I bought a 4.0 L supercab XLT. the person who sold it to me was running conventional in it (10w 30). I've heard that synthetic is over rate and you should stick with what the car has been run with right along. any suggestions or brands to use for 4.0L ranger?

 

I use Mobil 1 0w-30 with a Motorcraft FL820s filter

 

Factory says 5w30...use what you want.

 

A lot of guys run Mobil 1, you won't have any issues with it or Motorcraft 5w-30.

 

i run 5w-30 castrol syn. blend

 

I use Valvoline 5w-30 Full Synthetic every 4,500-5,000 miles. No real reason on why I use a synthetic oil; but if it is indeed better for your engine than at least that's what I'm using in my truck.

 

^^because you like to spend money...and spending money makes you feel good

 

isn't synthetic only for certain motors? many say that synthetic is over rated and conventional works just as well. I'm going to lean towards conventional on this ranger because that was what was run on it before, anybody think otherwise?

 

all depends on the engine. high performance engines may run better on synthetic oil. engines ran during colder weather may run better on synthetic oil (thinner - flows easier). i myself agree with the fact that if conventional is whats been used before, just keep it up - dont fix whats not broken right? but it wont hurt it if you decide to try it out. itll just cost a little bit more than conventional

 

Okay, goto auto parts store and buy the cheapest oil you can find oil filter too. Add one quart of lucas oil treatment and you are good for about 5000miles. Every 100000 run some seafoam through the beast.

 

What is seafoam and what does it do

 

i thought ford did a technical service bulletin stating that all vehicles should use 5w20
i run 0w30 mobile 1 with motorcraft filter

 

IIRC it had to do with cold start up lifter pump up and trashing valve train.. Who is "many" against synthetic oils? All I know of is positive and with extended drain cycles a minor cost differential.

 

motorcraft 5w-30

 

That TSB was not for the 4.0. The 4.0 still is spec'd for 5w30.

Any motor can run synthetic or dino oil. You will get a longer oil change interval out of a synthetic. So if you are happy with doing 3k mile oil changes and do not want to go further...dino is for you. If you drive the same way all the time and want to extend the oil change interval (eventually saving just a few bucks over a few years), then I suggest you go synthetic and do a couple of used oil analysis.

Our Outlander dealership wanted us to do 5k OCIs. I thought that was a bit short, but I stayed with it until the warranty was over. Last OCI at 5k I sent in a sample and for $30 they said I could go to 7.5k on Mobile1/Pennzoil Plat. Next OCI I sent a sample in at 7.5 and they said I could go a bit further if I wanted. With that, I now know that 7.5k miles is a pretty good spot.

The ranger only gets 5k miles on MaxLife as I barely get the engine up to temperature and I'm at work...that puts condensation in the oil and is hard on it.

10w30 and 5w30 will provide the same protection during the summer as when they are up to temperature, they are rated at same viscosity...generally. The first number has nothing to do with the second...but does describe the oil at colder temps. So the 5 will flow better in cold temps than the 10. Some oils (dino vs dino....syn vs syn) within the same weight rating will have slightly different viscosities...but supposedly negligible. As I've read, MaxLife is on the thicker end of the weight ratings. Lots of interesting reading here: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...s.php?ubb=cfrm