on truck is 123,000. I tow a deck boat and a trailer with this truck. Neither are over 5k lbs. I had been running Quaker State Ultimate Durability and Pennzoil Platinum but I noticed oil leaking around the valve cover gasket. It had also used a quart of oil in about 5k miles. I then changed to Mobil 1 5w20 HM, and the leaking stopped. This truck is driven daily in combined city/hwy conditions. I would probably say, 60% city and 40% hwy. I do make a few longer hwy trips monthly.

I have some $5 off coupons for Valvoline Maxlife at WM. How does this oil compare to Mobil 1 High Mileage? Can I run the Maxlife as long as I run the Mobil 1 High Mileage? I was planning to run the next change out to 10k miles with the Mobil 1. I do like that the Mobil 1 is full synthetic. Is the Maxlife a more comparable oil to Mobil Super HM?

Thanks

 

[HTSS_TR]

Valvoline Maxlife is semi-syn but Maxlife is also available in full-syn, semi-syn is probably good for 7-8k miles with towing 4-5k lbs.

 

[map76]

I see, I didn't realize Maxlife Semi-syn would be good for that long of an interval. I know Valvoline has a full synthetic Maxlife, and I would like to try that. But, it is only available in 5w30 and 10w30. My Mountaineer is spec'd for 5w20. Thanks for the response. Maybe it would be worth it to try the semi-syn since I have a coupon and it is such a good deal. Especially if I can run it for 7-8k miles.

 

[285south]

Change the valve cover gasket seal

 

[A_Harman]

Since Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w20 is working, maybe you should stick with that.
But Valvoline MaxLife is good stuff if you want to try it.

 

[map76]

I do plan on fixing the valve cover gasket. Three kids and one on the way is taking up a lot of time and money right now. The High Mileage oil is taking care of the issue until I can fix it.

I was asking this because I have a coupon and it makes the Maxlife about $12 for a 5qt. jug, where as Mobil 1 is $25 for a 5qt jug. I have not used the Maxlife before, and I wanted to know how it compares to the Mobil 1 High Mileage. On their respective websites the specs listed on their product data sheets are similar. I do see that Maxlife is SN and Mobil 1 is SL. I know real world is different. The Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w20 I have been using is fairly new, and I haven't seen much info about it on this site or others.

 

[diver1972]

Originally Posted By: map76
How does this oil compare to Mobil 1 High Mileage?
Pretty comparable.

Originally Posted By: map76
Can I run the Maxlife as long as I run the Mobil 1 High Mileage?
Yes.

Originally Posted By: map76
My Mountaineer is spec'd for 5w20... Maybe it would be worth it to try the semi-syn since I have a coupon and it is such a good deal. Especially if I can run it for 7-8k miles.