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Well, a 5W-30 is what Ford specify and is rather a long way from a 10W-40. If it were my car I would want a 5W-30 in it.
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I just don't believe that with the range of temperatures and operating conditions that *ordinary* car engines are subjected to, that it makes *any* difference whether the oil is 5W30 or 10W40 etc.
Let's face, many cars are serviced in garages and you've really no idea what's put into the engine, or even if the oil is changed at all in many cases.
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I think it will be fine, I ran a car which specified ...w30 for years with Comma Synergy 4w40. I had less problems than most other owners (who had rattly lifters n startup)
30vs40 is hardly any different and probably more to do with new car fuel economy.
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30vs40 is hardly any different and probably more to do with new car fuel economy.
SAE40 grade is about 25% thicker than SAE30 grade at 100 deg. C.
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Fords did have problems with sticking & failing lifters hence the different spec. It is important get them to sort it out!
Jim
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Well... here's one where I'm on the other side, for a change!
You've paid for a simple job to be done, its not too much to expect them to use the right oil! I suggest you ask the manager to change the oil for what is specified by Ford or get your money back and go to a Ford Fast-Fit and get it done there. If the grade of oil didn't matter, I really can't see Ford bothering to specify something different to the vast majority of manufacturers, yet they do, and that's extremely well known -except it seems at your local ATS! Should be redone at their expense, imho. Incidentally, I'd normally agree with your preference for ATS over the people who were too busy - but Hi-Q are often better still, if you have one nearby? (No connection with any of them)
Neil
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IMO they should have told you before they started that they weren't going to use the Ford recommendation. The choice would then have been yours rather than them decide what they think is best for your car.
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I may well take it back to them and demand to have it changed...
Although my haynes manual says 10w/40 is fine and recommends it? but I think i'll go with what Ford say.
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Although my haynes manual says 10w/40 is fine and recommends it?
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personally, i would be happy with it. but then i am no expert. your best bet is to ring ford and ask their opinion.
they make take the same view as audi, for example.
audi say 0w30 oil must be used but then say ordinary multigrade oil will not cause any damage.
"Long Life oils such as Castrol SLX OW30 Long Life 2 must be used ..... ...... . Using ordinary high quality multigrade oil will not cause any engine damage but it will .... cause a service to be needed at 10,000 miles."
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What engine have you got in your car btw? If its the 2.5 Duratec engine, then i am not sure how criticial the 5W30 rule is. If you have a (1.8, 2.0) Zetec engine that has been renamed "duratec" i.e. one of the new shape mondeos then you should have 5W30 as that is what Ford specify.
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ahhh if only i could read ;-) you said its a 1.8 in which case you really do need 5W30 in there.
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In a Zetec, definitely I'd want 5W30.
However a 1.8 Duratec is chain, rather than belt, driven and presumably rather different in other ways so that I'd say it's not a renaming job. Of course it may be that the reason we don't hear of the same problems with Duratecs is that those serviced outside the Ford network are less likely to have owners who think about these sorts of things; however if there is any evidence in favour of giving the oil the benefit of the doubt, I'd be inclined to go along with that.
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Whilst the "preferred" grade is 5w/30 oil, it does state in the Mondeo handbook that 10w/40 or 5w/40 may be used. The reason the 5w/30 is preferred is simply for fuel economy. If 10w/40 or 5w/40 caused any of the mechanical problems mentioned above then Ford would not say they may be used. I use 5w/40 Texaco Havoline fully synthetic in my Mk3 V6 mondeo.
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My Fiesta handbook says ONLY 5/30
madf
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5W-30 will give easier starting at low temperatures than 10W-40, and may improve fuel consumption slightly.
10W-40 will have a higher tolerance to high temperatures than 5W-30, but this probably won't be relevant in the UK bearing in mind the climate and the speed limits.
The SAE rating is not a measure of the quality of the oil.
--
L\'escargot.
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Whilst the "preferred" grade is 5w/30 oil, it does state in the Mondeo handbook that 10w/40 or 5w/40 may be used. The reason the 5w/30 is preferred is simply for fuel economy. If 10w/40 or 5w/40 caused any of the mechanical problems mentioned above then Ford would not say they may be used. I use 5w/40 Texaco Havoline fully synthetic in my Mk3 V6 mondeo.
Ah... well, in that case, the oil that's in should be fine...I did think that Ford specified ONLY 5W/30, but that must be only for Zetec motors?
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5w30 is the recommended optimum lubricant for the Zetec-E and Zetec-S units. They can run on 10w40 but performance and fuel economy may suffer. I always run my Mondeo on 5w30 and would not under any circumstances switch to a 10w40. The reason that a number of fast fit centres use 10w40 on the Zetec units is because they do not always carry stocks of the 5w30.
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I would never use anything but a 5-30 for the simple (additional ) reason that when it starts from cold the engine revs shoot up to 1400rpm. So it clearly needs a fast flowing oil at lowtemperatures (the 5W bit).
I would imagine the long term impact of using a heavier oil at low temperatures (say 10w or 15W) would be accelerated wear on cams and tappets when starting.
As engines are 16 valve, the impact on performace and fuel economy could be significant and the potential rebuilding costs horrendous.
Since finding the correct spec oil (Ford approved ) is hardly onerous when I diy, I use it.
madf
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Just a quick update, I've rang Ford Bramall quicks Manchester and Kepsters Ford Heywood to ask them about this, they have both pretty much said the same thing, they say Ford recommends 5W/30 but I should have no running problems with 10W/40 either as the user manual states that either can be used. The guy at kempster told me not to worry about it, as long as I have my oil changed twice a year and that its of a good quality and not more than 10W/40 as that would eventually damage the engine.... So I've decided that i'll leave this time around but ask for the "recommended" oil next time. My Friend also owns a V-reg Ford Puma 1.7 Zetec from new and said he's always used 10W/40 in his car with no problems at all??
Thanks for all the replies chaps....
Lee
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Next time,leef, the best thing to do, that is, if you don't want to do the oil-change yourself, is to go along to your local Ford Rapid Fit. They will definitely use 5W - 30 oil and nothing else. Probably not Ford oil, when my Mondeo has been serviced it says it's been filled with Castrol 5W - 30, which is fine. After all, Castrol is a known and reliable supplier of oil and, in any case, neither Castol nor Ford make the oil....... It comes out of the ground!
What does matter is that the oil poured in meets the recommended specification, which the Castrol certainly does. This is probably purchased by the Ford dealer in vast quantities, far greater than you or I would ever dream of buying. They don't pour it out of 5 litre cans!
You will find it common practice for garages to put 10W - 40 oil into Ford Mondeo's with the Zetec engine, usually because that's all they've got, and they put it into everything.
Mostly I do my own oil and filter changes now. A friend gets me Ford 5W - 30 oil and a filter using his Ford discount card, since he has the same car as me! Saves a fortune!
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Ford discount card eh!! I wouldn't mind one of them :-)
I'll probably have a bash myself next time, it only took the chap in ATS 10 minutes to do. I'll get the good old Haynes Manual out :)
PS Is £24.99 about right for an oil and filter change? (Shell Helix Blue plus oil) nobody has said if I was ripped off or not?
Thanks guys.
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I don't know what this Shell Helix Blue Plus Oil is, but if it's semi-synthetic then that's about the right price to pay, IMHO.
I don't think you were ripped off.
DIY oil change on a Mondeo isn't a difficult job but you have to jack up the offside of the car, remove the front wheel, remove the auxilary belt cover (just two or three screws).
Alternatively, if you have ramps or a pit then it can all be done from underneath, which is what ATS will have done. The most difficult part doing it on a flat driveway is getting to the filter, hence the wheel and cover removal.
If you do DIY, make sure you adequately tighten the new filter, 3/4 to 1 turn after initial contact. They have been known to fall off!!!!
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Sorry, I've just checked the Haynes manual and, according to them, the correct tightness of the Mondeo oil filter is between 1/2 and 3/4 turn, not 3/4 to 1 turn as I previously said.
I should also add that it's very important to smear some new oil onto the rubber sealing ring on the new filter.
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I don't know what this Shell Helix Blue Plus Oil is
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according to shell.co.uk:
Shell Helix Plus
Exceptional engine cleansing in all driving conditions
Refreshing and protecting your car
Shell Helix Plus gives you exceptional engine clean-up with special cleaning agents that actively cleanse the engine surfaces and continuously lock away harmful dirt and deposits. In addition to offering superior engine protection for all driving conditions, Shell Helix Plus rejuvenates and refreshes your engine.
my underlining - this oil rejuvenates and refreshes the engine !
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Just paid National £20.00 to change oil & filter on my Mondeo TD, it was refilled with Duckhams Visco. Bit dubious about whetehr they had changed the filter so i dropped the wheel liner and they had.
Just had to listen to Sir your tyres and brakes are......at the end of it.
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Leef - when I had the oil and filter changed in my Focus TDCi by a local Ford Rapid Fit last July, they charged £24.99 all in and as has been said, genuine Ford filter and 5/30 oil. Sounds like what you were charged is similar to most of the fast-fit places.
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