What oil should I use?

[jorton]

2005 Ford Focus 157,000 miles
Currently the car has a lazy sensor, occasionally causing a lean misfire. CEL is off.

The owners manual calls for 5w-20

I live 200 miles north of the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

I drive easy, every other week, 90% highway

9,000 miles per year

The car is running a little lean

I have been using various brands, usually synthetic, usually 5w-20. When I tried 10w-30 I changed it out early.

oci 5k - 6k. I don't normally need to add top up oil. I did have to add oil on one oil change when I used Havoline DS.

I would like to choose one oil and use the same every oil change. I would like to spend $19.00 for 5 quarts of synthetic.

 

[crazyoildude]

those high mileage ford 4 cylinders run a long long time 5w20 or even 5w30 in that heat would be great.. Anything sn is pretty good

 

[CT8]

Replace the o2 sensor.

 

[3800Series]

Iv been using Mobil 5000 on the wife's '06 Taurus. Been going 5k-7k I don't really keep a eye on her odometer. She just tells me when it's past 5k and I change it for her.

If you want to use syntheic I would probably just go with SuperTech. No real reason to use synthetic with that mileage as conventional will work fine.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: jorton
When I tried 10w-30 I changed it out early.


Why ?

 

[ronp]

I just picked up 3 5qt jugs of 10w30 maxlife full synthetic ordered ay WalMart online for $18 a piece. Their still selling it for that. Free store pick up. I'll be putting it in a 2.3 fusion. Good deal.
I'm in corpus. Figure the heat here justifies using it. Seems necessary to me.

 

[19jacobob93]

Take note from the guy above, 10w30 Maxlife would be great in that engine, with that mileage in your climate

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Replace the o2 sensor.


And clean the MAF sensor...

 

[jorton]

Supertech synthetic sounds like a good idea. Then I could stop watching for Synpower or NAPA synthetic coupons/sales.

I think the lazy sensor is the DPFE. It regulates how much exhaust gas the EGR allows into the engine. Too mush exhaust gas in the mix causes a lean misfire.

When I tried 10w-30 the engine was sluggish. Shift points were wrong, too. Oil probably didn't cause those symptoms but going back to 5w-20 did seem to cure.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: jorton
When I tried 10w-30 I changed it out early.


Why ?


^^This. Why?

 

[CHARLIEBRONSON21]

Lived in San antonio for 4 years. '06 civic si and I used 10W30 gtx every 5k or so. Car had 80k miles when I got rid of it. Never had any problem other than replacing tires and brakes due to spirited driving.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Mobil I 5w-30 and DENSO oil and air filters.

 

[ronp]

Originally Posted By: jorton
Supertech synthetic sounds like a good idea. Then I could stop watching for Synpower or NAPA synthetic coupons/sales.

I think the lazy sensor is the DPFE. It regulates how much exhaust gas the EGR allows into the engine. Too mush exhaust gas in the mix causes a lean misfire.

When I tried 10w-30 the engine was sluggish. Shift points were wrong, too. Oil probably didn't cause those symptoms but going back to 5w-20 did seem to cure.



Absolutely! Super tech is a great synthetic oil. Much better than people give it credit for. In my opinion, its probably on par with the rest. Has better wear #s on uoas than the beloved m1. And since your deciding to run 5/20, the 5w20 in our area is the wpp version which is very good. It's even dexos approved. You absolutely do not need the more expensive synthetics. Especially if your not gonna try and greatly extend your oci. Supertech might be up for it actually though anyway. On paper on pqia it looks just about as good as the rest on a voa. I doubt the base stocks are really inferior either. Super tech doesn't need to include advertisement and endorsements etc into its price so it can sale cheaply.

 

[ronp]

Jorton, do you ever get out to canyon lake. I actually have a house out there on the lake. I just stay in corpus for work and go home to the family up there during off time. So were actually sorta neighbors. Wife teaches in san Antonio.

 

[jorton]

Good I see Supertech is available in 5w-20. I'll check to see if the store stocks it or if I have to order online for in store pick up.

HJ, Denso does not offer an oil filter for my application.

 

[sicko]

5k-6k miles, 90% highway? Most oils should be able to do that with ease.

Conventional oil:
Mobil Clean 5000

Synthetic Blend:
Pennzoil Gold (it's 50% synthetic)

Synthetic Oil:
SuperTech Synthetic

High Mileage Oil:
Mobil Clean 5000 HM
Pennzoil HM
Valvoline MaxLife

Any of those will easily protect your engine for 5k-6k miles and will stay within your budge of under $19 for five quarts.