cliffyk

[/align][/align]Ford says in the factory shop manual that oil consumption of 1500-2000 miles per quart is acceptable, however this is only because of the ****-thin 5W-20 oil they specify, and I do not consider it to be normal or acceptable oil consumption. Despite all the noise about "tighter manufacturing tolerances" and "improved metallurgy" (both questionable assertions) the real reason they recommend 5W-20 is to push up the fleet fuel economy to meet CAFE standards.[/align][/align]Now for the controversial stuff...[/align][/align]
I couldn't bring myself to put that thinned out crap in my "new-to-me"'03 GT (30k when I got it, currently at 45k), soI'm running 10W-30 synthetic, also changed at 2500 mile intervals. It doesn't burn a drop between changes;but once I see any sign of consumption, or whenit gets up to 85k to 100k, I will switch it over the the 20W-50 MaxLife.[/align][/align][/align]Here in Florida with our higher mileage cars (currently a '96 RAV4 with 155k and a '92 Miata with 202k) I run 20W-50 Valvoline MaxLife (changed every 2500 miles) which has alway been good to me. My wife's '89 Celica had 325k when we sold, my '90 Miata 285k, and I had an '86 Corolla that I ran to 390k miles. The 20W-50 will cold crank and provide proper start-up lubrication down to 25°F which is 10° colder than it ever gets here; when I lived on Cape Cod I'd run 10W-30 in the winter.[/align]