Tried Maxlife, now what?

[SmrtJustin]

Hello All! I've been reading this forum for months now and it is great!

I have a 1997 F-150 with the 4.6L with about 81,000 miles. Since it was new I've always ran Valvoline 5w-30 dino in it with no problems, then a few years ago I switched to Durablend with no problems, then after reading so much here I decided to try Maxlife in it. I've used Maxlife now for three 3k mile OCIs. I've noticed now using Maxlife that it has started using oil. I can't give you an exact amount because I don't have any spare Maxlife sitting around to pour into it, but I can tell you it has about 1500 miles on this oil change (the third one using maxlife) and the oil is sitting about 1/2 to 3/4 in the "OK" range on the dipstick.

So naturally I'm thinking about trying something else. The two oils I've narrowed it down to are my head is Motorcraft 5w-30 (I know it can now use 5w-20, but I'm not sure with it now using a little bit of oil if thats a great idea) and Havoline dino 5w-30. I always try to do 3k mile OCI, even though most of you will say thats overkill. I also have a 2002 Tahoe with the 5.3L and about 32,000 miles, so it would be nice to use the same oil both.

Both trucks see mostly city driving here in Toledo, OH.

I would really like to hear what your opinions are on what oil to use, and if either of them will cure the oil consumption problem. Its not crisis if it won't, but I just figured since it seemed to develop after switching to Maxlife, that the oil might have something to do with it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clyde65]

I use 10W-40 MaxLife in one of my vehicles that calls for 10W-30. Fuel milelage is way up and so is smoothness, but I do realize I'm breaking the rules though.

 

[michaelc80]

First off,

What were you trying to achieve with the MaxLife?

If the regular Valvoline or Durablend worked well, maybe a return to one of those would be in order.

 

[mshu7]

I agree with Michaelc80. If dino Valvoline or Durablend worked, stay with it.

Other than those though, you can't go wrong with Motorcraft or Havoline.

 

[SmrtJustin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by michaelc80:

What were you trying to achieve with the MaxLife?

---

I had no problems w/ the dino or Durablend, I just read here that Maxlife was a great oil, so I decided to switch to it because it seemed to have a better additive pack than the dino or durablend.

I'm somewhat reluctant to switch back to it, I'm sure its a fine oil, but after finding this site, there seems to be other oils that are much better for the same price or cheaper.

[ June 27, 2006, 05:06 PM: Message edited by: SmrtJustin ]

 

[Ramblin Fever]

I've always heard that when you switch oils you stand the chance of using some oil for a while??

FWIW - I've used Havoline in many of vehicles with excellent results.

 

[SmrtJustin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ramblin Fever:
I've always heard that when you switch oils you stand the chance of using some oil for a while??

---

Thats exactly why I figured I'd keep with it for three oil changes. But since it hasn't gotten any better, I'm thinking of changing. I am kind of leaning towards Havoline.

 

[bender]

There are few, if any, people here who would argue against Havoline. I fall into the category of oil connoisseur "x" where x = cheapest oil I can find on sale. So lately I have been using nothing but Chevron and Formula Shell from Kragen for 0.49/qt. But with the Free Maxlife deal, I now have 15 bottles and will be using it for the next few OCIs. If I had no access to these deals, I'd probably run Havoline since it seems to be regarded as an excellent oil for a very good price. When I run the Maxlife, I'll be especially watchful for oil consumption - thanks for the heads up!

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

It might not be the MaxLife. Something else might be going on. Just a thought.

 

[SmrtJustin]

It seems that Maxlife helps stop oil consumption for most people. I seem to be the only one that seems to have developed an oil consumption problem from it lol.

 

[SmrtJustin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GROUCHO MARX:
It might not be the MaxLife. Something else might be going on. Just a thought.

---

That is certainly possible. I've heard that the 4.6 tends to have valve stem seal problems, but it just seems a little early at 81,000 miles. It shouldn't surprise me though, I had just had to replace rearend bearings less than 1,000 miles ago on vacation

 

[Alcibiades]

My guess is the consumption is coincident with the introduction of Maxlife, or maybe the Maxlife "found" a leak where the others did not, which does not mean that it "caused" the leak. That is all sort of academic though....

Auto-Rx has particular instructions requiring two applications for fixing seal leaks:

http://auto-rx.com/pages/sealleak.htm

If it were my truck, I'd give it a try. Havoline does look quite good, along with Motorcraft and GTX. Or dino Valvoline...it can't hurt.

 

[427Z06]

With 81,000 miles, I'd give AutoRX a try first. It may cure some of it's consumption.

 

[Clyde65]

I'd be putting 10W-40 in that motor since it's well past break in and over 80,000 miles. Since MaxLife is a thin 10W-40, it wouldn't be a huge jump. Just my opinion.

 

[jorton]

When you change the oil, how many quarts does it take to get to the top of the OK range? Glove box manual says capacity is 6 quarts but my 99 f150 takes 6 1/2 quarts.

 

[SkiTechPro]

I had pretty much the same results in my 1989 Chrysler LeBaron 2.5l when using max-life 20w50 high oil consumption and leaks at both ends of the crankshaft (this was exacerbated by the max-life)....Due to the limited availability of the max-life oils in the area where I was living, I switched to Castrol High Mileage 20w50 and the syptoms disappeared. No UOA's, mind you, but oil consumption dropped way down, and the crank seal leaks virtually vanished!

Iknow this sounds like a commercial endorsement, it's not! Oh, BTW I regularly use either Bosch or SuperTech filters.

 

[tmorris1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jorton:
When you change the oil, how many quarts does it take to get to the top of the OK range? Glove box manual says capacity is 6 quarts but my 99 f150 takes 6 1/2 quarts.

---

6 qts puts me in the middle of the OK range which is fine. I don't add another 1/2 qt to get to the top of the fill line, it will be fine without it. The acceptable operating range is anywhere within that 1 qt window.

 

[tmorris1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jorton:
When you change the oil, how many quarts does it take to get to the top of the OK range? Glove box manual says capacity is 6 quarts but my 99 f150 takes 6 1/2 quarts.

---

6 qts puts me in the middle of the OK range which is fine. I don't add another 1/2 qt to get to the top of the fill line, it will be fine without it. The acceptable operating range is anywhere within that 1 qt window.

 

[JAG]

Switching to synthetic after that many miles on dino oil often does bring consumption. It can keep getting worse the more the synthetic removes the false seals. Give Auto-RX a try. It's almost magic in a bottle. It will remove false seals but also condition the seals.

 

[Islandvic]

Ford 4.6's seem to start to consume oil approaching the 100k mile marker.

It may be the engine and not the oil.

My Crown Vic w/ 4.6 and 155k miles consumes the least oil when using Maxlife Conv and especially Maxlife Syn.