CHECK YOUR OIL

[StevenBigBear]

CHECK YOUR OIL; This week I took a leisurely drive up to Joshua Tree and when I got to my friends house, I heard an unusual knock coming from the engine in my favorite car. I got out to listen more closely and SNAP...Through a rod.

The Excursion is perfectly maintained except I failed to check the oil recently and it was bone dry. The truck is going in for an engine replacement on Monday. 6+ GRAND. The truck went from perfect to worthless, because I let a simple oil check pass.

ALWAYS check your engine oil. I am pretty good about this, but since the truck has more than 100 thousand miles on it, it has been using more oil, about a quart per tank. I am told this is normal for a 10 cylinder engine.

I love this truck and plan to own it for the rest of my life, so I am going to pay to have it repaired. The truth is the truck is worth less that the cost of a new engine. I can't let it go, it's like an old friend so I am going to get it fixed.

Check your oil...

[westend]

AFAIK, Motorcraft 5W-20 is a syn blend. I do think it's a good oil, that's why I pay a bit more to use it. I think using a higher viscosity oil like a 5W-30 or even 5W-40 may be a good solution for older Ford V-8/10's that are consuming a bit of oil. I haven't seen a higher mileage Ford that has been pulled apart and measured so these are only my gut feelings.

[93Cobra2771]

As others have said, a quart of oil per tank of gas says the motor was on it's last legs. A quart every 3000 miles or so would be more like normal usage.

FWIW, Any 5w20 oil is a synthetic blend, even if it doesn't say so on the label. Unless it says full synthetic, of course.

[Drum]

Motorcraft 5W-20 full synthetic goes in mine. I'm convinced it uses less and protects better than blends. I also use full synthetic tranny fluid because I think that's just as important. The fluids are always changed by the Ford dealer, and especially before towing on a long trip if it's getting close to change time. It's expensive but I have better peace of mind.

I'm very sorry to hear about your motor, but your cost is an investment too. You'll have a better motor that will likely have much more life left in it, and you'll save much more than 6 grand in a year just by not having a new truck sitting there depreciating. I'm all for repairing a vehicle rather than trading, that is if it's still what you like. I think it's smarter money in most cases.

[jspringator]

58 MPH with OD locked out.

[westend]

jspringator wrote:
My X with 175,000 miles on the V-10, uses a quart to Florida, and almost another quart on the way home, and I use 5-W-20. And I think even that usage is caused by a dirty PVC valve.

I hate to get into an oil debate, but do you think a 0-W-30 or 0-W-40 synthetic European formula would work better? I use it in my BMW with 125,000 miles and it never uses any oil in its 10,000 mile change interval.

The thing is: All internal combustion engines will "use" some of the oil in the crankcase. Your BMW is no exception. The reason that it doesn't consume as much as your other vehicle has to do with tolerances, construction differences, and it's usage.

FWIW, I own an F-250 w/165K mi. and a BMW 530. The truck uses about a quart between oil changes and the BMW uses about a half quart. I use Motorcraft 5W-20 in the Ford, exclusively. The BMW gets whatever full synthetic is on sale.

You could try using a thicker (say 5W-30) full synthetic in the Excursion but a couple of quarts usage while towing wouldn't be out of line, IMO. What speeds do you tow at?

[dodge_guy]

jspringator wrote:
My X with 175,000 miles on the V-10, uses a quart to Florida, and almost another quart on the way home, and I use 5-W-20. And I think even that usage is caused by a dirty PVC valve.

I hate to get into an oil debate, but do you think a 0-W-30 or 0-W-40 synthetic European formula would work better? I use it in my BMW with 125,000 miles and it never uses any oil in its 10,000 mile change interval.

NO! I run 5W30 in the summer because the 5W20 is like water. the higher the numbers the thicker they are. the first number (0,5,10,20) is cold starting viscosity (thickness), the next number (20,30,40,50) is hot viscosity. the thicker the oil is the harder it will be to burn. the wifes T&C burns almost a quart of oil every 3k miles when I run 5W20. when I run 5W30 that usage drops to just less than a half quart every 3k miles. I need to change the pistons and rings as Chrysler had a problem with the 3.8L engines in 07 where some of the ring gaps never got staggered. that is how and why it uses oil. the thicker oil decreases that use by half, for my wifes driving style anyway.

[jspringator]

My X with 175,000 miles on the V-10, uses a quart to Florida, and almost another quart on the way home, and I use 5-W-20. And I think even that usage is caused by a dirty PVC valve.

I hate to get into an oil debate, but do you think a 0-W-30 or 0-W-40 synthetic European formula would work better? I use it in my BMW with 125,000 miles and it never uses any oil in its 10,000 mile change interval.

[Doug33]

BurbMan wrote:
Good advice for sure..I like my 8.1 because it has sensors for low oil level and low oil pressure. The low oil level will light when you are about 1 1/2 qts low, before quantity gets so low that pressure is affected and the top end gets starved for oil.

Doug33, you wouldn't have done any damage towing a quart low...the low oil level means that you are approaching a condition that will create low oil pressure and subsequent damage, but you are not there yet.

Probably not, but I don't want to risk it, especially with a 12-year old vehicle. And although it was only 1.5 quarts low, it barely measured on the dipstick, which kind of freaked me out at first.

[BurbMan]

Good advice for sure..I like my 8.1 because it has sensors for low oil level and low oil pressure. The low oil level will light when you are about 1 1/2 qts low, before quantity gets so low that pressure is affected and the top end gets starved for oil.

Doug33, you wouldn't have done any damage towing a quart low...the low oil level means that you are approaching a condition that will create low oil pressure and subsequent damage, but you are not there yet.

[naturist]

Thank you for the reminder. It is indeed essential that drivers check their fluid levels from time to time, the more frequently the better. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars in repair costs, as the OP points out.

[dodge_guy]

Have you changed all the other fluids? Trans, diffs, transfer case, brake and P/S fluids. If not i would do those when they do the engine! And no a quart of oil a tank is not normal. We went to Niagara Falls and back (Chicago area) and didn't use any oil, ok maybe a few drops, but nothing i had to top off. That was approx.1200miles round trip.

[Chuck_thehammer]

many of todays oils evaporate. and the 0w and 5w most quickly.

but yes, using a quart in 1 tank of gas. motor was on all ready self-destruct.

and WHY did your low oil LIGHT not TURN-ON. another problem.

and do not go to quick-lube places for oil changes. not on Tow Vehicles anyway

[mowin]

Doug33 wrote:

byways wrote:
Find a 7.3 diesel and you'll never look back....just check the oil.

how many quarts ofi oil does that engine require?

7.3 takes 15 quarts of oil.

[Mvander]

Warning heeded. Leaving tomorrow for 400km trip. Will be checking all fluids before leaving. I have gotten slack at this latley.