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For your Ford Ranger, you can use either 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil. It's important to change your oil regularly, ideally every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. Neglecting oil changes can lead to engine issues, so it's crucial to use high-quality oil to keep your engine running smoothly. If you ignore oil maintenance, you may encounter a burning smell, potentially signaling engine problems that must be addressed promptly to avoid any dangerous situations like engine failure or even an explosion. Additionally, poor oil quality can result in terrible gas mileage and engine noises like knocking.
What is the best kind of oil to use?
I don't understand why you wouldn't have confidence in using synthetic oil! The reason they suggest different viscosity oils in other countries is due to their engines being different. For the small turbocharged engine, I would stick with the suggested 5w20 oil type. I would also go for a full synthetic oil.
For the Ford Ranger XLT 3.2, it's advised to use synthetic engine oil with a viscosity of either 5W-20 or 5W-30. But, I'm interested in knowing if using a different viscosity oil would be more beneficial for an engine that is either really old or really new. For example, my dad's truck has 230,000 kilometers on it, but a new engine was installed at 170,000 kilometers, so only 60,000 kilometers have been driven with the current engine. As an engine ages, things change internally, so I'm wondering if anyone has insight on how viscosity should be adjusted as the engine gets older.
Ford suggests that Ford Rangers equipped with 2.3L engines should be filled with either 5w-20 or 5w-30 motor oil, but the choice may vary based on the engine's age.
I would not recommend using 5W-20 oil. This is the second vehicle I've had in the last 5 years that was recommended to use it, only to later find out that the overseas version of the same car uses 5W-30 or higher. Manufacturers have to use 5W-20 initially because it is the lowest acceptable oil to protect the engine and provide the best EPA and fuel mileage. However, using 5W-30 (or maybe even 10W-30 in summer) should be fine. I am undecided on whether to use a synthetic blend or high mileage synthetic blend. I do not trust or like fully synthetic oil, and conventional oil works well for me. However, for a similar price, I could opt for one of the former options, which may offer better oil quality and additives.
I own a 2021 Roush Ranger and only use Mobile 1 full synthetic 5W30 oil. I stick to Mobile 1 for all my vehicles, changing it every 5000 miles, and I've never had any engine issues while driving. Just a bit of info, I'm 43 years old. Take that as you will.