What type of oil does a Taurus or Sable use?

Answer 1

The Owners Manual is a reliable source of information on the vehicle's fluids - oil, transmission, anti-freeze, etc.

See "Related Questions" below for free online sources of Owners Manuals

Note: Ford issued a TSB (technical service bulletin TSB 02-1-9) regarding the 5w20 superseding 5w30 Owners Manual specifications. Applies to the majority of the car products back to the early 1990's.

See "Related Links" or search on FORD TSB 02-1-9 for more details.

AnswerI've been doing research on the 5w-20 vs 5w-30 stuff, it is just for CAFE regulations and to squeeze about 2-3 more MPG out of the motors so the car looks to sell. In hotter climates the 5w-20 does not protect the engine sufficiently, especially if it is a conventional (non-synthetic) oil--it is more likely to burn or "cook". This has been debated among Taurus enthusiasts to the point where the clear line is, it's only for increased MPG. MediaRocker543

If the engine has over 50,000 miles, which I am sure you are, 10W30.

5W30, especially if you're in a colder climate. It's thinner and circulates faster on start.

Use exactly what the manufacture recommends. 5w30 should be the recommendation.

Answer

Two of the major factors in deciding what type of oil to put into a car's engine are: the number of miles on the engine, and the usual outside temperature where the car will be driven.

Focusing on just the Taurus/Sable (though this advice would apply to many other car models), the user manual for the 1995 Taurus (my model) lists both 5W30 and 10W30 (thicker than 5W30), but doesn't say how to decide which to use. My recommendation is that if the engine has over 50,000-75,000 miles (depending on how hard it's been used--hauling or not, etc), and/or is going to be driven in hotter temperatures (average of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter), use 10W30. Oil thicker than 5W is better at filling the wider gaps that exist in an older engine, and keeps many engines better lubricated in colder weather. Some people even recommend using 10W40 if the engine has over 100,000 miles and is going to be driven in hot environments, but if your older car's engine does well on 10W30 (doesn't run too hot, doesn't make popping/knocking/pinging noises, etc.), use 10W30 instead of 10W40, and you might get better gas mileage. If the engine has fewer miles, and/or is going to be driven in colder weather, use 5W30, or even 5W20 (especially if it's a newer car). Some people also recommend using conventional oil in engines with 50,000 miles or more, but I'd recommend using a conventional/synthetic blend so you can get some of the benefits of both.

If your weather temperature varies widely between summer and winter, you might do well to change your oil accordingly as the weather starts to change each year, which would fit with many cars' maintenance schedule of replacing the oil every six months in normal use.