Oil for super long, tough commute...Help!

[andrewg]

I am strongly considering moving about 85 miles from my place of work. The commute is a long one and will mean climbing a serious mountain pass TWICE every day. What I want to know is what opinions are regarding the VERY best oil for this task. I will travel about 4k miles per month in all kinds of weather. The pass is steep and will be hot in the summer. My average speed on the commute will be about 70mph. My vehicles are as follows...2002 Ford Ranger 4 cylinder 5 speed manual, 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, 2008 Ford Mustang GT. Cost is no factor.....protection and a 5 or 6k OCI is my main goal here. Synthetic is a given, and if any of you think a higher viscosity would be better protection please state reasons why.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Eddie]

Does your owners manual have suggestions for HD service like trailer pulling or mountan driving?

 

[qship1996]

Redline

 

[lewdwig]

Pennzoil Platinum.

 

[sunfire]

Since... "Cost is no factor" get Amsoil SSO ~ $10.50/qt.

Climbing mountains is very hard on the transmission. So get some Amsoil ATF ~ $9.95/qt.

 

[hate2work]

You could use the Amsoil SSO and change your oil every two months (8k) or you could use a lesser quality oil ( PP, Synpower, etc )and change your oil once a month (4k).

Will you be driving over Snoqualmie Pass? I have a friend who lives in Cle Elum and works in Bellevue, he drives it every day.

Get some good syn in your AT as well, that's brutal on trannies.

 

[bepperb]

I'd be more worried about the transmission myself, at least on the automatics.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
The pass is steep and will be hot in the summer. My average speed on the commute will be about 70mph. My vehicles are as follows...2002 Ford Ranger 4 cylinder 5 speed manual,

How steep is "steep"? Is it enough to shift from 5th to 4th in your Ranger to climb it? What rpm would that be? Anywhere close to red line?

Personally, I don't think this is such a "tough commute", but then again, I haven't seen it myself. Most oils should do fine in this application. I'd probably do 10k mile oci on synthetic given how quickly you'll be accumulating miles.

 

[Gary in Sandy Eggo]

For the winter, I'd use what you've whatever multi-grade you've been using. For the summer that'll be hot, fast and steady with 85 miles for every start, I'd run SAE-40 monograde conventional (assuming the overnight temps don't drop below 50F). With those circumstances and a HD monograde oil, you'll get no engine wear.

 

[Xman77]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Personally, I don't think this is such a "tough commute", but then again, I haven't seen it myself. Most oils should do fine in this application. I'd probably do 10k mile oci on synthetic given how quickly you'll be accumulating miles.


+1

The mountain climb/descent is the tough part of this story. Highway miles are easier on the engine than stop/go.

 

[IndyIan]

Which car are you going to take? At 70mph I'd think they all get about the same mileage, well the marquis might be a bit better. If the auto cars can't hold the converter in lockup for long periods of time then I'd take the truck.
Really though your commute isn't too tough on the car if there's no stop and go traffic, humming along at 70 is the easiest way to do miles. It sounds ideal for cheap conventional oil to me, 10W30 and you won't feel like your wasting money changing it every 5 weeks...

 

[ADFD1]

I don't see it as a hard commute either. The only downside I see is if the engine isn't at normal operating temps when you hit the mountain climb. My big concern would be the transmission.

AD

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: lewdwig
Pennzoil Platinum.
+1 it's an economical choice and is a very stout oil and stands up to abuse over 5-6K well IMO! Use it and be protected!

 

[RISUPERCREWMAN]

Mobil-1 EP!!!

 

[mechtech2]

I'd use full synthetic engine oil, primarily because you won't have to change it so often as dino.
Highway miles are easy miles, not hard miles.

 

[RTBandit]

Castrol Edge 5W-30

 

[Badlees]

Motorcraft blend or Pennzoil Yellow Bottle. Inexpensive and will handle that commute no problem.

 

[FZ1]

Get some PP,an M1 filter,and don't lug it up the hills. You will be fine for 5-6 K.

 

[synman]

SCHAEFFERS oil in the engine ,tranny , diffs !

 

[tig1]

M1 5-30EP will serve you well in your Fords. My Merc GM and my sons Ranger have always been on M1 with 10,000 mile OCIs and the engines are very clean and running well. The GM has 215,000 miles and his 91 Ranger has 330,000 miles and still going strong. Even though the GM and the Ranger have used mostly M1 10-30, the 5-30EP will be great for you.