Motorcraft HDEO's; Ford says not to use in gas engines!

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The current Motorcraft product catalog has a warning stating NOT to use their 10w30 & 15w40 diesel oils in any gasoline engine equipped with a catalyst.

But, both these oils still carry an API SL rating for gas engines. Why even bother with the SL rating, when they don't want us using them in a gas engine?

This new warning is a first for MC, AFAIK. Why the new warning???
 
This is a classic CYA situation. If ford allows the use of HDEOs in gas motors they run the risk of increased warranty problems. It could also be driven by the EPA requirement that all factory emissons systems be designed to operate within specs for 150k. In tests ford learned that they can't make it there with the extra cat posioning caused by burning oils with more zinc in them. All the other manufacturers discovered the same thing thus the new SM oils.

I don't know why the SL rating is still there. Probably because ford is not legally bound by EPA law and warranty to the older vehicles requiring SL oils. And they can sell more oil with a broader rating. Both the new Rotella and Delo HDEOs still have the SL spec on them too. SO ?
 
That catalog also says that their dual-rated Mercon/Mercon V can be used in Mercon applications which, if I'm not mistaken, directly contradicts a TSB that Ford issued.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Zn and P levels are probally not much higher than Hi-Mi oils.

Well high mileage pcmo's can't have much more than regular pcmo oils because they are still api SM rated...
 
Yeah, I forgot Hi-Mi oils went SM...for some reason. They are for older cars, so I dunno why they ned to meet newer specs....except sales if people won't buy them as SL???
 
Sounds like dumb-a$$ marketting lingo rather than fact. ie. whoever ordered the label/warning must not even know what the SL rating stands for, but rather surmised that diesel oil should simply not be used in a gas engine under the same guise that ZDDP levels have been dropping with each API grade as well.
 
The problem is SAP damaging the cat. Sulfated ash and phosphorus are higher in the diesel engine oil and enough SAP may get to the cat to shorten the life. Wasn't 1994 the year they changed from one-way cats to three-way cats?...the old one-way cats will tolerate the SAP better.


Ken
 
[Wasn't 1994 the year they changed from one-way cats to three-way cats?...the old one-way cats will tolerate the SAP better.
[/QB][/QUOTE]

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Was that the case in all cars? Did any/many use 3-way cats before that???

Interesting info!

Thanks,

JMH
 
quote:

Originally posted by brianl703:
That catalog also says that their dual-rated Mercon/Mercon V can be used in Mercon applications which, if I'm not mistaken, directly contradicts a TSB that Ford issued.

If it says that you are right- it contradicts previous info.
Problem is- I can't find anywhere that says that!
Can you provide a link to it or something...inquiring minds want to know
smile.gif
 
Yes, don't use a bad HDEO. Instead use 'official Ford oil' at recommended intervals, and then wonder why the cat is plugged from oil getting past the stucky rings down the road, due to using 'official Ford oil'.

Friends don't let friends use PCMOs.
 
Right on page 12 pf the current catalog http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/fad/pdf/catalog.pdf

"Motorcraft® MERCON® V is a premium-quality automatic transmission fl uid designed,
engineered and recommended by Ford Motor Company for use in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury
vehicles that require either MERCON® V or MERCON® type fl uid. This product also provides
excellent performance in electronically controlled automatic transmissions. It is a
DEXRON® III fl uid approved for H specifi cation. It is also recommended for use in pre-1989
automatic transmissions, which call for a DEXRON® IIE, DEXRON® II, DEXRON® and
Type “A” Suffi x “A” fl uids. Motorcraft® MERCON® V is an approved Allison C-4 Fluid"
 
Thanks! That is a different catalog than I found at Motorcraft.com.

Ford has adamantly warned against dual rated fluids and now THEY sell one...

That is huge news, assuming it isn't in error.

But WAIT...on page 66 they still say DON'T use dual rated fluids...
dunno.gif


[ September 24, 2005, 05:50 AM: Message edited by: Vstrom ]
 
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