4.6L F-150 Oil Choices...

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Jelly

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Well, helping a friend of mine make an oil choice for his truck.

Currently, he's using a Fram filter (thought they were the best thing on the market) and whatever 5w-30 is on sale. Truck is a '98 with around 80K on it.

Anyways, he'd like to extend drain intervals on out from the 3,000-4,000 intervals he is running now, so I suggested:

Rotella-T 5w-40
Motorcraft filter

BTW...want to hear something funny??

When I asked him about oil consumption, he stated, "That I don't even check my oil level, and as long as oil pressure is up and the engine isn't making any funny noises, then it will be alright...just the way I was brought up."

Anyways, I feel my choices are just about as good as he is gonna get for wanting long drain-intervals on a 4.6L of this mileage that, with a doubt, has a good deal of varnish and deposits built up.

Your thoughts?
 
Um....

Honestly, I'd tell him to not do it. If he isn't going to check his oil level at least every 1000 miles then he's looking for trouble.

If he's losing a quart every 3000 miles he's fine, but that means he'd be down 2 quarts at 6000 miles.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Bror Jace:
Do a search using "4.6L"

Already a couple threads on this.

--- Bror Jace
Click to expand...
Oh, I know Bror...I've been around long enough to know that when you're looking for information, you should first do a search and see what has already been talked about.

In my case though, I'm just doing a quick survey to see what my fellow BiTOG boys think...

Basically, my only restriction is that the oil must be available locally.

With that in mind, I feel the best choice for this particular engine is Rotella-T 5w-40.

Year-round oil.
Great protection.
Ability to run longer drain intervals (which he wants to do.)
Clean up old deposits and varnish as well as keeping new stuff from forming.

Also, I feel the Motorcraft filter will work great in this application as well...

Just looking for other thoughts.

I really don't feel that there is a much better combination locally available for this specific engine/vehicle...
 
Seeing as how this engine is relatively easy on oil, I don't know that there is a real benefit to using a 5w40 in this motor.

His current strategy of using whatever 5w30 an a 3 or 4000 mile interval likely has done no harm.

Since there are very few UOA's that even begin to hint at an extedned capability on the Rotella T Syn and next to no UOA's using 40 weight oils in these motors, I'd be leery of pushing this oil with doing some testing myself.

I say this since I currently run a 4.6 in my '99 F150, but am running Havoline 5w20 on 6000 mile intervals. I also use the Rotella T syn, but that goes in the Jeep Cherokee...
 
"Seeing as how this engine is relatively easy on oil, I don't know that there is a real benefit to using a 5w40 in this motor."

No, I don't think there is any real advantage in terms of viscosity either, but there are big advantages in terms of anti-wear protection, engine cleanliness, and capability of extended drains over a group II PCEO, although I'm comparing apples to oranges here.

"His current strategy of using whatever 5w30 an a 3 or 4000 mile interval likely has done no harm."

Sure, probably hasn't done a great deal of harm, but obviously there are better choices, and like I touched on before, Rotella will offer much better anti-wear protection as well as clean up some of the deposits/varnish the 5w-30's have left behind, as well as keeping new "stuff" from forming, even on something like 7500 mile intervals.

"Since there are very few UOA's that even begin to hint at an extedned capability on the Rotella T Syn and next to no UOA's using 40 weight oils in these motors, I'd be leery of pushing this oil with doing some testing myself."

Sure, I would do testing if this was my vehicle, but obviously, it's not, and he doesn't want to do analysis. But, with that said, I feel much more comfortable pushing the drain intervals with the Rotella than I would with a standard 5w-30 PCEO. The engine, although no real maintenance has been done to it, is in good running condition and does not leak coolant. In a modern, clean running engine like this, even with Rotella doing a great deal of "cleaning" on this first interval, I don't see a 7,500 mile interval being too far out there, given his driving habits of many highway miles.

"I say this since I currently run a 4.6 in my '99 F150, but am running Havoline 5w20 on 6000 mile intervals. I also use the Rotella T syn, but that goes in the Jeep Cherokee..."

I do feel that 5w-20's can protect in modern engines, but I absolutely can not stand dirty engine internals, and I firmly believe that over time, use of any mineral-based PCEO is gonna leave a great deal of deposits/varnish behind, even using a good oil and the "standard" 3,000 mile drain intervals.

BTW, sorry if I'm coming off to strong here and trying to act like I know everything. I don't...I just like "debating" with someone as to what the "best" choices are...you stating your opinions, and then myself stating mine.
 
Jelly,

The more you add to the thread the more I wonder why you bothered to ask? Seems you're mind was made up long before posting.

You like the HDEO oils, Rotella-T in this case, that is fine. You offer very compelling info for their use. I just don't see how it is you can even entertain the idea of this guy doing etended drains since by his owm admission he changes the oil then forgets about it until the next OCI.

Extended drains are not for everyone.

Mikep
 
"Oh, I know Bror...I've been around long enough to know that when you're looking for information, you should first do a search and see what has already been talked about. In my case though, I'm just doing a quick survey to see what my fellow BiTOG boys think ..."

I know, that's the reason most guys start a new thread ... but the discussion ends up getting fragmented all over the place and bits are inevitably lost.
frown.gif


I believe there are two threads with names like: "Which oil for a Ford 4.6L?"

Since my Dad has had two of these engines, I think I posted comments in each.

And yes, the Motorcraft filters are pretty good. Hard to beat at $2.77 a piece.
wink.gif


--- Bror Jace
 
I'm skeptical that HDEO's are really needed in a gas engine. More detergents etc. than you need is well, just more. More isn't always better.

Adequate detergency, high flash point, and low noack volatility are more important to me.
 
I really think that just switching to a Motorcraft filter and staying with a good 5w30 dino oil is all he needs. These motors were designed around 30 weight (and now 20 weight) oil so I wouldn't be comfortable going to 40 weight as long as there are no oil use issues. By the way, what part of the bluegrass state?
cheers.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jelly:

Rotella-T 5w-40
Motorcraft filter

BTW...want to hear something funny??

When I asked him about oil consumption, he stated, "That I don't even check my oil level, and as long as oil pressure is up and the engine isn't making any funny noises, then it will be alright...just the way I was brought up."

Anyways, I feel my choices are just about as good as he is gonna get for wanting long drain-intervals on a 4.6L of this mileage that, with a doubt, has a good deal of varnish and deposits built up.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Tell him to use anything but Amsoil. With that type of maintenance practice, I don't want him blaming me for his engine distaters!
shocked.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by haley10:
I'm skeptical that HDEO's are really needed in a gas engine. More detergents etc. than you need is well, just more. More isn't always better.

Adequate detergency, high flash point, and low noack volatility are more important to me.
Click to expand...
Thanks you, that's encouraging to me. I am resisting going with an HDEO for the very same reasons. I will stick with 10w40 Valvoline Maxlife for now: Highest detergency of Valvoline PCEOs and stated flash point of 242C (man, that's like a 20w50). Don't know the NOACK, but with a flash point like that it should be good. Also minimum HT/HS of 3.5.
 
Jelly, I think there are many sub-standard pcmos out there and poor oci maintenance as well.

HDEO's are quality products.

I think a lot is a quality issue as well as manufacterer's extending oci's with the lame SL spec.

I feel better served with a high quality lower viscosity oil myself. Better mpg, throttle response, and still good longevity and wear.

I'm not being argumentative.
 
msparks...that was exactly what I was thinking. LOL

Hence the, "I don't recommend it."

=) I guess all AMSOIL dealers think alike great minds, yada yada yada
 
A guy like this, I'd put on a 3,000 mile regime of Ford-approved 5W20. Guarantees you that he'll get a factory-reccomended quality oil, and it won't go bad before his OCI is up. Also, reasonably priced.
Extended intervals without UOAs is a little wacky. Don't do it.
 
An important fact that no one has mentioned in this thread - the Ford 4.6L is a large OHC engine. Therefore the cams are a good distance above the oil pump. So on a cold start I would think one would want the thinnest oil possible, consistent with low oil consumption. My 4.6L T-Bird consumes some M1 5W-30, so I switched to D1 5W-40 and have had no problems, but I don't run the car in our Minnesota winters. I would be nervous about using 15W-40 in the 4.6L in anything other than quite warm weather.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mikep:
Jelly,

The more you add to the thread the more I wonder why you bothered to ask? Seems you're mind was made up long before posting.

You like the HDEO oils, Rotella-T in this case, that is fine. You offer very compelling info for their use. I just don't see how it is you can even entertain the idea of this guy doing etended drains since by his owm admission he changes the oil then forgets about it until the next OCI.

Extended drains are not for everyone.

Mikep
Click to expand...
You're right, I do like HDEO's (max engine protection and great engine cleanliness)...

As of today, he has promised me that he'll start checking his oil regularly, at least by non-BITOG normal people standards.

Sure, extended drains aren't for everyone...I don't even do extended drains myself simply because I like changing oil, but in this situation, and with this oil and this vehicle/engine, I think a 7,500 interval is easily attainable.

Let his check his oil every two weeks or so and I believe he'll be fine.

And yes, to be honest with you, I don't know why I posted...guess I was just bored or something and wanted to let people know what I was doing with a friends vehicle.

Guess I should have titled the post "My suggestions for a friends 4.6L"...
 
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