'02 Focus and 10w40?

positron · 11-11-2010 10:30am #1

Got an oil and filter change done for an '02 Ford Focus 1.4L at a local place yesterday, and looking at the receipt I see that they have used 10w40. I thought I read somewhere that Ford recommends 5w30 for Focus?

Despite being an '02, the car has only done 30k miles, and with cold weather around the corner and with the car only used for small runs, should I be concerned, or concerned enough to go back and politely ask that they redo it with 5w30?

Thanks in advance!

El Guapo! · 11-11-2010 10:35am

Yep, Ford reccommend 5w30 semi-synthetic. They should've known that as the majority of fords use this oil. You should go back and get them to re-do it with the correct oil.

dr.fuzzenstein · 11-11-2010 11:16am

Also check with Ford.
And you can be sure the place that di your oil change will say "Ah sure, she'll be grand, sure we do loads of them, a grand now, ah won't do any harm, what do Ford know anyway, etc..."
The days of just throwing any oil into cars is long gone and just the correct grade of oil isn't good enough, it has to fulfill a specific norm.
So even if you get 5w30 oil is it the right one?
Remember, oil is the easiest way to completely ruin an engine and once the damage is done it can't be undone.

positron · 11-11-2010 11:25am

Google'd a bit and it looks like Ford has been recommending 5w30 for Focus since late 90s. Either the garage got it wrong, or they tried to save some money, 10w40 is cheaper, isn't it?

It's not just that it's the wrong oil, from reading various links and discussions, 10w40 seems to be thicker and would take longer to warm up than 5w30, especially now that we are going into proper winter!

Thanks for the comments - I think 'll give them a ring and see what they have to say.

Plug · 11-11-2010 1:22pm

If it was a BMW M5 with an engine worth around 30 grand I'd be worrying but its not. We use 5w 30 oil on fords but tbh I don't see what is going to cause an 8 year 1.4 engine to completly fail over time because you used the wrong oil once.
Sure go back to him and see what he says and if he throws a pussy fit just forget about it.

positron · 11-11-2010 1:47pm

Plug, not sure if I can afford to write it off as a cheap car - the car might only be worth between 3-5k, but I can't imagine how long it's going to take me to save up that much again. Also why should I lose that for someone doing a bad job that's worth 40 quid?

If he won't fix it, I am thinking I will have to DIY it or take it elsewhere.

Plug · 11-11-2010 1:53pm

If the worst comes to the worst you can do it yourself. 13mm spanner and an oil filter wrench but its NOT going to ruin your engine;)

positron · 23-11-2010 11:32am

Apologies for the late update, but I was back onto them stating my case and above facts, and the man did the decent thing and offered to change it to 5w30. I took up on that offer, and everyone is happy!

And because he did the decent thing, I bought two front tyres of him too. He might have adjusted the tyre prices to recover the profit lost on oil change, but at least he did it the right way). They were also the cheapest to do just an oil and filter change - just €40 for a 1.4 Ford Focus. Over all this is my first positive experience with a garage in Ireland since 2004.

Thanks everyone!

Avns1s · 23-11-2010 11:39am

A good result all round.

Using 10W-40 oil in the focus is something many garages do.

It wont cause the engine to "fail" but seemingly does cause it to start using oil. This can generally be reversed by the use of 5W-30 over a series of services.

Best to use the recommended oil all the while.

voxpop · 23-11-2010 11:43am

10w40 is just slightly thicker than 5w30 - i dont see how that will cause the car to use more oil. Using a thinner oil is more likely to cause that than thicker - especially if the engine is worn a bit .

You might get better fuel economy with the 5w30 - id be more interested in the actual oil used rather than the viscosity.

positron · 23-11-2010 11:51am

Immediately after the first change (bad oil to 10w40), the car felt much smoother, but considerably slower / sluggish. Second time around (10w40 to 5w40), the car felt smooth but easier to get moving. This could be a placebo-ish thing, but that's how I felt anyway.

I have no way to tell if they are using good oil or not - it's a large setup and seems to be fairly busy, so they probably have own supplier / large contract for oil with someone.

I might DIY it next time, however, I can't see what I can save by DIY'ing though (other than satisfaction). Focus takes 3.8 lts of 5w30, cost of that + new filter + disposing old oil can not be considerably cheaper than €40 that I paid to get this done by professionals while I go and do other things with my time?

voxpop · 23-11-2010 11:54am

oil is free to dispose of - just bring it to your local recycling centre.

As for 40quid for a service - you would find it hard enough to do it for that yourself - their labour rates must be nothing or its really sh1te oil

Avns1s · 23-11-2010 11:57am

voxpop wrote: »

10w40 is just slightly thicker than 5w30 - i dont see how that will cause the car to use more oil. Using a thinner oil is more likely to cause that than thicker - especially if the engine is worn a bit .

You might get better fuel economy with the 5w30 - id be more interested in the actual oil used rather than the viscosity.

Well, without wishing to be sarcastic, whether you can see it or not, that is the way it is!!

Have a google, I am sure it will come up.
It must be something along the lines of the thicker oil gumming up or coking up the oil rings on the pistons. It is absolutely the case though. I have a few people coming to me with focus's burning oil (or should that be focii) and I know the oil that was used before was 10W-40. A few changes with 5W-30 reduces consumption considerably.

Perhaps others have a different story to relate.

Avns1s · 23-11-2010 12:00pm

positron wrote: »

Immediately after the first change (bad oil to 10w40), the car felt much smoother, but considerably slower / sluggish. Second time around (10w40 to 5w40), the car felt smooth but easier to get moving. This could be a placebo-ish thing, but that's how I felt anyway.

I have no way to tell if they are using good oil or not - it's a large setup and seems to be fairly busy, so they probably have own supplier / large contract for oil with someone.

I might DIY it next time, however, I can't see what I can save by DIY'ing though (other than satisfaction). Focus takes 3.8 lts of 5w30, cost of that + new filter + disposing old oil can not be considerably cheaper than €40 that I paid to get this done by professionals while I go and do other things with my time?

Oil and a filter for a focus will be in the region of €35 from a motor factors. Most garages will use a cheaper oil. Not necessarily worse, but bought in bulk and a cheaper brand than what you will likely use yourself.

Oil and filter change on a 02 focus is a quick and straightforward procedure. You'll have the satisfaction of having done it yourself as well.

positron · 23-11-2010 12:13pm

PS: Slightly unrelated but, just figured out that my two liter 05 petrol Accord is running on 10W-40, when the recommendation is to use 5w-40! Last oil change was done by Honda themselves, and I was delighted that they thoughtfully gave me a litre of oil, paper funnel, napkins etc in a little pouch with the service. Apparently 10W-40 is recommended for diesel Accords, and 5W-40 for petrol Accords. Is it easy to DIY oil change on an 05 petrol Accord, does anyone know? Thanks!

voxpop · 23-11-2010 12:17pm

10w40 is slightly thicker when cold but is the exact same viscosity when warm as 5w40. I think your mad if you are going to change just for the sake of it.

positron · 23-11-2010 12:30pm

voxpop, it's not just that though. It's been some six months since the last oil change, and the next service is not until another six months, and the car is now mostly used for short runs, and we are going into winter etc. But like with everything, cost and effort required is going to decide it all in the end!

'02 Focus and 10w40?

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