Oil Rec for 2015 Transit Connect 2.5 (not eco boost)

[nomoore]

Our family vehicle is a 2015 Ford Transit Connect (Wagon, passenger version) with a 2.5 liter NA engine. It currently has 95k miles. During the last oil change I noticed that it had a little oil on the bottom of the engine where it meets the transmission bell housing so I suspect it has developed a minor leak in the rear main seal. I have been using basic M1 5w-20 and following the IOLM for OCI since we bought it (used with 20k miles). I am looking for a suggestion on what oil I might switch to so that the leak is minimized.

I have researched this engine and it is a Ford Duratec 25/Mazda L5-VE. This same engine was used in the Mazda 6 until 2012 and for that application could use a 5w-30.

I want to stay with a full synthetic and would like to continue following the IOLM.
To minimize the oil leak, would I be better off switching to 5w-30 instead of the Ford recommended 5w-20? Or should I try a "high mileage" oil instead?
If you recommend a "high mileage" oil, what brand should I go with?

Thanks!
-Nick

 

[andyd]

I would go with 5w30 high mileage.

 

[ka9mnx]

Mobil1 HM 5w-30. The 10w-30 would be better but probably a little thick for your engine. The M1 HM 10w-30 stopped a rear main seal seep on my F150.

 

[kschachn]

How would it be too thick? He lives in southern Texas. The cranking viscosity of the two is going to be nearly identical.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Mobil1 HM 5w-30. The 10w-30 would be better but probably a little thick for your engine. The M1 HM 10w-30 stopped a rear main seal seep on my F150.


That makes no sense because at the temps he sees a 10w30 could possibly be THINNER than a 5w30

 

[nomoore]

Originally Posted by Rand
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Mobil1 HM 5w-30. The 10w-30 would be better but probably a little thick for your engine. The M1 HM 10w-30 stopped a rear main seal seep on my F150.


That makes no sense because at the temps he sees a 10w30 could possibly be THINNER than a 5w30


I'm curious, how might a 10w-30 be thinner than a 5w-30? My guess is that the w rating doesn't mean much in the Texas summer heat. Then considering the 30 weight rating the 5w-30 could fall at the thinner end of the range. Is that correct or is it more complicated?

 

[Pinoak]

Originally Posted by nomoore
Our family vehicle is a 2015 Ford Transit Connect (Wagon, passenger version) with a 2.5 liter NA engine. It currently has 95k miles. During the last oil change I noticed that it had a little oil on the bottom of the engine where it meets the transmission bell housing so I suspect it has developed a minor leak in the rear main seal. I have been using basic M1 5w-20 and following the IOLM for OCI since we bought it (used with 20k miles). I am looking for a suggestion on what oil I might switch to so that the leak is minimized.

I have researched this engine and it is a Ford Duratec 25/Mazda L5-VE. This same engine was used in the Mazda 6 until 2012 and for that application could use a 5w-30.

I want to stay with a full synthetic and would like to continue following the IOLM.
To minimize the oil leak, would I be better off switching to 5w-30 instead of the Ford recommended 5w-20? Or should I try a "high mileage" oil instead?
If you recommend a "high mileage" oil, what brand should I go with?

Thanks!
-Nick

Valvoline high mileage if you must have a name brand. Otherwise supertech full synthetic high mileage.
And yes I would go up at least to xw30 probably xw40 is better.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

Try a HM 10w-30. I like M1 HM 10w-30

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by nomoore
Originally Posted by Rand
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Mobil1 HM 5w-30. The 10w-30 would be better but probably a little thick for your engine. The M1 HM 10w-30 stopped a rear main seal seep on my F150.


That makes no sense because at the temps he sees a 10w30 could possibly be THINNER than a 5w30


I'm curious, how might a 10w-30 be thinner than a 5w-30? My guess is that the w rating doesn't mean much in the Texas summer heat. Then considering the 30 weight rating the 5w-30 could fall at the thinner end of the range. Is that correct or is it more complicated?

Talking about Mobiil1: 5w-30 HM HTHS is 3.1. 10w-30 HM HTHS is 3.5. Which oil is thicker at operating temp?

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by kschachn
How would it be too thick? He lives in southern Texas. The cranking viscosity of the two is going to be nearly identical.

Absolutely correct. But, some people freak out when suggesting going from a HTHS 2.6-ish (5w-20) to a HTHS 3.5-ish.

 

[nomoore]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. After researching high mileage oils a bit I see that most of them don't have a Ford certification. Even the M1 HM 5w-30 doesn't. I did find one that does. M1 EP HM (5w-20 and 5w-30) does have the Ford certs. What does the Ford cert get me besides peace of mind? Could it be that the non certified oils won't hold up to Ford's long 10k mile OCI? If that is the case then I would definitely want to go with M1 EP HM so we can still follow the IOLM. What is different about the Ford certs that is not covered by the more general API SN+ and ILSAC GF-5? I don't want to waste money when following the IOLM but I don't want to be under protected either..

 

[mdtaylor86]

I use Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage in my fleet Transit Connect with the 2.5L as well as my Escape EcoBoost. It works quite well. It meets Ford specs if that's something you're concerned about.

 

[nomoore]

Originally Posted by mdtaylor86
I use Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage in my fleet Transit Connect with the 2.5L as well as my Escape EcoBoost. It works quite well. It meets Ford specs if that's something you're concerned about.


Oh! That's good to know. Somehow I missed that spec when looking at PP HM. Thanks for the tip.