missing oil
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 102
From: South Carolina
Here is some info:
I work in a fleet environment looking after some 700 ford vehicles. Here is what I see happening in our fleet the 5.4l engine and the 6.8L v10 seem to develop a oil consumpption problem at about 50k we have run several engines out of oil completely, down to engine seized. We change oil at 4000KM intervals and these units sometimes cannot make the next oil change.
For what its worth we do not expreince this problem with the 4.6L engines.
Yes Ford says that a liter in a 1000kms or 600 miles is ok and not reason for concern. My personal 2000 F150 with the 5.4 will go about 3000km in a liter of oil and has been this way since I purchased it at 80,000km. I have changed to Castrol Syntec, no change in oil consumption. My previous f150 was a 1991 with a 5L engine it had 300,000km and did not use this much oil.
This problem seems to be inherent to the larger cu.in. engine, Ford does not have an answer for us and we are a pain in their side as with a large fleet of this size we cannot be ignored however no answer yet!!
also worth mentioning we do not have oil consumption problems till the mileage gets to say 30,000 miles or so when new there seems to be less problem.
3 valve and 2 valve engines semm to have the same problem!!
I work in a fleet environment looking after some 700 ford vehicles. Here is what I see happening in our fleet the 5.4l engine and the 6.8L v10 seem to develop a oil consumpption problem at about 50k we have run several engines out of oil completely, down to engine seized. We change oil at 4000KM intervals and these units sometimes cannot make the next oil change.
For what its worth we do not expreince this problem with the 4.6L engines.
Yes Ford says that a liter in a 1000kms or 600 miles is ok and not reason for concern. My personal 2000 F150 with the 5.4 will go about 3000km in a liter of oil and has been this way since I purchased it at 80,000km. I have changed to Castrol Syntec, no change in oil consumption. My previous f150 was a 1991 with a 5L engine it had 300,000km and did not use this much oil.
This problem seems to be inherent to the larger cu.in. engine, Ford does not have an answer for us and we are a pain in their side as with a large fleet of this size we cannot be ignored however no answer yet!!
also worth mentioning we do not have oil consumption problems till the mileage gets to say 30,000 miles or so when new there seems to be less problem.
3 valve and 2 valve engines semm to have the same problem!!
Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
5.4 oil consumption
squirrellyyy,
If your truck is under warranty I would push for a new engine. The tech that I conversed with said that his dealership was successful in getting Ford to replace some. I doubt in today's climate that you will be successful. I have also owned a 97 4.6L and it had 185K and needed less that a qt at 3000 miles. I have a 2004 4.0L in a Sport Trac and it is unbelievable. It does not drop a pint at 5000 miles. I am going to ruffle some feathers but will say it anyway the 5.4 is a piece of @#*& and from what I have seen Ford is not standing behind their products like they used to.
If your truck is under warranty I would push for a new engine. The tech that I conversed with said that his dealership was successful in getting Ford to replace some. I doubt in today's climate that you will be successful. I have also owned a 97 4.6L and it had 185K and needed less that a qt at 3000 miles. I have a 2004 4.0L in a Sport Trac and it is unbelievable. It does not drop a pint at 5000 miles. I am going to ruffle some feathers but will say it anyway the 5.4 is a piece of @#*& and from what I have seen Ford is not standing behind their products like they used to.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 102
From: South Carolina
stump yes the truck is still under warranty I also purchased the extended warranty but when they discover this issue then I will see what is going to happen
I will of course push for a new motor I do believe there is some sort of problem with it. It also has a pinging problem that started around the 7000 mark they sort of fixed with a pcm update but it's still slightly there.
I will of course push for a new motor I do believe there is some sort of problem with it. It also has a pinging problem that started around the 7000 mark they sort of fixed with a pcm update but it's still slightly there.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
missing oil
I have the 2006 5.4l which shocked me the last couple of times I had the oil changed. 6 Qrts at 33k and then 7Qrts at 36k. I know the 3k rule is rediculous but i'm old school, either way I've owned 4 other F150's all with 6 cyc. and never exp any problems like this. Ford yes says it is within spec and no warning lights or gauges would tell you anything is wrong.
I'm still of the mind set to sell the truck and retrun to a 6cyl model because I just can't imagine that once it does reach the higher mileage that other problems wont begin to materialize and the cost begin to rack up. After all were not talking about simple fixes with oil being burned (save the PCV valve) which if you knew me it's never the cheap fix.
I can't even get the dealer to do anything with it other than run a test to tell me what I already know the oil is being burned, however the tailpipe is clean, I havn't pulled the plugs to look at them yet. So if anyone finds a great fix (cheap ) let me know!
I'm still of the mind set to sell the truck and retrun to a 6cyl model because I just can't imagine that once it does reach the higher mileage that other problems wont begin to materialize and the cost begin to rack up. After all were not talking about simple fixes with oil being burned (save the PCV valve) which if you knew me it's never the cheap fix.
I can't even get the dealer to do anything with it other than run a test to tell me what I already know the oil is being burned, however the tailpipe is clean, I havn't pulled the plugs to look at them yet. So if anyone finds a great fix (cheap ) let me know!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 102
From: South Carolina
Here is some info:
I work in a fleet environment looking after some 700 ford vehicles. Here is what I see happening in our fleet the 5.4l engine and the 6.8L v10 seem to develop a oil consumpption problem at about 50k we have run several engines out of oil completely, down to engine seized. We change oil at 4000KM intervals and these units sometimes cannot make the next oil change.
For what its worth we do not expreince this problem with the 4.6L engines.
Yes Ford says that a liter in a 1000kms or 600 miles is ok and not reason for concern. My personal 2000 F150 with the 5.4 will go about 3000km in a liter of oil and has been this way since I purchased it at 80,000km. I have changed to Castrol Syntec, no change in oil consumption. My previous f150 was a 1991 with a 5L engine it had 300,000km and did not use this much oil.
This problem seems to be inherent to the larger cu.in. engine, Ford does not have an answer for us and we are a pain in their side as with a large fleet of this size we cannot be ignored however no answer yet!!
also worth mentioning we do not have oil consumption problems till the mileage gets to say 30,000 miles or so when new there seems to be less problem.
3 valve and 2 valve engines semm to have the same problem!!
I work in a fleet environment looking after some 700 ford vehicles. Here is what I see happening in our fleet the 5.4l engine and the 6.8L v10 seem to develop a oil consumpption problem at about 50k we have run several engines out of oil completely, down to engine seized. We change oil at 4000KM intervals and these units sometimes cannot make the next oil change.
For what its worth we do not expreince this problem with the 4.6L engines.
Yes Ford says that a liter in a 1000kms or 600 miles is ok and not reason for concern. My personal 2000 F150 with the 5.4 will go about 3000km in a liter of oil and has been this way since I purchased it at 80,000km. I have changed to Castrol Syntec, no change in oil consumption. My previous f150 was a 1991 with a 5L engine it had 300,000km and did not use this much oil.
This problem seems to be inherent to the larger cu.in. engine, Ford does not have an answer for us and we are a pain in their side as with a large fleet of this size we cannot be ignored however no answer yet!!
also worth mentioning we do not have oil consumption problems till the mileage gets to say 30,000 miles or so when new there seems to be less problem.
3 valve and 2 valve engines semm to have the same problem!!
American Pride!!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
From: Keystone Heights,FL
In my 96 5.8 I cant hardly notice a difference on my dipstick right before I do an oil change. Very small amount is missing. Thats changing oil every 3500 to 4000 miles. oyeah, its got 190,000 on it too. An engine using a quart every thousand miles is crazy to me. Something has to be wrong in my opinion.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
""my truck just hit the 20,000 mark I also have three friends at work that have the same truck,year and motor and they don't burn 1 once of oil if this thing is burning that kind of oil there has to be a problem I dont' think at least what I can remember a vehicle that I've owned has ever burned that much oil in 3000 miles new or old ""
Note mine didn't start this until the 33k oil change up until then I had no problem with it burning oil. I think they have the truck rigged to make it 36k so they don't have to fix it but I do have the ESP plan.
Note mine didn't start this until the 33k oil change up until then I had no problem with it burning oil. I think they have the truck rigged to make it 36k so they don't have to fix it but I do have the ESP plan.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,658
Likes: 28
From: Henderson, NV.
Suggest you guys slow down and relax. Start doing some math, getting all worked up over this consumption stuff isn't going anywhere. Just keep checking your oil level. Have the truck on level ground, better yet, check the oil at the same location as where you change it. Use the recommended oil type and weight, change it at the interval recommended, and keep using your dipstick. Check it at the same exact location everytime. An old Ford slogan, Happy motoring. 
