Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance 15w 50 Mobil 1 Synthetic?????

Originally posted by tw0wheelin:

---

Hey FWIW, I was checking out the specs on a 2002 Sable w/ 3L Duratec and the owners guide specified 5w-20 year round.

---

Originally posted by Roz 1999 SVT-C:

---

hey guys...I have been running 5w30 mobil 1 since i had the car in septemebr of last year. Now, i smell burinig oil...theres no smoke comming form the engine bay, or my exahust....and there are no visable leaks...though i believe my crank seal is leaking becaue i found oily sludge build up around it. guys think it may be the crank seal??


Roz

---

Based on my experience, I'd say the first thing you should look for is a leaky oil pan gasket. Oil gets onto the exhaust and produces a mighty stench thru the cabin air intakes. If you smell burning oil while stationary or in stop-and-go conditions, but it goes away when you're sailing along, I'd check the pan for oil residue.

Minor leak that it is, I'm having my pan gasket replaced tomorrow. I'm tired of being fumigated in my own car. The shop doing the work here in PA ordered the part from Carquest -- neoprene gasket w/ a metal collar. That puppy will never leak again.

Your crank seal may also be something to keep an eye on -- synth changeovers can expose more than one vulnerability. But I'd bet MONEY the Big Stink is due to a bad pan gasket.

And, you're absolutely correct to be running 5w-30. Until March, I lived in Texas for 20 years, where the air temp routinely hits 100+ between July and September. I ran Amsoil 5w-30 there in my CSVT with no problems. There's no need whatsoever to get jiggy with exotic viscosities.

BTW -- I lived in the East Bay in the mid-70's. A hot day was 90 -- and rare. When did the Bay Area start to see anything near 105-degrees? Are you being Drama-Girl , or has the climate there really changed that much?

Originally posted by MondeoST24:

---

Here in Oz we get 5W50 Mobil 1 - trying to get anything else is like finding hen's teeth! I take it you guys don't get that viscosity range in the States? My only option was to buy 0W40 Mobil 1 and only direct from the distributor in a 20litre drum for nearly $300- not likely

After doing some research back when I bought the Mondeo new I decided it wasn't a wise decision to use the 5W50 and have changed to another brand of fully synthetic oil.

While I agree oil is important, I've had two engines self destruct on me from timing belts snapping prematurely (no, not Duratecs). So while it is great to use the best oil you can it is sometimes more prudent to spend money in other areas on preventative maintenance!

In the case of the Duratec maybe substituting "water pump" for "timing belt" would be more appropriate.

---

Yep, no matter what the marque, it seems every car has an Achilles Heel ... For example, the Osborne-like family of computers on the mega-dollar 2003 7-Series BMW's. I'll never understand why ANYONE buys a car in its first production year.

In the USA, Amsoil (the best synlubes on the planet IMHO) has the most comprehensive line of lubricants -- engine and otherwise -- I know of. But, since the Mobil 1 5w-50 is a multi-vis, that should cover you under just about any condition -- assuming you don't spend too much time tooling around the Outback in the summer, where that 50 weight might kick in.

Originally posted by Roz 1999 SVT-C:

---

I live in way south san jose....about 10 min form mogan hill.... and last summer i pulled a few 100 degree days ( I heard wrong) and it sould like a wether girl said it was 105....so thats where o got it form....n-e way...it looks like the oil pan too....I saw (earlier today) that the oil pan did hace a little oil build up around the seal...and it look like a very slow drip....i hope your right...it seems so much easier to change than the Crank seal...I'll do the Oil pan first too.


Roz

---

Originally posted by Drumbo:

---

But, since the Mobil 1 5w-50 is a multi-vis, that should cover you under just about any condition -- assuming you don't spend too much time tooling around the Outback in the summer, where that 50 weight might kick in.

---

Originally posted by MondeoST24:

---

Originally posted by Drumbo:

---

But, since the Mobil 1 5w-50 is a multi-vis, that should cover you under just about any condition -- assuming you don't spend too much time tooling around the Outback in the summer, where that 50 weight might kick in.

---

The highest it gets where I live is mid 40 degrees Celcius, and then only rarely. High 30's in summer is common. In winter 0 degrees first thing in the morning sometimes occurs.

The point with the Duratec though is it is designed to run on 5W30 for all of these temperatures. A 5W50 oil will be thicker than the engine is designed to run, then you run the risk of the oil not circulating quick enough throughout the engine.

---