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Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: mciai2000 on March 17, 2011, 07:40:02 pm

Title: oil change
Post by: mciai2000 on March 17, 2011, 07:40:02 pm

Hello All:

It's almost that time of year here in NEPA to pull our baby out of the pole barn.  We purchased our mh last year and put about 4000 miles on it.  I have not changed the oil yet. I need to do this when I pull it out. Any suggestions on oil?  Synthetic vs real? Brand? How often do you all change your oil, filters, and the like?   Going to install hd shocks while I am at it.  Ideas on brand here?

Thanks a bunch.

David

Title: Re: oil change
Post by: lghjr on March 17, 2011, 08:01:45 pm

Semi-synthetic Ford oil available at most Walmarts is what I use at 3500 mile intervals,  Ford filter every time. I change oil regardless of interval before storing for the winter, same for the generator (30W oil here, mostly used during hot weather).  Transmission fluid once a year whether it needs it or not. Can't help on the shocks.

L. G.

Title: Re: oil change
Post by: Ron Dittmer on March 17, 2011, 10:17:39 pm

I thought the Ford owners manual recommended full synthetic.  That  is what I use.  It lasts all year that way too.

Title: Re: oil change
Post by: billy on March 18, 2011, 12:09:09 pm

Ron, did you start new using synthetic or after you had a few miles?

Title: Re: oil change
Post by: bobander on March 18, 2011, 12:30:23 pm

Quote from: ron.dittmer on March 17, 2011, 10:17:39 pm

I thought the Ford owners manual recommended full synthetic.  That  is what I use.  It lasts all year that way too.

My 2010 E450 manual specifies full synthetic or synthetic blend for US and full synthetic or regular oil for Canada.  I don't know why the difference between the US and Canada.

Bob

Title: Re: oil change
Post by: Ron Dittmer on March 18, 2011, 02:03:18 pm

Billy,

To be honest, I didn't learn that Ford recommended synthetic until my 3rd oil change.  I used regular oil the 1st change at 2000, then 3000 miles.  Once I read "synthetic" in the owners manual, I switched to full synthetic and let that oil work for me all year long given I drive maybe 5000 miles per year max.

For a new Ford-V10 engine, I would run that oil a full year as I would think Ford follows their own spec and put full synthetic 5W-20 in there.  But I would surely do this next thing too.

I always have a very strong magnet on the bottom of the oil filter to capture any metal particles, especially beneficial during the break-in period and exteneded use synthetic oil in combination.  I found very strong magnets for this use in discarded computer hard drives.  The magnets are so strong, they will draw blood if you get your fingers pinched between two of them.  Here is what they look like.
(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQBHzi6B-i272sQ2x-GqLfUygn5XvOqoGro0aE-kPb2s3fgInBx&t=1)

I use a magnet on my Phoenix and my Corvette as both oil changes are once a year with Synthetic.  My daily use vehicles, I still use regualar oil changed at closer invervals so I never bother with magnets.  There are two magnets in each hard drive.

There are all kinds of magnets sold specifically for oil filters as shown, but I am a cheapskate where it doesn't matter.
(http://www.stateofnine.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/OilFilterMagnet_m.jpg)(http://www.collectorcarsforsale.com/parts/parts-images-large/cadillac-cts-srx-xlr-catera-deville-oil-filter-magnet_190511085915.jpg)