5000 mile oil change?

[Red03Shaker]

lastweek when i dropped my car off at the dealer for some transmission clunkiness, and grinding noises, and a squeek from the back. i asked the guy could u change my oil too. he said itd be better to change it at 5000 miles for break in. but i would never drive any car for 5 k without changing the oil, especially my car. is this true? by the way i bought my own oil ne way and got mobil 1 full syn. **** its been a week without my baby...hopefully i get her back by the weekend

[Low Drag]

I think you two may have confused each other. Nothing wrong with changing the oil. I think what he was probably referring to was the fact that you shouldn't switch over to full synth until you've put around 5000 miles on the car.

[IMachU]

I agree with Low Drag. I first changed my oil at 900 miles, and again at 3000 miles. Those times I went with the recommended synth blend that Ford put in at the factory. At 3000 miles I went full synthetic, Ford brand. Gotta let those rings seat to the cylinder walls!

[Ralph Greene]

It's true everyone thinks you should change early to get rid of metal fragments, etc....but I'm beginning to think that's another myth that's needs to go away.

My shop (Lamotta Performance) has been cutting up filters from new cars that get their oil changed with only a few miles, and find nothing. So I'm beginning to think you can go by the owners manual.

BTW if you read Ford's recommenmdations closely...it doesn't exactly say 5000 miles. It says 5000 miles or 6 months whichever comes first for normal use. Then the manual defines normal use. Then it defines severe duty use with shorter change intervals. Which are you?

For me with this car, for normal use....6 months comes first...at usually around 3000-4000 miles. Read your manual! I think it's pretty accurate if you study what it really says.

[Shaker Dan]

If you have to let the rings seat why do some cars come from the factory with Synthetic Oil in them. I am not sold on that idea either. I changed over to syn at 1K.

I attempted that 5K change on my truck but that was with synthetic oil in it. That did not work out either. About the last 800 miles I noticed a little drag in the engine. I even tried it again to see if it was my imagination and the same thing. I am really hard though on the engines of my vehicles. They see a lot of RPMs.

The manual is for normal driving. So imagine the perfect world and you should be able to change it at 5K but certainly not in a world of dirt , stop and go traffic with highway driving thrown in there, etc....etc....

[sharp4.6]

It's true everyone thinks you should change early to get rid of metal fragments, etc....but I'm beginning to think that's another myth that's needs to go away.

Ralph,

I usually, read all your post, and agree with most of them, as you seem to have great knowledge of Mustangs, and engines.

But, I have always changed oil on a new car or engine around 500 to 1000 miles. Just for my own piece of mind, it only costs a few bucks.

When I changed the oil in my Mach 1, at 900 miles I did, find some metal in the oil filter, I don't know whether, to be concerned or not, but I do feel better knowing, that the metal was not, hanging out in my engine for another 4000 miles.

Just my opinion

[Medium Cool]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ralph Greene
[B]It's true everyone thinks you should change early to get rid of metal fragments, etc....but I'm beginning to think that's another myth that's needs to go away."

I couldn't agree more. This is, for better or worse, Ford's motor and the wise move imho is to follow their guidance---for technical/warranty reasons. The local techs suggest Mobil 1 after about 10K, which makes sense to me.

One can't compare Mach 1 engines (all things being equal) with those that come awash with synthetic oil---they're of different design and specs. That isn't to say that changing quickly to 100% synthetic will necessarily be a source of problems...one just has to make judgments.

I've owned over 20 new cars and never had problems when following the rules. Only when "not thinking" did I loses a motor or transmission. Interestingly, Ford motors took shameful abuse better than most.

[Ralph Greene]

The manual is for normal driving. So imagine the perfect world and you should be able to change it at 5K but certainly not in a world of dirt , stop and go traffic with highway driving thrown in there, etc....etc.... [/B][/QUOTE]

That's sorta my point. The owners manual drfines severe duty also, for 3 month intervals and 3000 or so oil changes. It includes dusty conditions, towing, stop and go driving, short trips, etc. I would also add racing to that list.

So I think the Ford manual is about right. It asks you the use of your car, and recommends either normal or severe use schedules.

BTW in 1999 I bought a very expensive Sean Hyland Motorsport long block for a blower application. The oil instructions said to use any 5W30 cheap dyno oil for first 150 miles, and Mobile 1 5W30 after that at normal change intervals for severe duty use. That engine had spent some time in a machine shop and probably wasn't as clean inside as a stock block. And instructions said to drive it easy keeping RPM down first 1000 miles. That's it.

[Greg Matty]

Originally posted by sharp4.6
Ralph,

I usually, read all your post, and agree with most of them, as you seem to have great knowledge of Mustangs, and engines.

But, I have always changed oil on a new car or engine around 500 to 1000 miles. Just for my own piece of mind, it only costs a few bucks.

When I changed the oil in my Mach 1, at 900 miles I did, find some metal in the oil filter, I don't know whether, to be concerned or not, but I do feel better knowing, that the metal was not, hanging out in my engine for another 4000 miles.

Just my opinion

Sharp 4.6,

I am not quite ready for my first oil change but intend to do this one, and all of them, myself. I have not even looked to see where the oil filter is located. Can it be removed without getting oil everywhere? I will jack the car up and then lower it onto ramps or jack stands so I won't have a ton of room.

Greg

[White2003Mach1]

oil change frequency is as much a personal choice as the type of oil and filter you use

being the son of a Ford mechanic of 45+ years it was drilled into me at an early age that keeping the oil changed was as important as keeping gas in the car

if you can stay within the manual's recommended guidlines (3000~5000 miles) the engine should survive many miles of use

as far as changing the oil i think most of the guys on the registry us Rino drive on ramps (i got mine at Pep Boys for about $20)

i'm 5'11" 240 lbs and its easy for me to slide under the car when it's on the ramps

[nrmustang]

Originally posted by Greg Matty
Sharp 4.6,

I am not quite ready for my first oil change but intend to do this one, and all of them, myself. I have not even looked to see where the oil filter is located. Can it be removed without getting oil everywhere? I will jack the car up and then lower it onto ramps or jack stands so I won't have a ton of room.

Greg

The oil filter is on the drivers side, front of the engine right above the rack and pinion, I use a plastic shopping bag and drape it over the rack underneath the filter so that none of the oil gets down in the little crevases, or on the rubber boots. Then after i'm done I just throw away the plastic and have very little to clean up.
Hope that helps.

[sharp4.6]

The oil filter is on the drivers side, front of the engine right above the rack and pinion, I use a plastic shopping bag and drape it over the rack underneath the filter so that none of the oil gets down in the little crevases, or on the rubber boots. Then after i'm done I just throw away the plastic and have very little to clean up.

The plastic shopping bag trick worked for me, I use the Rhino ramps.

[Red03Shaker]

my car has 2200 miles, should i go buy some syn blend, then on my 3rd oil change but full syn in? im confused as hell....but i dont want to hurt my car, or take away future miles in like 10 years

[1WiCKEDMach]

I had the dealer change my oil at 500 miles. They said nothing about 5k miles to me. My first 500 miles involved alot of quick reving(beating the Sh*t out of it) to makesure the rings seated. I had the dealer keep the filter for me, and i cut it open at my friends race shop and it looked like a brand new filter. Not a single piece of metal in it. I would hope that buy now your rings have seated and putting in a synthetic would be ok. I am waiting till i hit 5k miles to run a full racing synthetic. At the dyno day tach9 saw some great results 13.4 rwhp and 27.5 tq going to royal purple synthetic. I was thier and saw it happen, otherwise i would have thought it was BS. And after meeting tach9 he dosent remind me of the kind of guy who would lie about something like that.

[Red03Shaker]

**** where do u get the royal purpse stuff? do they make it in 5w 20? im gonna buy that stuff next

[1WiCKEDMach]

Its Royal Purple Racing 11 (5w-20) and you can PM tach9 and he can get you some. But it would probably be easier for you to drive over to Vic hubbard on A street in hayward. They carry royal purple and if they dont have it in stock they can order it for you.

If you want i can PM you with my jobber number to get it discounted.