Originally Posted By: pbm
I'd try Mobil 1 EP and a Fram Ultra and do a UOA at 10 or 12K and adjust up or down from there.
I have a 2014 Focus M/T with virtually the same MZR engine (except mine is DI). The UOAs seem to indicate that these aren't hard on oil with 10K being doable on Motorcraft semi-syn......this is why I think the Mobil 1 EP/FU combo may be good for 15K+ with your type of driving/climate.
Yes I tend to agree M1 EP + FU for extended OCI. The EP oil should have a higher TBN to fight acid build up for longer distance. That's the North American (NA) way.
However long oil change intervals (OCI) have been a Euro thing for quite some time, hence the Euro ACEA A3/B4 standard that requires a TBN of 10 or more. Very few typical NA full synthetic oils have a TBN this high. Then you get the special Euro OEM specs for long-life oils, like BMW LL-01 and MB 229.5, these step it up another notch again. Yes they are thicker oils (30 or 40 grade) but this is by design to give them a large HTHS reserve and still be in grade at the end of the OCI. They also must pass a shear stability test, which forces the use of more shear stable (and expensive) VII polymers. Two good examples of these Euro grade oils are M1 0W-40 and Edge 0W-40. Last time I looked they both had a TBN of more than 11 and it's TBN reserve that is the reason BlackStone often saying "you can extend your OCI". They both also have a higher Zinc / ZDDP reserve than your typical ILSAC oils.
Yes, ILSAC oils help with fuel economy, but that advantage is mostly found in the warm up phase of short tripping. Not a big concern with a long commute like the OP's.
Me ? I would get a good synthetic filter like a Fram Ultra and a Euro grade long-life oil like M1 or Edge 0W-40, and change every 12-15,000 miles or 3 to 4 months. A UOA at this distance would be good, and given your long highway commute, they may even say you can go further. I would certainly be interested to hear back either way.
