I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I have
9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a day at freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to age and tempatures, Has anyone had problems doing this?
No!
Not personally, but in the early days of Zetec in Europe, many problems were caused by using incorrect oils. BTW, I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*, semi-synthetic.
Your usage of your vehicle is ideal for a long life. It is lots of short trips in low temperatures that kill modern engines. Just keep to the service schedules and all will be fine.
Chris
==== Chris, My daughters focus is using 5w-20w we live in Ontario, Canada. We have had no problems in the hot weather(Low 30's). Her driving is much like yours. It won't hurt to use 5w-30 in the summer if it makes you feel better. I did read that in some States 5-20 is not available and Ford dealers use
5-30. Geoff.
I was just reading the owners manual for my new Focus ZX3 and it says "SAE 5W-20 premium synthetic blend motor oil (US)".
I'm guessing this must be a UK-US variation. The European interval for changing oil is 12,500 miles. That would probably seem far too long your side of the pond!
Chris
The spec is printed on the oil fill cap, on my 2003 ZX3 (USA) it reads "SAE 5W-20".
I have been using Pennzoil SAE 5W-20 Advanced Protection in My 3003 ZX3 sense the first time I changed the oil in it. When SAE 5W-20 was not available I used SAE 5W-30. The car has over
210,000 miles (337,963 km) on it.
Great for your car and easy to remember for you, is to use Mobile 1 0w-30. Change it and the filter twice a year - (spring & fall).
The 2000 model of the Focus oil recommendation was 5W/30. On the 2001 model the oil recommendation was 5W/20. For about 9 months in 2001 the Ford dealers were unable to do an oil changes with 5W/20 as the oil was not available, so they used 5W/30. I contacted Ford on 2000 when I purchased my 2001 Focus and they told me Exxon/Esso was the supplier of this oil grade. I contacted Exxon/Esso and they said that they had no future plans to retail this oil grade. The reason that Ford went to 5W/20 was to improve the CAFE requirements for fuel economy. It was nothing to do with redesigned engines or new technology, it was to do with Federal fuel efficiency requirements. Ford also recommended that most models of their vehicles( Mustangs and high performance engines exempted) from 1998 could use the lighter oil.
For your temperature requirements and road usage 10W/30 might give better protection than the lighter grades..
I still have trouble finding 5W/20 in western Canada so I gave up using it and went with 5W/30 as my standard. I can get 5W/20 from the local Esso bulk dealer and I sometimes see it in Wal-Mart.\ but what the heck its too much trouble.
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