Hi All,

I'm currently living in Dubai, and am looking for information on what Oil to use in the used car I just bought and came across posts here.

The car's a 1997 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 4x4 (5.4L) with 90k kms on it. I know a bit about cars, done oil / spark plug changes myself and enough to work out that this was in good shape for an old car.

Dubai's weather is hot. We're talking 30c+ all the time, very often to 40c and a few times to 50c where the government declares a public holiday

Anyway, the owner's manual says SAE 5W-30 but I can't find anything in any auto shops or k-mart type stores here. The closest I can find is a local brand 5W-40, a shell 5W-40 and Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 A3/B3.

A mechanic someone recommended says he puts 20W-50 in everything here because of the weather, but I wasn't sure so I rang the Ford Dealers here and they said they get supplies of 10W-30 and they use that in all the Ford 4x4s. Its quite expensive compared to the magnatec 10W-40 so I was trying to work out if I 10W-40 would be ok.

I understand that its a semi-synthetic oil, but I'd like your take on this? Is it ok to use this oil in my car? Would it actually be better considering the weather?

I found this about someone who put 10W-40 in their expedition and the advice they got worries me ->

Quote:
<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="alt2" style="border-style: inset; border-width: 1px; font-family: verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucida grande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(222, 223, 223); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You've got one of the few vehicles that requires very light weight oil and you've put in the stuff that's so heavy that no one says you should use it anymore. I think this is a bigger deal than everyone, OK, most people here, are suggesting. I'd drive straight to the oil change shop and get it changed out ASAP. No need for additional cleaning though, just get it changed.

Every mile you drive with this heavy oil could be causing severe, irreversible damage to your engine. Just going the 3,000 miles to the next change could very well be enough damage to have to replace the engine . . . but . . . there's a chance that it could be fine too.

Is it worth saving $25 on an immediate oil change to gamble a $4,000 engine?

I'm so serious about this that I wouldn't drive it anywhere but to the shop to get the oil changed. Better yet, do it in the driveway yourself. You might want to ask someone else to help you than the genius that thought 10w-40 would be good though</td></tr></tbody></table>
Ref: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...7050332AALlS7r

 

That quote you found is good humor. Whoever posted that has no clue what they are talking about.

In your climate, 10w-40 is going to be just fine, and as you mention, probably better anyway. I read the posts title and thought I better suggest something thinner, but at my house this morning there is snow on the ground Different needs for sure.

It is absurd to suggest the minor differences between 5w qnd 10w oil will destroy an engine, or do irreversible harm. I would run the 10w-40 semi syn and be comfortable in the knowledge that it was a good choice.

 

In that climate on a well broken-in engine, I'd have no problem running 10W40.
Heck, I've run that wieght here in Canada for summer oil on an older car.

 

I find it funny that someone in Dubai, UAE is asking us here in the USA for advice on oil.

Oh well, I agree with everyone else that 10W-40 is going to be just fine. Since it's a synthetic blend, you can still get the recommended 5,000 miles between oil changes out of it too.

 

Thanks all! There's not many places around here that you can post for advice. Not as many Fords here either.

Majority consensus from a few forums seems to be 10W-40 should be fine, if not better.

There's a few people saying to change it out ASAP to a 5W, and not to risk it because its a high tolerance modular engine, and the internals will be starved, and to avoid excessive damage on startup.

Heck, one guy says he gives me a week before my engine gives out.

 

Simply ask the naysayers EXACTLY how many engines they know of first hand that have failed do to running 10w-40 oil. You are not going to find any.

The engine is much more durable than that anyway. My work truck is a 99 5.4 with over 250k miles on it. It has been on a diet of 10w-30 for probably the last 100k. Funny, it still runs great.

 

Sure you will find some. Since these people are so willing to make up false advice, then there's nothing stopping them from making up false statistics to backup their claims.