2014 Ford Explorer 3.5L Duratec 159k Amsoil SS 5w-30 20k OCI

[Danimal1q2w3]

this one had an amsoil filter. Air filter was gross. Changed that. This is driven on a lot of dirt roads gonna change it with each OCI

 

[MParr]

With 20,000 miles on the oil, would you expect any difference?
With a vehicle that age and mileage, I would use a 5W40 Euro oil or Diesel oil and go no further than 10,000 miles on the oil. New oil and filter at every change.

 

[fantastic]

Silicon isn't the worst of it. There is some extra wear going on in the Al department. Like @MParr stated use a thicker oil & go 10k. That Aluminum needs to be reduced & 10k is where this should be. Going up to 15k is my max recommendation at this point.

 

[Big_B]

This is very similar to HPL extended drains.
They have plenty of TBN left but wear metals seem to sky rocket around 15k

 

[MParr]

This is very similar to HPL extended drains.
They have plenty of TBN left but wear metals seem to sky rocket around 15k

It really doesn’t have anything to do with the brand of oil. It’s all about leaving the oil and filter in too long. The filter is only going to catch so much and it’s not going to catch any of the really small particles.

 

[buster]

Sounds like abrasive wear from dirt getting through based on the operating environment you described.

 

[Danimal1q2w3]

Sounds like abrasive wear from dirt getting through based on the operating environment you described.

This is my dads car. We’re trying to aim for 10k next time. We aimed for 15k last time but life is busy and ended up being 20k

 

[dnewton3]

The wear of Al and Fe are obviously concerning.

You said this vehicle goes on a lot of dirt roads; the Si is probably the root cause after you changed the air filter. Though the air filter was "gross", it was probably doing a good job; hence the previous Si readings. People will change the air filter based on looks and that is the wrong approach, especially in dusty areas. New filters will pass 90% of all particulate in the life-cycle in the first 10% of life; changing air filters too often actually leads to more wear. (see article below). Also, get an air filter vacuum gauge (I suggest Wix). Only change the air filter when the gauge tells you to. I also recommend getting a fumoto drain valve; that way you can sample the oil and only decide to change it when it needs to be done.

The Truth About Engine Air Filters

Unsure of how often to change your engine air filter? The answer may surprise you, and save you money in the long term. Know the job of an engine air filter and how long you can go before a filter change.

www.rv.com

 

[Bill7]

Since you drive on dusty roads your vehicle likely falls under the severe service interval in your owner's manual
for oil and filter changes, and for air filter replacement.

In my vehicles, my mechanic has found cracked snorkels (which lead from the air filter housing to the engine).
So even if you had a new air filter, unfiltered dirt could get past the air filter due to the snorkle being cracked.
The snorkle part is only about $40, so I always get it inspected.
As many people have said on BITOG on many posts, air filtration is more important than oil filtration to reduce engine wear.

Also, you may want to buy a high efficiency air filter.
Fram has a special air filter sold only at Walmart called the Fram Ultra Synthetic air filter. It's efficiency is rated at 99%+@20 microns.
It has a much greater capacity than regular air filters and Fram says it only needs to be replaced every 4 years with normal use.