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For the third time in as many weeks I have had to deal with the situation of the wrong grade oil causing severe running problems with a modern engine. This time it was a Zetec 1.6 Escort which would only run in a series of hundred yard (metre) hops before losing power and stalling. When rested for a few minutes it would start up reluctantly then stall again. I was pretty confident I knew the problem and sure enough, when asked, the customer had done his own service recently using a DIY stores' 20W/50. This caused the hydraulic lifters to jack open the valves causing loss of compression. This was aggravated by using supermarket fuel which I suspect was gumming up the valves. I flushed the engine and refilled with a semi-synthetic 5W/30 finished off with a dose of fuel treatment in the tank and all now seems to be improving. I asked why he used that particular oil: "all oil is the same" was the reply. Give me strength!!!!
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Yes, amazing - pays thousands for the car, but quibbles about a few pounds for oil, when it's the only thing keeping the working parts of the engine apart!
Beats me too.
regards
john
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Hi Andrew,
Very interesting that. Do I take it that Ford are now using hydraulic lifters similar to what GM have been using for many years.
I remember someone telling me some years ago that GM had a patent on this system.
Regards
Alvin Booth
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Yes Alvin Ford have been using hydraulic lifters on this side of the pond since 1980!!!!
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Many thanks to Andrew Moorey who has given expert confirmationnof what I have been writing for many years. Ford's 5W/30 semi synthetic seems to be pretty damn good and stays clean for 6 months or 6,000 miles. Another area where owners should not penny pinch is over oil filters. Save £1 or £2 and you coulf get a filter cannister with no non-return valve. In most modern engines the non-return valve is essential to help keep oil in the top of the engine so the hydraulic lifters can operate hydraulically when the engine is first started.
HJ
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Fords 5w/30 is actually Texaco Havoline 3 Energy oil. Over the years I have used several different oils (all branded) Shell Helix, Valvoline, Pennzoil etc and I believe that the Texaco is the best by far. Incidentally I don't rate Castrol at all. I think that they are the BMW of motor oils, all hype!
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Andrew: How have you come to this conclusion?
Have you carried out tests on all the makes of oil mentioned under exactly similar conditions, or is this just your opinion?
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No It is just my personal opinion based on my experiences. I take into consideration the feedback I get from my customers regarding performance and economy plus my own findings regarding states of cleanliness and emission levels when tuning their engines.
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