I am constantly replacing oil filters and oil it lasts maybe 4 weeks before its pitch black, I worry that fram and motorcraft filters aren't cutting it. I have been looking at spin-on cleanable element filters, remote mount kits as well as dual remote mount kits with cleanable element filters.

I wanted to know if anyone else here has one of these installed on their F-series truck and if so, which one: brand/model!

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For the second part of this, I have some idling issues. I just changed out fuel filter which surprised me that the fuel was olive drab color coming from the tank, I am puzzled why its this color.

My idle gets very rough, sorta like having a loppy cam in a SBC, and it gets bad enough that the truck shakes, and wants to stall out RPMS dip below 750 and into 500, and sometimes it hesitates to accelerate as though it was in limp mode.
Which its been in before or something like it-where I had just enough power to move the truck to up 35 mph w/ no a/c or headlights-it ran so rough that it felt using a beltsander to smooth out wood. I dunno whats going on anymore, I get 1 step ahead and take 10 steps back.

 

oil should never turn pitch black in a gas engine- you may be running way too rich or your ring seal is shot.

the rough running lack of power is also from running too rich- what color are your plugs?

 

Could be an issue with your egr valve and or IAC and or dirty throttle air valve and intake. A good tune up may clear things up.

 

Motorcraft filters are fine, I wouldn't run Fram though. I noticed my oil was blacker when I used Fram filters. I have switched to Motorcraft filters (they are cheaper at Wal-Mart than the Fram POS filters), and my oil has been looking better.

As for the idle, I agree with checking the EGR and IAC.

 

Is the CEL on? Have you checked for codes? Get rid of that TB spacer.

 

^^^Yes get rid of the spacer, doesn't help you out. Check for vacuum leaks as your cause for the idle problem. #1 culprit is the 90 degree elbow on the TB from the PCV. It is also possible to have vacuum leaks elsewhere, my 2k has an intake gasket leak. As for the black oil, it turns that color from heat and wear over time, and from any dirt it picks up in the engine. Chances are when you change the oil, you don't get all the oil out, so even when you put new oil in, there is still the residue of some dirty oil in the engine that will help to dis-color it quicker. If it smells burnt or there are some serious metal shavings in it, then you have another problem.

 

No CEL yet, I keep hoping it will come on since its a step in the right direction to a fix

The stupid thottle body spacer has to stay, or I'll have no clearance for the air filter, it was ill fitting when it was stock and required a lot work to get the box open, the K&N filter was tossed out but I had to keep the air tube so that I could put on an AEM dry flow filter. Otherwise I wouldn't be opposed to putt'n that in my scrap pile.

Is the standard method for detecting leaks, the old school one that you mist gas near the flanges and if the engine accelerates thats the place?

Well whats the best bet for cleaning out the oil, ATF and run it then change it again or use Sea foam?

 

Stick with Motorcraft oil filters - Frams a slow kill and subject your engine to dry starts - they add up, then it's to late. Motorcraft filters have an anti drain-back valve - Fram doesn't include that feature. Ford tells everyone what to use for there vehicles. They place stickers under the hood in the engine compartment for you, what more can they do? If you ignore them, you can't expect your vehicle to last.

I would search the scrap yards or ebay and find the RIGHT stock intake. Who knows what you did or where you went wrong there. Get rid of the TB spacer and put the correct TB on there if you changed that. You don't need to modify your intake unless you have the extra HP to match. A HP increase such as a Super charger would warrant an intake mod - or a built NA motor. You have neither, so return it to stock for best results.

Just clean what you have "stock". Your TB, elbow - test your EGR , Clean your MAF sensor, replace your PCV with a Motorcraft ONLY valve and maybe update your forward O2 sensors if there old. If you don't run Motorcraft plugs in a stock motor - it most likely won't be running right until you do. After 10 years, it's very possible your coil windings are breaking down to the point of low grade multiple misfires which is quite common.

Don't use gas for leak detection , you'll end up in the hospital eventually

Old school way and best IMO for a backyard mechanic is to use bottled propane for leak detection. Auto Zone now carries colored smoke kits for such detection. BTW - It takes a much hotter spark to ignite propane where petrol just requires static electricity to put you in a world of hurt.

Run 1 quart Amsoil ATF with old oil until warm/ drain. Run Amsoil full synthetic motor oil for apox. 1000 miles/ check your oil fill cap anf filler neck for sludge build up/ clean. Do this a few times running the proper M-filter and when your convinced your motor is cleaned and not producing sludge/clean the valve covers and run a 50/50 Syn, like Motorcraft fluid.

 

"Frams a slow kill and subject your engine to dry starts - they add up, then it's to late. Motorcraft filters have an anti drain-back valve - Fram doesn't include that feature."

Wrong. Just choose the right one for your vehicle. Some vehicles don't need an anti drain back valve.

http://www.fram.com/products/oilFilters.php

Costs more than a Motorcraft, though. Why pay more when you don't have too?

 

Amsoil makes an excellent motor flush. I'd use that before anything else. Follow directions.

http://www.amsoil.com/StoreFront/aef.aspx

 

I may have narrowed 1 thing down to spark plugs, I pulled the pass side front plug and it was White with deposits built up on the electrode and the body of the plug was sort of a scaley white/redish color. I assume the heat range was incorrect, plus the fact it was an autolite spark plug.

Buying motorcrafts this morning to replace them. This would be 5th spark plug change and the 3th set of plugs that have turned white, aside from the platinum bosch plugs that turned red and burnt off the plating.

I got the TB Spacer removed and it seems to sound better under the hood and so far the tube is fitting okay-though its a little bit high-I can live with that.

 

I bought 3 qaulity oil filters and as soon as I get the time to dump oil off I'll change the filter and oil again, maybe Ill get a 2 fram filters to run ATF thru and change it out a few times this week, I got a K&N and 2 MotorCraft filters.

I need to change the Antifreeze before the 120 degree weather gets here, its only got 50K on the green stuff. I'd like to revert back to the Orange fluid but Ive heard horror stories if you don't do it correctly. BTW I didn't change the fluid to green-the shop I paid to change my fluid out did...........

 

Mines anti-freeze has always been green. What's with Orange ? Is that better or something?

glc said they make a crank case flush, you might wanna start with that first.

Listen to your truck when it cranks before it starts after awhile. It's alot quieter w/Motorcraft filter.

 

I guess it wasn't really orange that came in it, nontheless green is cheaper. Well I have a few bucks set aside for the truck for this month, so amsoil will be getting some of my $.

ETA: pics of the plug

 

one of oils most important jobs is to clean your engine. if it turns black its doing its job. not that your engine should be that dirty tho. i suspect you have some sludge build up. are you the first owner?