Oil change intervals - endless topic

[Zack]

I searched this topic, found a lot of posts and a lot of confusion about it. Ford services are not helping. My daughter gets there way too often. They want 8000km oil change intervals. I suggest following a car counter. I drive Honda Odyssey and wait until car tells me that oil change is needed.

Our FFH has 32000 kilometers (20000 miles) now and we need to establish proper intervals. What do you suggest? Is car computer oil warning programmable or it is set in factory? Is it really a counter or it actually monitors quality of the oil? I had that in BMW 530.

[Buster1]

Some actually monitor the oil and tell you how it's doing, some are just "egg-timers" that go off at the end of a prescribed mileage. Not sure what the FFH has, but I would go with every 5,000 miles (8046km) as a standard time to change to oil. I think most oils can go longer these days, but a key point to remember is that when your odometer reads any certain number, in the FFH, about a third of those miles were in EV without the engine running.

 

Service at 5000 mi per the manual.

[lolder]

The FFH's is a mileage counter and usually set for 10,000 miles.

[Oman]

The manual is pretty clear. 10K miles intervals. Go with the manufacturer. The "Quick Lube" lane at the Ford dealer is *not* representing the manufacturer. They are representing dealer profits and nothing else. The manufacturer knows and they don't want your engine going out early. The meter on the FFH is distance. The "Oil quality" meters usually include actual mileage as well.

 

Jon

 

 

 

 

I searched this topic, found a lot of posts and a lot of confusion about it. Ford services are not helping. My daughter gets there way too often. They want 8000km oil change intervals. I suggest following a car counter. I drive Honda Odyssey and wait until car tells me that oil change is needed.

Our FFH has 32000 kilometers (20000 miles) now and we need to establish proper intervals. What do you suggest? Is car computer oil warning programmable or it is set in factory? Is it really a counter or it actually monitors quality of the oil? I had that in BMW 530.

[Oman]

No manual I can find says 5,000 miles for oil. Where do you see that?

 

Jon

 

 

Some actually monitor the oil and tell you how it's doing, some are just "egg-timers" that go off at the end of a prescribed mileage. Not sure what the FFH has, but I would go with every 5,000 miles (8046km) as a standard time to change to oil. I think most oils can go longer these days, but a key point to remember is that when your odometer reads any certain number, in the FFH, about a third of those miles were in EV without the engine running.

 

Service at 5000 mi per the manual.

[rfruth]

change at 10k (per the manual) and use a good filter (not Fram)

[Buster1]

No manual I can find says 5,000 miles for oil. Where do you see that?

 

Jon

 

I guess you're right, I can't find it. I have a dealer sticker that says 5000 miles in the windshield...maybe that is what I am thinking of.

[akirby]

I guess you're right, I can't find it. I have a dealer sticker that says 5000 miles in the windshield...maybe that is what I am thinking of.

 

Never go by any dealer sticker. Most of mine still say 3,000 miles. They just want the extra business.

[junehhan]

change at 10k (per the manual) and use a good filter (not Fram)

 

 

This right here. It is critical not to use a POS oil filter because we are no longer dealing with the 3000 mile factory recommended oil change intervals that our grandparents used to deal with. FRAM is garbage, and is proof that anyone can sell you a really crappy product just because they have good marketing(Bose is another example). Just do a google and you will read about problems, including testimony from Fram employees themselves.

 

I change my oil every 7500 miles in the FFH, but that is mostly because I have not conditioned myself to feel comfortable doing it at 10k miles yet. "Extended" drain intervals are really nothing new as I remember an old Land Rover of mine had oil change intervals of 12k miles, although that required the use of Mobil 1 5w40 or Castrol 5w50.

[Milan_OH]

This right here. It is critical not to use a POS oil filter because we are no longer dealing with the 3000 mile factory recommended oil change intervals that our grandparents used to deal with. FRAM is garbage, and is proof that anyone can sell you a really crappy product just because they have good marketing(Bose is another example). Just do a google and you will read about problems, including testimony from Fram employees themselves.

 

I change my oil every 7500 miles in the FFH, but that is mostly because I have not conditioned myself to feel comfortable doing it at 10k miles yet. "Extended" drain intervals are really nothing new as I remember an old Land Rover of mine had oil change intervals of 12k miles, although that required the use of Mobil 1 5w40 or Castrol 5w50.

 

 

Do you guys remember when Mobil 1 first came out in the mid-eightys? They marketed the new synthetic oil as 25K between oil changes. Once they established themselves and, with the advent of the quick-change oil industry, suddenly 3k became the norm.....what a joke. Marketing at it's finest eh? Yes, I think synthetics are that good.....25K, but I still change once a year using M1.

 

Jack in Ohio

[Oman]

You can read up on the Mobil1 debacle online. The long and the short of it was the OIL could last that long and not lose viscosity so long as it was kept clean. No oil filter could do that. People wrecked their engines thinking that they could go that long without doing anything. In order to go 25K you had to drain the oil and replace the filter before the filter lost the ability to clean effectively then put the oil back in, all without exposing the oil to additional moisture and contaminants. Mobil wasn't lying about the oil but they were not giving out all the details either in their ads. If any oil sits too long after being run (say you store your car for 3 months) the oil will need to be replaced. Not for loss of viscosity but because the contaminants get a chance to separate and concentrate. No oil can prevent this.

 

Jon

 

 

Do you guys remember when Mobil 1 first came out in the mid-eightys? They marketed the new synthetic oil as 25K between oil changes. Once they established themselves and, with the advent of the quick-change oil industry, suddenly 3k became the norm.....what a joke. Marketing at it's finest eh? Yes, I think synthetics are that good.....25K, but I still change once a year using M1.

 

Jack in Ohio

[FFHdriver]

You can read up on the Mobil1 debacle online. The long and the short of it was the OIL could last that long and not lose viscosity so long as it was kept clean. No oil filter could do that. People wrecked their engines thinking that they could go that long without doing anything. In order to go 25K you had to drain the oil and replace the filter before the filter lost the ability to clean effectively then put the oil back in, all without exposing the oil to additional moisture and contaminants. Mobil wasn't lying about the oil but they were not giving out all the details either in their ads. If any oil sits too long after being run (say you store your car for 3 months) the oil will need to be replaced. Not for loss of viscosity but because the contaminants get a chance to separate and concentrate. No oil can prevent this.

 

Jon

Why drain the oil before changing the filter?

[Oman]

On most engines of the time you had no choice. Removing the filter would cause the oil to pour out the filter connection, often at a very high rate. The point that Mobil was making was that if the car was designed to keep the oil clean for 25,000 miles then the oil would last that long. Older natural oil blends could not do that, even if kept clean. Mobil was advertising the capabilities of the oil but there wasn't really a car made that could take advantage. That was where the lawsuits came in.

 

The FFH engine design keeps the oil cleaner. Between no idling and better control of the RPMs the oil has less wear. That is why they say 10,000 between changes. I did one 5K then went to 10K. The oil is clean. You can actually send in a sample of your used oil and get a pretty good measurement of the oil and engine condition. I haven't done so but if Ford says 10K then you can bet they have tested it to at least 15K.

 

Jon

 

 

Why drain the oil before changing the filter?

[FFHdriver]

On most engines of the time you had no choice. Removing the filter would cause the oil to pour out the filter connection, often at a very high rate. The point that Mobil was making was that if the car was designed to keep the oil clean for 25,000 miles then the oil would last that long. Older natural oil blends could not do that, even if kept clean. Mobil was advertising the capabilities of the oil but there wasn't really a car made that could take advantage. That was where the lawsuits came in.

 

The FFH engine design keeps the oil cleaner. Between no idling and better control of the RPMs the oil has less wear. That is why they say 10,000 between changes. I did one 5K then went to 10K. The oil is clean. You can actually send in a sample of your used oil and get a pretty good measurement of the oil and engine condition. I haven't done so but if Ford says 10K then you can bet they have tested it to at least 15K.

 

Jon

I understand what you're saying, but I've never had a car that the oil filter mount wasn't higher than the oil pan. I also have never taken the oil filter off first.

[muzzin]

I searched this topic, found a lot of posts and a lot of confusion about it. Ford services are not helping. My daughter gets there way too often. They want 8000km oil change intervals. I suggest following a car counter. I drive Honda Odyssey and wait until car tells me that oil change is needed.

Our FFH has 32000 kilometers (20000 miles) now and we need to establish proper intervals. What do you suggest? Is car computer oil warning programmable or it is set in factory? Is it really a counter or it actually monitors quality of the oil? I had that in BMW 530.

Hi Zack,

I'll be upfront before rambling that I am an independent certified Amsoil dealer in the 48117 zip code.

 

Here's the short answer to drain intervals. Most synthetic oils can go a long way beyond 3000 miles before losing viscosity or corrosion protection. Everyone should be using fully synthetic oils for all your lubrication needs, on and off the road.

 

I'm trading in a 97 Continental in with 277,000 miles t for a 2012 Fusion Hybrid. Had I been using full synthetics AND A high quality filter from the time I bought it - I might not have been burning any oil at all, even near 300k miles.

Every other aspect of the car is falling away except for....you guessed it------ the engine and transmission. I'v e put over 200 k miles on using full syn oil. It's great and low maintenance.

The final two straws to move on to a newer car were a pesky electronics issue that prevents the car from starting 1 out of 40 times and a humming trans main bearing. Unfortunately the bearing is sealed so the good Amsoil can't get to it and prevent a failure. Since 90k miles I changed the oil and filter every 15k to 17.5k or every 12 to 15 months.

 

There are a number of great articles from Amsoil about what a filter should do. They make a nano fiber based 15 to 25K filter that is unmatched in the industry. Their oils are just as good as the filters.

 

Amsoil is the originator of extended drains going back to 1972. I could go on and on about TBN numbers and viscosity breakdown versus competitors but most people would have already glazed over.

 

If anyone reading this would like me to elaborate on proven tested lubrication let me know.

 

 

Here are my next steps for the Fusion Hybrid I ordered last night:

Speak with Amsoil technical specialists to find out:

If the 2011 filter recommendations hold for the 2012.

Do they have a recommended bypass filter kit (for analytically clean oil)

 

I'd suggest to Zack and anyone looking for information on extended drains or oil additives (please don't use those) take a look at Amsoil to understand what works best.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Fred Muzzin

BSME, MEME

Design Engineer, automotive exterior lighting

[Zoom]

change at 10k (per the manual) and use a good filter (not Fram)

 

Agreed... NO FRAM filters!

 

Purolator PureOne = good bang for the buck.

[auser99]

My 2013 Fusion Hybrid manual says every 10k miles or 12 months.

[acdii]

Motorcraft filters or WIX, and you are good to go.

[hermans]

Motorcraft filters or WIX, and you are good to go.

Since you are going to have to change your spark plugs every 4500 miles - what ones do you recommend??? :) :)

[acdii]

LOL I think a flare in the trunk is a better option at this point. I never owned a car long enough to where I had to change the plugs on it in the last 7 years.

[terryb]

Since you are going to have to change your spark plugs every 4500 miles - what ones do you recommend??? :) :)

Ewwwww! That was a low blow!

[coach81]

Wow.. 5K miles!!!

[rico567]

So- just out of morbid curiosity, and since we haven't bought a car yet, what's the recommended spec oil for the FFH?

[corncobs]

I had mine done this past week at my dealer and the spec is 5W20;

[46stang]

The Ford manual says every 10K miles, which is fine but i will add that you should check your oil level every 3000 miles at a minimum. Every car burns- uses some oil so by 10K miles you could be potentially a couple quarts low which isn't good and can have consequences down the road. This tends to happen more when the car gets into the higher mileage but it is still a good habbit to form and takes very little time effort to do.

I like Motorcraft oil filters as well.

As for the whole Synthetic vs regular, I will only say for 90% of us it won't matter because the most important thing is proper oil change intervals. If this is done you can easily get 100-200K miles out of any newer engine. If you plan on keeping your car 200 or 300+K miles then yea, I could see running full sythetic. I tend to get rid of my cars when they are in the 100K mile territory only because the reliability of the other components in the car is typically degraded. This is when repairs start to add up and the potential for getting stranded is higher. Neither of which is enjoyable. So for me, paying the premium of full synthetic oil isn't worth it but that's me.