F-150 2.7L Ecoboost Recommendations

[09_GXP]

I'm looking to get some ideas of what the group here thinks a good OCI and oil would be for my application. I have the quick specs for the truck below. The oil was changed with M1 at 3,000 and then again at 11,000.

2015 F-150 2.7L Ecoboost V6 with a 6qt oil capacity
Manual calls for 5w30 SN
15,000 miles on truck
50% Towing a 6k 22' enclosed trailer (10 mpg) (11.6k GCW, spec'd at 13.1k max)
50% Easy 23 mile one-way commuting (24 mpg)

The owner's manual is big on letting the oil life monitor adjust for the driving conditions. However, it does give some guidance on when to expect the OLM to suggest a change.
7,500-10,000 in normal driving (no, or moderate, load or towing)
5,000-7,499 in severe driving (moderate to heavy load or towing)
3,000-4,999 in extreme driving (maximum load or towing)

My OLM is acting just like a mile counter, going down 1% every 100 miles. I agree that my non-towing mileage would be worthy of the 10,000 OCI, using Ford's recommendation. But, I would think towing at 88% of the GVWR would be pulling me pretty close to the extreme driving conditions.

What are everyone's thoughts on an OCI and what oil would be best in this application. I will be getting a UOA at the next change, just not sure when I'll be dropping it.

 

[roadrunner1]

I recently bought an '16 with the 2.7 and plan on letting the IOLM tell me when to change. I don't tow as much as you with the 2.7 as I have a 6.7 diesel for that, but I do haul weight in the bed to make deliveries. It mostly gets driven as my wifes to work truck.

It currently has approx. 6,000 mi. on the factory fill and I intend to let the IOLM go to 0%, which should be around 10,000 mi.

I have some Citgo SuperGard 5w-30 on hand that is going to be used in the 2.7 that I got for next to nothing. I don't think oil choice is going to make much difference as long as its SN/GF/5. Everything I have seen from the 2.7 is they are much easier on oil than the first gen direct injected offerings from Ford.

 

[60ampfuse]

Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
I recently bought an '16 with the 2.7 and plan on letting the IOLM tell me when to change. I don't tow as much as you with the 2.7 as I have a 6.7 diesel for that, but I do haul weight in the bed to make deliveries. It mostly gets driven as my wifes to work truck.

It currently has approx. 6,000 mi. on the factory fill and I intend to let the IOLM go to 0%, which should be around 10,000 mi.

I have some Citgo SuperGard 5w-30 on hand that is going to be used in the 2.7 that I got for next to nothing. I don't think oil choice is going to make much difference as long as its SN/GF/5. Everything I have seen from the 2.7 is they are much easier on oil than the first gen direct injected offerings from Ford.


Daaang man, all the way down to 0%? Maybe I'm in the minority here but I wouldn't let it get much lower than 15-20% myself.

 

[Bzab32]

If you are worried the OLM is not adjusting to your use I would just change it at OCI's of 7500 miles as the owners manual states with towing. That is quite the MPG drop off with towing but im glad to see mid- 20's empty highway.

 

[09_GXP]

Originally Posted By: Bzab32
If you are worried the OLM is not adjusting to your use I would just change it at OCI's of 7500 miles as the owners manual states with towing. That is quite the MPG drop off with towing but im glad to see mid- 20's empty highway.


I'm not so much worried that it's not adjusting, just surprised I don't see a difference. It's entirely possible that the easy driving is hardly hurting the oil and thus building a "bank" in the OLM calculation.

I end up running 70+ mph towing. If I pull it back a bit the MPG will go up but I'm usually just wanting to get where I"m going sooner.

 

[umungus1122]

PP 10w-30 summer, PP 5w-30 winter.

 

[MNgopher]

The towing mileage doesn't surprise me. Towing big means the turbos are working...

I would say that so far mine (2016 F150 2.7TT) is not going down at 1 per 100 miles. At the current rate, mine is going down at more like 1 per 145 miles - roughly a 14,500 mile oil change if you ran it down to 0%. Based on your mileage split, wouldn't surprise me that the good driving is offsetting the bad - netting out at roughly 10,000 miles.

As pointed out, the other approach is to go for a 7500 mile or so change...

 

[Gene K]

Since its a Direct Injection offering I decided I wanted the lower NOACK of a Synthetic or Dexos Blend.

I'm currently running Pennzoil Gold Blend at around $22.50 for 6.0 qt and managed to pick up some Supertech Synthetic (WPP) for $12 per 5 qt jug for the next change.

Castrol Magnatec has done pretty well in a couple of 3.5 EB in the two trucks Ive seen samples on.

So far I havnt seen lots of UOA from the 2.7 EB. It does however seem to produce lower metals and treat the oil gentler than the 3.5 EB.

 

[HemiHawk]

Awesome truck!

If it were mine, under those conditions, I would go 5,000 miles then get a UOA. The OLM is great and all, but I don't think it takes into account any fuel dilution from direct injection. Also, I have to assume that I would hope it looks at temps but towing has to put a decent load on the engine (and much greater heat from the turbo).

 

[09_GXP]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher


I would say that so far mine (2016 F150 2.7TT) is not going down at 1 per 100 miles. At the current rate, mine is going down at more like 1 per 145 miles - roughly a 14,500 mile oil change if you ran it down to 0%. Based on your mileage split, wouldn't surprise me that the good driving is offsetting the bad - netting out at roughly 10,000 miles.


I'm surprised at that. It was my understanding that the mileage counter is the backup system. What I mean is if none of the other calculations say the oil should be changed sooner it will default to 1% per 100 miles. What's interesting on my truck is that I go from 100% -> 99% at 50.1 miles and then it goes from 99% -? 98% at 150.1 miles. This makes sense if you are thinking about how the truck is rounding the values in the background. It has done this exactly for all 3 OCIs I've had.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Bzab32
If you are worried the OLM is not adjusting to your use I would just change it at OCI's of 7500 miles as the owners manual states with towing. That is quite the MPG drop off with towing but im glad to see mid- 20's empty highway.
It is over double the weight and wind resistance.

 

[MNgopher]

I thought the same thing on the mileage - was expecting it to tick around 1% per 100 miles - definitely not what I am getting to date...

 

[BikeWhisperer]

I set my iOLM on my 2013 F150 Eco-Boost to 70% each oil change. Always comes in at around 6-7k. I am 50/50 hwy and city miles with towing just a few times a year.

I'll be using Magnatec 5w-30 starting with my next (probably this weekend) oil change as it seems to show good results in the 3.5 V6.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
I thought the same thing on the mileage - was expecting it to tick around 1% per 100 miles - definitely not what I am getting to date...


It'll default to time of you don't drive enough. If you drive only 100 miles, it'll be at 0% olm in 12 months from last reset.

I also just did an OCI, 11.5 months with 6900 miles. I'll be sending in an uoa, I ran M1 0w-40 this run. Refilled with edge ep 5w-30 and will probably try magnatec next OCI of 5k. 2011 3.5l with 44k.

 

[53' Stude]

Volk06: I like your thinking

 

[MNgopher]

At an average of over 50 miles a day, I can state mine is not defaulting to the time method... We'll see where it goes...

 

[Gene K]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
At an average of over 50 miles a day, I can state mine is not defaulting to the time method... We'll see where it goes...


My 2011 Mustang used to look like it was going for 17,000 miles but would drop like a rock once it got close to 10,000 miles.

My 2014 isn't used as a daily so it defaults to the 12 month schedule.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: 09_GXP
Originally Posted By: Bzab32
If you are worried the OLM is not adjusting to your use I would just change it at OCI's of 7500 miles as the owners manual states with towing. That is quite the MPG drop off with towing but im glad to see mid- 20's empty highway.


I'm not so much worried that it's not adjusting, just surprised I don't see a difference. It's entirely possible that the easy driving is hardly hurting the oil and thus building a "bank" in the OLM calculation.

I end up running 70+ mph towing. If I pull it back a bit the MPG will go up but I'm usually just wanting to get where I"m going sooner.



How about taking a sample at 7500 (leave it in) and see how the oil is doing. M1 is probably good for the 10k but with DI (the 2.7 is DI isn't it?) it might need to come out sooner.

I agree that the IOLM seems to be a counter; I've seen it march down steadily on a long trip (just drove St Louis to Pike's Peak and back the last few days) at 1% per 100 miles. It did count down a little faster at higher speeds, as the engine was using more fuel and therefore working harder - between 6 and 7% over 500 miles.

 

[FCD]

Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w30 has showed outstanding protection in some tests

 

[09_GXP]

Originally Posted By: Kuato

How about taking a sample at 7500 (leave it in) and see how the oil is doing. M1 is probably good for the 10k but with DI (the 2.7 is DI isn't it?) it might need to come out sooner.

I agree that the IOLM seems to be a counter; I've seen it march down steadily on a long trip (just drove St Louis to Pike's Peak and back the last few days) at 1% per 100 miles. It did count down a little faster at higher speeds, as the engine was using more fuel and therefore working harder - between 6 and 7% over 500 miles.


Yeah, it is DI. Unfortunately, not really a good way to sample with this unit. With the CGI block, aluminum ladder frame, and composite pan there are a lot of ledges down the dip stick tube. It's pretty rough to even get the dip stick back in.

I was expecting to see the OLM count down quicker when working hard as well, just not seeing it. When I picked up my trailer I started with 1500 miles on the oil (1200 light towing 17 mpg). Drove 1000 miles unloaded at 75 mph (23 mpg) and then towed back 1000 miles at 72 mpg (9.5 mpg) and it kept ticking at exactly 100 miles per 1%. Figure when I got back I had 3500 miles on the OCI and 29% of that was towing heavy and 34% towing light. If I was ever going to see it count down quicker it should have been there.