2017 Ford F150 F-150 3.5L Ecoboost - 9486 on oil, 50235 on engine

[jharmon203]

I have been curious to see if the intelligent oil life monitor (IOLM) has done well to recommend oil change intervals. I wasn't sure if it would be just a 10k counter or more than that. So far it's been more than that. I am trying to push against the "just change it every 5k miles, cheap insurance" mindset. Why buy extra insurance you don't need?

 

[jharmon203]

I can't do a PDF?

 

[jharmon203]

here are my previous tests from blackstone

 

[Ronin73]

Looks great! What oil was used?

 

[JavierH19]

yeah what oil

 

[KJSmith]

I would ask the same, what oil, what is your driving style and truck usage?

You should pay for the TBN just to see if the oil has any life yet.
Not something you have to do every time.

Never mind, I see the base number from NAPA.

 

[Impatient]

the OLM on an F150 might be more sophisticated than the one in the 2015 Transit T250 (w/ gen 1 EB 3.5). But I believe (without solid evidence), the Transit counts 10k miles, 12 months, and maybe some mitigating parameter that shortens the cycle, but Transit OLM does not display any percentage or other info other than “change oil soon.” I’ve had the warning prior to an oil change (and monitor reset) only twice (in 68k miles). One was 12 mo from prior change, the other was ~2k after a dealer change, so I presume the dealer had failed to reset the monitor. I don’t tow, or drive at excessive speed, but pushing the “tall box thru the wind” on the highway probably presents “moderate usage“ as opposed to “light usage.”

 

[Impatient]

I can’t edit above message.

Correction, I reset the monitor every time I change oil. But, usually my changes occur without the OLM warning.…on my schedule. my interval has been as high as 9500 miles. Again, one time the warning came on ~2k after dealer change, I don’t recall if it was 1 yr or 10k miles after prior change. The other time was also unexpected, but I determined it was 1 yr from a previous change, and figure again, the reset was not made on the most recent change.

 

[Artem]

Wow. Sounds like a terribly designed OLM system to me. My 2014 Mazda 3 has a flexible schedule (where it supposedly takes driving conditions into account) and a set mileage that I can adjust with ease to whatever number I want. Easy to reset and view oil life percentage on the big screen.

I don’t know why some manufacturers make it difficult ON PURPOSE to easily manage something as simple as an oil change.

 

[Gene K]

Wow. Sounds like a terribly designed OLM system to me. My 2014 Mazda 3 has a flexible schedule (where it supposedly takes driving conditions into account) and a set mileage that I can adjust with ease to whatever number I want. Easy to reset and view oil life percentage on the big screen.

I don’t know why some manufacturers make it difficult ON PURPOSE to easily manage something as simple as an oil change.

Most people will never see the F150 IOLM default to less than 10,000 mi. Most people have an erroneous belief that 90% of applications are severe duty when in fact they are not. Both my 2015 2.7EB and 2018 3.5EB have called for ahorter changes. A few thousand miles at 12,000 - 17,000 GCW and 60-80 sq ft will do it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I can’t edit above message.

Correction, I reset the monitor every time I change oil. But, usually my changes occur without the OLM warning.…on my schedule. my interval has been as high as 9500 miles. Again, one time the warning came on ~2k after dealer change, I don’t recall if it was 1 yr or 10k miles after prior change. The other time was also unexpected, but I determined it was 1 yr from a previous change, and figure again, the reset was not made on the most recent change.

Yes, the Ford iOLM will go from 100% to 0% oil life left after 1 year ... even if the vehicle was never driven. If the vehicle is just sitting, the iOLM will go down ~2% every week. That's because Ford wants the oil changed once per year regardless of mileage on the oil. I ignore my Ford iOLM.

 

[KJSmith]

My wife has an Edge...typically would go 10k.
When she retired, I assumed I would move it to yearly OCI.
To my Suprise it asked for a oil change right around 10 months (5500 miles).

I retire end of the month,
Interested to see what my F150 does.

 

[Ronin73]

My 21' F-150 OLM is charting at about a 9,500 OCI with the Valvoline EP 5w30 I have in the sump. I bought some of the new Castrol GTX Full Synthetic 5w30 that replaced Magnatec at Walmart yesterday for my next OCI.

 

[jharmon203]

Looks great! What oil was used?

Sorry I thought that I put it in here. I believe this with Meijer branded oil. I typically just go with whatever oil is cheapest fully synthetic. I have used supertech with great results, mobil 1, pennzoil. The only time I didn't have good results with was the motorcraft syn blend oil when I changed it at around 17k miles. However that was a dealership changed.

 

[jharmon203]

I would ask the same, what oil, what is your driving style and truck usage?

My truck usage this time around was perhaps more highway miles than city, I would say maybe 70/30 ish?

 

[jharmon203]

Yes, the Ford iOLM will go from 100% to 0% oil life left after 1 year ... even if the vehicle was never driven. If the vehicle is just sitting, the iOLM will go down ~2% every week. That's because Ford wants the oil changed once per year regardless of mileage on the oil. I ignore my Ford iOLM.

I have not found this to be true with my truck. The oil in this same was over a year old and the IOLM still read 5% It may be true with older or other versions, but not mine. If you look at the reports I have above, those samples were all taken when my IOLM read 5% or zero. Going to 9500 miles is by far my longest, so it makes sense with more highway miles?

 

[KJSmith]

My truck usage this time around was perhaps more highway miles than city, I would say maybe 70/30 ish?

I am wondering why your iron is so high.

 

[Impatient]

JHarmon, I liked your 7/2019 report the best. Anything different back then? Of course, even that one could be improved upon…by simple more frequent air filter changes??(guessing). And iron wasnt that low, but better than some more recent. Once you’re out of warranty, maybe experiment with euro spec 5w30 or 0w40 oils with HTHS of 3.5 or greater. maybe if there is a Euro 5w30 oil (with the HTHS of 3.5) that also caries an SP (API USA) rating??

I shouldn’t be giving advice, just my opinion about what I would do. But I don’t like mid-8’s CST in this engine. I like miid 9’s better. Mid 10’s better still. Mid 11’s might be overkill (in a UOA).

 

[Gene K]

here are my previous tests from blackstone

View attachment 90138View attachment 90139

Look at the last Blackstone test and the previous one. The viscosity combined with the flashpoint makes me think they should have rerun the flashpoint test. I'm doubtful of their conclusion on fuel.