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Oil for older cars?

I've used 5w-30 synthetic since I bought my Explorer new in 1994. Now when I go to Walmart to pick up another 5-gallon jug, I notice the heavier weights are advertised as good for high-mileage vehicles. Since my truck has 160,000 miles on it, should I switch to the higher-viscosity stuff? My Explorer doesn't use much oil (never lower than the middle of the crosshatched zone) and has only been in the shop for a fuel pump replacement and radius arm bushings. Time to switch or leave well enough alone?

TIA

Dan

Reply to
Dan Gillespie
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I've been wondering the same thing. Until I hear a good reason to switch, I'm going to leave well enough alone.

Reply to
Ratbert

Just another marketing ploy. Check to see if the new "higher mileage oil" has a higher price point. You will probably find it does. My 92XLT has 156,000, no leaks aside from the valve cover gaskets. The gaskets are original, and the leak is just enough to be irritating to the nostrils when the truck warms up. I just check the oil level more religiously, and if the check oil light goes on, I pop in a quart. That "high mileage" oil is just a higher viscosity oil, anyway. Ford says 5W-30. 5W-30 it is. If your engine compression is good with the standard oil, stick with it. If not, get the engine worked on instead of dumping mouse milk into the crankcase.

Ratbert wrote:

Reply to
Richard Ray

-- Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789

Reply to
AZGuy

My Explorer is a 1992 with 322,000+ miles engine has never been out of the truck. Org. everthing except the usual stuff..plugs,one water pump, two thermostats,plug wires, two trans. rebuilds and two clutches... runs just fine on the oil it always has Mobil 1 syn...5-30 will not change no matter what anyone says...does not use any oil (burn) and ALWAYS passes smog. Mark

Reply to
mark

Hi Dan, I wondered the same thing also. I have a 2000 Exp. limited with 78 k on the clock...V8 AWD limited slip diff....and the fellow that had it before me had converted to Mobil 1 supersyn so I continued it....and do my own changes. I went to Wallyworld to get another 5 qt. jug and was a bit confused as to the "for newer vehicles" label change. I went on a couple trips and looked around at a couple stores and noticed that Mobile 1 has some for SUV oil out now too.

So I called Mobil 1 and asked one of there reps. about it the new label wording changes.. They said that the formulation had not changed but that they developed the new labels to let people know that the oil was good for NEW vehicles../...(for what it is worth, it is so had to find out the truth sometimes, for various reasons)

As someone else said on this thread, Ford says 5W30 so 5W30 it is.

bill

Reply to
Bill V

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