2022 Mustang GT 5.0L Coyote, Mobil1 FS 0W40, 5500 miles on car, 2300 miles on oil, has infamous tick

[VQAndrew]

Preface
- Factory fill drained at 1200 miles (no sample)
- M1 5W30 + FRAM Ultra XG73717 from 1200 mi to 3200 mi (no sample)
- M1 0W40 + Ford Racing FL820HD from 3200 mi to 5500 mi (2300 miles on oil, first used oil analysis, replaced fluid and filter with same 0W40 and Ford Racing FL820 filter)

Wanted to get an idea of how my engine was breaking in so after a year of ownership I got my first oil analysis before I likely end up tuning the car.

After the first oil change, the car would get the hot idle famous barbecue tick that sounds like pressing the ignitor button on a stovetop or grill and hearing that tickticktick like this YouTube video (NOT my car, it just sounds identical):

Most say it’s super common, and for whatever reason it’s always loudest after a fresh oil change (with it filled up to full line) and gradually quiets down over the coming months as more miles get put on the oil. Almost nobody has factory fill tick, which is high in both moly and boron, to no surprise that is what Ceratec has a lot in it which quiets the ticking in the cars.

Just wanted to make sure everything looked good a year in. I drive the car hard at times, but only when completely warmed up, glad to see no red flags in the report.

 

[edyvw]

Flash point is down. How long did you drive before taking sample? For 2,300 miles seems bit low on viscosity. Is that DI engine?
As for ticking, try Castrol or Pennzoil. Mobil1 always had bit of roughness in all my cars. Always excellent UOA, but especially in VW there was some noise.

 

[VQAndrew]

Flash point is down. How long did you drive before taking sample? For 2,300 miles seems bit low on viscosity. Is that DI engine?
As for ticking, try Castrol or Pennzoil. Mobil1 always had bit of roughness in all my cars. Always excellent UOA, but especially in VW there was some noise.

If I recall correctly, it was driven for a while the day before. Sat overnight on the hoist and drained the following afternoon and mailed out a week later. Does it make a difference how hot when you drain it, or how soon you get it to Blackstone?

And yes, 32V direct injected and port injected

 

[edyvw]

If I recall correctly, it was driven for a while the day before. Sat overnight on the hoist and drained the following afternoon and mailed out a week later. Does it make a difference how hot when you drain it, or how soon you get it to Blackstone?

And yes, 32V direct injected and port injected

Generally, you want to collect hot sample or inform Blackstone that it is collected cold. I think they have that in the instructions.
You might want to try another lab to give better reading about fuel dilution. I think the flash point is down due to some dilution.
I am not familiar with this engine, but is it known as hard on oil?

 

[Averroes]

Preface
- Factory fill drained at 1200 miles (no sample)
- M1 5W30 + FRAM Ultra XG73717 from 1200 mi to 3200 mi (no sample)
- M1 0W40 + Ford Racing FL820HD from 3200 mi to 5500 mi (2300 miles on oil, first used oil analysis, replaced fluid and filter with same 0W40 and Ford Racing FL820 filter)

Wanted to get an idea of how my engine was breaking in so after a year of ownership I got my first oil analysis before I likely end up tuning the car.

After the first oil change, the car would get the hot idle famous barbecue tick that sounds like pressing the ignitor button on a stovetop or grill and hearing that tickticktick like this YouTube video (NOT my car, it just sounds identical):

Most say it’s super common, and for whatever reason it’s always loudest after a fresh oil change (with it filled up to full line) and gradually quiets down over the coming months as more miles get put on the oil. Almost nobody has factory fill tick, which is high in both moly and boron, to no surprise that is what Ceratec has a lot in it which quiets the ticking in the cars.

Just wanted to make sure everything looked good a year in. I drive the car hard at times, but only when completely warmed up, glad to see no red flags in the report.

First off, congrats on the beautiful car.

To eliminate that tick you stated the factory fill was high in moly. Can you give HPL and Redline a try?

If you’re under warranty go back to the factory fill just to see if it makes a difference. Who knows!

 

[VQAndrew]

First off, congrats on the beautiful car.

To eliminate that tick you stated the factory fill was high in moly. Can you give HPL and Redline a try?

If you’re under warranty go back to the factory fill just to see if it makes a difference. Who knows!

Thank you, factory fill is not available to buy it’s some special additive Ford puts in whatever Motorcraft 5W30 they use. Not similar to the additive pack in the semi and full 5W30 so they’re boosting it with something perhaps for break in or to keep them quiet on the dealer lot LOL

 

[loneryder]

That ticking is weird, not regular. That should go to the dealer. Don’t tell them what oil you have in it.

 

[himemsys]

If I recall correctly, it was driven for a while the day before. Sat overnight on the hoist and drained the following afternoon and mailed out a week later. Does it make a difference how hot when you drain it, or how soon you get it to Blackstone?

And yes, 32V direct injected and port injected

The idea is, if there is lingering fuel in the oil that would normally burn off during driving, it is more likely to artificially inflate the fuel dilution if the sample is taken after a short idle (such as when driving it only long enough to get up the ramps or over the hoist). I like to go on a ~15 mile highway drive right before draining the oil out just to eliminate that variable.

It doesn't matter how quickly the sample gets analyzed once it's collected.

I agree that Oil Analyzers would give you a more accurate representation of how much fuel is in the oil. They use gas chromatography, while Blackstone infers fuel based on flashpoint and viscosity loss. They are *very* conservative and those who have sent the same sample to both labs have shown that fuel % is typically 2-4% higher than what Blackstone says it is.

The tick almost sounds like heat shields expanding/contracting. But if it only does it after a fresh oil change, that is pretty weird.

 

[NRMedic]

My 5.0 F150’s always ticked when I ran M1. So I quit using it. QSFS for me now.

 

[fantastic]

Your results look good.

 

[Dave Hess]

Our 2020 GT has a tick and I’m not worried. I also noticed after first oil change.

I currently have 10w30 Havoline Syn / Fram wire backed Ultra filter and no worry of any extra wear due to tick.

I hit 155 miles per hour, backed off the gas pedal and kept it at 150 for about a mile. Tick didn’t get any louder.

 

[Ronin73]

My 5.0 F150’s always ticked when I ran M1. So I quit using it. QSFS for me now.

Yup. Both QSFS and Valvoline purr in the 5.0.

 

[ScottyB]

That ticking is weird, not regular. That should go to the dealer. Don’t tell them what oil you have in it.

its quite common in these latest gen 5.0's, weirdly. a lot of speculation as to what causes it.

 

[ScottyB]

OP - results look fine, a little high compared to most cars for less than 3k miles but this also fits in with the nature of a fresh engine that's still not fully broken in. give in another year or two (depending on how often you change oil) and i bet you'll see all the wear metals drop and level out to half those values.

if it was me, i'd continue to drive it hard with confidence. M1 0W-40 is a solid oil and a good choice for a powerful engine that has a lot of chain and top end mechanical action going on.

awesome car btw. good buddy of mine just picked up a '22 Bullitt and its just incredible in every way.

 

[cptbarkey]

That tick sounds like heat expansion/contraction, like a heat shield, but i am not a mustang expert.

 

[ford250]

Yup. Both QSFS and Valvoline purr in the 5.0.

Yep
Valvoline is as quiet as RL in my Ford for less money

 

[ford250]

That ticking is weird, not regular. That should go to the dealer. Don’t tell them what oil you have in it.

My 6.2 makes the same sound. I’m prettty sure it’s the tension pulley on the belt. At 90K so far no issue

 

[4WD]

“Infamous tick” - but it’s the brand of oil ?

Articles about 5.0L ticking started in 2011 and continue to date …

 

[mr_boring]

My last 5.0 (2018 F150) was very unaffectualy nicknamed the Rattle.0

dam thing rattled and pinged/knocked and ticked and rattled some more and I hated it. it had intermittent cam phaser problems, which is pretty rare in a 5.0 and I was in the process of getting it lemoned out when it was totaled.

I ran 93 in it, that didn't help the knock. I ran E85 in it for almost a thousand miles (on vacation in an area where E85 was available) and that didn't help. So for most of it's miserable life I just ran 87. I always ran whatever the dealer put into the sump. I had a crudload of ford points and wasn't changing myh own when I could have it done for free. No engine should 'run better on different oil'

Yes, I know that 96.37% of this forum says "my engine runs better on 'brand r in XwX' and I've tried them all". I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm saying that NO ENGINE SHOULD RUN ANY DIFFERENTLY no matter the brand of oil.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

How did you run an XG7317 on an M22 filter mount?