jeeperjoe79

I changed my oil using the Motorcraft 5W20 each time. i use about a quart in 2,000 miles. engine has 94,000 miles on it. Should I start using 10W30 instead?

2008__XL

No, id trace the leak instead. Do you know where it's leaking? Have you looked?

jeeperjoe79

No oil on ground anywhere. Park in same space at work. No drips at home. I thought maybe the oil rings might have loosened up.

2008__XL

And there's no oil in your coolant? When the truck running or you give it throttle, is there burning oil coming out of the tailpipe?

jeeperjoe79

coolant is orange. When engine first runs clear water seeps out of the tail pipe. Has a little black residue after it runs a few minutes but it looks like soot. After it runs a few minutes the tail pipe looks clean. The only thing that comes out is warm moist air. Tail pipe is dry when it runs.

jeeperjoe79

Also there is no oil residue on the under side of the hood. Clean.

2008__XL

So how are you telling it needs a quart? Where is it showing on the dipstick? Full on this engine is only about half way on the hash marks. At full, it's not at the max on there.

You may not be losing oil but slightly overfilling.

jeeperjoe79

When I change the oil I put in six quarts and the oil lands on the middle of the cross hatched section of the dip stick. After 2,000 miles, which is halfway to the oil change, the oil level is at the bottom of the cross hatch area. I add a quart to bring it back to the middle. When it comes time for an oil change it's back to the bottom line. The oil seems to be disappearing. I was figuring that is was time to start using thicker oil. It runs like a new one. Can't complain about performance.

2008__XL

I wouldn't just start using a thicker oil. 5w20 MC is one of the best things you can use.

Have you crawled under to see if there's any oil seeping down the back or sides of the engine?

You can definitely have a leak where is doesn't leave drip marks on your driveway.

Just trying to go over everything I can think of. I've had my 2008 4.2 V6 since new. I had the harmonic balancer replaced under warranty way back. That leaked a little oil at the time.

I also had my intake gasket replaced a few years back. That too leaked. Not enough to drip on the ground, but enough that I could see oil on the underside of the engine.

I'm at 113k miles are currently don't leak any.

jeeperjoe79

Well I'll look down the side of the engine and see what I can find. I figured that if it was a leak down the side of the engine the underside of my hood would look like the one on my old CJ-7 - covered with a misty oil film.