This is a strange one. I'm sure there has to be some correlation but I don't understand how/why. This is in my truck - 01 F350 5.4 with the engine out of (I believe) a 1997 F150. The engine is up to almost 238K miles now.
It had used a little oil. I played around with the 640:1 mix of TCW3 in the gas and that seemed to slow consumption a bit. The right head gasket was seeping a bit as do many early build 5.4s.. I had to add a quart every 800-1200 miles. Not terrible.
Last summer the passenger side exhaust manifold blew out (again). I let it go because I didn't think the truck was worth it. Shortly thereafter (probably immediately - within a few weeks) I had to start adding oil every 125-200 miles. If I was towing, it was a top off the gas fill the oil situation. I made a 500 mile round trip and went through 4 quarts of oil. Made a couple of 160 mile round trips towing the Jeep and had to add a bit more than a quart. Consistently , the round trip to my parents (130 miles depending on the route) was a whole quart of oil. All leaking out of the passenger side head gasket. There was always a cloud of blue smoke coming out of the passenger side wheel well because the blown exhaust manifold / gasket was causing the leaked oil to smolder.
While I didn't end up running used oil in the engine , I haven't changed it either. Just changed the filter and kept running the same supertech high mileage 5w-30 as before.
I had the exhaust manifold done very recently. I didn't think the truck was worth putting the work into, but it was really confusing the computer --- the right bank would run +30% fuel trims! Taking off in the morning I would make it right to the state road and it would go closed loop and immediately run on 4 cylinders.
Haven't been driving the truck after it was fixed due to family things going on. I've managed to finally put about 800 miles on it and it was finally 1/2 way down on the dip stick. 1.5 pts brought it back to full. That would put me right at the oil consumption I was at early last year.
The head gasket is still seeping. But it doesn't immediately soak the right side of the engine and starter like it had been.
I don't understand it. but I'll take it. Anyone have any idea on what was happening here?
It had used a little oil. I played around with the 640:1 mix of TCW3 in the gas and that seemed to slow consumption a bit. The right head gasket was seeping a bit as do many early build 5.4s.. I had to add a quart every 800-1200 miles. Not terrible.
Last summer the passenger side exhaust manifold blew out (again). I let it go because I didn't think the truck was worth it. Shortly thereafter (probably immediately - within a few weeks) I had to start adding oil every 125-200 miles. If I was towing, it was a top off the gas fill the oil situation. I made a 500 mile round trip and went through 4 quarts of oil. Made a couple of 160 mile round trips towing the Jeep and had to add a bit more than a quart. Consistently , the round trip to my parents (130 miles depending on the route) was a whole quart of oil. All leaking out of the passenger side head gasket. There was always a cloud of blue smoke coming out of the passenger side wheel well because the blown exhaust manifold / gasket was causing the leaked oil to smolder.
While I didn't end up running used oil in the engine , I haven't changed it either. Just changed the filter and kept running the same supertech high mileage 5w-30 as before.
I had the exhaust manifold done very recently. I didn't think the truck was worth putting the work into, but it was really confusing the computer --- the right bank would run +30% fuel trims! Taking off in the morning I would make it right to the state road and it would go closed loop and immediately run on 4 cylinders.
Haven't been driving the truck after it was fixed due to family things going on. I've managed to finally put about 800 miles on it and it was finally 1/2 way down on the dip stick. 1.5 pts brought it back to full. That would put me right at the oil consumption I was at early last year.
The head gasket is still seeping. But it doesn't immediately soak the right side of the engine and starter like it had been.
I don't understand it. but I'll take it. Anyone have any idea on what was happening here?
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