Is Motorcraft Oil Good for Your Car?

With so many options on the market, Ford Motorcraft oil makes an excellent choice. All of their products are API (American Petroleum Institute) certified.

Motorcraft oils also improve engine life and performance because they are fully synthetic or a synthetic blend. Synthetic oils last longer and are cleaner than non-synthetic oils.

What Type of Oil Is Motorcraft?

Motorcraft oil comes in full synthetic and synthetic blends for diesel and gasoline engines.

This motor oil brand is part of the Ford Motor Company corporate structure under the brand name Motorcraft. As a result of existing under the same corporate umbrella, Ford considers its oil an integral part of using Ford engines.

What Company Makes Motorcraft Oil?

Before the final product goes to Ford, S-Oil from South Korea, and ConocoPhillips, a multinational company from the USA, refine and manufacture the oil.

S-Oil’s primary responsibility is petroleum and refining, and it was listed as a Global Fortune 500 company in 2009.

ConocoPhillips and S-Oil are partners to distribute Motorcraft oil in the U.S. ConocoPhillips is also the world’s largest hydrocarbon exploration company.

Types of Motorcraft Oil

A majority of the oil products are synthetic or a synthetic blend for diesel and gasoline engines. However, gasoline engines are more common, and a standard oil like 10W-30 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil works for many models unless the owner’s manual states otherwise.

Customers like the price and performance the oil delivers to the engine.

Since this oil is specifically designed for use in Ford Motor Company engines, a couple of brand names include an automobile model name that only Ford makes, the F-150.

Other Motorcraft Oil Products

Here’s a quick look at some other Motorcraft oil products:

  • Diesel Engine Motor Oil
    • Meets WSS-M2C171-F1
    • SAE 10W-30 F-150 DIESEL MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 10W-30 SUPER DUTY DIESEL MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 15W-40 SUPER DUTY DIESEL MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-30 F-150 DIESEL MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-40 FULL SYNTHETIC DIESEL MOTOR OIL
  • Gasoline Engine Motor Oil
    • SAE 0W-20 FULL SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 0W-20 SYNTHETIC BLEND MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 10W-40 PREMIUM MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-20 FULL SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-20 SYNTHETIC BLEND MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-30 FULL SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-30 SYNTHETIC BLEND MOTOR OIL
    • SAE 5W-50 FULL SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL

Motorcraft Oil Features

There are some key features you should look out for when considering Motorcraft oil. They include:

Product Formulation

The details of the formula are a proprietary trade secret. However, 10W-30 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil has a high-viscosity index. The base oils are synthetic and hydroprocessed.

The oil minimizes engine deposits and wear, protects against high-temperature oxidation, turbocharger deposits, rust, corrosion, and foaming due to specifically processed performance additives.

Viscosity

  • cSt @100°C = 10.4
  • cSt @ 40°C = 69
  • cP @ -30°C = 5900

Operating Temperature

The operating temperature functions in two ways: The viscosity between -30°C and 100°C, along with a Pour Point at < -42°C. The Pour Point gives guidance about the lowest temperature the oil can remain a liquid.

Mileage Coverage

The type and location of driving affect the mileage. However, under normal circumstances, the oil should last 7,500-15,000 miles between oil changes.

Price

10W-30 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil retails for around $5.

Pros and Cons of Motorcraft Oil

All in all, the pros and cons of Motorcraft oil can be summed up in the following table:

ProsCons
Protects from excessive frictionPrevents wear and tearProtects against high-temperature oxidationProtects against turbocharger deposits, rust, corrosion, and foamingProtects against low temperature gellingLasts longer meaning fewer oil changesDoes not degrade easily under stress6 months between oil changesSynthetic blend costs less than synthetic oilDifficult to dispose ofMore expensive than some quality competitors

Why Ford Motor Recommends Motorcraft Oil

Ford Motor Company designs its motor oils with Ford engines specifically in mind. While it may be a marketing ploy to sell customers more products, the company does claim that Ford engines work optimally with recommended Motorcraft oils.

So, Is Motorcraft Good Oil?

Yes, these oils garner good reviews. Some people even go as far as to have the oil purity tested against other brands at a lab and find it to have the least amount of harmful trace metals than some other oils at this price point.

Based on feel and reaction time, people also notice the engine performs better and often become repeat customers, even for a higher price.

However, independent tests rank Motorcraft Synthetic Blend Oil as a middle-tier product that does not perform poorly, but it does not do the best against a range of competitors.

This oil seems to suffer the most at high temperatures and offers good performance in cold temperatures inside the engine, despite not faring well against other brands in the Pour Point test, which is a cold-weather test.

Motorcraft Oil FAQ

Finally, let’s wrap up with some important questions regarding Motorcraft oil.

What oil is comparable to Motorcraft?

According to extensive tests, Chevron Supreme motor oil is comparable in several categories to Motorcraft Synthetic Blend.

The tests, designed to see how well a motor oil protects an engine, measure processes such as Four Ball Wear, Pour Point, Cold Cranking Viscosity, and High Temperature/High Shear.

While two motor oils rarely get the same scores on each test, the total score from all the tests shows these two to have comparable performance.

Where can I buy Motorcraft oil?

Walmart sells a lot of this oil, both online and in-person. The reason Walmart has high sales seems to be because the price is lower than some competitors in large quantities.

However, there is a reported issue where some customers find containers with a broken plastic seal and some oil missing. People have also reported this happening at Autozone and found the same containers restocked later, despite notifying the staff.

Major online retailers such as Amazon and eBay also carry these oils. Although during the pandemic, some products may not be in stock.

How long does Motorcraft synthetic oil last?

The lifespan of the motor oil providing good protection differs due to driving conditions, driving style, engine type, weather, and terrain. Each person should evaluate the quality of the oil on a case-by-case basis.

Under normal conditions, the oil should last for about six months or 7,500 to 15,000 miles before needing an oil change, whichever comes first.

People living in cold climates should be especially wary of the state of their oil after extended use.

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Author: Dave Johnston

Dave is a hands-on automotive technician with experience in performing service, diagnostics, and repairs on domestic and imported vehicles. He enjoys writing and sharing his knowledge far and wide.

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