alfredfife Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Please give me your opinions on using 100% pure 87 octane gas (no ethanol), amsoil full synthetic oil and filter (15000 mile changes), and nitrogen filled tires vs air in the 2011 Ex. My apologies if these topics are covered elsewhere. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Please give me your opinions on using 100% pure 87 octane gas (no ethanol), amsoil full synthetic oil and filter (15000 mile changes), and nitrogen filled tires vs air in the 2011 Ex. My apologies if these topics are covered elsewhere. Thank you. The less ethanol the better. If you can get 100% gasoline use it. Amsoil is up to you - personally I'd stick with the factory synthetic blend and mfr intervals. 15,000 mile intervals could void your warranty. Also make sure the oil meets the ford spec. Just because it's synthetic doesn't mean it's suitable. Nitrogen isn't all that important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryG Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Please give me your opinions on using 100% pure 87 octane gas (no ethanol), amsoil full synthetic oil and filter (15000 mile changes), and nitrogen filled tires vs air in the 2011 Ex. My apologies if these topics are covered elsewhere. Thank you. The 100% pure 87 octane has more BTU's and energy than any higher octane gas and adding any ethanol is a government ripe-off regarding pollution and MPG. I wouldn't pay for the cost of Amsoil over Mobil 1 at WalMart and they sell Motorcraft oil filters that are designed for your Ford. Nitrogen filled tires are a waste on anything other than race cars like in the Daytona 500 where tire heat is a real issue. If you can get 100% 87 ethanol free gas, use it. Use a full synthetic oil for cold starts and duration of oil changes. Keep your tire pressure at or above the recommended pressure. I keep my tire pressure at max sidewall and 6psi above for MPG, handling, tire wear, safety and expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Please give me your opinions on using 100% pure 87 octane gas (no ethanol), amsoil full synthetic oil and filter (15000 mile changes), and nitrogen filled tires vs air in the 2011 Ex. My apologies if these topics are covered elsewhere. Thank you. Congratulations on your new 2011 Explorer alfredfife! Do not pay even a nominal premium for the three items you noted. 87 octane E10 fuel, any 5W-20 motor oil that meets Ford spec WSS-M2C930-A, and atmospheric air in tires (inflated to the proper pressure) are all perfectly fine. Keep your tire pressure at or above the recommended pressure. ...[inflate tires] at max sidewall and 6psi above to the value specified on the label affixed to your Explorer, NOT the maximum value imprinted on the tire sidewall for MPG, handling, tire wear, safety and expense. Fixed. Edited April 17, 2011 by aneekr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredfife Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 Thank you all for your responses. Other opinions welcome. I think you guys have saved me some money. Love my new Ex. and thank you again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClutchTime Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I was under the impression that, due to government regulations, all gasoline(not counting race gas) had to be 10 percent ethanol. It's been several years since the last non-ethanol stations I used to frequent switched to E10. I recently read a long, detailed, test result filled post by an Amsoil dealer that used it in his own car. Long story short, he only uses Mobil 1 now. Atmospheric air is already 70% nitrogen. If they want to put 100% in my tires, fine, but I'm not paying extra or going out of my way to find it. We're talking about cars and trucks, not military aircraft taking off at 170+ knots. Doesn't matter for us. Back to the oil, how many of you use the Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w20 that Wal-Mart sells? I've only recently started using it in my mom's 2011 Focus and she hasn't made it to the second oil change yet. I'd like to hear your thoughts about how well it held up for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Back to the oil, how many of you use the Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w20 that Wal-Mart sells? I've only recently started using it in my mom's 2011 Focus and she hasn't made it to the second oil change yet. I'd like to hear your thoughts about how well it held up for you. It's the factory oil and it doesn't matter where you buy it. It holds up perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClutchTime Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 It's the factory oil and it doesn't matter where you buy it. It holds up perfectly. I apologize for seeming ignorant about this oil. I guess I am since I use Mobil 1 in everything I own. I wasn't asking if it matters if it comes from Wal-Mart. I only said that because that's about the only place I can find it here. I've poured this stuff once and from what I've seen, although it was dark, it's not the exact same stuff thats installed in the factory unless something has changed. A friend of mine purchased 4 new Ford Vehicles in six years and changed the factory oil within the first couple weeks of owning them all. The factory oil was green. I didn't believe it until I saw it in a clear container, but it was green. I did a few first oil changes on various Fords for other people and noticed the same thing. The main thing I was asking is if anyone has used that oil in comparison to something else and noticed a difference. For example, my Mustang makes more engine noise with fresh Castrol Syntec than it does with Mobil 1 after 6000 miles. Drained the Castrol and put in Mobil1, and it was silent. As far as I'm concerned, Castrol Syntec doesn't hold up "perfectly" and it costs twice as much and is full synthetic. BMW installs it from the factory but my small block V8 still thinks it crap. So, why should I trust the cheapest non-store brand oil on the shelf just because it say's Motorcraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobrajim Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I apologize for seeming ignorant about this oil. I guess I am since I use Mobil 1 in everything I own. I wasn't asking if it matters if it comes from Wal-Mart. I only said that because that's about the only place I can find it here. I've poured this stuff once and from what I've seen, although it was dark, it's not the exact same stuff thats installed in the factory unless something has changed. A friend of mine purchased 4 new Ford Vehicles in six years and changed the factory oil within the first couple weeks of owning them all. The factory oil was green. I didn't believe it until I saw it in a clear container, but it was green. I did a few first oil changes on various Fords for other people and noticed the same thing. The main thing I was asking is if anyone has used that oil in comparison to something else and noticed a difference. For example, my Mustang makes more engine noise with fresh Castrol Syntec than it does with Mobil 1 after 6000 miles. Drained the Castrol and put in Mobil1, and it was silent. As far as I'm concerned, Castrol Syntec doesn't hold up "perfectly" and it costs twice as much and is full synthetic. BMW installs it from the factory but my small block V8 still thinks it crap. So, why should I trust the cheapest non-store brand oil on the shelf just because it say's Motorcraft. the motorcraft 5w20 oil is a semi-synthetic,and the greenish tint in the factory oil is dye for leak detection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 the motorcraft 5w20 oil is a semi-synthetic,and the greenish tint in the factory oil is dye for leak detection. Actually it's so the dealer can tell if the factory oil has never been changed. And yes - it's the same oil regardless. No reason to use anything else - it's a great oil. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I was under the impression that, due to government regulations, all gasoline(not counting race gas) had to be 10 percent ethanol. It's been several years since the last non-ethanol stations I used to frequent switched to E10. 10% ethanol is not "mandatory". Most oil companies use it because it allows them to get a couple more octane points cheaply. Better than that, they get federal tax credit for every gallon of ethanol they blend in. Some states do not allow gas stations to advertise 100% gasoline, even if it is accurate. Ethanol is still not widely available in all states because of delivery issues (if must be transported by truck or rail). The blending typically happens at the local distribution center, possibly even as they fill the truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Greene Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 And....I can't tell E 10 hurts my MPG much. My 2005 Montego still got 29.5 MPG (actually 29.6) on recent 4600 mile trip to S Dakota and back recently....using fuel with 10% ethanol. Myself and 12 year old grandson, so admittedly lightly loaded, and I'm an easy driver. That's computing fuel used and miles driven, not the car's computer. My complaint wuth ethanol is what it's made from in this country, and it's subsidy, not the using of it. For most uses and climates, synthetic engine oil a waste. Ford factory fill more than adequate for several hundred thousand mile engine life, and most normal uses, and as pointed out above, nitrogen in tires mostly useful when it's very important to control tire temps to very small changes. NASCAR drivers say they can feel 1/4 lb differences. I can't. Nitrogen allows them to have a set of tires ready for next pit stop, with each tire set to a different pressure, and that pressure not changing due to sun shinning on tire in pits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredfife Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 I can feel 1/8 lb difference and I have a set of tires ready in my garage to change after evey trip to Wal-Mart!!!! Got to have Nitrogen. You can sniff it, too, during each tire change! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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