engine oil

[-MARK-VIII-LSC]

planning on doing oil change and filter
I do not know what the previous owner put in
what engine brand and filter do you guys recommend also what grade oil

 

[tixer]

I've been using a 5w30 synthetic. I'm not much of a brand purist, and the larger openings I'm starting to see on bottles annoy me because I can't just stick it in the opening and walk away to let it drain..

Just don't forget that these things take 6 quarts.

As the filters go, I'll be honest. I've never had a problem with Fram. Still, because I've heard enough about it, the last few have all been the Motocraft FL-820-S.

If you haven't done an oil change on yours yet, you will want to read up on it. Getting the filter out is something of an art. We used to have a good write-up on this, but it appears to have been lost in one of the forum upgrades.. You basically need to unscrew it, and dump it toward you, so the contents run down your arm.. Once you are properly scalded, there's kind of an "up and over" maneuver that will allow you to extract the filter from the cavity.

Most people unscrew the power steering line from the K Member before doing this, which allows the oil to flow out of a handy "spout" that Ford appears to have placed there for this purpose.

 

[chris2523]

i posted on LVC as well, but 5w20 motorcraft and the fl820s for me.
the engine and bearings looked great at 200k.
i have only had the car for 15k, but the motorcraft stuff wasn't doing it any harm.

 

[LSCmuscle]

5w30 Mobil 1 fully synthetic extended performance.
Motorcraft FL-820-S for the filter.

When changing the filter, I always take some aluminum foil and make a slide for the oil to run down into the catch pan. This keeps it from going all over your k-member... I let it rest against the sway bar until it's fully drained before attempting to squeak it through the tiny clearance that the larger sway bar creates (which helps keep it off your arm).

 

[steve]

I specified 5w30 Mobil 1 for the oil when I took it in and they used Motorcraft filters.

 

[thegr81]

I use either Mobil 1 or Castrol Syntec. The last time I used 10w30 as I had a little lifter noise that easily went away.. and I always use Fram filters. There are actually big differences in filters some are wider and some are longer than others which makes cleaning the crossmember a real pita

 

[chris2523]

since this was bumped..
i still run 5w20 in my 93, and it has 206k with the standard chain rattle on startup that is has done for over 60k.

but the 96 has a noisy tensioner that got a bit worse, so after extensive review, i am trying 5w40 rotella t6. the tensioner has quieted noticeably, so that is good news.

 

[budpytko]

So you are using DIESEL oil in it ?? Not sure I'd do that....

 

[HOTLNC]

I've not had tensioner rattle since running a Motor craft FL820 filter. It's the anti-backflow valve that does the trick.

 

[chris2523]

So you are using DIESEL oil in it ?? Not sure I'd do that....

why not? any particular reason? or just because?
its api rated for use in a spark ignition engine.
so its "also" a diesel oil, not "just" a diesel oil.
it's a very popular oil on BITOG and elsewhere.

 

[tonybrooklyn]

So you are using DIESEL oil in it ?? Not sure I'd do that....

Agreed did a head gasket on a buick once years back. The guy was a truck driver i said hey Tom go pick me up oil and a filter. He said here you go it was oil meant for Diesel engines. (Long time ago and old timer told me to never use oil meant for diesel trucks in gas motors}. I warned him he insisted it would be okay.:err-what?: Week later to the day i was back at his shop doing an oil pump crank and rod bearings.:eek-large:Was it the oil sure , maybe, i dunno, why chance it.:fart

 

[tonybrooklyn]

To answer the original posters question. Mobil one full synthetic the weight 0W-50W. Never believed in it till i bought my corvette. That's all GM recommends so i started using it didn't want to void the warranty. Any ways i helped a friend rebuild a corvette motor with 153,000 miles. Mind you this was a raced and abused car. No signs of wear to speak of. After that i stared using it in all my vehicles. The extended oil drain intervals and great wear protection. More than make up for the extra cost.

 

[chris2523]

Agreed did a head gasket on a buick once years back. The guy was a truck driver i said hey Tom go pick me up oil and a filter. He said here you go it was oil meant for Diesel engines. (Long time ago and old timer told me to never use oil meant for diesel trucks in gas motors}. I warned him he insisted it would be okay.:err-what?: Week later to the day i was back at his shop doing an oil pump crank and rod bearings.:eek-large:Was it the oil sure , maybe, i dunno, why chance it.:fart

remember, API SM certification, fully qualified to be run in a spark ignition engine.

To answer the original posters question. Mobil one full synthetic the weight 0W-50W. Never believed in it till i bought my corvette. That's all GM recommends so i started using it didn't want to void the warranty. Any ways i helped a friend rebuild a corvette motor with 153,000 miles. Mind you this was a raced and abused car. No signs of wear to speak of. After that i stared using it in all my vehicles. The extended oil drain intervals and great wear protection. More than make up for the extra cost.

5w50 is the boss 302 and gt350 oil spec as well.
oil tech is changing. the oil from years back is nothing like what it is today.

 

[Meister]

I used Amsoil 0w30 with the amsoil filter in my Mark for over 80k with 10k change intervals. Never had much of a chain rattle at startup, and it used about a quart between changes.

 

[KStromberg]

In my Grand Marquis I run conventional motorcraft oil/filter. It currently has almost 195K and uses about one drop of oil between changes.

Carry on.

 

[bhans40]

I'm with Meister......I have used Amsoil 0-30 full synthetic and filters for a lot of years.....Wife and I took an over 4k trip this past summer.....didn't use ANY oil.....not a drop with speeds in the 70 to 80 mph range for the trip.....I change oil and filter every 10k.....I don't mind paying the price! Just my opinion.......My name is Bruce Hansen Senior Citizen And I don't suffer fools :thumbsup:

 

[Marky Mark]

holy crap. why didnt i thnk of that!

Good Thinking!

 

[Whtwhale]

I run 5w20 pennzoil ultra platinum with a wix xp filter which has the anti drainback feature. In the year since buying this car ive done just over 15k miles with changes every 5k. My driving is all stop and go with barely any highway. I also have an engine pre luber installed that pressurizes the engine before startup which should keep the timing chain rattle at bay.

 

[germansheperd]

Mobil 1 5w-30 and a Motorcraft FL820S. What a mess. I was cleaning oil from the filter for 2 days!

 

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I use Mobil1, 5w30 and usually the Fram filter with the textured bottom. Figure there is some reason they picked those numbers. Rural King and Walmart are both resonable on Synthetic oil.

My Toronado which I traded in on the MarkVIII at ~280,000 miles got Castrol GTX and I think it was 10w30. Why 10w30 then and 5w30 now? That is what it recommended.

Far as name brands, I'm barely loyal if at all really. Now I'd avoid anything you've never heard of but Valvoline or whatever I've used before if it was on sale.