Just did my pre-winter oil change. The truck is a 2010 5.4L with 18,800 miles. My last oil change was 13,400 miles. So after 5400 miles I was only able to drain 6 qts. from the crank case. The oil pan had stopped draining so I know there was nothing left. With past cars and trucks I have owned I usually haven't seen an engine us a quart of oil until 100k miles or more. I'm a little shocked at seeing my relatively new truck using a quart after 5000+ miles.

I don't run this truck hard. It has never towed or hauled anything with any weight. Just my daily driver.

Is this typical of these engines, or is it the thin 5W-20 that is causing this?

 

I would not say it is typical, my 2005 at 135,000 moved about 1/8 of an inch on the stick in 4500 miles, between oil changes. Some mechanics will argue that a small amount of usage is good as the engine will not wear as fast. I would certainly consider 1 quart in 5400 miles as a slight usage. Not that it matters, but Ford does not consider oil usage excessive unless it exceeds 1 quart in 1000 miles. Personally, that is excessive to me.

 

BTW, stay with the 5-20!

 

Did you check the level on the stick before draining ?? Also, about a quart or a little less is still in the filter...not in the pan when you are changing.

 

No, I didn't check it before I changed it. Because I change my oil around 5k or 6 month's whichever comes first, I've never checked the oil before a change. With an engine with a lot of mileage I've always assumed I'd be a little low, but certainly not an engine with a little over 18K.
The final tally was after I dumped the filter. The filter wasn't even heavy, so that tells me there is no sludge build-up.

 

A couple of things for you to consider. You have a near 2 year old truck that has 18,000 miles on it. You obviously don't drive it much. If you are making short trips, there could be significant sludge from condensation that's in the engine. The weight of the oil filter will be meaningless. If you are driving it at least 20 minutes at full temp on each trip, there shouldn't be much, if any, sludge as the PCV system has had time to cook off the sludge causing moisture.
Changing your oil every 6 months regardless of mileage is your option but it is not required or wanted anymore. This goes back to carbed engines, 3000 mile OCIs, and open crankcase days. We now have closed crankcases that use the PCV system to vent off moisture and any heat related contaminants. Once the engine is shut down, it does not allow the free oxgenates to come into the system to degrade the oil. So essentially, there is no time limit as such as to how long to keep an oil in an engine. My LSC, which is a 1 in 7 car, has oil in it from 2004. I do check it once a year and it's still fine. Wear metals are still low and TBN is still decent.
As to the oil usage, you didn't say what you are using but I'd avoid any synthetic or even a semi synthetic and that's due to your duty cycles. Apparently the engine sits a lot and in that scenario you want an oil that going to stick to the parts while sitting. Synthetics are not good at this and most have zero allowances for the seals so leaks can be an issue. Yeah, they do come with seal swell agents but it has to stay on the job when the engine is off which synthetics are not known to do well.Pick a name brand that you like in 5w-20, make sure it wears the API label and Ford specs on the bottle, don't pay a lot for it, and enjoy the ride.

 

I am using full synthetic Motorcraft. So its not really full syn. I know engines with synthetic oills used to be susceptible to leaky seals but from what I've read that isn't the case any more. I've been using synthetic in all my engines for the last 20+ years with similar mileage and never had a leak or unusual usage. Thats why I find this so odd.
You do make a good point about the truck sitting and not being driven much. Since I commute to work by train, my daily mileage is a little over two miles. The engine never gets to a proper operating temp.
I'm kind of an oil change junky, so cutting me off synthetic and feeding me dyno might be a little traumatic. Not sure if I'm ready for that.

 

Unfortunately, you are the poster boy for having an engine failure due to sludge because of your driving style. The biggest issue is with the small oil journals of these Tritons. It doesn't take much for them to become restricted and while oil pressure is normal, the engine in locations is starving for lubrication, especially at the cams and phasers. I would strongly suggest that you start taking yer significant other out for dinner every Friday and make the restaurant at least 30 minutes away or more. Otherwise, you're going to be posting here about how you've had complete engine failure and Ford not standing behind the warranty.

If you just changed the oil, I'd drain it and put it in a bottle with a good seal to use later. Leave the filter on the truck. Get a bottle of Pennzoil yellow bottle 5w-20 and while I'm going to choke to type this, get a quart of Marvel Mystery oil. Use the full quart of MM and top off the fill with the Pennzoil. About every 100 miles, pull the dipstick and using a paper towel, drop a single drop of oil on the paper towel. Watch as the oil spreads out. If there is a sludge issue, you'll start seeing where the particulates will separate out from the oil and leave them on the paper. I'd run this until you start seeing them or until 1500 miles has gone under the wheels. If you never see the black particulates separate, yer in luck. But the chances of that are slim at best.

You might also want to read this guys post. Once Ford has determined that an engine is sludged or previously was sludged, the warranty is over. Ford also has a TSB concerning the use of certain oil filters by the name of Fram. If you have an oil related failure and a Fram filter, yer on yer own. The issue has been with the paper element in the Fram breaking down and the pieces of paper lodging in the oil journals causing an oil starvation issue. Ford + Fram = BAD!
https://www.f150online.com/forums/v8...-warranty.html

 

I do get out on the highway for a 280 mile round trip once or occasionally twice a month. I really doubt I have a sludge build up.
Its funny that you would mention using Penzoil yellow to help prevent sludge build up. I used to us PY back in the 80's with similar driving habits and had a huge sludge problem with Penzoil. Thiis was back when I was changing my oil every 3K. After seeing blue smoke blowing from my exhaust I pulled the valve covers and there was at least an inch of sludge on the top of the cylinder heads. The oil drain hioles were completely plugged. I ended up pulling the heads to have them cleaned and given a valve job. Using Penzoil yellow is the very reason I started using synthetic. So there is no way I'm draining the Amsoil I just put in.
Also, I've never used anything but a Motorcraft filter.
I just checked the dip stick and the oil level is up to the upper hole on the stick. It seems a little over filled to me. I didn't do the oil change at my home garage. I'm starting to think the truck may have been sitting at a different angle then it usually is when I do an oil change.

 

I dont like penzoil either. Had a camaro that the PO had used it in. Pulled that motor apart and I have never seen so much sludge in my life. could have been they never changed it and all but I wont touch the stuff..

 

Everybody had issues with the polymers of the day falling out of formulation back in the late 70's,80's and early 90's. Polymer technology was new back then and it was a cheap way to make a multi-viscosity oil. Because of advances in the ISO-SYN and Raffinate processes, they just use a base oil with a higher viscosity index to make the spread and then trim with stable polymers. Pennzoil is now one of the top shelf oils on the market. It's not Motorcraft but it does have more cleaning agents in the formulation which is why the recommendation. I would imagine that the trip you take once or twice a month might be enough during the summer months but it's not going to be enough for winter time. Might find a way to run the engine more during the winter to keep the moisture out of it. Usually that engine will mark at the fill cap if you are having a condensation issue but that's not a 100% thing. But if you see a yellow goo under the fill cap during the winter, you gotta problem that can be best cured by driving it.

 

LOL .... Thats just what I had a sludge problem with. 305 in a Camaro. What a POS that car was.
Never had a sludge problem before that car. Never had one since. But I'll never us Penzoil again because of it.

 

The bottom side of the fill cap is dry so I don't think condensation is an issue yet. Though the last time I saw yellow goo under a cap the problem was a lot worse then condensation. It was more like a bad head gasket.
I'm going to be watching the oil level pretty religiously now. Condensation will even show up on the dip stick if that is the issue.

 

Going back to the original post - a quart in 5400 miles is NOTHING.

 

I agree 100%! I've owned quite a few new cars and trucks in my life and have always maintained them meticulously, ALWAYS changing my own oil. Unlike many who have reported NO oil consumption whatsoever, I have NEVER had ZERO oil consumption. I have pretty much changed oil at 3k mi. my whole life and a pint in that 3k was more the rule than the exception. I have never run my vehicles like a little old lady and still don't, but have never been alarmed at a pint (sometimes less) in 3k. mi. The very nature of a V-8 engine (especially the larger they are) is that it would be ABNORMAL if NO oil ever got past the rings or valve stems and was burned.