Motorcraft 5w30 Synthetic // 2022 Explorer ST 5500 Miles

Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
95
Location
Denver, Colorado
5500 miles, replaced with ESP 5w30.

1000002947.webp
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the report.

Seems not long ago Blackstone would have been perfectly fine with the TBN here. They seem to have increased their threshold on TBN from 1.0 to 2.0. Has anyone else noticed this? I wonder why the change.

@Mekks How long was the oil in service, and what type of driving?
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the report.

Seems not long ago Blackstone would have been perfectly fine with the TBN here. They seem to have increased their threshold on TBN from 1.0 to 2.0. Has anyone else noticed this? I wonder why the change.

@Mekks How long was the oil in service, and what type of driving?

Oil was in service for about 8 months and 5500 miles. Most of the driving was a short trip to the highway (2mi), and then a 15mi spirited drive on the highway normally doing 75-80mph.

This sample did see a good bit of 15 min remote starts during that period.
 
Oil was in service for about 8 months and 5500 miles. Most of the driving was a short trip to the highway (2mi), and then a 15mi spirited drive on the highway normally doing 75-80mph.

This sample did see a good bit of 15 min remote starts during that period.
What brand oil will u be using next
 
Is the the Motorcraft synthetic blend or the full synthetic product?

I would speculate that you have fuel dilution approaching or exceeding 5%. Blackstone does not do an accurate test for fuel dilution. I would highly recommend switching to Oil Analyzers/Horizon test kits that are sold through Amsoil, they are ASTM certified and do an accurate gas chromatography test for dilution.

Either way you are likely doing the best thing by switching to ESP.

I don’t think that it was a 20 grade originally, the Ford ecoboost engines are just big fuel diluters especially the 3.0 that doesn’t have dual injection like the 2.7. Give them short trips plus idling to stay warm in winter and it’s not surprising that the oil will slip a full grade. I might even consider 4000 mile oil changes if the vehicle gets nothing but short tripped.
 
Is the the Motorcraft synthetic blend or the full synthetic product?

I would speculate that you have fuel dilution approaching or exceeding 5%. Blackstone does not do an accurate test for fuel dilution. I would highly recommend switching to Oil Analyzers/Horizon test kits that are sold through Amsoil, they are ASTM certified and do an accurate gas chromatography test for dilution.

Either way you are likely doing the best thing by switching to ESP.

I don’t think that it was a 20 grade originally, the Ford ecoboost engines are just big fuel diluters especially the 3.0 that doesn’t have dual injection like the 2.7. Give them short trips plus idling to stay warm in winter and it’s not surprising that the oil will slip a full grade. I might even consider 4000 mile oil changes if the vehicle gets nothing but short tripped.

It is the full synthetic version. I will look into a different lab next go around. Got an email today that Blackstone is raising prices anyways.
 
I was kinda shocked to see it so low, wondering if the dealer put in 5w20 by accident or if it really just broke down that bad.
With a Blackstone analysis you have no idea whether a viscosity deviation is due to a poor measurement, fuel dilution or actual mechanical shear of the VM. The first two are the most common, and as 2.7 notes are unrelated to the oil and wouldn't contribute to it "broke down that bad".

Lots of people on here have condemned the oil due to such an analysis when there is zero actual reason to do so.
 
I was kinda shocked to see it so low, wondering if the dealer put in 5w20 by accident or if it really just broke down that bad.
The dealer might have put in 5W-20 conventional bulk oil from a drum and pocketed the extra profit.
 
Just a trace of fuel and this 5w30 was 7.8 cst@100? I'm betting the dealer used 5w20 also.
This is why I never trust oil change places using bulk tanks. Ya' never know what's going inside that engine.
 
Back
Top Bottom