Best oil for abused 2014 3.5L EcoBoost

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: jongies3
I'd get rid of the truck and find a 5.0 V8 version, much less problems and more reliable in the long run.


Best advice yet on this thread. Exactly what I would do. On the other hand, I would have bought the 5.0 to begin with.

 

[turnbowm]

Originally Posted By: nap
I wonder how we have ever been able to use timechains before this thing dexos.

In the past, timing chain problems were mostly design-related. In GDI engines, however, abnormal timing chain wear is caused by small carbon particles (soot) produced from incomplete combustion. The particles are too small to be filtered and end up contaminating the oil. If you're wondering how bad the GDI soot problem is, run your finger across the inside of the tailpipe.

 

[wtd]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: jongies3
I'd get rid of the truck and find a 5.0 V8 version, much less problems and more reliable in the long run.


Best advice yet on this thread. Exactly what I would do. On the other hand, I would have bought the 5.0 to begin with.


This is why when my fiance's son wanted to buy a new F150 in 2014, I steered him away from the ecoboost and into the 5.0. In four years, he has put 151,000 trouble free miles on this truck. It has never had a problem and he does his oil changes by the OLM with Motorcraft 5W-20 and the Motorcraft filter. He goes 9,500-10,000 miles between changes.

My fiance' bought a new F150 in 2017 and got the 5.0 in hers.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

If what you say is true about 151K and 9-10K OCIs, I'll guess that dipstick is black, only 250 miles after that oil change.

 

[OilUzer]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
If what you say is true about 151K and 9-10K OCIs, I'll guess that dipstick is black, only 250 miles after that oil change.


Interesting! I have seen cases like that. Why does the new oil gets dark so quickly under these conditions and
what is it picking up?

 

[andyd]

GDI mystifies me. How can an engine that gasses and contaminates oil with partially combusted carbon grit be considered efficient? Is this the result of tighter tailpipe emissions? If so, it is a cheat. It just moves the pollution to the oil.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: andyd
GDI mystifies me. How can an engine that gasses and contaminates oil with partially combusted carbon grit be considered efficient? Is this the result of tighter tailpipe emissions? If so, it is a cheat. It just moves the pollution to the oil.
they put out particle emissions hence dual injection.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Might sound strange, but if the OPer is looking for a higher HTHS oil I'd look at one that has a dexos2 license. These oils are LSPI tested as they are recommended for gas and diesel engines in Europe by GM and they also have a minimum HTHS of 3.5, higher than a typical US XW30.

It may be that the EcoBoosts generally are not as prone to LSPI issues as some of the more notorious recent DITs (Subaru 2.0l in the WRX/FXT, Hyundai 1.6l in the Veloster Turbo, and the GM 2.0l in the Malibu and some Caddies are examples), but I am a worrier and would still want an oil that is tested for LSPI mitigation in any DIT I owned. Standards with LSPI testing include dexos1 Gen 2, dexos2, and SN+.

I'm not sure if any dexos2 oils would meet the appropriate Ford standard for this truck, though.

 

[wtd]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
If what you say is true about 151K and 9-10K OCIs, I'll guess that dipstick is black, only 250 miles after that oil change.


It's not, why would you assume that. This is almost all highway miles. He works for the railroad and travels quite a ways each week to get to the job and then back home. His truck has the 5.0, not the ecoboost.

 

[braxus351]

I have a 2014 Mustang with the 3.7L Ecoboost V6. Does this engine have the same issues as the 3.5L? I assume the engine design is almost identical between the two. My car has 32,000km on it so far. It doesn't quite get the same highway mileage I got with it when I first had the car. Seems to burn more gas now. I have been running Mobil 1 5/20 synthetic in it since I did the first oil change on it at 24,000km (I've owned it since 21,000km). Most driving is stop and go with shorter trips. I change the oil between 6 to 8,000km on the oil. Basically once a year. Will my timing chain have issues being a '14?

 

[OilUzer]

Originally Posted By: Scott351W
I have a 2014 Mustang ... Will my timing chain have issues being a '14?


I don't own an ecoboost but have family members, friends and co-workers who own them including F150's and Mustang ... I have not heard a complaint from any of them!

Typically you hear the problems on the internet because people are looking for solution ...

Enjoy the car maybe join one of the Mustang websites to get a better insight.

 

[BeerCan]

3.7 is not an ecoboost.

 

[jongies3]

Originally Posted By: OilUzer
Originally Posted By: Scott351W
I have a 2014 Mustang ... Will my timing chain have issues being a '14?


I don't own an ecoboost but have family members, friends and co-workers who own them including F150's and Mustang ... I have not heard a complaint from any of them!

Typically you hear the problems on the internet because people are looking for solution ...

Enjoy the car maybe join one of the Mustang websites to get a better insight.

I know from experience working on them, they just aren't as reliable as the naturally aspirated Ford engines. I can't tell you how many Escapes that came in for their first service, usually between 3k and 5k miles on the car and the turbo seals were blown and spewing oil everywhere. If that's what people consider reliability I guess I must have unrealistic standards! Not to mention the 4 cylinder Ecoboosts have a lot of head problems from carbon buildup as well, luckily the V6's don't seem to get this as badly.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Originally Posted By: Charlie2015
Valvoline Maxlife 20w50



Hahahahahaa, prob not the ideal choice, but the point remains.

On a serious note, chains last longest with ultra clean 30 viscosity oil. Synthetics will result in a cleaner engine with less carbon buildup. Whether that translates to lower chain wear is just a guess.

I run M1, 10W-30 EP in my 2011 3.5EB. About 80K miles, no issues. 5000 mile OCI's. Other EB trucks I know of, use other oils and have troubles. You be the judge. Early on, I chose the 10W-30 EP due to UOA results. The Ford spec oil was showing high wear. Sorry, it's been a long time since I've done UOA on it, so I don't recall the numbers.

Any turbo owner should strongly consider a full synthetic. Today's turbo's still coke up when HTS (high thermal stability) oils are not used. Examples of oils that do not have HTS include synthetic blends. Remember, water cooling the turbo housing does nothing to prevent coke buildup on the turbine side of the shaft.

Watch this video with Mobil 1 testing. Fast forward to 1:40 to see turbo pictures with M1 vs conventional. https://mobiloil.com/en/article/why-the-...charged-engines


As always, use a quality synthetic, change regularly and choose sufficient viscosity to do the job. That viscosity is likely to be a 10W-30 for certain modern engines.

I think of this kind of thing every time someone gets chastised on BITOG changing their oil before OLM, or using thicker oil than 0w-water when the same engine is spec'd for thicker oil in Europe.

Never mind the mentality that modern oils, even conventional "are so good" now, but clearly there are still issues with long OCI, etc. in certain engine designs no matter what oil.

 

[alarmguy]

Super Tech from Walmart is just as good as any oil on the market.

No oil can correct a badly engineered engine or its components, no matter what the bottle says, its just marketing that makes you think it can.
Its the manufacturer of the engine that is at fault, not the oil that is at fault.