Questions regarding oil and filter recommendations

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sjopling

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Feb 10, 2012
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Texas
I am, admitedly, an oil rookie. I just changed my oil on my 2011 FX4 F150 5.0 V8. I have always been told Royal Purple is the best so I went and bought some 5w-20 and a Motorcraft filter.

So, I come home change my oil and filter. I then jump on the net and check out Royal Purples website and notice they have an oil filter out. This gets me curious as to who has the best oil and filters and after a hour or so I find yall.

A little back ground on my truck and driving habits before I jump into the questions. I have true dual exhaust, BOSS intake manifold, aFe CAI and the truck is tuned via SCT X3. I drive between 25-50miles a day with a monthly trip of 500 miles round trip, mostly highway. I dont run the truck ragged but I do get on it a fair amount, also the truck has a 6in lift with 35in tires which force the truck to downshift more often than normal.

Now for the questions:
1. How long do you think I can go with my current combo of RP and MC filter? I am more worried about the filter.
2. What's the best oil for my truck? Filter?

Any other recommendations?
 
the MC filter is ok. I'd run one 10k miles. maybe. the "best" filters out there are the Mobil 1, K&N, and Royal Purple. (which are essentially the same filter - all made by Champion Labs)
 
Royal purple is a great oil.. I use it and like it a lot. Stick with the Purple,and get the Purple filter. It is a synthetic media filter which is excellent.
Although, the MC's aren't bad filters either. Support Texas baby!
Dusty
 
a lot of folks here are gonna tell you that since its under warranty, (if you care about that) to stick w/ the motor craft oil & filter. its what ford uses, what they had in mind when designing the engine, etc, etc.(and from what I've read, they (the folks with the Motorcraft license) do make a fine oil & Filter.)
also since it's under warranty (i'm assuming since it's a 2011) stick to the manufacturers oil change interval. (mainly just follow the Oil life monitor in your dash Message center) after you are past the warranty, they you can safely experiment with stretching the interval between changes.

you will hear hundreds of different opinions on which oil or filter is "the best"

what i've absorbed over the past few months on here is this:
Highly regarded Filters are:
Mobil 1, K&N(the ones w/ the Nut on top),Royal Purple, PureOne, Wix, Baldwin, Purolator, motorcraft (in no particular order)
Highly regarded oils (No Particular order)
Mobil 1, Pennzoil (all grades), Amisol, and i know i'm forgetting some that others here will list for me.
 
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Mobil 1..tisk tisk..if you use it your engine could shed iron like it's on it's period. Even XOM states they aren't sure why M1 produces higher Iron levels BUT do state that Iron is found from metal parts wearing so 1+1 eeehh never mind you get the idea.
If you don't use RP, then go with Pennzoil Plat or Ultra, or Amsoil from a site sponsor.
 
Used Royal Purple for many years and MANY miles, with one car being significantly "tougher on engine" than the vast, vast majority... I usually use K&N oil filters (canister type, E46 BMW) with RP oil and they pair well together even under heavy boost (meaning from 16-ish-psi on 93 to well into mid-20s w 105oct+ and "race" belt: Lyshom Twin Screw Supercharger)and high cornering load during autocross. I would absolutely try out their filters, but they don't make any for a single Bimmer newer than 1984! Maybe for my Camry...
 
Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
Mobil 1..tisk tisk..if you use it your engine could shed iron like it's on it's period. Even XOM states they aren't sure why M1 produces higher Iron levels BUT do state that Iron is found from metal parts wearing so 1+1 eeehh never mind you get the idea.
If you don't use RP, then go with Pennzoil Plat or Ultra, or Amsoil from a site sponsor.


Not according to the SN M1 UOAs that have been posted....
35.gif
 
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Thanks for the quick replies quys, this site has a enormous amount of info.

So the MC filter is good but for future reference, is there a filter that would give me longer life, or is the MC as good as the RP and K&N?

Also, how long would you run RP oil?
 
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Run the oil until the IOLM tells you to change it. Ford's intelligent oil life monitor takes your driving conditions into account in determining when it's time to change the oil. With your driving pattern, you should be able to go at least 7500 miles before a change.
 
You mean to tell me that all that SM mobil 1 that people were defending is an inferior oil? Man, I have to get out more.. It's still MUCH MUCH MUCH worse than other oils and the SM uoas proved that with the FE bump. But now suddenly it's fine?
Ya right.. M1 is still M1.
Dusty
 
The SN formula is completely different than the SM version. They might both be M1 but their not the same "oil", completely different chemistry and add pack.
 
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But, guys here would defend the SM to the death..
My point is other oils went from SM to SN as well, so most are that much more ahead of Mobil 1 in terms of wear and things. Super Tech produced less Iron than M1 did, yet it was almost half the price.
Even with the SN mobil 1 out, there ARE better choices.
I thought XOM said that there was no reformulation needed to meet SN, that they already met the spec.
 
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I dont really care either way since I dont use M1. My point is there seems to be quite an improvement in FE with M1 when comparing the SN UOAs to the older SM ones. It might not have needed reformulated but it WAS reformulated when it went from SM to SN.
 
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any name brand oil api rated sm or sn is good, change it on time and use a motorcraft filters if you like.. Use api sn 5w20 and that engine will outlast the truck in most cases. Make sure the oil has the rating ford wants or kiss your warranty bye bye if something happens to the motor
 
My point was that a few members would almost be in tears defending mobil 1 SM when there were clearly brand blinded. From the results of SM, I would not even think about using the M1 SN in my car. It's to risky.
They ADMITTED it was a substandard oil then, just like it is now.
 
Crazy, He already tossed his warranty with the X3.. Ford doesn't play with engine mods he could take it in for a leaky Water pump and ford could say abuse, because it was modified by a tuner and say HE is on the hook for the replacement.I'm sure the OP knew that already though.
 
Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
Crazy, He already tossed his warranty with the X3.. Ford doesn't play with engine mods he could take it in for a leaky Water pump and ford could say abuse, because it was modified by a tuner and say HE is on the hook for the replacement.I'm sure the OP knew that already though.


Yeah, the warranty is pretty much gone with the mods already on the truck.

Though, I would assume RP would be ok with Ford, not sure and really not worried about it since I already use it, my warranty is gone and its great stuff.

Thanks for all the help.
 
Dusty86: I am glad I am not the only one who thinks Mobil1 is ridiculously overhyped, especially when a boutique brand is brought up... "Don't waste your money on (RP/RL/Motul/etc) when you can just get M1 0w40, which everyone knows is the world's best oil"..blah

I was in Advanced and Pepboys yesterday, and M1 0w40 was $9.59qt, right next to it was Royal Purple 5w30/5w40/0w40 ALL for $9.89qt.
A whole $0.30 more per quart! For an oil that has performed at a level many times my expectations and has never once resulted in any kind of issue? Heck yeah!

I mean, I can get Redline in any of those same weights for $10.38qt, and it is a better oil than RP without a doubt, for less than an extra $4 per OCI.

OP: Considering that with these types of oils, they will be changed so infrequently, why not step up a level?
If you really want to protect your truck, and being that you are already going to be fighting one heckuva uphill battle w any warranty claim, I would suggest trying out Royal Purple HPS oil which has the "Synerlec" that is missing from SN regular, as well as >1200ppm of ZDDP. I am not familiar with your engine, but it is a "big Ford" so I am guessing pushrod?

EDIT: Nevermind, saw it is an '11 5.0, so I am assuming it is the same as in the new Mustangs? If so, look at the thread here about Royal Purple and a guy's experience with it in a new Boss 302. Very good, informative read, and lots of pictures.
 
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Originally Posted By: nleksan
Dusty86: I am glad I am not the only one who thinks Mobil1 is ridiculously overhyped, especially when a boutique brand is brought up... "Don't waste your money on (RP/RL/Motul/etc) when you can just get M1 0w40, which everyone knows is the world's best oil"..blah

I was in Advanced and Pepboys yesterday, and M1 0w40 was $9.59qt, right next to it was Royal Purple 5w30/5w40/0w40 ALL for $9.89qt.
A whole $0.30 more per quart! For an oil that has performed at a level many times my expectations and has never once resulted in any kind of issue? Heck yeah!

I mean, I can get Redline in any of those same weights for $10.38qt, and it is a better oil than RP without a doubt, for less than an extra $4 per OCI.

OP: Considering that with these types of oils, they will be changed so infrequently, why not step up a level?
If you really want to protect your truck, and being that you are already going to be fighting one heckuva uphill battle w any warranty claim, I would suggest trying out Royal Purple HPS oil which has the "Synerlec" that is missing from SN regular, as well as >1200ppm of ZDDP. I am not familiar with your engine, but it is a "big Ford" so I am guessing pushrod?

EDIT: Nevermind, saw it is an '11 5.0, so I am assuming it is the same as in the new Mustangs? If so, look at the thread here about Royal Purple and a guy's experience with it in a new Boss 302. Very good, informative read, and lots of pictures.


Yes, its the exact motor in the Mustang though just tuned differently, if I'm not mistaken.
Also, to be honest, I didnt really start researching oil until after my oil change, and thats when I noticed there were better oils than the standard RP (not that there is anything wrong with it).
I will more than likely step up a level for this next change.
Thanks for the telling me about the thread, very intresting.

ETA: Whats the story with Redline? Is it a better option than RP or equivalent?
 
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