Carbon deposits under valve cover - Ford 6.2L

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I've read these forums for years, but have never posted anything until now.

I've got a 2015 Ford F-250 6.2L with 175,000km and a whole load of idle time on it (3000 hr). I've only owned it for about a year so it's previous maintenance history is a bit unknown. The truck is used for heavy towing and gets M1 5W30 Truck & Suv oil with a Fram XG2 filter regularly.

I noticed some light carbon build up under the oil cap when I was changing the oil. Do you think this is anything to be concerned about? I change the the oil when the oil life indicator reaches 30%, but the previous history of the truck is the big unknown. It doesn't look too bad to me, but figured it was worth asking the internet just in case.

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Hard to say from just one photo. The Mobil 1 should continue to help clean out the residual sludge/carbon that was left behind by a less expensive and inferior oil. It's also possible the prior owner didn't change the oil often enough which lead to oxidation. The prior owner, after spending thousands on the truck, probably wanted his little $3 rebate on his $14 jug of oil.

If you really wanted to clean it up, Valvoline makes an oil that would do the best job. Red Line would likely be right behind it.
 
Nothing to worry about. It didn't stop you from buying it why now the concern?
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Nothing to worry about. It didn't stop you from buying it whay now the concern?


+1 I'd call that a heavy varnish, which is nothing to worry about in that location.

From what I can see of the chain, it looks pretty chainy colored (no varnish), which is good.
 
Welcome to BITOG
I would be happy to see my engine look like that, at roughly 165k and no idea on past history or past maintenance. Your Mobil-1 Truck & SUV oil is built to withstand stress and heat, more-so than heavy cleaning.

Valvoline recommendation works, as does Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, which boasts itself thru marketing as a good cleaner. I buy mine at Walmart.com. Two jugs will get you free shipping. Do a couple 5K OCIs. That filter choice is a good one. You could do two OCIs with that Fram XG filter. Just leave it on the next oil change-time and a 10k run (two 5k OCIs) is only medium duty for it.

I usually loosen the used filter - drain it - then reinstall it. Before installation, give the gasket a wipe-down and re-oil it. I never had one leak.
 
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Those engines are great and run forever. I did research to buy an F150 Limited w/6.2, there was a guy who had 400K on it with hard commercial Texas use. They do break valve springs though, that is the only problem.
Very rarely they grenade the cylinder.
 
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That varnish is probably baked on but good after all those kilometers. Definitely looks to be varnish, not sludge. Varnish is oxidized oil / additive plated out like an enamel paint. Sludge is typically from cold idling.

Varnish is cleaned only slowly and gradually. Pennzoil Ultra Platinum is one of the better oils ant prevention and cleaning. Many of us that switched to it noticed our first oil changes were visibly darker than subsequent oil changes, indicating cleaning action. Pennzoil also provided photos of engines after Sequence IIID testing showing visible cleanliness.

Welcome!
 
Just run a name brand synthetic. It won't matter which.

It's a Mod Ford 6.2, it loves to rev, so hook it up to a trailer and use it for what it was meant to do (yank 10-15k pounds around at 4K RPM all day).
 
Welcome !!

Not many of us 6.2L Ford guys around here. I'm now using Redline 5W-30 in my truck which has solved my cold start tick.
Good luck with your truck !ðŸ‘
 
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