What weight oil would you run in a 2011 Ford F150 with 3.5 L gas eco-boost?

[JimPghPA]

My brothers F150 with the 3.5 L gas with 119K miles on it was showing check-your-wallet codes P0014 and P054A (both for exhaust timing over advanced bank 1.)

His mechanic looked at it and cleared the codes and they have not yet come back.

I have seen that owners of F150s have ran heavier oil (Ford specks 5W-20) in these engines to get longer life from the cam chain system.

He is doing an oil change today. I recomended Pennzoil platinum 5W-30 and a Fram Ultra XG10575.

He will be doing another oc before winter, so this will be out of it before then.

I saw that some are running as heavy as 15W-40 in these engines.

He has always ran 5W-20 in the past with 3K to 5K oc intervals. I know the damage that has been done is there to stay untill parts are replaced, and that it probably will not be long before the codes come back.

What are your thoughts on running the PP 5W-30? And what would you run in it in summer, and what in winter?

He tows a RV up to a campground in the spring, and leaves it there all summer, and moves it to and from storage to sites about a mile away to a camp site all summer, and brings it back to Rochester PA in the fall.

His mechanic says to run it untill it does not run right.

What are your thoughts about oil weight to run in this engine?

Thanks for any replies.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd address the codes ASAP if they return. As far as the oil, Mobil 1 ESP 0W30 or 5W30 would be in the sump if it were mine.

 

[tyman]

5w30

 

[bbhero]

Yeah I agree demarpaint...

Mobil 1 ESP oils are one of the best regularly available oils. And a HTHS of 3.5 would be very good too.

 

[benjy]

in Pa a 5 or 10 W30 in winter + a 15-40 in summer + especially towing. the F150 eco boost guys tout the 15-40 except in very cold weather

 

[tasch72]

As per Amsoil and the owners manual, 5w-20 is only spec'd for the 3.7, 5.0, and 6.2.

5w-30 is spec'd for the 3.5 ecoboost.

I would recommend perusing this thread for specific starting KV40's and KV100's if you're looking for an oil that may be on the thicker end of the 5w-30 grade, such as Kirkland Signature/Supertech or Quaker State Full Synthetic

 

[OVERKILL]

I'd address the codes ASAP if they return. As far as the oil, Mobil 1 ESP 0W30 or 5W30 would be in the sump if it were mine.

Yeah I agree demarpaint...

Mobil 1 ESP oils are one of the best regularly available oils. And a HTHS of 3.5 would be very good too.

Yes, definitely an excellent choice.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

I heard that if you fill the crankcase of an EcoBoost with Euro rated 0W40/5W40 (Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge flavor), then it turns into an EcoBeast. Check UOA section, many of happy EcoBeast owners there with 0W40 in the sump.

 

[blufeb95]

Valvoline XLIII 5W-30

 

[FZ1]

My brothers F150 with the 3.5 L gas with 119K miles on it was showing check-your-wallet codes P0014 and P054A (both for exhaust timing over advanced bank 1.)

His mechanic looked at it and cleared the codes and they have not yet come back.

I have seen that owners of F150s have ran heavier oil (Ford specks 5W-20) in these engines to get longer life from the cam chain system.

He is doing an oil change today. I recomended Pennzoil platinum 5W-30 and a Fram Ultra XG10575.

He will be doing another oc before winter, so this will be out of it before then.

I saw that some are running as heavy as 15W-40 in these engines.

He has always ran 5W-20 in the past with 3K to 5K oc intervals. I know the damage that has been done is there to stay untill parts are replaced, and that it probably will not be long before the codes come back.

What are your thoughts on running the PP 5W-30? And what would you run in it in summer, and what in winter?

He tows a RV up to a campground in the spring, and leaves it there all summer, and moves it to and from storage to sites about a mile away to a camp site all summer, and brings it back to Rochester PA in the fall.

His mechanic says to run it untill it does not run right.

What are your thoughts about oil weight to run in this engine?

Thanks for any replies.

Good call if it's a 20 spec ;Pennzoil is a thin 30.

 

[Gene K]

Timing chain stretch is usually caused by design or in a DI Engine excessive fuel soot in the oil. However if he is getting excessive fuel dilution (especially truly bad like a truck with a leaking high pressure fuel pump) then it can certainly contribute especially if the oil starts our below spec to begin with.

What made him decide to run 5W-20 in an F150 Ecoboost? To the best of my knowledge they always speced 5W-30.

If you decide to go with a heavy oil I would run either a high HTHS Euro 30 Grade or a 40 Grade. The above recommended M1 ESP 0W/5W-30 oils are one option. Another would be something like M1 X3 ESP 0W-40 but those are going to be on the spendy side. If you decide to go with an HDEO I would either run Rotella T5 10W-30 (Cheapest option) or T6 5W-40 Synthetic. Neither is particularly LSPI friendly but that doesn't appear to have been a big issue with the 3.5EB. No need for a jacked up winter rating like the 15W-40. If it's to thin on below freezing cold starts it's for sure going to be to thin at 200F+ operating temps.

 

[JimPghPA]

As per Amsoil and the owners manual, 5w-20 is only spec'd for the 3.7, 5.0, and 6.2.

5w-30 is spec'd for the 3.5 ecoboost.

My brother was probably wrong when he said it was specked 5W-20.

I should of followed up with looking it up.

Thanks.

I told him that I had seen that some run 15W-40 in those in the summer. And at the time thought that at least I was getting him to step it up a grade by getting him to buy the PP 5W-30.

One reason I recommended the Pennzoil is because of how well it cleans. And the YouTube videos showing it testing neck and neck to Amsoil in the wear test, and pour test means it is like buying Amsoil quality at a lower price.

He probably will have to have the engine worked on when the codes come back, if he keeps it.

His wife wants him to get a new one, and he does not want the payments.

 

[KJSmith]

What year truck?

If I remember right, the first year or so were rated 5w20.
Ford corrected that early on and changed it to 5w30.

The NA 3.5 stayed at 5w20.

 

[tblt44]

Pp would be down on my list, below
Castrol
Mobil

 

[JimPghPA]

It is a 2011. I just spoke with him on the phone, and he said it did say 5W-30. He also said he must of read it wrong last night.

 

[jhellwig]

20w-50.............Oil weight doesn't fix poor design or manufacturing and that seems to be a recurring theme with any long length timing chain.

 

[JavierH19]

Use pennzoil platinum 0w-40 for longer drains and better protection. cost $1 more than the regular non euro platinum oil. Api sp rated so it aint bad in gdi engines. And 15w-40 isn't even heavy at all for a twin turbo engine. That's what id also run. Its what i run in my non turbo gas trucks.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

20w-50.............Oil weight doesn't fix poor design or manufacturing and that seems to be a recurring theme with any long length timing chain.

It does aid though. I see people on the web with VQ35 engines who use recommended oil (5w30) and had to replace timing components at range of 120k-200k miles.
But I also know a few who said screw it and just use fleet 15w40 oil from a 55 gal drum at work, and these engines are on original timing components with ~330k and ~380k on the clock. These couple guys are diesel mechanics and one has G35 sedan, other is 350Z. (350Z is on 3rd manual transmission, but that's a story for another thread)

 

[Gene K]

What year truck?

If I remember right, the first year or so were rated 5w20.
Ford corrected that early on and changed it to 5w30.

The NA 3.5 stayed at 5w20.

I've heard that but the 2011 F150 Owner's Manuals I've seen say 5W-30. I believe it was people confusing the early SHO 3.5EB (5W-20) with the F150 3.5EB. However it's possible some engines may have gotten the wrong oil fill cap.

 

[Gene K]

Use pennzoil platinum 0w-40 for longer drains and better protection. cost $1 more than the regular non euro platinum oil. Api sp rated so it aint bad in gdi engines. And 15w-40 isn't even heavy at all for a twin turbo engine. That's what id also run. Its what i run in my non turbo gas trucks.

That would be a good option if it's readily available to you. The truth is if it's already starting to throw codes at best you are likely to be to be fighting a delaying action. The earlier 2011-2012 timing sets have more issues than the 2013-2014. If it was mine and I fixed the timing with the current replacement parts (2013-2014 spec) I would run something like the above oil going forward and set the IOLM at 60% (You can set the IOLM starting percentage at whatever you choose on those trucks) to start.

None of it's a guarantee and while plenty of 200,000 - 400,000 mi trucks that ran primarily highway miles on 8,000 -10,000 mile conventional 5W-30 oil changes exist we do what we can not to be in the other group that's having to replace timing sets.