2002 F150 Triton oil consumption

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Hey oil aficionados,

Following the recent 'Subaru oil consumption thread' has led me to think the problem here is with the oil control rings on my 4.6 with 198k miles.

I just replaced the PCV valve last week ( it was shot) and the new one is full of oil all the way to the intake. Enough of it that it's puddled in the vacuum hose. Not sure of numbers but me thinks a quart every 1500 - 2000. Last month i fixed the timing cover leak by replacing the seal. I was bad enough that it was dripping off the front oil pan bolts. Thought it was the culprit, then watched dipstick fall, then replaced the PCV. Dipstick is still falling.

Fuel economy is still up there when new at 18.5 MPG so the top two rings are still good.

Been using Mobil extended 5w30 and changing at 12k miles (per Blackstone lab report) with Amsoil bypass. It's a 7.5 quart sump.

Last week i bought Pennzoil Ultra and was going to give this a shot for a cleaning.

Thoughts on anything better to do?

Thanks
 
Put a catch can between the PCV and the intake manifold to catch the oil before the valves, spark plug and piston see it. E-bay has catch cans.
 
At some point you just have to live with the consumption and top off with conventional oil if you need to. You have almsot 200k on the truck, and re ringing it would be an expensive job.

Try Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w30 if the PU doesn't work.
 
Yeah, i was on the high mileage track, but recently i did a test to see if the valve stem seals were 'leaky' by letting the truck sit the weekend and had wife start it while i had a fluorescent light cross- lighting the exhaust. Not a puff of anything. I think this shade-tree litmus test means these seals are good?

I had some COP misfires and replaced all 8 and did a plug change and at 75,000 miles the Bosch plugs were textbook clean and threads were dry. These plugs are a real pain to change and i had the idea of doing a compression test on all 8 but it was too difficult to thread into the holes. The easy one pump up full with two strokes.

Do you think it might be a red herring with the PCV valve with oil in the hose? Is this normal? Somewhere in my mind i recall that it always had oil in it..... but my memory could be leaky here.
 
How much make up oil did the truck need before you started extended OCI? How much did it need before you added the bypass o/f?
 
IIRC your truck may be a candidate for the revised PCV plumbing (hose system). There was an oil consumption TSB related to that hose and there is a revised part that replaces it.

That said, if you are getting oil through the PCV it isn't your oil control rings, it would be those if the oil was being burned and getting by the rings. This wouldn't end up in the PCV.

Oil arriving in the PCV valve assembly stems from a few factors one of which would be excessive blow-by (you can test for this with a leak-down and compression test), a plugged or defective breather assembly and of course what I already mentioned, the PCV plumbing itself.

Since these engines are an absolute bear to do a compression test on I would start with the updated PCV hose assembly first. Yours is likely dry rotted anyway so a replacement is worthwhile.
 
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We still have a 1998 F150 with the 4.6L. 300,000 miles, no oil consumption. However, it was fed a steady diet of M1, 10W-30 since nearly new. The engine clearly had better UOA results on the slightly more viscous oil. Cylinders still look great, so I suspect the rings are just fine too. 5000 mile OCI's. Had a Superchips custom tune, Gibson headers, and exhaust. Did plenty of towing too. We really beat on this truck, and it rewarded us with stellar service.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
We still have a 1998 F150 with the 4.6L. 300,000 miles, no oil consumption. However, it was fed a steady diet of M1, 10W-30 since nearly new. The engine clearly had better UOA results on the slightly more viscous oil. Cylinders still look great, so I suspect the rings are just fine too. 5000 mile OCI's. Had a Superchips custom tune, Gibson headers, and exhaust. Did plenty of towing too. We really beat on this truck, and it rewarded us with stellar service.



Awesome. I've heard of them running into the +300k range. 10/30 works well in FLA. I'd be leery of that in a OHC engine in 0 weather.

I use a hypertech tuner. Iside and out the truck is in very good condition. No rust anywhere. I rust proofed it the first week i had it. I drilled and tapped zerk fittings on ball joints and tie-rod ends in the first month of ownership.

So today i put in a quart of Marvel Mystery oil and will run it till 11k miles. I'm at 8000 on this oil.

Re TSB: I'll check into that retrofit and thanks for that information.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
5000 mile OCI's.


That's the key between you and the OP, IMHO.
No way I would run a 12,000 mile OCI unless all light load highway miles, regardless of what oil or what UOA said.
 
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: Cujet
5000 mile OCI's.


That's the key between you and the OP, IMHO.
No way I would run a 12,000 mile OCI unless all light load highway miles, regardless of what oil or what UOA said.


It's like flying IFR.

P.S. I'll update this thread and about MMO, if that actually worked. I have almost 4 gallons of Pennzoil Ultra on the shelf from Wally world. Hopefully it wont suck it down on next OCI. Will post UOA and compare.

P.S.S: Don't shoot yer eye out.
 
OK, the oil consumption has stopped since this last post with the 'seems to be BITOG controversial additive'. I dumped the oil with about 1k on MMO. I've used it in fuel but never in the crankcase. The only thing in the oil has been Rislone circa '82-83 with a ticking lifter problem on a Chevy 350 Monte Carlo. Back away to the days of steel-top oil cans....lol... Quaker State can cut with the old knife-spout-funnel ( whatever it was called).

Though i'd update here.

Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: Cujet
5000 mile OCI's.


That's the key between you and the OP, IMHO.
No way I would run a 12,000 mile OCI unless all light load highway miles, regardless of what oil or what UOA said.


+1 but the damage to that engine is already done. Time to trade it in.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: Cujet
5000 mile OCI's.


That's the key between you and the OP, IMHO.
No way I would run a 12,000 mile OCI unless all light load highway miles, regardless of what oil or what UOA said.


+1 but the damage to that engine is already done. Time to trade it in.


Nah, it's a FORD you nincompoops. Screw FORD's from now on. In fact i'm buying a Chevy and guess what? It will be MMO on very fill-up and in the crankcase through my Weird Science.
 
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