Fuel in oil

[MotoWojo]

Have they ever run a compression check?

Yes, one of the service reports I got, stated both a compression check and leak down test were within spec.

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[Metalshift]

For my situation, the PCV system was the first thing Ford had them check. Your right about no reported problems, except for the issue itself. I believe that it is probably because no one with the issue, has enough miles yet? It seems I have the issue worse than most, with 3 oil samples in the double digit fuel % range, yet, except for some bad start up knocking, that only happened once, the truck has ran fine. Also, I've had the issue for the last 13,000 miles, I have 23,000 miles now, and my fuel economy has taken a nose dive. Since September, my best tank was 18.1 mpg and before that my lowest tank was 19.4 mpg. The 19.4 mpg low includes a full winters driving with no other changes to the truck or my commute. I suspect people with this issue will not be getting the longevity out of the engine that those without will get?

I think the hardest thing to get past, for a lifelong gear head, is checking your oil, and knowing you are probably a quart over full, and the viscosity seems way below spec, and it's been less than 500 miles since you changed the oil with a quality synthetic. In your head, you feel you have to change the oil again, but that gets expensive and bothersome every 2 weeks. So Ford just tells you it's OK, it may be the nature of the engine, don't even check the oil level (exactly what I was told by the Field Service Engineer, not directly, but thru the dealer). There is so much wrong with that for a car guy, it takes the fun out of ownership. If you do not have the issue, I believe it would be hard to imagine how aggravating it is. I take the truck back in on Tuesday, for the 10th time, for the same issue.

I do have a boost gauge, using an ODB BT device and the torque app. My truck is probably in boost more than it is not. Traffic on the highway is 75+ mph and at that speed and any wind at all, boost is usually 2-6psi with the cruise set. I did try an experiment thru one of the oil change cycles, where I manually down shifted and tried very diligently to stay out of boost, but the oil rise was just as fast as "normal", about an 1/8" every 50 miles. I also tried a cycle in Sport mode with a heavy foot and all that did was kill mpg. My truck will get it's 9th oil change, in the past 13,000 miles, on Tuesday and that is counting the 5,000 miles I have on this cycle, as Ford wants to see how bad the fuel dilution gets at higher mileage. The level did seem to stabilize just above the twist, as that has been where it has been at the past 3,000 miles.

With your experiment of staying out of boost you definitely have a plumbing leak. If your oil is rising that fast and your PCV is working well, the rising oil level is only showing a little of the leakage as most of it will be burning off, as is shown by your low mpg. Having a way to monitor fuel pressure bleed off overnight would be a helpful tool to determine if this happening when both hot and cold. Is it a running or resting occurrence ?
Unlocking or opening the doors charges the fuel rail so tests could be done both hot and cold, timing the psi drop in the system.

 

[Dinglehead]

Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from this? I mean, have any failures or check lights or error codes or anything happened as result of the fuel in the oil?

 

[Ranger_RH]

Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from this? I mean, have any failures or check lights or error codes or anything happened as result of the fuel in the oil?

I would highly doubt any problems have manifested yet. Fuel diluting the oil causes excessive engine wear which is progressive and damaging over time. I suspect that well this may not cause an error code/engine light, the problem may be identifiable through advanced diagnostics.

 

[mk842766]

Wondering if the gentleman in League City that threw a rod had this problem? Could it be related?

 

[MotoWojo]

Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from this? I mean, have any failures or check lights or error codes or anything happened as result of the fuel in the oil?

Someone over in one of the Facebook groups claimed they had the catalytic converter go bad and replaced from this issue. It makes sense and could be the cause of worsening fuel mileage? Also, on the Facebook groups, I have seen 3 trucks that had the engine replaced, though the exact cause wasn't stated. I believe they were posted by a Ford mechanic and showed the truck up on a hoist with the engine on the ground as I guess that is the easiest approach for replacing the engine. i believe he claimed the issue for one of them was an "extended" oil change interval. Who knows, but there's no way the engine will last as long as it normally would, if it has substantial fuel dilution.

 

[2ford]

Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from this? I mean, have any failures or check lights or error codes or anything happened as result of the fuel in the oil?

Two things are at issue here.
1. Raised crankcase oil level causes air infiltration in the oil the end result poor lubrication to bearings and loss of horsepower resulting in lower mpg.
2. Reduced viscosity making oil out of spec per Fords requirement.
IMO Just a matter of time before the mechanical issues start.

 

[2ford]

Wondering if the gentleman in League City that threw a rod had this problem? Could it be related?

Yes see my post above #1254

 

[Texasota]

With your experiment of staying out of boost you definitely have a plumbing leak. If your oil is rising that fast and your PCV is working well, the rising oil level is only showing a little of the leakage as most of it will be burning off, as is shown by your low mpg. Having a way to monitor fuel pressure bleed off overnight would be a helpful tool to determine if this happening when both hot and cold. Is it a running or resting occurrence ?
Unlocking or opening the doors charges the fuel rail so tests could be done both hot and cold, timing the psi drop in the system.

MotoWojo lives in Wisconsin. A significant drop in MPG during a Wisconsin winter is common. I experience the same decrease in my Ranger and Fusion here in Minnesota.

 

[N. J. Jim]

MotoWojo lives in Wisconsin. A significant drop in MPG during a Wisconsin winter is common. I experience the same decrease in my Ranger and Fusion here in Minnesota.

I experience at least a 2MPG drop with the winter blend. I've experienced this with a number of different vehicles! Winter blend sucks!!

 

[MotoWojo]

MotoWojo lives in Wisconsin. A significant drop in MPG during a Wisconsin winter is common. I experience the same decrease in my Ranger and Fusion here in Minnesota.

This is the second winter I have had my truck as I bought it new on April 3rd. 2019. My worst tank, mpg wise, thru the first ~18,000 miles was 19.4 mpg (hand calculated). My best tank was 23.9 mpg during the summer of 2019 and I mostly averaged between 22-23 in the summer and that went down a couple in winter. In the last 5,000+ miles, my best tank was 18.1 mpg with most tanks between 16.0-17.5 mpg. My commute to work is exactly the same and I set my cruise at the same speed I have since I bought it new. So, I am seeing an additional 2-3mpg loss even taking winter into account. My 50 mile round trip commute, 5 days a week, is ~90+% interstate. I would guess that over the life of my truck, 90+% highway, less than 10% local. I do occasionally pull a trailer, but it is just my dirt bikes and is very light (Kendon Dual Stand Up).

 

[Langwilliams]

So, I am seeing an additional 2-3mpg loss even taking winter into account.

Colder temps? It's a lot colder here this winter than last. I think the mpg's drop with the temps an the remote starts go up.

 

[MotoWojo]

I just dropped the truck off for the 10th time due to this issue. Got a pretty "used" Explorer, which is alright, as a loaner. I was told the field service engineer will be at the dealership to personally look at the truck tomorrow. That sounds like progress?

 

[MotoWojo]

Colder temps? It's a lot colder here this winter than last. I think the mpg's drop with the temps an the remote starts go up.

C'mon now, September, October, November, December, were all warmer than usual and I was seeing significant mpg loss during those months. Granted, the past couple weeks have been brutal, but my mpg issue really became apparent back in September. Fuel in oil issue started back in March of 2019. Also, for what it's worth, my truck lives in a heated garage (I keep it at 55 degrees) when I am at home. I believe I have used the remote start a total of 4 times since my truck was new and 2 of those times were in the past week.

 

[Langwilliams]

I get about a 2 mpg drop minimum with winter fuel an "normal" winter temps (30's)....when it gets into the 20's an below it's more like 4 mpg. throw some snow covered roads an 4x4 in an that's another hit.

I hope this gets solved for everyone....I'm afraid Ford knows what's going on but figures it cheaper to give an extended warranty that might not ever get used to people than buy back the problem motors or trucks.

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