What oil/filter do you use?

[Adieu]

Oooh, T6 is ok here too?

That would be nice.

 

[Snag]

A long string and a lot of good information. I, like others had used Fram for years, but the last many years have heard horror stories of their quality, but I know of no one who has had a Fram filter kill their engine. BUT, after viewing a number of sites where they cut a number of filters apart the Fram certainly looks cheaper made. So in saying that, would I buy Fram again, probably not. At Wally World I got my last 2 FL82S Motorcraft filters for 2.82 each, (just checked, today they are 2.68)...so why buy any other. They have the proper drain back features and are reasonably priced. You would never kill your engine using them. Oil change intervals is the life blood of any engine or moving part. For the most part oils today are of very high quality. In my car racing days it was Valvoline, now I feel most are more then adequate for protecting your engine. Use a Motorcraft filter, keep oil fresh, 3000 mile drain intervals (depending on severe duty use), especially in the modular engines. Oil changes are the cheapest thing you can do to keep that engine running properly for the longest time, and its about the only thing "cheap" on a Ford Modular engine.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Oooh, T6 is ok here too?

That would be nice.

Conducted thefhange to T6 on Monday. Sent the Motorcraft 5w20 with 3,069 miles oil sample out yesterday. Should know by Tuesdaynextweek.

I noticed an immediate difference in engine valvetrain noise. I also am hesitant to say the VVT seems to work more efficiently. Gonna give it 500 miles and change again as previously stated.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

My typing is horrible as I have bandaids and med tape on both thumbs. I'm a mess.

 

[GalaxyPilot]

I go with Mobil1 5w-20 and OEM motorcraft filter. Change it every 9k miles, had blackstone analyze the oil and they said I could go longer, but 9k already feels like way too long haha.

 

[LEOL]

I used to use cheaper brands simply because i religiously change my oil and filter every 3k even on newer vehicles that really dont need it changed quite that often... HOWEVER.... ford has chronically had design flaws specifically related to timing on multiple block variations since the late 90's. theres all kinds of argument about this and that, regarding pressure and flow from filters and viscosity, but after having a couple different ford engines that ended up with these annoyances and no real actual facts about much of anything... im inclined to just stick with OEM specs regarding filter size/flow.

And frankly ive changed a Lot of oil over the years both at home and professionally... so as a guy who has seen vehicles with 300k miles drain oil that looks better than the oil im putting back into it, simply by using AND CHANGING higher quality filters (that means air and fuel filters too) on a religious 3000k mile schedule.... im a firm believer in making vehicles last.

On the other hand, as far as viscosity goes, again theres all kinds of argument about 5.4/4.6 engines regarding oil viscosity. Ive seen lots of internet mechanic theory on why you shouldnt use anything but 5w20, or dino vs synthetic... some of it even makes logical sense to me... but the bottom line is ive not seen any complaints (much less proven) that using 5w30 has actually caused anyone problems in these engines, neither short nor long term. I have seen however, (regardless of being true and accurate or not) seen more than a couple "claims" that changing viscosity helped or solved certain problems.

There is a time to, and not to use synthetics or change viscosity, this mostly applies to older engines, but this rule can still apply to modern engine design on a much longer-term scale.

Personally, i recently bought a used vehicle with 170000 miles on it, so short of cracking the valve cover to see the level of varnish it has going on... i have no way of knowing if, or how often synthetic was used, or what viscosity... so my default choice is to use a synthetic blend designed for high mileage engines. (regardless of whether it seems gimmik'y or not). i also try to do actual research on specifications and whether a product meets them, because reviews from 500 walmart users on walmarts website doesnt really amount to a hill of beans in terms of intelligent analysis on much of anything. LoL.

i've used valvoline maxlife synthetic blend in the past, but honestly ive been going with mobil high mileage for the price and trusted brand.

since i have 3 regularly used vehicles, I recently was looking at a brand called milesyn that walmart carries in 5 gallon buckets of synthetic blend (usually only ship to store). It seems to meet specifications and is apparently API licensed so im seriously considering looking into it some more and giving it a shot.

 

[1955moose]

The reason Ford switched their viscosity on Expeditions and F150 pickups,is they discovered an oil pumping problem on a lot of the second generation 3valve engines. From what I've seen on all the videos and articles, is that the oil pump has trouble pumping sufficiently. On top of this the plastic cam chain guides start to disintegrate, and clog up the pick up screen, which adds to a lack of oil. Rather than fix the problem with a recall, or as we used to say at the dealers, a campaign, they said put a thinner oil in. It helped in a few cases, but all the others had to fight with their dealers, if lucky to be under warranty. The rest have to pay out of pocket.


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[LEOL]

oh right. i do recall the oil pump issue. I was under the impression from reading a so called Statement by ford at some point, that they changed the viscosity in the 5.4/4.6 simply for oil consumption gas mileage improvement. i was also thinking they made that viscosity change before 2nd gen, but i havent really read much on it, and it seems just as likely a scenario either way, since like i said ford has refused to fix their timing design flaws for 30 years.... like those disintegrating plastic chain guides you mentioned, that have been bricking motors since the mid 90's that they STILL use despite the very obvious problem with plastic chain guides.... which is plastic chain guides, LoL. Anyway, im curious... did they change the oil pump on 3rd gen's?... and is it backward compatible on a 2nd gen.

 

[LEOL]

Oh and plastic or not, as far as timing jobs go... i actually really like the 5.4/4.6.... at least you dont have to pull the engine like the 4.0 SOHC and there are MUCH worse vehicles to have to replace timing componants on. LoL.

 

[1955moose]

Don't know if they finally fixed the pump, but apparently a aftermarket mellings unit, part number on a post this past week or so, is supposed to be way better than Fords inferior part. I don't have an updated chain guide for you, maybe one of our members can help there. What amazes me is that in the past, car or in my case motorcycle manufacturers like Honda, or Yamaha, screwed up, they made an improved part. In the 70's when I worked on bikes full time, I would have to bring Vin, and production date, Honda once changed a part 3 times in one year. Wish Ford did that, if you've read my posts you know I'm Oem positive, simply because most aftermarket doesn't work. Does anybody know if items like oil pumps or cam phasers for 3 valve, have improvements on the replacement parts, or do we have to go aftermarket on these. I've heard oem is the best way to go for the dreaded failed cam sensors. But their like $800.00 for the parts.


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