What kind of motor oil should i use?

Question

Its a 1998 ford expedition with high miles (189,000) every couple weeks i check oil and its real low. Whats best to run in it. Its winter here also. thanks

Answer 1

You should run 10W30 or 10W40 in cold weather, and a 20W50 in warmer weather. Don't use a synthetic oil in a vehicle with that many miles. The molecules in synthetic oil are actually smaller that the molecules in conventional oil, which means they will pass more easily through warn parts. This could increase your oil consumption problem. Check to see if you have smoke coming out of your exhaust. If it is a bluish color, you are burning oil in the combustion chamber. You either have worn valve stem seals, or worn piston rings. If you want to determine which, get a compression tester. Squirt some oil on top of one of the pistons through the spark plug hole. If the oil pressure does not come up, the valve stem seals are the problem. If the pressure does come up, your piston rings are worn, and the engine will need to be overhauled. Something else you could check are the front and rear crankshaft seals. There should be an inspection plate on the transmission. Open it up an you will be able to see if there is a lot of oil in the bell housing. An engine with that many miles could have one or all of these symptoms. Start with the easiest to fix, and work your way up. I can tell you, if you are losing that much oil, the stuff you buy in a can will not fix your problem, no matter what oil you use.

Answer 2

i see all these answers telling you to run 20/50 or some other variation of 50 weight oil. the problem is there probably isn't enough bearing clearance in the engine to allow the thicker 50 weight oil to pass through. First off you need to know where the oil that the truck is using is going. is it a leak or is it burning it. as for buying these so called oils that are "specially formulated for high mileage" that's a way to get you to spend more money. Check the manual that came with the truck or look on the oil fill cap for the correct weight of oil to use. get the oil use problem fixed then I recommend either Pennzoil or Shell Rotella oil if you can find the Rotella in the proper weight use it. Then when you change the oil put 1 Quart of Lucas Heavy Duty oil stabilizer in the engine and then top off the oil . Lucas is a great product that I have used for years in heavy equipment and also in my personal vehicles

Answer 3

Go with one of the 'high-mileage' brands like Quaker State Hi Mileage oil. Even with a lot of miles, it's important to change your oil regularly, every 3000 miles. Some of the 'viscosity enhancers' like STP and such, could help with your oil consumption, but don't bank on it. 189000 isn't too bad for an engine that has been maintained. If it runs okay, check that the seals and gaskets are good and that you're not leaking the oil. Also, valve seals can play a big part in oil consumption. On Ford modular engines, they're fairly easy to change and not terribly expensive.
As far as what weight oil to use - whatever Ford recommends in the manual for your climate is the best one to go with.

Answer 4

Ok motor oil Means motor oil.Been driving for 40 years and do all my own mech.All engines use the same oil. even desiels. Max life is a desent oil. I use Castrol fullsynth.In all my rigs.150,000 on my Geo work car. Engine runs like new.Just make sure you have the right grade.Who has been feeding you a line of ****.Oh must be the internet.

Answer 5

With that many miles you probably have lost your valve seals..Ford is noted for that.. You did not say how cold winter is where you are.. If it stays above say +20F.. I would use 20-50 and let it warm up a couple of minutes before driving it. Could be time to look for a newer engine if you want to keep the truck.

Answer 6

You cannot go wrong using any of the name brands. Using one brand or another, everything else being equal, will not make any difference concerning the problem you have concerning the low oil. You need to take your car to a mechanic to have them check for the low oil problem--you could be burning oil or you could be leaking oil. Each brand of oil has different weights. Ask your mechanic, or the worker in the auto parts store, which weight of oil would be best for your car, given your location and season of the year.

Answer 7

motor oil comes in various weights (viscosity raitings) from 0 to 50. the recommended weight of the oil depends on the season, temperature and the demands on the engine. light oil is used in cold climates and under light load conditions. Heavy oil is used in hot climates and where high loads are encountered. most eny type of oil will do (name brand or not ) the weight of oil should be within specs. from ford. ford also makes there own oils.

Answer 8

You want a thick oil so you dont burn as much 15w30 , then a thin oil for winter maybe 5w 30.
Best in your case to stay with the 10w 30

Answer 9

GTX CASTROL HD (HEAVY DUTY) 30 weight works best in vehicles that have very high milage. In the summer time you should use GTX CASTROL 20/50

Answer 10

jiffy lube has "high mileage" oil, and 10/50 would be thicker than previous answerers suggestion, if you are not leaking oil then your engine must be either burning it through bad rings, or past bad valve guide seals... good luck..