USING THE WRONG ENGINE OIL OR FILTER
Engine Oil
A few years ago, a frantic woman called me during my national radio show. Her
husband, a mechanic from the “old school,” refused to use the oil that was
suggested by the manufacturer in her new Ford Taurus. The car had a high-
performance V-6 engine (double overhead cam). This design required 5W20
semi-synthetic oil. The husband had used “straight 30 weight” oil for years
successfully in his vehicles, and he wasn’t going to pay the high price for “new
fangled” oil. At 25,000 miles, the engine had developed a faint knocking sound
at idle that escalated under acceleration. The dealer determined that the engine
had a rod knock caused by using the wrong engine oil. Although the car was still
within the warranty period, the claim was denied and the elderly couple was
faced with a $5,000 bill to replace the engine in their one-year-old Taurus. Don’t
be pennywise and pound foolish. Take care of your car’s engine by giving it a
healthy diet of the recommended oil.
Oil Filter
Not all oil filters are created equal. Always buy OEM (original equipment)
quality or better. Cheap knockoff filters often lack check valves to ensure proper
prime when starting a cold engine and fine micron filter media to trap very small
particulates. Just because it may look like the old one and it screws onto the
engine doesn’t mean it’s what your vehicle needs. Spend a little money now;
save a lot of money later.