2.9L & 3.0L V6 Tech General discussion of 2.9L and 3.0L V6 Ford Ranger engines.

engine oil

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Old 05-09-2012
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engine oil

i got a 3.0 v6 goin on 130k. id usualy get mobile one high milage and a high milage fram oil filter. does it really matter what kind of oil just as long as its clean or what. i usualy change oil ever 3000 miles. last change was 123k so im a lil over but does oil type matter or just as long as its clean oil
 
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Old 05-09-2012
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i use high mileage oil too but im only at 77K...dont use fram filters theyre junk
 
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Old 05-09-2012
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The grade is the most important ahead of the brand or type. Nothing wrong going with high mileage stuff... but I agree with staying away from Fram filters!
 
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Drop the Fram filters... they are crap. If you have been running them for a long time, consider yourself lucky... they have crappy anti drain back valves that are known to fail.

Get Bosch Premium, STP, Motorcraft, Mann, Purolator Plus, or the like. Basically anything but Fram.

Go to Rock Auto, I got some Bosch Premiums for 4 bucks a piece there, they are 7 bucks each at Autozone, where I used to get filters. There are tons of other filters to choose from. however, I'd stay away from those 1 dollar filters as well. (Pronto, Pentuis, and that crap) Pick something in the middle.

I got some Mann filters in for one of the cars, and they are made in the USA. Portage, Michigan to be exact. Can't ask for much more from a filter than to be well made, well priced (about 3 bucks) and made in the USA.
 

Last edited by 1996DangerRanger; 05-09-2012 at 12:13 PM.
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Old 05-09-2012
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I use Mobile 1 5-20 and MotorCraft Filters when I can find them or WIX filters.
My method of madness is oil/filter chg, 3-4K miles filter chg and add oil as needed, 3-4K miles more and oil/filter, etc, etc.

But as myersth stated, “What is most important part is to CHANGE YOUR OIL and FILTER regularly”.


On another note, what is considered “High Milage” in a Ranger.
 
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Old 05-10-2012
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I tried a high mileage filter on my truck...started ticking REALLY bad going up a steep grade pulling my quads on a trailer...changed the filter on the way back, tick never came back. That was the first and last time I used a fram "high mileage" filter. Ive used the orange ones on all my other trucks w/o any issue but that gel crap in the HM filter mustve messed something up. Run motorcraft 5/20...red bottles and motorcraft filter.
 
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Old 05-10-2012
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Originally Posted by djfllmn
i use high mileage oil too but im only at 77K...dont use fram filters theyre junk
high mileage is considered 75k.at least thats when most oils say to start using them. they just have some extra additives and stuff supposed to prevent leaks and whatnot.

if you change your oil regularly, say every 3k miles, oil type doesnt much matter. i like to use full synthetic because it is a better oil. not necessary, but it is better. plus i usuallt take longer between oil changes, i think 5k is recommended anyway.
 
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Old 05-14-2012
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I use r.p. 20/50 with a napa gold filter(same as wix) alittle more capacity and much better filtering.
I've got 197+ still good compression and oil has been alot cleaner at oil changes.
 
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Old 05-14-2012
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been using fram since i got my truck. 11 years and 150,000 miles later i still dont have a problem. change my oil twice a year fall and spring. at times its been ~7,500 miles between oil changes. Once was ~13,000 miles. that year only changed oil once. i use regular havoline oil. 10w30 for spring change and the 5w for fall oil change. I have used others when i walked in on sale but fram and havoline have been my typical go to brands.

everyone has opinions. pick a favorite brand and use it. spend more spend less whatever suites you.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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Originally Posted by krafcheck
been using fram since i got my truck. 11 years and 150,000 miles later i still dont have a problem. change my oil twice a year fall and spring. at times its been ~7,500 miles between oil changes. Once was ~13,000 miles. that year only changed oil once. i use regular havoline oil. 10w30 for spring change and the 5w for fall oil change. I have used others when i walked in on sale but fram and havoline have been my typical go to brands.

everyone has opinions. pick a favorite brand and use it. spend more spend less whatever suites you.
Fram sucks is not an opinion. Do some youtube/google searching. Those filters really are NOT built with quality in mind at all.

/thread jack.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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I love it. youtube and google has become the truth. you can find a bad review on anything surfing the web. Even your favorite brand will have bad ones slip through the cracks. Especially anything mass produced. But again all you did is reference opinions.

I can easily say Ford sucks. Are the millions of chevy owners wrong if they say the same thing?

Back on subject. In my opinion if your 5 dollar oil filter fails you most likely have other issues that need to be addressed first. And as far as drain back valves as someone stated above. I guess i need to cut one open because that is news to me. I thought oil filters were a material(s) with holes in it. How can they drain back if the filters are angled down or even upside down?

The OP has driven 130,000 miles on an engine using fram oil filters? Wait what? The internet says your engine is supposed to blowup 75000 miles ago.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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haha i didnt think this would of been such a touchy subject with ppl. i just wanted to no if oil product/ brand mattered or not. and if fram was ok or mattered or not lol
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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I just like to play devils advocate. I do use fram 99% of the time. It gets the job done. i have always heard fram was no good but then again i never had any troubles. if its true so be it. but since i dont want to do research on oil filters im going to chalk it up to as a marketing war between fram and whoever. And to be honest...about the only reason i buy it now and days is due to that anti slip grip they put on the cans. BTW chevy sucks. from a proud owner of a ford product with a mazda symbol.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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AHAHAHAH. I was actually NOT using the internet as a factual source, but youtube is actually full of people who have personally taken apart 5 or 6 different types of filters to find fram is the lowest quality. Have I done it personally? No. But I have plenty of experience on vehicles and fwiw, the Fram filters at my local store are more expensive than an OEM motorcraft one, so Why shouldn't I put OEM in?
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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i think you are doing the right thing. i would do the same

Hijack: with todays engines and oils being so good what is the reason for oil filters now and days? i can see the first one or two changes for metal shavings but often those are very small and would eventually get out through regular oil changes. I personnaly think we change oils way to frequently for oil filters to be of any real value? based on discussions above it seems to me that they are just a potential failure point. Any thoughts?
 
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Oil filters also help trap sludge particles. Otherwise, when you're getting towards the end of a change, you would not only have some sludge in the bottom of the pan, but also all over the engine's innards, in bearing oil passages, on top of the cylinder head in the rocker valley, etc.

That black color in the oil is old sludge, carbon, and crap. Sure, you might not see a single metal particle in the oil coming out of the oil pan drain hole, but if you were to cut the filter open and look at the filtering media, (don't do this with a cut-off wheel on a grinder, ignition of the oil is highly likely) I can almost guarantee you that you'll find metal particles there. There is always wear going on somewhere in an engine.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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Well I'll share some thoughts. I always use full synthetic, and I've used purolator, bosch, and mobil 1 filters. On my last oil change I had my dad pick up the stuff for me and he got a Fram toughguard to go with my 5 qts Mobil 1.

now, I've generally stayed away from Fram because they have a kind of negative reputation, but I didn't let that stop me from putting it on my truck.

Yes, I've seen people cutting open different filters and showing the insides. I know fram has carboard endcaps. but so what? I use good quality oil and I change it regularly.

They are FINE just in the same way conventional oil is FINE. I use better oil because the price difference is negligible. filters are the same way, yeah you can get another filter with more durable components, but do you NEED them? If yuo maintain your truck, no. Some people would rather spend more for better things and some people would rather spend less on something that performs as well as it needs to and not more.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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The black color of oil when its changed is not sludge. Its the detergents they put in the oil that turns the oil black. Oils now and days are made to still be within "spec" during a typical oil change interval. Being viscosity, shear strength, and etc. Everybody wants your money. My 87 Toyota 22r engine had a sticker that said change every 5000 miles. This was at a time it was a no no in everyday peoples mind to never go over 3000.

Speaking of oil any preferences on transmission oil. I'm drawing mine before the clutch replacement. I guess it don't matter since its not moving like an engine.
 
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Originally Posted by krafcheck
The black color of oil when its changed is not sludge. Its the detergents they put in the oil that turns the oil black. Oils now and days are made to still be within "spec" during a typical oil change interval. Being viscosity, shear strength, and etc. Everybody wants your money. My 87 Toyota 22r engine had a sticker that said change every 5000 miles. This was at a time it was a no no in everyday peoples mind to never go over 3000.

Speaking of oil any preferences on transmission oil. I'm drawing mine before the clutch replacement. I guess it don't matter since its not moving like an engine.
Sure, it isn't solid sludge, but it still is deposits and **** that the detergents washed off of parts inside the engine. Also, those detergents break down sludge, and that sludge is black. That is why after some miles on the oil, it'll come out of the pan with a very dark brown/black color.

It all depends on how you drive the vehicle. If you do mostly long distance cruising to and from work on the highway, 5000 is fine. Stretch that to about 7500 on synthetic if you want. If you tow something every day, or drive hard in the city, then 3000 should be the oil change interval.

(not counting big rigs, they have their own set of rules regarding fluids and such, also they have more than one huge filter, and those big rig filters make auto filters look like child's toys)



If you don't think it matters, try running the same oil and filter for 15,000 miles, non synthetic dino oil. (hell, try it with synthetic... it's still stupid to go that much or more on synthetic) Let us know how that stuff looks coming out of the pan. And I'll bet your filter will plug up and let the oil through the bypass after something like 8000 miles.

I change oil at about 4000 miles. I do more city type driving than my dad, who drives 30 minutes to and from work on the highway.

Also, you need to remember that engines back in the early days of cars were completely different. But yes, that 3000 mile must do oil change interval is a bit excessive. 4000 miles would be fine. As for degradation from sitting for more than 3 months, that's also a load of BS.
 
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Old 05-16-2012
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I hear on driving style and conditions. My last three hondas 2006 civic, 2008 odessey, 2009 insight calculated oil change intervals from computer which I believe keep up with the total revolutions of the engine. They were usual at 0% life between 7000-8000 miles. The van lasted 8500 for the first oil change. All highway miles 45 minutes each way to work. My Cadillac has the same thing computer lets you know when to change the oil. Speaking of caddy that thing was 45000 dollars brand new. In six years when I bought it the dealership had it priced at 7000 and friend of family works at that dealership said they got from the owner for 4500 dollars. 80000 miles on it. Talk about depreciation.
 
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Old 05-18-2012
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Just did an oil change... about 4000 miles on the old oil and filter.

Put a Bosch premium on and filled her up with Valvoline 10W-30, with a touch of Marvel's Mystery oil to top it off the last little bit.
 
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Old 05-18-2012
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why 10w-30? recommended weight is 5w-20.
 
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Old 05-18-2012
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Just the newer ones are 5W20... I forget what year that started though!
 
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Old 05-18-2012
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I thought that ford backdated the older ones too.

yep... here
http://www.ilma.org/resources/ford_2...mmendations%22
 
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Old 05-18-2012
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That's interesting... never saw that before.
 

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