Snotick

I am looking for input on what oil I should put in my 97 F150 (5.4) I have only had it a few months. It has just over 98k on it. This truck gets driven 2-3 times a week 10-20 miles each time. We mainly bought the truck to pull our small camper, and to haul my ATV to my brothers 20 miles away. Otherwise it is used as a second vehicle for short trips to the grocery store.

I was thinking about running Mobile 1 or some other full synthetic. I would then only change the oil twice a year. (maybe mid summer, when we pull the camper the most.

If I run conventional oil, would I still need to change oil more frequently? I always thought that conventional oil would break down over time regardless of miles. (meaning I would need to change it every 3 months, when I have only driven less than 1,000 miles)

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

08XLSB

I believe as you, contaminated oil sitting in the vehicle,has a destructive
infuence on bearings etc. I change my oil on my vehicles on the first day or two of each quarter, jan,April, jul.,Oct. regardless of mi.Drove my 87 Ford for 20 yrs with no internal problems with the motor. i use the Ford 5-20 blend. About 11.50 for 5 qts. at Wallmart.

dnlow

A previous vehicle I had allowed an interval of 1 year or 13k miles when using an approved synthetic oil. You will be fine with a two times a year change interval. Mobil 1 is the way to go.

Kattumaram

I use Wal-Mart Supertech 10W30 full synthetic in all my vehicles, 97 F150 4.6L, 94 Ranger 4.0L, 94 Lincoln TC 4.6L.

I change out at 3K-5K intervals and add 8oz of STP at each oil change.

I got turned on to the stuff from a lengthy treatise on engine lube oils by lube engineer, Kit Sullivan. The other major brand synthetics are very good, but not significantly better than Supertech at half-again more money....and Supertech has a seal conditioner built into the additive package that is very beneficial for older engines.

If you want to run a long, long, long time between oil changes, then you'd better get a good fleet service synthetic such as Shell Rotella T 5W40. Fleet service lubes have a robust additive package designed for long service life. Regular API SM lubes additive packages are usually done at 3-10K depending on the type of service.

One more bit: If your tranny is the 4R70W, run the truck down to your reliable transmission service center and have the system drained, torque converter and all, and refill with Chrysler ATF+4; your tranny and TC clutch will love you for it.....and don't let the service tech BS you out of it. Ford trannies use Mercon V which is backward compatible with ATF+3,4 and the ATF+4 is a superior fluid compared to Mercon V.

Snotick

Thanks for the suggestions.

Kattumaram, do you change at 3k-5k intervals no matter how long the oil sits in the truck? Or is there a time limit that you would still change the Supertech oil? Would you leave it in the truck for 9 months, if you only put 2500 miles on since the last change?

Kattumaram

Well, it's adviseable to change out within 6 to 9 months if the mileage doesn't pile up to 3-5K. I got my F150 last December, changed the oil and just now changed it again ....3K, but 11 months.

I live in sandy, I mean sunny, Florida where operating conditions are less severe than most of the country. Condensates are the bad guys that contaminate the oil, and the colder the climate the greater the contamination.

99F150guy

I have a 99 F-150 XL 4.2 V6...I'm sittin about 133,000 miles.

I use Quakerstate High Milege 10W-30 with a Fram High Milege filter..

The reason for using 10W-30 is that Texas weather never changes, its always hott.

Mike Santello

My F-150 has 38k miles and I use the 5w Pennzoil in it every 3k miles. My wife drives the truck around 80 miles a day 5x week, and we use it for pulling our Camper.

Trapper

Your truck came with the Ford recommendation for a 5w-30 oil. It is backward compatible with 5w-20 but because of the mileage I wouldn't use it. I'd rethink the Mobil One in 5w-30. It has been failing the Sequence IVA testing meaning it is showing excessive wear at the cams beyond API limits. If you are a Mobil fan, use the EP version. You do not need to change the oil more often IF when you do run the engine it is at operating temp for at least 30 minutes. That gives the oil time to cook off any condensation and eliminate sludge. If you make short trips in it, change more often but driving it is the best thing for it. Oil does not degrade with time. I have an LSC garage queen that has had the same oil in it for the last 6 years. I test it every 6 months and it is fine. But when I do drive it, it is driven at least an hour. The car is 20 years old last month and has 33,000 one owner original miles on it. It has never seen the rain.