Longest oil change interval on EcoBoost / GTDI engines?

[metroplex]

Awhile ago, I browsed through a lot of UOA's for EcoBoost / GTDI engines and found what I thought was a trend. Most synthetics wouldn't really handle more than 7500 or so miles, while the Amsoil SS and Mobil 1 EP's could go about 10k miles before the TBN got ridiculously low, or viscosity thinned out too much. I personally ran the cheapest non-synthetic 5W-30 (that met the Ford required spec) in my EcoBoost 3.5 and had UOAs done at 7k-7.5k miles and Blackstone didn't recommend going over this because of the viscosity (TBN looked OK).

I was curious if anyone else has seen a trend of longer OCI's for the EcoBoost engine using various types of oils. The reason I ask is if I change the oil every 7500 miles with a decent OTC synthetic (Pennzoil Platinum / Valvoline Syn Power, etc...) versus 10,000 miles with Amsoil SS, there is a huge cost delta for using the more expensive Amsoil. I've been running Amsoil SS 5W-30 in the girlfriend's cars, one of which has the GM LTG 2.0 GTDI engine because she prefers Amsoil. I've normally used OTC synthetics.

But doing a bit of math, I'd have to change the Amsoil SS in my EcoBoost engines every 15,000 miles to break even with the cost of changing OTC synthetics every 7500 miles, and I've never seen any UOAs for Amsoil in a GTDI above 10k miles that looked ok.

I kind of want to know if it really is worth it.

 

[Cujet]

Don't do it. Change at 5K, use a quality synthetic.

The EB engines have timing chain wear issues directly related to oil viscosity and soot/particulate load. Unfortunately, the chain replacement is rather expensive. Pushing the limits with conventional oils in this engine is a proven sure fire way to achieve a poor result.

 

[diyjake]

I agree with Cujet, if I had a ecoboost I would use a quality synthetic oil and replace it every 5K, overkill or not but these engines are not ones to mess around with. Castol Magnatec seems to be the best oil for EB, plenty of info about it on this site.

 

[Boomer]

I change the oil in my 2017 VW All Track with the DI engine with Castrol synthetic meeting the VW requirements for my engine every 5000 miles. I have the dealer do this as my age and health made me give up doing my own. Funny, they always try to talk me into leaving it in for 10,000 miles.

 

[ARB1977]

Our Honda CR-V with the 1.5LT sees 7500 mile based on OLM. The first change was with M1 EP 0W20 and currently Amsoil SS 0W20. Luckily it doesn't have the fuel dilution issues others are seeing. Smells like fuel but very minimal rise on the dipstick.

 

[rideahorse]

Just run any dino HDEO 15w-40 oil in it and quit worrying about all the marketing in syn oils.

 

[metroplex]

15W40 in an Ecoboost??

The UOAs I've seen for GTDI seem different than standard NA MPFI engines in terms of how long you can run the oil. The GTDI seems to be much harder on oil.

Are the Amsoil EA15k filters worth the price? I bought a few to compare with my Oem filters and the pleated material seems just a hair thicker with the Amsoil.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

You know there's a lot of people leasing these cars that run the oil changes 10K miles without thinking twice.

 

[Env1ous]

Originally Posted by Cujet
Don't do it. Change at 5K, use a quality synthetic.

The EB engines have timing chain wear issues directly related to oil viscosity and soot/particulate load. Unfortunately, the chain replacement is rather expensive. Pushing the limits with conventional oils in this engine is a proven sure fire way to achieve a poor result.



I have to agree. Also, the turbos use the oil as well and with two small ones pushing hard the oil does take a beating. I use full synthetic on mine every 5k. Just switched to Rotella T6 5w-30. I have had to ecoboosts and followed the 5k interval changes. I started off with 3k. lol.

 

[Env1ous]

Originally Posted by Miller88
You know there's a lot of people leasing these cars that run the oil changes 10K miles without thinking twice.


Well yeah, when the lease is over they return it and don't think twice. If you want to keep it, maintenance is usually a forefront.

 

[2004tdigls]

Originally Posted by Miller88
You know there's a lot of people leasing these cars that run the oil changes 10K miles without thinking twice.



that is because after the lease is done the car is dropped off at the dealer, as long as the engine lasts to the end the lease the owner doesn't care about longevity

 

[LotI]

I run 5k in my TSI. I feel the recommended 10k is too long and driven by the manufacturers trying to show lower cost of ownership.

My reasoning...It matches up with my tire rotation schedule; it's easy to keep track of on the odometer; since I do it myself it really doesn't cost much; it gives me a chance to inspect the car.

I found an oil leak at my PCV at my 35k oil change. If I were changing it every 10k it would have been out of warranty. I got a new $150 valve for free, installed on VW's dime.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by metroplex
15W40 in an Ecoboost??

The UOAs I've seen for GTDI seem different than standard NA MPFI engines in terms of how long you can run the oil. The GTDI seems to be much harder on oil.

Are the Amsoil EA15k filters worth the price? I bought a few to compare with my Oem filters and the pleated material seems just a hair thicker with the Amsoil.

No get Fram Ultra's instead. That's what I did and I was a strict EA/EAO user.

 

[209paulc]

I'm sure your 5k OCIs cost more then the valve. OP check my sig....10k OCI easily!!!!!

 

[Env1ous]

Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by metroplex
15W40 in an Ecoboost??

The UOAs I've seen for GTDI seem different than standard NA MPFI engines in terms of how long you can run the oil. The GTDI seems to be much harder on oil.

Are the Amsoil EA15k filters worth the price? I bought a few to compare with my Oem filters and the pleated material seems just a hair thicker with the Amsoil.

No get Fram Ultra's instead. That's what I did and I was a strict EA/EAO user.


I strictly fall into the category that my dad and grandpa hated fram junk. MIND YOU... lol, his buddy had one fail in the 70s on a motorcycle that was abused in Arizona heat.. and we still don't use them. But post after post I just see that they are good and cost effective. Which one would you recommend for the ecoboost? Cost is no issue since they are similarly priced.

 

[jcartwright99]

We shouldn't just lump all ecoboost engines together. While they employ a lot of the same tech, they are different blocks and designs. For my 2.0 Ecoboost, I run magnatec 5w-30 to 7k. Two UOA's have shown that it sheered a bit but TBN was fine, with trace amount of fuel dilution. The time chain wear was in the older 3.5 Ecoboost. Not sure if the current gen has the same issue or not. The 2.7 and 3.0 ecoboosts are different designs than the 3.5. The commonality is that most ecoboost engines do well with Magnatec.

 

[DavidJones]

I run the recommended Motorcraft semi-syn in my 2.7 Eco. Analysis done through Amsoil suggests that 7500 miles is where I want to do my changes.
I know of a 2.7 approaching 300K running the same oil and using the oil life monitor to prompt changes (every 10K).
I think we tend to overthink these things.....

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Miller88
You know there's a lot of people leasing these cars that run the oil changes 10K miles without thinking twice.

That's typically what the oil life monitor calculates for the interval. That's why. Nothing wrong with the lessee following that recommendation.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by DavidJones
I run the recommended Motorcraft semi-syn in my 2.7 Eco. Analysis done through Amsoil suggests that 7500 miles is where I want to do my changes.
I know of a 2.7 approaching 300K running the same oil and using the oil life monitor to prompt changes (every 10K).
I think we tend to overthink these things.....

We tend to be duped by marketing claims. 300,000 is high miles very quick, The 2.7 became available in 2015.

 

[Env1ous]

Originally Posted by DavidJones
I run the recommended Motorcraft semi-syn in my 2.7 Eco. Analysis done through Amsoil suggests that 7500 miles is where I want to do my changes.
I know of a 2.7 approaching 300K running the same oil and using the oil life monitor to prompt changes (every 10K).
I think we tend to overthink these things.....


That and the 3.5s are different than the 2.7s. The 2.7s were built with FI in mind. The 3.5..not so much lol. The 2.7 has some issues but not as many. The 3.5s have timing chain issues and some fuel dilution issues that aren't as prevalent on the 2.7s. The newer 3.5s have some timing chain issues that are popping up. And the Gen2 3.5 are port and direct fueling. Even the transverse 3.5 in the SHO has different issues than the 3.5s in the F150s.