Are these engine noted for using oil I have a 1999 F150 4x4 5.4 with 55k and its always seem to use a 1/2 to a quart of oil between oil changes at 3k with filter change.Is this pretty normal for these motors.Thanks

 

my 04 at 40K does not use a drop in 3K and I amusing motorcreaft 5/20 syn. blend oil??

 

I always use Penzoil 10/40 just regular grade since I had it from new it never smokes just always seems to uses that oil no leaks , only thing I see is a little sludge under the oil cap but not that bad..coolant looks fine no oil mixed in coolant. thanks for any answers...

 

have u check your pcv to see if it was suckin up oil?

 

mine doesnt

 

I haven't seen any oil in my air intake tube so I take it that its not sucking oil out ............

 

238,000 miles and she still doesn't use a drop between changes.. But some do and it really doesn't hurt them IMO. 1/2 qrt every 3000 isn't bad at all, in fact, that's nothin.. They can use more than twice that much and make it to 300,000 if it's changed - taken care of..

 

When a truck uses oil, where does it go? Just burns up? PCV?

 

Mine's always 1/2 quart low if I go to 3k on oil changes, however I usually change mine at 2k and it's barely low. don't worry about it, the 5.4 is a good motor, I just spent all day towing a 10x20 trailer full of all my buddy's worldly possesions and the 5.4 didn't even flinch. I'm at 97k right now. They're a solid motor, it's nothing to worry about.

 

Well if you work her hard, she'll use a little oil. Higher operating temps and compression ratios (specially in smaller motors) = more friction. It's a side effect from performance, causing the oil to be used. Oil will break down and evaporate in this case. - Again that's "using" oil - not burning, theres a difference.

"Burning", usually can be from a few things - bad valve seals, worn valve guides, pressurized crankcase (oil pan) due to a clogged PCV valve or breather system, blow-by from worn piston rings maybe..... -

I think what happens in our trucks is the valve seals get craped up lol - The valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. Oil is pumped under pressure into the top of the head, lubricating the valve-train, the valves have seals on them to stop the flow of oil down into the engine when the valve is open. If the seals don't seal well, oil is allowed to flow down into the combustion chamber and is burned. So, your answer, in your case most likely ? you got it - "just burns up" or your reading the stick wrong - 1/4 " down from the top hash mark is 6 quarts and full (in the 97-03 5four anyway)

 

try to drain the oil and see how long it will run, then you will know for sure if it uses oil

 

My '99 Expy with 132,000 miles could be parked on a white carpet! It doesn't leak a single drop on oil from anywhere, diffs, transfer case, tranny or engine. That said, i just returned from 3,000 miles of highway driving at 75-85 mph and she has used about 2/3rds of a quart. I consider that totally within limits!

 

One quart in 15k miles. You could give it a white glove inspection and only find road dirt.

 

Very Very Very normal to use oil, especially when running at high speeds for a long distance.

If your oil level on the stick is in the middle of the hash marks, it is not low at all. That is normal operating range.

 

Both my 5.4's use about 1/2 a quart between 4 - 5k change intrevals.