Have a new 2002 Explorer with 5 speed auto trans. How many miles should I break the engine in before putting in the synthetic oil.

Also have a windstar with 33000 miles. If I do a standard Trans filter and change with synthetic ATF, will the synthetic ATF be compatable with the OEM ATF left in the system. The reason I ask is when I worked for Dow Corning if we mixed silicones with other polymers we usually came up with the poor properties of the blended material vs the best.

I am also thinking of putting synthetic engine oil in the windstar. Do you recommend a engine flush? Will any residual solvants breakdown the new synthetic oil I will be putting in?



Will probably go with Moble 1. Is this a Silicone based product?

 

You can run synthetic oil right from the start, no need for engine break in. In fact, Chevy Corvettes, Dodge Vipers, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz all use Mobil 1 synthetic oil from the factory.

If you do use synthetic transmission fluid, mixing with the old won't hurt, but you will benefit the most by also draining the torque converter and flushing the lines. Draining the torque converter isn't too difficult, but flushing the lines can be time consuming and tough. As for putting the synthetic in your engine, just performing a normal engine oil change will do the trick. Sure, a small amount of old oil will remain, but it won't be much compared to the amount of new oil you put in. By the time the next oil change rolls around, you will have gotten just about all of the old oil out.

Aaron D.
'94 EB Bronco
'97 Expedition XLT

 

You can use synthetic oil from the start, but the breakin period will be a bit longer. The major portion of the breakin period is the hot/cold temp extremes to temper the metals. The other portion is for the rings to get seated and cam loabs to get their wear pattern. This is probably the only good feature of a petroleum oil. No matter what the owner's manual states, for a new engine, I would still use a petroleum oil for breakin and change it the first 500-1,000 miles to get the metal byproducts from the machining process and wear metals from the initial breakin out of the oil, then run another 3,000 on a petroleum before switching to a premium synthetic. If you have miles on the engine, say move than 30K or so, then an engine flush is recommended, but not required, before switching to a synthetic. This will get out a lot of the varnish and sludge buildup left behind by the petroleum oil. A good premium synthetic that has a high detergent additive will do the same over time, but the oil filter will reach it's capacity sooner than normal and will need to be changed more often until the synthetic oil has cleaned out the engine. It's less expensive to use the onen time engine flush, than changing the filter a few extra times and topping off with more oil.
As for choosing which synthetic, I'll get to that below.

Flushing the transmission on most is fairly simple, but you may need 2 people. I did mine alone and could have used a second person. The generic ATF filter/fluid change usually only drains around 3 quarts. Most trans use up to 12 quarts or more. Some less. To flush the rest of it out, here a simple way to most of it out. After you change the filter and replace the pan, find the return cooling line from the radiator or trans cooler. Get a large dish pan or container that will hold 12+ quarts. Disconnect the return line so that it will drain into the container. Put in the 3 quarts of new fluid (or what ever is the amount drained when the trans pan was removed). Start the engine and continue to add new fluid at about the rate as it as it pumps out the old into the container. When the fluid that is pumping out into the container looks like new red translucent fluid, then stop the engine, reconnect the return line. Check the trans fluid level and top off if needed. Start the engine and shift the trans through all the gears and check the fluid level again and top off as needed.

Truth about synthetics - a few years back Castro switched thier synthetic from a PAO (true synthetic base stock) to a ultra refined hydrocracked petroleum oil, Group 3 base stock. The petroleum is chemically changed to break down some of the larger molecules to a smaller size to try and get them more uniform in size. Mobil tried to sue Castro because Castro was still calling the petroleum base stock a synthetic. Since there was never an accepted definition of what a true synthetic oil was, the Supreme court ruled in favor of Castro. Now, if you look on the shelves, every oil company has a so called synthetic or synthetic blend which are using this new Group 3 base stock. Very few "synthetics" are 100% true synthetic engineered lubricating fluids. The Group 3's are better fluids than the regular petroleum oils, but still have the same draw backs such as thermal break down, etc...The reson they are using these hydrocracked base stocks is that they are less expensive than manufacturing 100% synthetic base stocks. Why didn't they pass the savings on to the consumer? They are still priced the same as true synthetics, but don't have as good of wear protection and fluidity in cold temps.

In choosing which synthetic to use - you mentioned that you wanted to switch to Mobil1. It is a good oil, but if you look at the acutal test results, there are several regular petroleum oils that have a smaller wear scar on the 4 ball bearing test (smaller meaning better wear protection). I used Mobil1 for several years until I did research and found the test results then switched to a better premium synthetic, in my opinion. Since true synthetics don't leave the harmful deposits and viscosity breakdown, choose one that has garanteed and proven extended drain intervals, the best quality additive packages, and a high TBN. I, myself, use AMSOIL synthetics in all my vehicles, transmissions, rear ends, lawn mowers, weed eaters, and my motorcycle. I gathered a lot of information when I did my research, so if you want more info, moderated. Which oil to use has always been a touchy subject, so if it's really important to you, then do your research, and choose the one that best fits your equipment needs and expenses.

 

Uh Oh....

 

Now, now BrianA...He may not be a Amsoil dealer. Surely he read what is posted on the main page about NO DEALERS: NO EXCEPTIONS.

But it does sound like a dealer "got him".

 

Even if he is a dealer, I think the value of what he had to say was worth the read. I use M1, but may need to use the other guys stuff in my transmission because M1 ATF isn't Mercon V.

 

>Have a new 2002 Explorer with 5 speed auto trans. How many
>miles should I break the engine in before putting in the
>synthetic oil.

I have one and will switch to M1 synthetic at 1000 miles with a premium oil filter. Don't overlook the filter, it's important too.

>Also have a windstar with 33000 miles. If I do a standard
>Trans filter and change with synthetic ATF, will the
>synthetic ATF be compatable with the OEM ATF left in the
>system. The reason I ask is when I worked for Dow Corning
>if we mixed silicones with other polymers we usually came up
>with the poor properties of the blended material vs the
>best.

Most of the bottles of ATF will state they are compatible with standard ATF. I believe them, but a full flush has got to be better to get a higher % of synth in there. Make sure you get the right rating, the Explorer takes Mecon V, I'm not sure about the windstar. Mobil 1 ATF isn't Mercon V compatible, although I've heard some use it anyway.

>I am also thinking of putting synthetic engine oil in the
>windstar. Do you recommend a engine flush? Will any
>residual solvants breakdown the new synthetic oil I will be
>putting in?

I don't recommend a flush with so few miles especially not with those harsh flush additives. I did a "mild" flush by draining the oil but leaving the filter in there. Then I added 3 quarts of cheap 5w30 oil. Then I added 1 qt cheap ATF. I idled and drove that for around 20 minutes. Then I drained it, and added Mobile 1 synthetic. I did this on two vehicles, and the oil looks like honey still after one week of driving.

>
>Will probably go with Moble 1. Is this a Silicone based
>product?

Don't know, but Mobile 1 is a safe choice.

 

But he may be a dealer.
Folks digging up year old threads, tooting the Amsoil horn and asking to be contacted off board with their first post are highly suspicious.
Please, no more soliciting. I consider that advertising.
Which oil to use only becomes a touchy subject when people start pushing their own agenda.
"NO DEALERS, NO EXCEPTIONS"

 

>.... Since true synthetics don't leave
>the harmful deposits and viscosity breakdown, choose one
>that has garanteed and proven extended drain intervals, the
>best quality additive packages, and a high TBN. I, myself,
>use AMSOIL synthetics in all my vehicles, transmissions

Amsoil's 5w20 is no longer a "true synthetic". Check out their 8/15 announcement: http://www.amsoil.com/articlespr/pr_2002_xl7500.htm

 

I hate it when I do try to do some research on oil on the Internet and all I get are a bunch of Amsoil sites.

 

Even worse when most of them are identical .... The noise to signal ratio is awfully high.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-Nov-02 AT 01:11 PM (EST)]>I hate it when I do try to do some research on oil on the
>Internet and all I get are a bunch of Amsoil sites.

My gripe too! That's why I find this forum so useful, it helps to filter out the noise, and get some real interactive discussions going on real world experience. Not just marketing mumbo jumbo. Have any of you read the motor oil bible? Its written by MLM oil guy, but it was useful for me. Then again I'm used to filtering the underlying sales pitches to see what facts remain.