Help! The wrong oil was used!

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Hey Guys! I'm new on here. Well... I'm a member, but have just been lurking around researching. Lol. This is what's just happened... I work at a Ford Dealership, and this morning I asked the guy in the service department to rotate my tires. He said they would do a rotation, and also check my car over to insure everything was ok with it. So while he was looking my car over, he noticed according to the sticker that my oil hadn't been changed in a little over 10k miles. I told him that was my plan since I used synthetic Mobil 1, and that I was changing it this weekend. I told him I had the oil in the 'back' of the car, and that if he didn't mind, to get it out and just go ahead and change it for me. (It was up on the lift anyways getting its rotation, so why not? It would save me from having to do it myself. Lol) Anyways, he happily obliged... About 10 mins after my car was taken into the service department, he paged me on my desk phone. He said that I had mistakenly purchased the incorrect viscosity that my car requires, but he would throw me in some SynBlend Motorcraft 5w20 from the bulk tank. I declined the offer and assured him that after doing research online(BITOG), it was completely safe for my car to use the oil I had purchased, and that it was actually the same type of oil I was currently using in the engine for its 10k oci. He honored my decision and completed the Oil Change and rotation for me. Well as I was driving to get lunch on my break, I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the M1 AFE 0w20 oil that I had bought for my car was still sitting it the backseat... Confused, I cut my Lunch break short and drove straight back to the service department. I asked why he had went against my wishes and used the Motorcraft instead of the M1 that I asked him to use. He looked at me with a weird look, and reached into the garbage pulling out the empty M1 jug that was previously 'IN MY TRUNK'!!! I had COMPLETELY forgotten about having oil in my trunk!!! The oil in the TRUNK was meant for my 2001 Explorer SportTrac! It of course wasn't 0w20 AFE, but rather M1 5w30 Extended Performance! He assumed that when I said "Back of the car" I was implying the 'trunk' not 'backseat', and that's why he asked if I was sure it was safe for my engine to use. When he told me this morning it wasn't the correct viscosity, I was assuming he was talking about it being 0w and not 5w.
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It was completely my fault, as I should have been more specific of the intended oils' location inside of my vehicle. It was an honest mistake and could have been avoided if I would have just taken the oil out myself... So I guess what my question is... Can I just go ahead and keep the oil that was mistakenly put in (M1 5w30 Extended Performance), or should I change it out this weekend with the M1 0w20 I've been using? It wasn't cheap oil... So if it is safe and not gonna blow my engine, I'm completely fine with using it for this oci. But if it is going to cause harm, I will hang my head and change it Sunday. I've driven it about 20 miles so far today, and can't tell any difference in performance at all. If anything, at idle it seems smoother and a little quieter during hard acceleration. Could just be me though... I know for one week it's not going to have a problem running 30w... But over 10k miles is what I am concerned over. Any input is appreciated. I guess as ticky as I am about my vehicles, I want to be sure I'm not killing them. Lol. Thank again guys.

Oh btw! My car is a 2010 Lincoln MKZ with the 3.5 Duratec and has 50,7xx miles on it.
 
You're fine, the 5w30 wont hurt a thing, in a lot of cars that use 5w20, in the owners manual it will recommend 5w30 if 5w20 is not available. Besides both oils are a 5 weight at start up, the 5w30 is just thicker at operating temps.

In fact.. My Kia is speced for 5w20, but the Meijer where I like to buy my oil mainly caries 5w30 and 10w30 in the major brands. So in the near future I think my Kia will be getting 5w30 exclusively
 
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I'd say you are fine. I am not the kind to switch up the "0w" and "5w". I would change it just because I'm not gonna risk it but it SHOULD be fine.
 
I'd run it just fine. Matter of fact, my DD vehicle specs 5w-20 on the fill cap. I'm running 5w-30 now like I did during the warmer season last year and it hasn't blown up yet.
 
I wouldn't worry about it one bit, and with the weather getting warm now it really won't make any difference. I would switch back to the correct viscosity next time but don't lose any sleep over it being in there for this OCI. My mom had a Ford Five Hundred and I used to switch back and forth between 5w20 and 5w30 in it depending on what was next on the shelf. Only difference on 5w30 was that it was quieter as you have noticed as well. It didn't care one bit. The Duratec is a very good engine and the M1 is a very good oil. I am sure they spec heavier oils than that in the same engine in other countries.
 
I usually leave my oil stash in the garage, rather than carry it around with me.
You live in MS, where it isn't that cold now and it's getting warmer by the day.
The EP 5W-30 is thinner at your current cold start ambients then was the highish VI Idemitsu 0W-20 in my '12 Accord on the dark mornings of last winter.
Run it 10K until your fall change and then use the AFE.
No harm done.
Kudos to the tech for having pointed out that the oil he thought you wanted him to use was not the recommended grade.
 
Probably fine, if you took it to a Jiffy Lube or other place they probably would have put in 5w30 anyways
 
Thanks for all the help and quick reply guys! I feel better knowing I'm not actually hurting my car. I'll run it 10k with this oil and then switch back to 20w AFE oil. It won't take me long to put on 10k miles. Lol. I bought the car right before Thanksgiving with only 30k miles on it. Lol. So I've already put on 20k in just the last few months. I guess you could say I travel ALOT! Lol. My Lincoln sees 80% highway driving, so many of the miles are logged on long 70+ mph jaunts accross state lines. I usually average around 25-27 mpg on my long trips, and am curious as to how the 30w oil will do. My last car (12 Focus Titanium) averaged a beautiful 36 mpg! And that was on a diet of regular syn Mobil 1 5w20 for 7500 oci's. But with as many people as I take on these trips, a larger car was really needed for comfort. So after piling on almost 50k miles in one year on my Focus, I knew buying another new car just wasn't a smart financial move. So I traded it in for my current baby(10MKZ), since Lincoln's have a longer powertrain warranty than Fords do. Regaurdless of warranty this time though, I plan on putting atleast 100k on her and then giving it to my brother. He'll be moving to Washington in a few years to work at the Capitol, and I feel this car will serve him well up there. I guess it'll be sort of a law school graduation gift from ol' Bubba. Lol. Anyways, I'll keep y'all updated on the "Z's" economy with this 30w. Thanks again guys!
 
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Your engine will never make it till June.

just a perfect example of why u should always diy


WHAT?! Why won't it?! Do you know something about these engines that I don't?! Please Explain!
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
He's joking. Relax.


Oh! Shwew... Thank goodness... I'm new on here, and don't know just yet how to take a joke. Sorry. Lol
 
Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Leave it - GM specced this exact same engine for their 2010 Impala's with 5w30. (3.5L V6 with VVT)

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Che...pala_owners.pdf

The only reason Ford opts for the 5w20 is to help improve their Cafe standard. 5w30 will still provide the protection you need for this application.


Wow! Thanks for the link. Are these similar engines? I knew GM and Ford shared a transmission. But I never knew they shared an engine though. Thats Cool!
 
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