new Explorer, Oil Options & Break in

Pennzoil motor oil
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Shrike9

Joined
Nov 27, 2019
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Santa made us a killer deal on a 26 Exploder with the 2.3L EcoBoost (5W-30) and I’m looking at oil options as the dealer offers a “discount” price on motorcraft semi synthetic oil but rapes you on full synthetic oil

What’s a good mileage to have your first oil change? I’ve read 500miles to 5k miles and everything in between along with driving conservatively to drive it like you stole it

Is Ford’s semi synthetic and full synthetic worth what the dealer charges as long as I have it changed somewhere around 6K miles?

Since it’s new & under warranty, I’m planning on having all services/oil changes done either at the dealership or my local trusted shop & well documented

If I go the trusted shop route I’ll use Wix oil filters and more than likely Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30

Thoughts??
 
Get the Motorcraft factory fill oil out immediately. Then use Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 and change it every 5,000. Skip the Wix filter and use a Carquest Premium Filter from Advance Auto Parts. The Motorcraft (Ford) oil is likely not worth what the dealer charges. Drive normally but do some some city driving, not just highway for the first few hundred miles, and avoid the running it too hard.

After that do as you please. I think is the going to be recommendation you will get most often on here. I wish I would’ve just done that from the beginning in my ecoboosts.
 
2.7ecoboostFordBronco said:
Get the Motorcraft factory fill oil out immediately. Then use Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 and change it every 5,000. Skip the Wix filter and use a Carquest Premium Filter from Advance Auto Parts. The Motorcraft (Ford) oil is likely not worth what the dealer charges. Drive normally but do some some city driving, not just highway for the first few hundred miles, and avoid the running it too hard. After that do as you please. I think is the going to be recommendation you will get most often on here.I wish I would’ve just done that from the beginning in my ecoboosts.
Click to expand...

Why 0W-30 ESP Vs 5W-30 & just for winter or year around??

What is the difference between oil filters, I’ll go search for carquest to see what I can find
 
Swap it at like 500 miles, then maybe 1000 to 1500 and 5k's after. The ESP suggestion is that it meets a lot stricter approvals, year round. Yes currently from all things on here, any of the Premium Guard filters (like the Carquest Premium, O'Reilly's MicroGuard etc.)

Pick up at least one FilterMag in whichever size you need and slap it on. Do the C&P's on the filters to see what that collects.

Oh Merry Christmas!

No pictures with the big bow to appease the BITOG elves?
 
Any of those oil choices imo are great for a 6k oci, even the semi syn is a fantastic product.

For another affordable but great product, try Kirkland syn. Here is a used oil analysis of a turbo civic that used Kirkland with 3 track days and the oil still produced GREAT results:

G

Thread 'Kirkland FS 5w-30, 3000 hard miles, 2019 Honda Civic Type-R'

Hello All..

Long time lurker here and finally did my first used oil analysis

3000 miles on this 5w30 kirkland oil. Honda spec'ed this car for 0w-20

I had a few people mention this oil isnt impressive because it sheared to a high 20 weight despite the results being excellent. Shearing didnt result in more wear metals and even blackstone mentioned its harmless.

What do you all think?

Here is how the oil was used:
3 track days. 2 at Thunder hill west(about 95-100 degrees both days) and 1 at Laguna Seca(65 degrees that day)
Lots of short trips where the oil does not get to full operating...
  • Like
 
Shrike9 said:
Why 0W-30 ESP Vs 5W-30 & just for winter or year around??

What is the difference between oil filters, I’ll go search for carquest to see what I can find
Click to expand...

The ESP 0W-30 is good year round. The long story short is that most oil marketed for US vehicles, to a degree, prioritizes fuel economy at the expense of some engine wear protection at the behest of government. The Mobil 1 ESP is marketed for and approved by some foreign vehicle brands where wear protection and deposit prevention are the top priorities. The chemical formulation needed to achieve those goals has the positive side effect of giving it the best winter rating.

Wix is owned now by Mann+Hummel. They purchased Wix years ago and have been cheapening the product over time. A company called Premium Guard makes the Carquest filters and at present time seems to have the best filtering performance (99.5% at 20 microns for the CQP) and also the best quality control.
 
Last edited:
2.7ecoboostFordBronco said:
The ESP 0W-30 is good year round. The long story short is that most oil marketed for US vehicles, to a degree, prioritizes fuel economy at the expense of some engine wear protection at the behest of government. The Mobil 1 ESP is marketed for and approved by some foreign vehicle brands where wear protection and deposit prevention are the top priorities. The chemical formulation needed to achieve those goals has the positive side effect of giving it the best winter rating.

Wix is owned now by Mann+Hummel. They purchased Wix years ago and have been cheapening the product over time. A company called Premium Guard makes the Carquest filters and at present time seems to have the best filtering performance (99.5% at 20 microns for the CQP) and also the best quality control.
Click to expand...

Thank you, learning has occurred, we are going from Montana down to Tucson for Christmas and and are potentially looking at a 3-4 month roadtrip across Canada to Alaska this summer in the new whip so would be having a shop/dealer do oil change along the way
 
Sequoiasoon said:
Swap it at like 500 miles, then maybe 1000 to 1500 and 5k's after. The ESP suggestion is that it meets a lot stricter approvals, year round. Yes currently from all things on here, any of the Premium Guard filters (like the Carquest Premium, O'Reilly's MicroGuard etc.)

Pick up at least one FilterMag in whichever size you need and slap it on. Do the C&P's on the filters to see what that collects.

Oh Merry Christmas!

No pictures with the big bow to appease the BITOG elves?
Click to expand...

The filter mag looks interesting, never seen one before. I’m all busted up (mand can’t get down on the ground anymore let alone get up off the floor so I’ll be having a shop or a dealership doing oil changes

Will have to look into stocking up on oil & filters & have the shop use them

Sadly no pictures, Merry Christmas 🎄
 
Shrike9 said:
The filter mag looks interesting, never seen one before. I’m all busted up (mand can’t get down on the ground anymore let alone get up off the floor so I’ll be having a shop or a dealership doing oil changes

Will have to look into stocking up on oil & filters & have the shop use them

Sadly no pictures, Merry Christmas 🎄
Click to expand...
Most dealerships/shops should be willing to use what you bring to them. They will mark "used customer supplied oil and filter". Keep pictures of receipts and oil/filters. My son just went to Walmart for his wife's car not long ago. They have the Valvoline Restore and Protect we wanted to use and I gave him a new Hyundai filter. He wrote the miles/date on the filter with marker for when he did it. I also gave him an extra FilterMag so they could put it on. I wanted the old one still attached to filter so I can cut it open.

Only thing you "might" encounter would be a mechanic that decides to keep the oil for himself and give you bulk from tank, hopefully not. Many have dash cams, security mode that keep them on. Last things wanted these days is camera evidence of not doing correct stuff. Positive side is millions of people go to dealer and get whatever special. Those vehicles are not failing catastrophically for oil issues. Other stuff maybe but not the oil changes.

If they do it, it will be in their system as being done if any future issues. You can go back to comfort use of what you want when you get home if you trust your local shop or dealer. A couple extra filters are not much room if you want to bring them. Oil have them use the full synthetic.

Dash cam front/rear might be nice, one to capture scenery/memories, two if something odd happens, strange world with F'd up people more so these days or at least more knowledge visibility of that.

Consider temperatures, road conditions, tires (and full size spare), with maybe better jack/tools should you need it. Stuck on remote road with a flat sucks. Relative does a lot of rural stuff in MT and up into Canada. He bought a satellite phone for just in case and extra supplies/better tools in case he needs to hunker in his truck or next to it. That includes self protection even if just sprays etc.
 
Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 like others have mentioned is a fantastic option with a Carquest Premium, Microgard Select, or Carquest EP oil filter.

Just to give you some other choices.

AMSOIL Signature Series 0w30 or 5W-30
Mobil 1 Truck and SUV 5W-30
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30
Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30

First change between 500-1,000 miles. 5k oci’s after that.
 
Try Mobil 1 FS Euro 0w-40. I did in my 2025 Nissan Armada Pro-4x with a 3.5L twin-turbo like your Ecoboost. It sheared down to a 30 weight oil over the Fall in just 2,000 miles but still offered great protection according to the UOA low wear metals. I also tried Mobil 1 ESP 0w-20 and it felt just a tad more responsive than the Mobil 1 0w-40. Currently have Motul Xcess Gen2 5w-40 and it runs well. I have Motul 0w-30 inbound for the next oil change.
 
We just added a 21 to the family and man it is nice, congratulations.

used oil analysis here have consistently shown the MC syn blend does not hold up well to Ecoboost abuse, so I would drain factory fill pretty early, no more than 1500 miles.

Mobil 1 ESP is great oil but it does not have the Ford spec, just something to consider since you are under warranty if that matters to you.

For Ford spec oils Quaker State Ultimate Protection and Valvoline Advanced Extended Protection are top choices that feature strong add packs and are both blended on the thicker side of grade.

Your manual probably recommends premium fuel (mine does) and using it can help reduce fuel dilution.

Enjoy your Explorer!
 
Best advice: Change the oil. Follow the manufacturer recommended interval or less and you'll be fine. Not complicated.

Currently own a '21 Explorer with the 2.3. 66k miles, and no issues other than a leaking rear shock (twice now). Did an oil change at 1000 miles, and then follow the OLM and change between 20 and 30%. I'll note the OLM recommended mileage varies dramatically based on the type of driving. Driving constant 65-70 in moderate temps will push it out well past 10k, and cold (below zero) short tripping will shorten it dramatically.

Our first 4 changes were on the dealer / ford points. Did all the changes at the dealer through the powertrain warranty.

Also note the 2.3 in the 25 and up Explorer is a NEW 2.3 - not the old Mazda based engine so bear that in mind while making comparisons.
 
Oil Filter: Microgard Select MSL10290
Oil: Valvoline Extended Protection 5W30
WIX, Motorcraft, and Purolator oil filters are not recommended. All three are made by the same company and have the black glue of death and other quality control issues.
 
Considering it's a turbo engine, I would stick with 5W-30 and go with full synthetic oil. Motorcraft is fine. Even though Ford has an oil life monitor, I would not go over 5,000 miles. Turbo engines need more frequent oil changes than normally aspirated engines.

Good luck and enjoy the Explorer.
 
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