Hey guys, I am new to site, but I have a question, Is it normal for these 5.4 to use oil between changes ( 18k miles 2005 XLT) I have never owned a car that uses oil, However most have been Japanese or German, I just changed the oil with synthetic 5-30 weight, which I have used since new. Second question is regarding the front disk brakes, the rotors are groved and severly worn for such a low mileage truck, what gives, is there a solution? thank you all for my belly aching, tom By the way I am using about 3/4 quart between changes.

 

The owners manual says that it is normal to use oil between changes. I find it strange that Ford says we are supposed to use 5w-20 because the engine is built to exact tolerances but on the other hand says oil consumption is normal with these vehicles. I am in the same boat as you. I have never had a vehicle with low miles use oil, not even my dodge. I have an 2005 XLT 5.4 as well. I do know that when brake time comes I will not be going with the OEM pads, they dust way too much.

 

when you say it uses oil, how much oil would you say its going thru?

 

It's funny to hear about front brakes dusting too much.
The dusting is the natural pad wear that has to occurr when friction braking takes place.
Using ceramic type pads still does the same, only it's a different color dust..
Use pads that give superior braking performance and clean the wheels more often.
I use Bendix Titaniums. They dust a lot but I have very much better brakeing than OEM pads.
Thats much more important for stopping nearly 6000 lbs..

 

They don't have to dust as much as the factory ones do. I could not take it any more after about 13,000 miles and replaced the cheap factory pads with a high quality semi-metallic (as are the factory pads), the Wagner Thermo Quiet. I have great stopping ability, they are not wearing out rapidly, and I have much reduced dust. I have 21,000 on the "new " pads.

Mine moves only slightly on the stick between changes at 3500 to 3800 miles. I know the manual says they can use oil, but they shouldn't. That is just their out when one does.

 

I never said that mine uses oil. I said that it is strange that Ford says one thing and contradicts itself with another. But the dusty brakes are awful. Also I highly doubt that the amount of dust on the wheel tells you how much stopping power you have.

 

Thats why the cars with the best brakes in the world, mercedes and BMW, always have the nastiest dirtiest black wheels on the road. The softer the compounds in the brake pads, the better they work. Hence asbestos was a great brake pad material, with the only downfall being that asbestos is hazardous to humans. EBC pads work very well, dust very little, and cost just a bit more than ceramic. They are made from organic material and kevlar I believe it is

And if your truck is buring oil and you don't like it, change it at 3000 miles and it won't burn it anymore. When you start going over 3500 miles, is when most notice oil consumption begins

 

Some people will say that their truck doesn't use oil, but I assure you, that is not the norm for f-150s. Every 5.4/4.6/6.3 I have ever seen uses oil. There was a time when my truck burned almost a gallon between changes. But I switched oil, and put 50,000 more miles on it. Now it doesn't even burn a quart. (183,000 miles) And it's oil usage gets less and less each oil change.

 

So Chester8420 what oil do you use that decreased the consumption?

 

You're not going to recover all the oil from the engine. At least 1/2 qt will still be in there after it drains, not to mention I never met an engine that didn't burn a little oil.

If you don't like brake dust, put a few coats of synthetic wax on your wheels. The brake dust won't stick.