First oil post decisions

[msmoke00]

Long time lurker, figured this would be the best place to get opinions. I have a lot of experience with vehicles, but I'm being very indecisive on my recent purchase of a 07' F150 with the 5.4L. The cam phaser issue on this motor is what it making it hard in my mind. Some some criteria I'm dealing with:
1.truck is out of warranty
2. it's kept outdoors in Indiana weather extremes (-5 in winter to 90 degrees in summer)
3. Driving pattern is very irregular. I'm a college student and go home on weekends, so I drive 70 miles highway to school on Sunday and don't start the truck until Friday. If it does get run during the week it is short (less than 2 miles or so) trips. I drive around 10,000 miles a year total. OCI suggest by Ford is 5000 miles, I have access to do my own oil changes so I can adjust my OCI to whatever I desire.

This motor has no known problems now, but I'm trying to do my best to keep the phaser problem away. The motor is originally specd for 5w-20 here in the states, elsewhere I've heard it is specd for 5w30. Ford has also said 10w-40 can be used if the phaser noise is heard (Ford TSB).
My choices I'm looking at now are Motorcraft 5w-20, Pennzoil Ultra 5w30, or Amsoil signature series 0w-30. Thoughts?

 

[Pablo]

Use Amsoil 5W-20 XL and change at 5-10K intervals.

 

[spasm3]

any 0w 30 sounds good m1 or amsoil

 

[cancov]

This reminds me of when my buddy and I replaced a coolant line on his Ford Ranger in an off campus, gated, fenced-in parking lot. Antifreeze in a chopped up bucket, tools laying on the asphalt. This was at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where, I assume, car maintenance is not a common hobby due to the stares we got. I miss those days every now and again, but not the endless papers and exams.

Good blessings with the F150. I don't have any experience with that engine so I'll let the other members have at it. I just wanted to commend a dutiful college student. I hope your hard work rewards you later.

 

[jorton]

Is the cam phaser problem due to a design flaw, or manufacturing defects? Will choice of oil extend the life of the part?

You don't have to change oil often due to low miles so syn blend oil oil changes will hold up for 6 month intervals that you require.

 

[msmoke00]

Originally Posted By: jorton
Is the cam phaser problem due to a design flaw, or manufacturing defects? Will choice of oil extend the life of the part?


I'm on a couple of F150 sites and it seems that neglected engines fail faster, but also that some that run exclusively Motorcraft oil also have the issue. So I guess you could say it's a design issue that can be compounded by oil choice to some degree.

 

[msmoke00]

Originally Posted By: cancov

Good blessings with the F150. I don't have any experience with that engine so I'll let the other members have at it. I just wanted to commend a dutiful college student. I hope your hard work rewards you later.


Many thanks. I think all of us who are diligent about vehicles at college have stories like yours. I've changed a wheel bearing in the parking lot along the street here at Purdue. Also had to remove a coil pack on a 94' Ranger during the winter in a sorority parking lot while it was snowing. It had gotten moisture in the pack and wasn't starting for her. At least I got a date out of that one.

 

[tig1]

I would use M1 5-20EP with once a year changes.