Oil change

[SafetyDan]

A riding buddy was doing an oil change on his FatBoy an asked to use my filter wrench. There's an electrical connection right by the filter. the HD brand wrench has a cutout to remove the filter without worrying about pulling on the wires. I took that over an it didn't fit. the shop he had do some work put an aftermarket filter on...I ran back an got the 3 jaw an said I should have just taken it with me to begin with. Lesson learned: when going to a buddy's house that is limited on tools, take more than you think you need.

Very familiar with the cam position sensors clearance issue on the HDs right in from of the Oil filter. On Harleys that I change oil on, I put on K&Ns with the nut on the end, I am going to do that on my Ranger as well at the next oil change. the make life so easy.

Sponsored

 

[pull string get cookies]

I understand that the filter is a SOB to change. I have not had my oil changed as I only have 1480 miles on it.
Lee

This is actually one of the easiest oil filters I’ve ever changed. The biggest PITA was servicing Porsche 718 Boxters and Caymans.

 

[JoeDirt]

Every 5000 full synthetic for me. Turbo VVT DI engine all tell me extra heat and cam phase sensors that can clog up causing lots of issues down the road. It's worth the extra expense now to save the engine. At every 10,000 miles it will last until the warranty expires which is all Ford really cares about.

 

[RangerDangerStranger]

6-7k if using pure sythetic, with normal conditions. Initial at 1000. always with filter. Wix filters have the best flow holes. (Larger)

 

[quangdog]

Did my first change at 2500 miles. Installed Fumoto drain valve then, refilled with motorcraft synthetic blend, and used motorcraft filter. Next change is planned for 5000 miles, and will switch to Mobil-1 full synthetic and Mobil-1 filter. Will change every 5000 miles thereafter.

One question I had: After my first change, even though I wiped out the oil trough in the frame under the oil filter as well as I could reach it, I still wound up with 2-3 drops of oil on the garage floor the next morning. How does everyone clean out that trough so it does not drip after you are done? Just shoot a little carb cleaner up the channel from the bottom? Or am I missing something obvious?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Did my first change at 2500 miles. Installed Fumoto drain valve then, refilled with motorcraft synthetic blend, and used motorcraft filter. Next change is planned for 5000 miles, and will switch to Mobil-1 full synthetic and Mobil-1 filter. Will change every 5000 miles thereafter.

One question I had: After my first change, even though I wiped out the oil trough in the frame under the oil filter as well as I could reach it, I still wound up with 2-3 drops of oil on the garage floor the next morning. How does everyone clean out that trough so it does not drip after you are done? Just shoot a little carb cleaner up the channel from the bottom? Or am I missing something obvious?

Hi Kimball,

I very good question! I just left a shop rag on the garage floor over night and caught the drips on the rag. I have my garage floor finished with an epoxy coating so clean up is easy but shop rag works for now. Look forward to other Forum members commenting on this!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Whiskeybilt]

I change mine every 3/4,000 because it's usually idling because I'm running errands with my dogs and they like ac and music.

 

[TORQUERULES]

I never understood all the arguments over oil change intervals, oil analysis bulls**t, etc. If you have ever built an engine, rebuilt an engine, etc. you would know.... Good quality oil, changed often (don't let it get too dirty) is cheap insurance against wear and keeps an engine in good shape. Compared to a tank of gas, a good synthetic oil change is about the same or not much more. Why not just change it? Never could understand the arguments against. Manufacturers give you the maximum that you can stretch it out, and honestly they can only stand to gain if you have premature wear. Think about it... Plus, a lot of the arguments for extended oil change intervals are environmental. If disposing oil worries you, take it to a local parts store to be recycled. Don't waste your time or money on the oil analysis gimmick or fret over intervals. Change it when it starts to get dirty, and to be honest 5000 miles is far enough for a synthetic (3k used to be the rule of thumb for conventional) even if it still looks clean. Just change the damn stuff. It's cheap, do it.

 

[12Bravo20]

Well I don't know about civilian oil analysis programs or companies that do them. My only experience has been with the US Army Oil Analysis Program. Of course most of the equipment I dealt with were diesel engines. We never changed oil unless the analysis came back and said to change. Vehicles were used and abused. They idled for long periods, ran hard to the max RPM's or until rev limiter/governors kicked in. We had some equipment and vehicles with high mileage and/or high hour counts. I had one M818 Kaiser 5 ton truck with close to 500,000 miles on the original engine. Even the electric generators ran all day long for days on end at high RPM's and we never changed the oil until the AOAP said to change it. The biggest reason we replaced engines was for being ran out of oil from leaks or the operators not checking like they should have.

Now on all my civilian vehicles, I change the oil on a regular basis and never let the oil life get below 10%, I usually try to change oil when it gets between 15%-20%.

 

[Rapid Roy]

You're free to change your oil as often as you'd like. It's your money. But I see no reason why Ford would give us an incorrect maintenance schedule. They know the truck and the engine better than anyone. Certainly better than Joe Schmo down the street who once heard something fourth-hand 30 years ago and now lives by it.

I'll change my oil, or have it changed, when the truck and maintenance book tell me to, and I'm comfortable doing that.

What if the science changes?

 

[VegasRanger]

I do mine at 5K, especially after my oil analysis showed fuel dilution and my oil started to lose viscosity as a result. That’s with my truck being mainly highway driven and rare short trips. No way I’m going over 5K.

 

[Waltztj]

Hi Chuck,

I changed at the 1 year mark with only 1650 miles on the odo....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I will change mine every 5000 miles or 6 months which ever is first.

 

[Mirage775]

In a couple more weeks, I will have owned my Ranger for 5 months. It just dinged 1500 miles, on the odometer, this past weekend.

So, my theory towards this subject will be time over mileage for my oil changes. I'm going to change my oil, myself, every 6 months +/-

I'll plan to use Motorcraft Syn-Blend 5 or 10w30 and a Motorcraft filter. I may go full syn down the road.

I've ordered a Blackstone kit and plan on sending a sample of my original oil in for an analysis! I expect some fuel dilution, because it IS a TDI engine and it IS going to happen regardless...

 

[THLONE]

I get free oil changes for life. I change it when the light tells me to. It has always been one year from when I bought it. This April will be 3 years and 20,000 miles. Oil on the dipstick looks clean. I am not interested in adding voodo science, guess by golly, or cheep insurance bs into my life.
So, why did I even click on this thread? Good question. I guess it is just like watching Maury or slowing down to look at a accident.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

What if the science changes?

I guess I'm not sure what specifically you're getting at. But in a general sense, if the "science changes", then the reaction and recommendations will change. That's why food recommendations are all over the place. The larger the sample size and more data you gather the better picture you have of reality. But that's also exactly how we got to where we are today, being able to change oil every 10k miles as opposed to every 3k miles. Because we've progressed and created better engines and better oil and better fluid management, etc.

Sponsored