The manual says 5000 but I have always changed my oil at 3000 miles or 3 months. Which should I follow?

Also. Since I am now changing my own oil what else should I be doing (that the dealership may have done for me before)? Lubing? Fluids? etc.?

 

It is up to you and the way you drive your vehicle. But I would recommend changing it ever 3,000 miles along with the oil filter of course.

As far as other maintenace, you can check your other fluid levels for precaution.

 

I change mine every 2000 miles or 3 months just cause I do lots of short trip driving.. I may only put on 1000 miles in that time but you have to remember the abundance of unburned hydrocarbons that are thinning out your oil. IF you do lots of long trip driving then 3000 or 3 months is fine cause all the raw fuel is burning off and is getting sucked out through the PCV..

 

It really is a matter of choice. However there is a reason that your manual says every 5000 miles. Seems that unless your driving under hard condictions, just go with what Ford has put in the manual. I just prefer to do it every 4000 miles. The oil companies just push the 3000 mile thing to sell more oil. Either way it won't hurt your truck. Mobil 1 EVERYTIME for my Crew!

 

I follow the severe duty schedule and change every 3000 miles because I meet several of the conditions that Ford defines as severe duty. If I didn't, I'd follow the regular schedule and change at every 5000. If there is any doubt, change at 3,000 and rest easy without any worries (other than cost).

 

My department did oil changes at 3000 miles for many years. After Ford said 5000 miles was ok, several vehicle's had the oil tested at the 5000 mile change. Seems the oil was dirty, but still doing the job. We now change at 5000, and have many engines on Fords and Chevy's at over 100,000 with no oil related failure. And nobody abuses vehicles like Highway Patrolman in Southern Arizona in the summer! I now run synthetic, and change at 5000 miles.

 

Change the oil every 5000 miles, 3000 miles is a complete waste of money. Changing the oil every 3000 miles is a good idea if you are living in the past and are oblivious to the incredible improvements in conventional motor performance over the past 10 years. It's your money and you can spend it wisely or foolishly because we enjoy these freedoms living in the United States.

 

3,000 miles oil changes are a waste of money and natural resources . . i've been doing 5,000 to 7,500 mile intervals with mobil 1 for years with great success . . . as in 250,000 miles . .

 

And when Ford offers you the maintinence schedule that gives you the conditions that define severe duty, calling for 3,000 mile changes, you should ignore it when you meet 3 of the 4 criteria. Granted, if I were running a high quality synthetic, I would feel better, but I don't. Especially after running many cars out to 200,000 miles on regular dino oil with no problems. I'd have to extend my oil change interval to 12,000 mile changes to make the cost break even on a synthetic vs. regular dino oil (6,000 miles versus the oil I use the truck), and I am not about to take that big of a leap of faith. Again, that's my opinion, and you can agree to disagree.

 

i'm doing it every 5000, but i'm using mobil 1. i probably have fairly severe driving habits too... i think i could probably go to 10000 on the oil, but i dont think the filter would hold up (using motorcraft). if the vette can go 15000 on mobil 1, i think our f-150s can do a third of that!

 

I change oil (Mobil-1(5-30) every 8000 miles with a filter chg and top off at 4000 miles. I was changing every 12000, with filter chg at 6000 miles in my previous 1990 F-150. It did not use any oil in the 6000 mile periods, and when I took the head off at 78000 miles, the valves and covers looked new--no sludge at all.