I just used semi synthetic oil instead of full synthetic in my 1996 lincoln town car executive
I bought a used lincoln town car executive and the manual said synthetic oil should be used but I just had an oil change using high mileage semi synthetic oil. Should I have any concerns about using this other oil instead of the full synthetic oil? The car has over 200,000 miles on it.
My car has 216480 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. If you asked this question about 10 years ago – then yes, you might have issues with seals or gaskets wearing prematurely. However, as technology has improved, the gap between semi-synthetic and full synthetic is not as big. You should be just fine without having problems.
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Engine Oil
5W-20 (All TEMPS) – This specification has been updated from 5W-30 to 5W-20 per a Technical Service Bulletin from the manufacturer 5W-20 is the preferred viscosity.
Answer. Synthetic oils typically provide better protection than conventional oils, but switching back and forth between full synthetic and conventional oil will not damage the engine.
Mobil 1 – Extended Performance 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil, 5 Quart (Part No. 14977)
Modern synthetic oil is safe to use in all types of vehicles, ranging from new purchases to classics to aging not-so-classics. The idea that synthetic oil could harm old engines probably comes from a time before synthetic oils had been extensively tested.
Engine Oil
4.5 quarts (with filter). After refill check oil level.
Mobil 1 – High Mileage 5W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil, 5 Quart (Part No. 120768)
Mineral, Semi Synthetic and Synthetic oils can all be mixed together, although this is not recommended. The reason this is not recommended is that during the blending process, various and different additive packs are added to the base oil to achieve various oil specifications for different intended applications.
The wrong engine oil can cause engine damage because it does not properly lubricate its components. This will lead to metal-on-metal contact since the moving parts are not being lubricated. Friction quickly follows, causing engine parts to wear.
Most Lincoln vehicles need regular unleaded fuel at the minimum, though premium fuel is recommended for every SUV for sale at our Lincoln dealership in Plymouth, MI.
Engine Oil
6 quarts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (with filter). After refill check oil level.
Monograde oils are still widely available, primarily because they`re used in very hot climates, or in heavy-duty applications such as mining or construction equipment. These single-grade oils can be used in 1950s and older cars – generally SAE 30 to SAE 50 – but most owners use multi-grade.
Switching from conventional motor oil to full synthetic motor oil is perfectly acceptable. Mobil 1 full synthetic motor oils are compatible with conventional oils, oils for high mileage vehicles, synthetic blends and other full synthetic oils. Engine flushing is not required.
Typically, cars require between 4.7 and 7.5 liters of motor oil, but each engine is different, so it`s best to look at your owner`s manual.
Most engines require anywhere between 5 to 8 quarts of oil, depending on the engine size. The smaller the engine, the less oil required to fill the volume of the engine. A 4-cylinder engine usually requires around 5 quarts of oil. A 6-cylinder engine uses roughly 6 quarts.
All LS engines after the LS1 (LS2 onwards, Commodore`s require 5w-30 from factory).
Although 10W30 is probably a bit thin for an LS1 especially in the QLD heat, so I`d be inclined to use a 10W40 or 10W50.
What is better semi synthetic or full synthetic oil? The more synthetic base oil contained in a motor oil in general the better the performance. In turn, a full synthetic motor oil formulated with a robust additive system will always be better than synthetic blends.
Better overall performance: Fully synthetic oil is designed for the purpose of reducing friction and wear on your engine. Improved fuel efficiency: Fully synthetic oil is thinner than semi-synthetic oil, which means it takes less energy to pump it through your engine.
You`re probably safe switching between different types of oil-after all, synthetic blends are safe to use, and they are a mix between the two. However, the absolute best resource for which kind of oil to use is your owner`s manual.
Keep in mind that mixing synthetic and conventional oil dilutes the beneficial effects of higher quality synthetic oil. Not only does this devalue your synthetic oil investment, but it may also lead to you needing an oil change earlier than expected.
When semi-synthetic oil is used for your vehicle, an oil change is recommended about every 6,000 miles. This is a little longer than with conventional oil changes.
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The recommended oil viscosity for your vehicle, according to Kia documentation, is 10W-40. If you drive the vehicle in exceptionally cold weather, well below 32 degrees, you can use 5W-30 oil but even 10W-40 is still perfectly OK to use if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.
Broadly speaking, mixing engine oils will not damage your vehicle`s engine. Although it`s worth noting that if you are thinking about doing so, it`s best to match the viscosity of both oils as closely as possible. Engine oils are graded by viscosity and defined by the temperature at which they best operate.
Because regular has lower octane, it is more prone to detonation. Burning regular in an engine designed for premium on a long-term basis or under heavy loads can cause engine knock, and that in turn can damage the pistons, valves or spark plugs.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I just used semi synthetic oil instead of full synthetic in my 1996 lincoln town car executive
ANSWER : Hi there. If you asked this question about 10 years ago – then yes, you might have issues with seals or gaskets wearing prematurely. However, as technology has improved, the gap between semi-synthetic and full synthetic is not as big. You should be just fine without having problems.
Oil change from regular oil to synthetic oil
ANSWER : Using the synthetic oil will not harm your motor or seals in any way as long as the oil weight is the same as recommended by manufacturer. You can keep using this oil until next oil change where you can go back to regular oil if you want.
Stop car check oil warning
ANSWER : This light will usually come on when one of two things are happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil or the oil pressure sending unit is not working properly and may be producing a faulty reading. I would recommend first, to check the actual oil level in the motor by using the dipstick. Be sure the oil level reaches the "full" mark. If this registers as "full" then you likely have a faulty oil pressure sending unit. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your low oil pressure light to come on.
Using oil blend on a car that requires synthetic oil
ANSWER : Looking at the information for your vehicle, it does not say that synthetic oil is required. Using a synthetic blend will be just fine. You can also switch back and forth between synthetic and non-synthetic without doing any damage. If for some reason, I’m incorrect and your manual does say it requires synthetic, using a blend won’t hurt anything. Just switch back to synthetic at your next oil change. I also suggest calling the team at YourMechanic for your next oil service since we make house calls.
My car is leaking oil i got an oil change for it last month but it is still leaking oil what will cause my car to leak oil ?
ANSWER : Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 23 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, if you smell burning oil, oil is probably leaking onto a hot engine part such as the exhaust manifold. A certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs.
As far as the check engine light, that is not related to the oil leak(s). If you request a check engine light diagnostic, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic would use a code scanner to retrieve the specific diagnostic trouble code(s) from your car’s PCM that have caused the check engine light to illuminate. Using those codes, the appropriate individual vehicle components or sub-systems (often a sensor, circuit, and the like) are then carefully tested, based on specifications set forth in your car’s Factory Service Manual, to pinpoint the cause of the fault or the reason why the check engine light has illuminated. Once the faulty part or component is identified, it is explained to your satisfaction and the mechanic will let you know of the cost to repair. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.
Can the oil pan gasket replacement be done at home? 2006 Lincoln Ls V8. Does it use just a liquid gasket or does it use an actual gasket?
ANSWER : Hi there. The oil pan gasket is either a gasket of cork or rubber (silicone molded) or a spread of RTV Silicone. The oil pan gasket can be removed at home, you will just have to jack up the vehicle and set it on jack stands. It is best to have the whole vehicle on jack stands, however, if you only have two jack stands, be sure to set the parking brake and put wheel chocks behind the rear wheels. If you need further assistance with replacing the oil pan gasket, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
think i put wrong oil in car went few miles lose power car dies oil in spark plugs still starts low oil blinking light before die.
ANSWER : Hello. If you put too thick of an oil in the car, then you may have damaged the engine bearings but this should not have caused oil to get in to the spark plugs unless the oil got into the intake of the engine or one of the pistons rings broke. If you ran it without oil and then tried to put oil in thinking it would be okay after that, then you were not that lucky and broke or damaged all of the rings on the pistons. If you would like to have this looked over, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the stalling issue and go over all of the relevant systems for a better diagnosis.
