'15 Ford Taurus (not SHO) with 3.5 Duratec. This engine has solid mechanical tappets, which seems like a design from the 60's/70's (except it's overhead cam). I've seen lots of comments on here saying you need extra anti-wear additives for old style solid tappet engines. So does the modern Duratec also need these extra additives? Or would any decent SN oil be good enough? Currently using Valvoline Advanced synthetic which meets the Ford spec but I think is low/mid SAPS (?). Planning on going to a Euro type oil.
oil for Ford Duratec
- Thread starter neo3
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Take a look at some of the UOA’s Euro oils you might be interested in. They’re in the UOA section of the Forum List.
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dnewton3
Staff member
Overall very good engines; they wear well. No special lube needed.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
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Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Overall very good engines; they wear well. No special lube needed.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
Overall very good engines; they wear well. No special lube needed.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
Originally Posted By: pbm
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
The 3.0L in our '05 Escape has the water pump outside the engine, on the "rear" of the transverse-mounted engine (driver side front cylinder bank) and very easily accessible for replacement. Belt driven off the cam via a pulley.
I like the latest Explorer, but that internal coolant pump is a deal-breaker for me.
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
The 3.0L in our '05 Escape has the water pump outside the engine, on the "rear" of the transverse-mounted engine (driver side front cylinder bank) and very easily accessible for replacement. Belt driven off the cam via a pulley.
I like the latest Explorer, but that internal coolant pump is a deal-breaker for me.
Originally Posted By: crainholio
Originally Posted By: pbm
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
The 3.0L in our '05 Escape has the water pump outside the engine, on the "rear" of the transverse-mounted engine (driver side front cylinder bank) and very easily accessible for replacement. Belt driven off the cam via a pulley.
I like the latest Explorer, but that internal coolant pump is a deal-breaker for me.
There is a turbo 4 with an external water pump
Originally Posted By: pbm
That's interesting to know. How do engineers not foresee these glaring design issues? (a $1500 R&R every 100K or less, because of poor design is ridiculous, IMO.)
Does the 3.0 Duratec used in older Fusions have this same (poorly) designed waterpump placement?....how about the 2.7?
The 3.0L in our '05 Escape has the water pump outside the engine, on the "rear" of the transverse-mounted engine (driver side front cylinder bank) and very easily accessible for replacement. Belt driven off the cam via a pulley.
I like the latest Explorer, but that internal coolant pump is a deal-breaker for me.
There is a turbo 4 with an external water pump
Originally Posted By: neo3
'15 Ford Taurus (not SHO) with 3.5 Duratec. This engine has solid mechanical tappets, which seems like a design from the 60's/70's (except it's overhead cam). I've seen lots of comments on here saying you need extra anti-wear additives for old style solid tappet engines. So does the modern Duratec also need these extra additives? Or would any decent SN oil be good enough? Currently using Valvoline Advanced synthetic which meets the Ford spec but I think is low/mid SAPS (?). Planning on going to a Euro type oil.
Read the manual and use an oil that meets the specs. The comments you read may or may not be valid or factual.
'15 Ford Taurus (not SHO) with 3.5 Duratec. This engine has solid mechanical tappets, which seems like a design from the 60's/70's (except it's overhead cam). I've seen lots of comments on here saying you need extra anti-wear additives for old style solid tappet engines. So does the modern Duratec also need these extra additives? Or would any decent SN oil be good enough? Currently using Valvoline Advanced synthetic which meets the Ford spec but I think is low/mid SAPS (?). Planning on going to a Euro type oil.
Read the manual and use an oil that meets the specs. The comments you read may or may not be valid or factual.
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Overall very good engines; they wear well. No special lube needed.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
I would imagine it may helpful to keep on top of coolant replacements to help the water pump bearing as much as possible. Check out www.taurusclub.com
Overall very good engines; they wear well. No special lube needed.
The Achilles heel is the water pump's location; tucked inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. About a $1500 job to R&R. If it leaks internally, coolant will pervert the lube and scrap an engine if left unchecked. For this engine, once it gets to 100k miles, I would either starting doing UOAs every 5k miles looking for coolant, or just bite the bullet and pre-emptively change the water pump. Some pumps have gone as far as 150k before needing replacement; others not near that long. No oil, regardless of base stock, viscosity, etc will stop this problem; lubes cannot stop mechanical design issues from manifesting into a problem at some point.
I would imagine it may helpful to keep on top of coolant replacements to help the water pump bearing as much as possible. Check out www.taurusclub.com
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This guy is using 0w20 in his 3.5 Duratec with UOA's posted at the end of his video.
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We have 2017 Ford Explorer with 3.5 Duratec. Is this same engine? My manual says 5w20.
24k miles now,. Ive been using whatever was on sale since brand new.
Ford Motorcraft FL500S filter.
-PYB
-Castrol Mag
-Castrol GTX
-Valvoline White bottle
Now M1 Extended Performance. I do like Castrol GTX and this current M1.
24k miles now,. Ive been using whatever was on sale since brand new.
Ford Motorcraft FL500S filter.
-PYB
-Castrol Mag
-Castrol GTX
-Valvoline White bottle
Now M1 Extended Performance. I do like Castrol GTX and this current M1.
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You’re in TX. Put some 10w-30 in and forget about it til next oci
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