Engine oil

[Hoffer1066]

Our new to us 2013 expo is coming up for an oil change. It has been using oil though. Does anyone experience oil consumption with "x" brand of oil, but not "y" brand?

Full synthetic?
Syn blend?
Real oil with all the vitamins and dinosaurs?

 

[LokiWolf]

You will generally see MORE consumption with a synthetic vs dino. That being said, there are some high mileage oils specially formulated to help prevent consumption. Look there.

 

[Hoffer1066]

Vehicle will only have 105xxx miles on it when the oil is changed. What's considered high milage? I'd consider that low. I'm not a fan of gimik oils to be vague.

 

[Timo2824]

How much is it using? If it's less that a quart every oil change that's normal. If you're adding oil every 1000 miles then it's not normal.

 

[Andy Rubalcaba]

How much is it using? If it's less that a quart every oil change that's normal. If you're adding oil every 1000 miles then it's not normal.

what he said, and if it is using higher than normal oil consumption I would start digging around with a good strong light and look for oily areas since this is a very easy and quick task. look around valve covers, timing cover, oil pan and oil filter location.

"Real oil with all the vitamins and dinosaurs?"
lol!!

 

[mkbruin]

I run Maxlife in every vehicle I own. Fantastic product.

 

[Hoffer1066]

It uses about two quarts now in 5k miles. It just seems a little excessive to me. I do not see any external oil leaks, and no blue smoke from the exhaust. Inside of air cleaner plumbing is dry, so not any pcv vapor or something of that nature.

Does everyone run the recommended 5w-20 weight? What's the oil change intervals? I can look in the manual, but I'd rather over change it that have to deal with the dreaded clogged up cam phaser passages and such.

No hard use, just hauls my wife and kids.

 

[Andy Rubalcaba]

you should be changing it every 3k miles in my opinion, especially if you're trying to keep it a clean engine with no buildup. personally I would run BG EPR cleaner with MOA, or there's other oil additive cleaners out there as well if you want something cheaper. I don't know if this will change the oil consumption, but if you go into it with the mindset of - oh I just want to give my engine a spa cleaning - then it's worth a shot right? about 30$ for the BG EPR and MOA ( cleaner and protective additive that goes in the new oil - don't do the cleaner until you are ready to do an oil change ).


when you say you don't see any external leaks - did you check the mentioned areas? valve covers, oil filter housing, oil pan, timing cover?

2QTs is definitely outside of normal, i'm just a DIY'er so take my advice with a grain of salt, just been doing my own car work since 2017. if it was me, cause I don't like to run straight to shops, i'd do the cleaning, maybe switch it up to 5W-30 ( I started using that since my timing job ) and monitor it during this next oil interval before calling shops around.

 

[Hoffer1066]

It's definitely not leaking oil anywhere that I can tell. It is dry all over, even the undercarriage is spotless. I'll change the oil sooner, thanks for the reply. My grandpa was a trucker, said, "Oil is cheaper than an overhaul." And I do believe that he is correct on that statement.

 

[Andy Rubalcaba]

It's definitely not leaking oil anywhere that I can tell. It is dry all over, even the undercarriage is spotless. I'll change the oil sooner, thanks for the reply. My grandpa was a trucker, said, "Oil is cheaper than an overhaul." And I do believe that he is correct on that statement.

I heard something similar from FordBossMe recently, "oil is cheap. oil is cheaper than a new engine" or something to that effect. I believe greatly in maintenance, I don't believe in waiting for problems to occur before inspecting stuff and replacing stuff; but many people do have that mentality, to each their own.

side note: marvel mystery oil is super cheap, i think like 5$ at walmart or something. then there's products from lucas for the oil cleaner. some cheap options there, if you want.

you have the v8 right? iirc v8 was used up until 2014, could be wrong. if it's the ecoboost though, there's other areas for oil to go / contaminate.

 

[Hoffer1066]

I am well versed I guess you could say in maintaining my own vehicle. Have rebuilt everything from engines to trans, rear ends etc. Oil consumption in any engine to me is a little alarming and I don't consider it normal. It just seems these newer engines get cut a lot of slack for how good they should be designed. If I wanted to add oil between oil changes, I would have bought an 82 suburban or something.

 

[Hoffer1066]

V-8, no Ecoboost for me.

 

[twodollars]

My wife's 2013 5.4 was ran on synthetic 0w20 synthetic for the first 50k of ownership because I had a drum of it. Now that's gone I have been using costco 5w30 synthetic. When I have towed at highway speeds a lot ot uses some oil. Maybe a quart every 5k. Normally not enough to add between changes. Were at about 100k now, no problems, noises, or leaks.

 

[GITanker]

I have a 2013 Limited and a 2014 Limited, both with the 5.4 engines and I change my oil every 5k miles. The 2013 is my wife's and I have the 2014. Her's is all stock and my has the leveling kit and cold air intake. The 2013 has 162,531 miles and the 2014 has 160,125 miles with no oil leaks and no issues at this writing. I take them into our local Ford dealer ship ( the shop is one of the best I have seen for a dealer ship) so the oil is 5w20 synthetic.

 

[Timo2824]

2 quarts in 5,000 miles is excessive, I change my oil every 5,000 miles and it only looses about 0.5 quarts. I run Walmart, O'Reilly, AutoZone, whatever 5w30, the oil weight these engines were designed for, and I'm at 170,000 miles. I would do a leak down test to make sure there's no problem with the rings, and if they're good it's probably valve seals. If it's not leaking on the ground, it's going out the exhaust.

Note: I had a customer swear he was having to add a quart after the first 1000 miles on an oil change. Ended up he was using oil in a bulk 1 gallon jug and thought it was 5 quarts (a gallon is only 4 quarts for those who don't know) and then only adding 1 quart. So he was filling only 5 of the 6 quarts required, then checking at the 1000 mile mark and it was 1 quart low. He was pretty embarrassed, but glad he didn't need a rebuild!

 

[Andy Rubalcaba]

interesting how so many have the mentality of, oh i haven't had a problem yet so it's not a problem yet. I just don't get it - just do 3-4k oil changes, use the SAME oil every time, rather that's your cheap walmart oil or the good stuff, and then take a peak in the oil fill spout and see the condition of your valve train components like every 75k-100k miles. I don't get why people don't baby their vehicles, letting sludge and varnish build up and then a future owner has to pay the price when they buy your used vehicle that you beat up.

2 quarts in 5,000 miles is excessive, I change my oil every 5,000 miles and it only looses about 0.5 quarts. I run Walmart, O'Reilly, AutoZone, whatever 5w30, the oil weight these engines were designed for, and I'm at 170,000 miles. I would do a leak down test to make sure there's no problem with the rings, and if they're good it's probably valve seals. If it's not leaking on the ground, it's going out the exhaust.

Note: I had a customer swear he was having to add a quart after the first 1000 miles on an oil change. Ended up he was using oil in a bulk 1 gallon jug and thought it was 5 quarts (a gallon is only 4 quarts for those who don't know) and then only adding 1 quart. So he was filling only 5 of the 6 quarts required, then checking at the 1000 mile mark and it was 1 quart low. He was pretty embarrassed, but glad he didn't need a rebuild!

LOL!!!!! did he not check the dipstick? just fill and drive off? lmao. glad he learned his lesson, eventually.

 

[chuck s]

Correct engine level is anywhere between the Full and Low marks. Anywhere between the marks. No reason to constantly bring the oil level up to Full or add oil unless at or below the Low mark.

Some engines will "burn" oil down to a point between these marks and then stop. Adding a half quart just starts that process all over again leading to the assumption the engine is burning much more oil than it would if left alone. Again this applies to "some" engines.

My oil sample analysis confirms that when using full synthetics mileage, not time, is the determinate in my engines. Unlike bread modern engine oil doesn't go bad just sitting there.

-- Chuck

 

[MikeWyvern0324]

CD-2

 

[Mikezr]

Mine uses more near an oil change. I run pennzoil ultra platinum 5w30 in the summer 5w20 in winter and always the ford oil filter.

 

[Fastcar]

I'm old so I remember when the manufacturer specified oil change at 5,000 miles. Then all of a sudden when the quick drive in oil changes came to be the interval for some unknown reason was reduced to 3,000 miles. Why do you think that was done? Did the oil all of a sudden degrade? Or did Penske and all the rest come up with a new way to make money.