This is what I will probably do other than I will probably go once a year instead of twice as my car is not a DD either.

I do this on my two chevy trucks that only get about 3,000 miles each put on them a year and I did this on the 2004 Monte Carlo SS Dale Jr. edition that I traded in on the Mustang. I rarely went 5,000 a year on that car.

Wayne

 

Welcome to the million dollar oil change! do you use motorcraft 5w50 and Ford filter?

While they never charge me the full price (I'll have to check but full price is 13 bucks a quart) , oil and filter for my car with a 6.5 quart pan is right around 80 bucks.

 

Yeah its best to get the oil tested then change per the recommendation.

It may not seem like it but a short drive cycle in stop and go traffic can be considered a severe duty environment as the vehicle doesn't have time to warm up fully and this is when the vehicle experiences to most amount of wear.

A vehicle experiences virtually no wear when warmed up with fluid temperatures stabilized and cruising at a steady RPM on the highway, same way with tires to a lesser extent (I've seen people double the mileage warranty on performance tires due to long commutes on the highway).

Stop and go traffic in the city is hell on everything from the oil to the brakes.

 

Do you think Ford or any of the manufacturers for that matter that have this type of system, did oil analysis while developing this system to verify that the vehicles could go that long on oil changes?

 

I do believe Ford, and the other engine builders have tested the vehicles using the criteria set in the IOLM. Why? Because they warranty the drivetrain for 5 years or 60000 miles, or in my case 7 years or 100000 miles(ESP). In driving, all over the world (13 years overseas with the AF)and another 32 years driving in the States, both for pleasure and in a GOV, I have never had an engine failure. That includes driving a Mustang, in Germany on the Autobahn, every day at better then 100 mph for at least 30 minutes each way to work.

I currently use Motorcraft full synthetic and filter, changed every 5000 miles due to the adverse weather conditions the car is driven. Really hot in the summer, and extreme cold in the winter. So, Spring and Fall or 5000 miles.
None of the Fords including my Mustangs and the 2013 SHO have used a drop of oil. And, I apply the same criteria to my wife's 2013 Jeep GC. Again, no engine problems and this is her 6th GC.

 

Thanks for the response. I'm sure you are right. Where are you buying your Motorcraft full synthetic at and how much are you paying if you don't mind me asking. I'm considering this oil as the other option to running the semi synthetic Motorcraft.

Wayne

 

By OLM. Dealer provided lifetime free oil & filter changes but said I need to follow OLM.

 

Sorry for the slow response, but I just saw the post. I have my oil changed at the dealers. They are great, and take good care of the car. Plus side, I have never had a warranty problem since the records are all on file with them. I have the same service advisor when I go in and he knows me by name. I used to do the changes myself, but found the dealer does good work, so why not. I just wait and drink their free coffee.

 

No problem. I still find it hard to have someone else do what I can do myself plus I can usually get it done quicker myself versus having to wait at a dealer. I also keep very detailed service logs plus keep all receipts and I've never had warranty issues with any vehicle I have owned. Thanks again.

Wayne

 

I like to do it myself and I always clean the undercarriage while i got it lifted over my head and paint the bare metals they left everywhere from factory. Nobody else will take the care I do.

 

Yeah, I'm not doing all that now. Lmao. Paint the bare metals. Don't care about that now. Lmao

 

Meaning when they are new, then I also mentioned cleaning. Which is done every change after wards

 

Do you check the oil level immediately after the dealer performs the oil change? The reason I ask is because on some vehicles when they are filled to the suggested oil fill level, they will not be at the top of the dipstick. Ford has numerous TSBs across their vehicle line that discuss this. It is perfectly common on many vehicles to be in any area of the crosshatch portion of the dipstick.

 

i normally change at 30%-40% life left. the OLM is programed to go by temperature, warm up time, rpm, engine load, and probably some other stuff. its more than safe to go by it instead of doing the 3k-5k changes which are really wasteful. when i change it the oil still looks pretty good and isnt that dark at all. i always use royal purple oil and filter. kinda pointless for a DD but i like the chemicals that they use better than most other companys.

 

Are you sanding the rust off with something and what type of paint are you painting it with. My rear axle is pretty rusty looking as well as some of the brackets on the rear suspension. I really haven't looked at the underside further up toward the front.

Wayne

 

I did the differential and all that before it rusted but yeah pieces that have I sand down then spray it. I use the VHT suspension paint, it's great stuff. Used it on all my restores so I've always got it around

 

Thanks for the info. Mine was already rusted when I got the car as it had sat on the dealer lot for about six months before I bought it. I would like to paint all of the rusty stuff but didn't know if I could get enough of the surface rust off to let the paint stick. Did you mask off any of the brake lines or just painted over the top of them? Did you put on a primer first or just the VHT paint?

Wayne

 

I had a piece of cardboard with me from around the shop that would block off some overspray to some places with one hand while I painted with the other but no taping off, anything else I didn't want sprayed, a rag and brake fluid takes it right off. Even sprayed over ford sticker on the diff and brake fluid cleaned that up perfect to. Just vht and the rust isn't hard to get off, it's very minor surface rust.

 

Thanks again for the info. This will probably be my next project but I don't know if the temperatures will hold out for me to do this now.

Wayne

 

My olm counts down using time elapsed from the last oil change along with the other parameters.

My car can sit in the garage for 4 months over the winter and lose 33% of the oil life.