Change type of oil or not.

Joined
Jul 15, 2006
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5
Location
Mechanicsville, Virginia
My 2014 F150 with 3.5 EB engine will top 100k miles when the oil is changed next time. It's at 96k miles now and the oil is changed every 5k miles. Until now, I've always used Motorcraft 5w-30 Synthetic Blend oil. Would it make any sense to change to a high mileage full synthetic oil next time, or just continue using the current Motorcraft syn blend?
 
I would continue using Motorcraft oil and would not use a high mileage oil when it's not needed. If you start leaking oil, look at the root cause and determine if a proper fix is warranted or if you'd rather try a high mileage oil.

High mileage oil won't do a thing for an engine that cracks the plastic valve cover.
 
Not a big fan of high mileage oils because they tend to cost more with little added benefit.

But personally what I’d do is maybe go to a 5W30 full synthetic, rather than a blend...but then again you seem to be having success with the Motorcraft, so it’s not exactly necessary either. I just prefer full synthetic because it’s pretty cheap at Walmart, it’s readily available, and it is supposed to be “better”.
 
Using non HM oil in my F150 (255k miles) and 4Runner (270k miles). I would consider using a HM oil if they used a little oil. Like others have said it won't hurt anything and usually cost's the same as non HM oil. Yea, dump the Motorcraft for a synthetic. I used Motorcraft Syn blend in my Ford's for a while and didn't like it.
 
Not a big fan of high mileage oils because they tend to cost more with little added benefit.

But personally what I’d do is maybe go to a 5W30 full synthetic, rather than a blend...but then again you seem to be having success with the Motorcraft, so it’s not exactly necessary either. I just prefer full synthetic because it’s pretty cheap at Walmart, it’s readily available, and it is supposed to be “better”.
I have not seen a significant price difference between HM and equivalent non-HM oil in over a decade.

Price at Walmart:
Mobil1 5w-30 and Mobil 1 HM 5w-30, both $22.37/5 qt.
Castrol Edge 5w-30 and Castrol Edge HM 5w-30, both $24.47/5 qt
Supertech 5w-20 Synthetic ($15.98/5 qt) and Supertech HM 5w-20 Synthetic ($15.97/5 qt).

As for the OP, I would just keep doing what you are doing. Has worked for 100,000 miles, so why change?
 
I used Valvoline High Mileage Synthetic in Caravan with 22k on it and will continue. The reason I run High Mileage oil is for seal conditioners in High Mileage oils. I did I believe was 6 oil changes based on price and with Valvoline Advance High Mileage Synthetic the vehicle runs the best and quietest plus same price as non high mileage. Of course I am biased as I ran Maxlife for 10+ years.
 
Whether it's a high mileage or not, I personally would switch over to a full synthetic if it were mine. I use full syn in all my vehicles, new or old, except my 84 k10, I don't just because the 350 is a worn piece of just and burns so much oil
 
My 2014 F150 with 3.5 EB engine will top 100k miles when the oil is changed next time. It's at 96k miles now and the oil is changed every 5k miles. Until now, I've always used Motorcraft 5w-30 Synthetic Blend oil. Would it make any sense to change to a high mileage full synthetic oil next time, or just continue using the current Motorcraft syn blend?
 
I’d be more worried about the water pump in that engine since it dumps coolant into the sump when it fails. Have you kept up with coolant changes to keep the water pump bearings happy?

Not trying to hate, I love the EB 3.5 but that water pump design is a suicide bomb in each and every unit.
 
I’d be more worried about the water pump in that engine since it dumps coolant into the sump when it fails. Have you kept up with coolant changes to keep the water pump bearings happy?

Not trying to hate, I love the EB 3.5 but that water pump design is a suicide bomb in each and every unit.
I’d run synthetic. You can get it just as cheap as the FoMoCo syn blend so why not?
 
I’d be more worried about the water pump in that engine since it dumps coolant into the sump when it fails. Have you kept up with coolant changes to keep the water pump bearings happy?

Not trying to hate, I love the EB 3.5 but that water pump design is a suicide bomb in each and every unit.
I'm pretty sure that doesn't apply to the longitudinal version used in full size trucks, that would only apply to transverse mounted versions of the Cyclone platform engines.
 
Id say theres probably an opportunity to uprade to an oil that is just better. Motorcraft is a good oil, I used it for years when I drove Fords but theres better oils out there.
I dont know that you really need to go to a high milage oil because the opinion on high milage oils seems to be that theres no real evidence that they do anything. In some engines, they actually cause more leaks because they clean out more of the sludge and gunk that can help seals to not leak.
IMO, youd probably be upgrading your oil with any full synthetic Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol, Penzoil, etc, etc. Im partial to Valvoline but theres lots of great options out there.
 
My 2014 F150 with 3.5 EB engine will top 100k miles when the oil is changed next time. It's at 96k miles now and the oil is changed every 5k miles. Until now, I've always used Motorcraft 5w-30 Synthetic Blend oil. Would it make any sense to change to a high mileage full synthetic oil next time, or just continue using the current Motorcraft syn blend?
She made it this long so apparently it’s a good oil. I’d keep running it
 
I have not seen a significant price difference between HM and equivalent non-HM oil in over a decade.

Price at Walmart:
Mobil1 5w-30 and Mobil 1 HM 5w-30, both $22.37/5 qt.
Castrol Edge 5w-30 and Castrol Edge HM 5w-30, both $24.47/5 qt
Supertech 5w-20 Synthetic ($15.98/5 qt) and Supertech HM 5w-20 Synthetic ($15.97/5 qt).

As for the OP, I would just keep doing what you are doing. Has worked for 100,000 miles, so why change?
You know what’s funny? when I wrote about the price difference I was thinking to myself...wait, with the prices of synthetic oil being so reasonable at Walmart...are high mileage oils even more expensive anymore? Thanks for clarifying, I‘m not really surprised they’ve dropped in price as well.

You really can find bargains on synthetic oil if you shop around a little - or better yet, check out the rebates portion of this site.
 
I’d be more worried about the water pump in that engine since it dumps coolant into the sump when it fails. Have you kept up with coolant changes to keep the water pump bearings happy?

Not trying to hate, I love the EB 3.5 but that water pump design is a suicide bomb in each and every unit.
I think you’re referring to the older 3.5’s in the Ford Edge, etc. Those weren’t the Eco Boost engines...the 3.5 Eco Boost in the F-150’s don’t hide the water pump behind the timing cover, which would allow it to weep directly into the crankcase when it fails (a horrible design) and then wipe out the engine by mixing with the oil, causing bearing failure. An absolute nightmare because you wouldn’t even KNOW it was happening. The only way people were lucky enough to catch it before catastrophic failure was to constantly/consistently check their oil and coolant levels/conditions, weekly or more.
 
I think you’re referring to the older 3.5’s in the Ford Edge, etc. Those weren’t the Eco Boost engines...the 3.5 Eco Boost in the F-150’s don’t hide the water pump behind the timing cover, which would allow it to weep directly into the crankcase when it fails (a horrible design) and then wipe out the engine by mixing with the oil, causing bearing failure. An absolute nightmare because you wouldn’t even KNOW it was happening. The only way people were lucky enough to catch it before catastrophic failure was to constantly/consistently check their oil and coolant levels/conditions, weekly or more.
The Ecoboost is based on the Cyclone engine, 3.5EBs for transverse mounted applications are built like the older cyclones with the water pump under the timing cover, the longitudinal versions of any cyclone or it's derivatives have never had the water pump under the timing cover.
 
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