Lawrence Adler

I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I have
9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a day at
freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to age
and tempatures, Has anyone had problems doing this?

--
Lawrence M. Adler

 

Chris Whelan

Lawrence Adler wrote:

> I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I
> have 9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a
> day at
> freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to age
> and tempatures,

No!

> Has anyone had problems doing this?

Not personally, but in the early days of Zetec in Europe, many problems were
caused by using incorrect oils. BTW, I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*,
semi-synthetic.

Your usage of your vehicle is ideal for a long life. It is lots of short
trips in low temperatures that kill modern engines. Just keep to the
service schedules and all will be fine.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply

GeoffP

"Chris Whelan" <cawhelan@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Vp7Ce.978$Ox6.623@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
> Lawrence Adler wrote:
>
>> I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I
>> have 9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a
>> day at
>> freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to
>> age
>> and tempatures,
>
> No!
>
>> Has anyone had problems doing this?
>
> Not personally, but in the early days of Zetec in Europe, many problems
> were
> caused by using incorrect oils. BTW, I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*,
> semi-synthetic.
>
> Your usage of your vehicle is ideal for a long life. It is lots of short
> trips in low temperatures that kill modern engines. Just keep to the
> service schedules and all will be fine.
>
> Chris
>
> --
> Remove prejudice to reply
====
Chris, My daughters focus is using 5w-20w we live in Ontario, Canada.
We have had no problems in the hot weather(Low 30's). Her driving is much
like yours. It won't hurt to use 5w-30 in the summer if it makes you feel
better.
I did read that in some States 5-20 is not available and Ford dealers use
5-30.
Geoff.

Bill R

Chris Whelan wrote:
>
>
> I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*,
> semi-synthetic.
>
> Chris
>


I was just reading the owners manual for my new Focus ZX3
and it says "SAE 5W-20 premium synthetic blend motor oil (US)".
--
Bill R.

Remove No-Junk-Mail- in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

Chris Whelan

Bill R wrote:

> Chris Whelan wrote:
>>
>>
>> I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*,
>> semi-synthetic.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>
>
> I was just reading the owners manual for my new Focus ZX3
> and it says "SAE 5W-20 premium synthetic blend motor oil (US)".

I'm guessing this must be a UK-US variation. The European interval for
changing oil is 12,500 miles. That would probably seem far too long your
side of the pond!

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply

John R Cambron

Bill R wrote:
>
> Chris Whelan wrote:
> >
> >
> > I believe the correct spec is 5/*30*,
> > semi-synthetic.
> >
> > Chris
> >
>
> I was just reading the owners manual for my new Focus ZX3
> and it says "SAE 5W-20 premium synthetic blend motor oil (US)".

The spec is printed on the oil fill cap, on my 2003 ZX3 (USA)
it reads "SAE 5W-20".

I have been using Pennzoil SAE 5W-20 Advanced Protection in
My 3003 ZX3 sense the first time I changed the oil in it. When
SAE 5W-20 was not available I used SAE 5W-30. The car has over
210,000 miles (337,963 km) on it.

--
John in the sand box of Marylands eastern shore.

FanJet

Lawrence Adler wrote:
> I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil.
> I have 9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60
> miles + a day at freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to
> maybe 10-30 due to age and tempatures, Has anyone had problems doing
> this?

Great for your car and easy to remember for you, is to use Mobile 1 0w-30.
Change it and the filter twice a year - (spring & fall).

Mc

I think if you went to a 5W30 oil instead of 5W20 it would be good enough.
Ford sez they use 5W20 due to compression in the engine and 5W30 is not alot
heavier as is 10W30.
"Lawrence Adler" <adl001@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Gw6Ce.8701$8f7.44not 82@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I
>have
> 9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a day
> at
> freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to age
> and tempatures, Has anyone had problems doing this?
>
> --
> Lawrence M. Adler
>
>

Henri

The 2000 model of the Focus oil recommendation was 5W/30.
On the 2001 model the oil recommendation was 5W/20.
For about 9 months in 2001 the Ford dealers were unable to do an oil changes
with 5W/20 as the oil was not available, so they used 5W/30.
I contacted Ford on 2000 when I purchased my 2001 Focus and they told me
Exxon/Esso was the supplier of this oil grade. I contacted Exxon/Esso and
they said that they had no future plans to retail this oil grade.
The reason that Ford went to 5W/20 was to improve the CAFE requirements for
fuel economy.
It was nothing to do with redesigned engines or new technology, it was to do
with Federal fuel efficiency requirements. Ford also recommended that most
models of their vehicles( Mustangs and high performance engines exempted)
from 1998 could use the lighter oil.

For your temperature requirements and road usage 10W/30 might give better
protection than the lighter grades..

I still have trouble finding 5W/20 in western Canada so I gave up using it
and went with 5W/30 as my standard. I can get 5W/20 from the local Esso
bulk dealer and I sometimes see it in Wal-Mart.\ but what the heck its too
much trouble.

"Mc" <stick_007@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ldGCe.8201$mN.93470@news1.mts.net...
I think if you went to a 5W30 oil instead of 5W20 it would be good enough.
Ford sez they use 5W20 due to compression in the engine and 5W30 is not alot
heavier as is 10W30.
"Lawrence Adler" <adl001@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Gw6Ce.8701$8f7.44not 82@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>I have a 2001 Focus with the Z-tec which is spec'd to take 5-20 oil. I
>have
> 9oK miles on it and drive in Houston, Tx 95+ tempatures 60 miles + a day
> at
> freeway speeds. I was thinking that I should go to maybe 10-30 due to age
> and tempatures, Has anyone had problems doing this?
>
> --
> Lawrence M. Adler
>
>