Ford recommends semi synthetic. Why not full???

[BrocLuno]

Because a syn-blend is a good compromise. Most oils are syn-blends. Some more syn than dino, some the other way around.True full synthetics do not take readily available additive packages easily. They almost all require some dino oil as a carrier. So most of this fantasy discussion is moot ...

Ford knows this and they are just stating the obvious. Buy a good blend and it will get you all the protection you need. Short of track days or hours long high speed runs in AZ in July, you are well covered. You going to do track days, OK - step up and buy Red Line. Street driving, not needed ...

Big rigs with turbos that live at close to 1,200* for hours on end climbing the Rockies get by just fine on quality dino oil with 20,000 mile oil changes. What are you actually looking for?

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: advocate
Check the owners manual - Canadian trucks spec a regular dino oil, and Mexican trucks spec a full synthetic...


Could that be due to climate conditions ?

God bless
Wyr

 

[4WD]

Would seem the other way around ...?

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:


Ford really screwed up on my old E350, since it's still running well after twenty three years.


Lol; Where are all the other millions they built? j/k


They were run out to 300K and then retired.
Remember, the E350 is a commercial vehicle, not mom's minivan.
It was made to be used.


[censored]. Pure and utter [censored]!

If I can get 100,000 (and 10-12,000 hours) out of my 2009 E450s before they are turned out to the surplus yard, it will be a miracle. Actually one will not make that because it is stuck at 89K, broken, no longer authorized for repair. The last "year" of operation it consumed $26K of my maintenance budget... and it is still broken.

Ford? Is it a 6.0 PSD (aka a 6.0 POS). Yeah, you are screwed. Thank you Navistar, may I have another!

I have a lot of Fords, but "longevity" is not a normal term around them. "Willingness to repair" is normally the going term. Generally speaking, they are better than FCA but not as good as GM with the exception of the LE vehicles. The LE vehicles 2 Explorer LE vehicles, 2 PIs. Escape, Explorer, Taurus, E350, 2 E450s, 2 Transit 350s, Transit Connect, and I think some others. Our transit connect is so bad, we just went with a Nissan NV200.


Your first mistake was in buying a diesel engine that's known to be troublesome.
There is a reason that most of the airport shuttle vans you see are E350s and none of them are diesels.
It's because they are made to work and they do last, not because the operators are ignorant.
In the fleet of our entire organization, E350s have typically been run to 200K before being sent to auction as running and driving vehicles. Even at that mileage, these get snapped up quickly as long as they aren't very rusty or heavily dented up.
In our fleet, the Fords have held up better than have the GM products, showing fewer mechanical and electrical problems.
I've had good experience with the three Fords we've owned personally, although we haven't had anything GM in decades.
I'll also stand by my statement that oil cost is as nothing in the lifetime operating costs of any vehicle.
Your own repair expense experience bears this out. Allocable depreciation expense alone also makes any normal maintenance seem quite cheap regardless of the cost of the fluids used. Aggregating the numbers doesn't change that.

 

[Joenpb]

I think Motorcraft synthetic blend is a good oil. Most oil meeting Ford's spec is good. My 2011 was spec'd for the synthetic blend and I eventually went to full synthetic. My 2014 is spec'd for either synthetic blend or full synthetic.

Why would anyone ever pick a synthetic blend for the long haul is my question? I read a very nice article 5-10 years ago that broke down synthetic blend oil. Blended oil usually has less than 10% synthetic oil, and because of that, blended oil made the oil industry the most money.

Not saying blended oil is bad, just that conventional will likely do as good of job if it meets your cars oil specification.

Full synthetic for longer OCI's, otherwise conventional seems like a logical choice.

I use full synthetic motor oil in my Mustang.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Because they tested the engines EXTENSIVELY, with the semi-synthetic oil, with far more abuse than any person would ever put on their engine. Go watch the YouTube videos of them torturing these engines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tEqwXrqzH4
When my wife takes out my F150 with the 2.7 ecoboost it makes those those Ford torture tests look silly.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: TexasVaquero
Because Ford wants you to buy a car every 3-5 years so they don't want it to last as much as it should.
Cars on the road prove that isn't so.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: leje0306
Originally Posted By: CT8
Why do you think a full syn would be better? This isn't the 1970's.


Seriously?
Absolutely serious.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: WyrTwister
Originally Posted By: advocate
Check the owners manual - Canadian trucks spec a regular dino oil, and Mexican trucks spec a full synthetic...


Could that be due to climate conditions ?

I've come across some strange wording in some Mazda and Ford manuals over the past few years with respect to Mexico. I don't know if their service intervals are longer or if there's some concern about the quality of Mexican gasoline, or if there's something wrong with an editor.

 

[fdcg27]

Heck, even back forty years ago, the oils were just grand on much shorter OCIs than what we typically use today.
Back then, most of us who cared did 3K OCIs and had no problems with rings or top end cleanliness.
M1 existed in all its PAO glory and nobody used it save for one highly skilled welder who posts here.
No real reason to use synthetic labeled oil other than that you want to.
I personally want to, but I've got more quarts of syn labeled oil than does the average AZ or AAP.

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Because they tested the engines EXTENSIVELY, with the semi-synthetic oil, with far more abuse than any person would ever put on their engine. Go watch the YouTube videos of them torturing these engines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tEqwXrqzH4

 

[HouseTiger]

[font:Comic Sans MS]Don't know about that Ford engine durability thing . . . Still have my 1992 Explorer 4X4 with I don't know how many miles on it because the odometer stopped working around 2009 at 216,800. My OCI are measured in months now instead of miles (all guestimated) and Shell Rotella has kept oil consumption down to about 1/2 quart every 6 mos.[/font]

 

[BrocLuno]

1988 Big Bronco here with 216K and a working ODO. Flat tappet motor with OEM low pressure valve springs. It gets HDEO and runs fine. Passes SMOG Testing w/o issue. What else is needed ...

 

[BrocLuno]

Originally Posted By: dbvettez061
I have a 2016 3.5 eco boost with 6100 easy miles on it. Why does Ford not recommend full synthetic as this engine is a twin turbo, and should require the best lubricant possible. Your thoughts are appreciated!


There are no definitive studies that I can find that show "synthetic" actually lubricating any better than a well refined dino oil, or a syn-blend. Full synthetics can hake more heat longer, but big rigs prove that dino oils can take heat too - hours and hours of it pulling grades with the turbos cherry red. They go 20K between changes. How are you defining "best lubricant possible"?

 

[Joenpb]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno

There are no definitive studies that I can find that show "synthetic" actually lubricating any better than a well refined dino oil, or a syn-blend.


True, but i think in general, full synthetic oil additive packages last longer, leading to specification for longer OCI's.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

When the sump is measure in gallons instead of quarts a long oci becomes much easier. I've always felt that was an unfair comparison.

That said, a SN oil is an SN oil. It met the spec and should work fine for the OEM oci

 

[Peter_480]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
My Ford Ranger has 284,000 and most of that was on Super-Tech 10W-30... starting back when it was $0.77 a quart!


I miss those days. My first oil change back in 1996 was the $7 special at NAPA. 5 quarts of NAPA/Valvoline for 99 cents and a $2 NAPA/Wix filter. (It must have been a Silver.) I started using the ST soon after.

 

[Peter_480]

Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
When the sump is measure in gallons instead of quarts a long oci becomes much easier. I've always felt that was an unfair comparison.

That said, a SN oil is an SN oil. It met the spec and should work fine for the OEM oci


I agree. Is it just me, or do people here tend to overthink things?

I overthink everything myself, that's why I'm here.

For what it's worth, I have almost always used the MC semisyn in my Fusion and I've used the ST/WPP full syn a few times. But I have no issue with running conventional to the recommended OCI.

 

[Joenpb]

Mobil 1 has their Extended Performance (15k miles) and Annual Protection (1 yr). Conventional oil doesn't have those specifications. and in 5 qrt jugs it's not much more expensive at Walmart than MC semi. Just sayin'.

There are different choices for different reasons.

 

[HondaRULZ]

Originally Posted By: Joenpb
I think Motorcraft synthetic blend is a good oil. Most oil meeting Ford's spec is good. My 2011 was spec'd for the synthetic blend and I eventually went to full synthetic. My 2014 is spec'd for either synthetic blend or full synthetic.

Why would anyone ever pick a synthetic blend for the long haul is my question? I read a very nice article 5-10 years ago that broke down synthetic blend oil. Blended oil usually has less than 10% synthetic oil, and because of that, blended oil made the oil industry the most money.

Not saying blended oil is bad, just that conventional will likely do as good of job if it meets your cars oil specification.

Full synthetic for longer OCI's, otherwise conventional seems like a logical choice.

I use full synthetic motor oil in my Mustang.


0w-20s have better base stocks though.