2005 alternative to Motorcraft products?

[Ron W.]

While reading the owners manual and trying to educate myself it refers to using Motorcraft
products pretty much exclusively. Do any of you have suggestions on equal or better quality
oils and fluids to use in my new baby? Only the best will do 🙂
Thanks

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[RDH]

Doesn't Motorcraft have Gold Oil or is that Gold Antifreeze?

 

[Ron W.]

Doesn't Motorcraft have Gold Oil or is that Gold Antifreeze?

I remember something about Motorcraft gold sold in Canada. Can't remember if it was oil or coolant.

 

[Warrbucks]

While reading the owners manual and trying to educate myself it refers to using Motorcraft
products pretty much exclusively. Do any of you have suggestions on equal or better quality
oils and fluids to use in my new baby? Only the best will do 🙂
Thanks

Stick with motorcraft. I have a Ford mechanic at my local shop who knows our cars & my 2002 T. Motor craft blended oil is best & he recommended it & that I follow the manual maintenance record. I tried a full synthetic & got the occasional oil burning smell mentioned in the forum. Nit so with the blended. My 2002 had 25000 miles 3 years ago, now 45000 & it gets everything the manual recommends. What a great car, tho ive replaced a battery and a power steering pump & pressure switch. Runs like a champ. Occasional idiosyncrasies crop up , all covered on this forum. Parts (some Jaguar) can be hard to find, but mostly Lincoln LS parts work. Mines a daily driver, despite some saying we shouldn’. I think it does a car no good to sit, tho I don’t drive it in bad weather or wet roads (if I can help it) I love driving it to work & on weekend trips. Enjoy!

 

[56special]

The previous owner used Mobil 1 full synthetic, so I stuck with it. No issues to report.
Use this spark plug: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BUCKQ8/?tag=thunderbirdforum-20
And this Coil: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XQ2M9CQ/?tag=thunderbirdforum-20
These are the same ones recommended here in the forum. Makes ALL the difference.
My mechanic prefers Motorcraft for everything else.

 

[biddle]

My mechanic prefers Motorcraft for everything else.

With no scientific explanation why. Most parts are made in China and the irony is, the part being replaced that failed is often OEM. LOL

Also, mechanics make money off the part too.

 

[Ron W.]

Stick with motorcraft. I have a Ford mechanic at my local shop who knows our cars & my 2002 T. Motor craft blended oil is best & he recommended it & that I follow the manual maintenance record. I tried a full synthetic & got the occasional oil burning smell mentioned in the forum. Nit so with the blended. My 2002 had 25000 miles 3 years ago, now 45000 & it gets everything the manual recommends. What a great car, tho ive replaced a battery and a power steering pump & pressure switch. Runs like a champ. Occasional idiosyncrasies crop up , all covered on this forum. Parts (some Jaguar) can be hard to find, but mostly Lincoln LS parts work. Mines a daily driver, despite some saying we shouldn’. I think it does a car no good to sit, tho I don’t drive it in bad weather or wet roads (if I can help it) I love driving it to work & on weekend trips. Enjoy!

Tho she will be my daily car now that I'm retired she wont be driven a lot. When I was working I packed on the miles on my 01 Jag as sometimes location gigs
could be a good distance. One studio is just 10 minutes down the street but wouldn't you know after all these years I only did two shows there LOL.

Stick with motorcraft. I have a Ford mechanic at my local shop who knows our cars & my 2002 T. Motor craft blended oil is best & he recommended it & that I follow the manual maintenance record. I tried a full synthetic & got the occasional oil burning smell mentioned in the forum. Nit so with the blended. My 2002 had 25000 miles 3 years ago, now 45000 & it gets everything the manual recommends. What a great car, tho ive replaced a battery and a power steering pump & pressure switch. Runs like a champ. Occasional idiosyncrasies crop up , all covered on this forum. Parts (some Jaguar) can be hard to find, but mostly Lincoln LS parts work. Mines a daily driver, despite some saying we shouldn’. I think it does a car no good to sit, tho I don’t drive it in bad weather or wet roads (if I can help it) I love driving it to work & on weekend trips. Enjoy!

Got ahold of my mechanic before he changed the oil and he will be using Motorcraft now 🙂

 

[Warrbucks]

Tho she will be my daily car now that I'm retired she wont be driven a lot. When I was working I packed on the miles on my 01 Jag as sometimes location gigs
could be a good distance. One studio is just 10 minutes down the street but wouldn't you know after all these years I only did two shows there LOL.


Got ahold of my mechanic before he changed the oil and he will be using Motorcraft now 🙂

Blended 5w20 half synthetic half standard oil.

 

[Ron W.]

Blended 5w20 half synthetic half standard oil.

Yes indeed.

 

[rocket rick]

I have used Motorcraft products for years in all my fords. plugs, oils and filters. Many fords many miles not a problem one.

 

[DennisC]

While reading the owners manual and trying to educate myself it refers to using Motorcraft
products pretty much exclusively. Do any of you have suggestions on equal or better quality
oils and fluids to use in my new baby? Only the best will do 🙂
Thanks

Hi Ron, I highly recommend using Mobil 1 5w-20 motor oil in place of Motorcraft synthetic blend. It’s great oil. Ask your dealer what they use in their new cars. Synthetic blend just keeps you going back for more frequent changes where they get to sell you stuff. By way of example, Mobil 1 is the only oil Nissan uses at their dealerships in their cars. Anyway Your engine will thank you! Stick with the motorcraft oil filter FL-2021. it’s one thing they do particularly well. I use their Ford Performance Racing filter in my Mustang GT but that’s another story. Also I really like repalcing the Motorcraft cabin filter with the Fram Fresh Breeze with Arm & Hammer & odor eliminator...part #CF9465A about $17 on Amazon. You can drive behind a diesel powered vehicle and not smell a thing. Many years ago I was an old school PA state inspection mechanic. My favorite saying to customers especially the ones that were always past their mileage limit, was telling them oil is the cheapest thing you can put in your car to give it a long life. So pay a little more for Full Synthetic and you will extend the life of your engine. Be safe out there and best of luck with your new ride.

 

[Ron W.]

Hi Ron, I highly recommend using Mobil 1 5w-20 motor oil in place of Motorcraft synthetic blend. It’s great oil. Ask your dealer what they use in their new cars. Synthetic blend just keeps you going back for more frequent changes where they get to sell you stuff. By way of example, Mobil 1 is the only oil Nissan uses at their dealerships in their cars. Anyway Your engine will thank you! Stick with the motorcraft oil filter FL-2021. it’s one thing they do particularly well. I use their Ford Performance Racing filter in my Mustang GT but that’s another story. Also I really like repalcing the Motorcraft cabin filter with the Fram Fresh Breeze with Arm & Hammer & odor eliminator...part #CF9465A about $17 on Amazon. You can drive behind a diesel powered vehicle and not smell a thing. Many years ago I was an old school PA state inspection mechanic. My favorite saying to customers especially the ones that were always past their mileage limit, was telling them oil is the cheapest thing you can put in your car to give it a long life. So pay a little more for Full Synthetic and you will extend the life of your engine. Be safe out there and best of luck with your new ride.

Thanks for the advice. One thing I have read here is that people tend to experience a burnt oil smell with a full synthetic. Unfortunately the oil change has already taken place so I could try the mobile on my next change. have it written down ( with a hundred other notes from the forum) 🙂

 

[The Flash]

Motorcraft does not make much. they buy all their oils from suppliers and most parts are out-source for any car that is 15 plus years old. there are better oils made now than in 2003.

and the dealers charge WAY-TO _MUCH money for the part and labor.

 

[DennisC]

Thanks for the advice. One thing I have read here is that people tend to experience a burnt oil smell with a full synthetic. Unfortunately the oil change has already taken place so I could try the mobile on my next change. have it written down ( with a hundred other notes from the forum) 🙂

All I can report is that I have six vehicles and two pressure washers. Everything runs on Mobil 1 except my Audi A8 twin turbo which uses Motul. I can report that the Audi and 2019 Mustang GT each use a 1/2 quart between changes but I attribute that to my desire to enjoy the power if you know what I mean.

 

[Icewine]

With no scientific explanation why. Most parts are made in China and the irony is, the part being replaced that failed is often OEM. LOL

Also, mechanics make money off the part too.

If you have ever seen a side by side comparison of Motorcraft or OEM parts to off-shore components, you would never use a non-Ford part. Look at something as simple as an oil filter and you will be hard pressed to find a better quality part than the Motorcraft filter.

Full disclosure ... I am a retired Ford corporate guy. That said, I have seen Ford parts versus jobber parts and I can’t imagine putting a cheap facsimile of a proper part on my baby.

 

[rocket rick]

full disclosure, I am retired ford mechanic and couldn't agree more.

 

[neuron]

I have owned 34 cars so far, any good name full synthetic works well, most important to use the best oil filter. There is a guy on Youtube that tests oils, coolants, and everything under the sun, I think they are valid tests, check them out. Good test of oil filters on Youtube too, I bought mine based on that. If I get time later I will post his site name. Rock Auto has been my go to for factory and equivalent for the best prices.

 

[Ron W.]

I have owned 34 cars so far, any good name full synthetic works well, most important to use the best oil filter. There is a guy on Youtube that tests oils, coolants, and everything under the sun, I think they are valid tests, check them out. Good test of oil filters on Youtube too, I bought mine based on that. If I get time later I will post his site name. Rock Auto has been my go to for factory and equivalent for the best prices.

Thank you all info is greatly appreciated.

 

[DennisC]

Doesn't Motorcraft have Gold Oil or is that Gold Antifreeze?

Just going back the last 20 years or so Ford has made 5 different coolants. The oldest was GREEN which ended around 2001. Followed by GOLD which was great stuff. Deisgned for the newer aluminum blocks and probably what our Tbirds were shipped with. Then came SPECIALTY GREEN only lasted a couple of years. ORANGE followed that and was not very good. It had protection problems and is no longer made. Today they use YELLOW know as a P-OAT formula. Phosphate Organic Acid Technology. The great thing about this formula is it does all the good things you want in a coolant. It has good heat transfer properties, works well in the cold, works well protecting the new aluminum and old cast iron engines and best of all it is backward compatible so it can be mixed with older formulas. It is considered the longest lasting with a claim of 10 years or 200,000 miles. Of course you would need a drain and flush to have that type of life. The one negative I am aware of is you can't just add tap water in radiator. You need to use distilled water because the Phosphate part of the formula reacts negatively with the minerals in regular tap water. Hope this helps.

 

[neuron]

Just going back the last 20 years or so Ford has made 5 different coolants. The oldest was GREEN which ended around 2001. Followed by GOLD which was great stuff. Deisgned for the newer aluminum blocks and probably what our Tbirds were shipped with. Then came SPECIALTY GREEN only lasted a couple of years. ORANGE followed that and was not very good. It had protection problems and is no longer made. Today they use YELLOW know as a P-OAT formula. Phosphate Organic Acid Technology. The great thing about this formula is it does all the good things you want in a coolant. It has good heat transfer properties, works well in the cold, works well protecting the new aluminum and old cast iron engines and best of all it is backward compatible so it can be mixed with older formulas. It is considered the longest lasting with a claim of 10 years or 200,000 miles. Of course you would need a drain and flush to have that type of life. The one negative I am aware of is you can't just add tap water in radiator. You need to use distilled water because the Phosphate part of the formula reacts negatively with the minerals in regular tap water. Hope this helps.

I haven't used tap water in years after seeing the scale buildup in the cars I worked on, its acts like an insulator degrading heat transfer, especially the hard water around here.