Howdy,
Performed my first oil change on my 2013 Ford F150 Ecoboost. I used the Pennzoil full synthetic oil($25 for five quarts @ Walmart) and Fram oil filter. Getting used to the splash shield and transmission skid plate cover with thumb screws. Wondering how those thumb screws are going to work after several years of rain, mud and snow?

Sure seems odd that the oil pan plug is on the 'SIDE' of the oil pan. Of course when I removed the plug, the oil 'over shot' my oil pan and oil went everywhere! After it drained for a while, then the oil missed the pan again.

After I finished the oil & oil filter change, I pulled out of the garage and parked in the driveway... then the oil leaked from the skid plate channel!

What a mess. The design is not very good. I think Ford can design the oil change a little bit better.

 

Yeah, it's fun, isn't it? All I can tell you is that it gets easier after you do it a few times.

As for the thumb screws, I can answer your question about how they hold up: Poorly. The right rear on mine would not stay screwed after it was a year or so old. Every couple of months I'd look under the truck and the corner of my skid plate would be hanging down. So I'd put the screw back in. Until the last time, when the screw just fell out. For now I have a ziptie in there, but the next time I change the oil, I'm going to put a bolt through it with a nylock nut on the top.

 

I've read a number of times on the forum, from members who seem to be very
knowledgable, that the Ford Motorcraft filter was what we should be using.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ters-only.html

 

Next time take it to your ford dealer and get it changed with good oil and a good filter!!

 

Worst choice of oil and absolute worst choice of filter on the market. Don't you like your truck?

SPark

 

X-2

 

"premium oil"..."synthetic oil" worked for a company that ran a fleet of 20 vans at a time and went thru dozens of vans over 20 years all on budget oil and the expected life span of engines was 200k basically vans would fall apart in other aspects.....my wifes Suzuki XL7 purrs like a kitten with just shy of 100K and it gets regular oil.....is there unbiased information/research out there that factually proves synthetics and premium oil will make an engine last significantly longer if in fact longer at all

 

I think thats the rub. And for me, that's why the motorcraft oil makes so much sense. It is a synthetic blend but it's priced like a cheaper oil.

 

Hey Fellas,
I used the Fram tough guard filter since they didn't have the Motorcraft FL500. I'm a little surprised and find it hard to believe that Pennzoil full synthetic platinum 'is the worst oil on the market'. Never heard that before.

Sounds like someone is a little bit crabby.

Go to the dealer for every oil change? Really? I guess some folks have unlimited amounts of money! Good for you.

 

Open an engine up after it's lived on Pennzoil it's whole life and see what condition it is in.

Ran Fram filters on a race engine once and saw a pressure drop across the entire RPM range. Changed filters and got our pressure back. Use a Motorcraft, Wix, NAPA or Car Quest filter. Fram will loose pretty much any filter comparison.

Fact, not emotions.

Yes, I go to the dealer for every oil change. Doesn't really cost that much more and I don't have to mess with disposing of the waste oil and filter. If there is a warranty claim there is no question who has been maintain the engine and if it was done right. I do my old stuff but not my newer cars and trucks. Works for me.

 

I'm with you 100% on the Fram filters, but I'm going to need to see some kind of citation on the Pennzoil. I lurk on BobIsTheOilGuy a fair amount, and believe me, if there was an issue with Pennzoil, those guys would be talking about it.

Having said that, my truck gets Mobil 1 oil and Motorcraft filters exclusively.

 

Must be true. According to LM14 Pennzoil full synthetic Platinum is the 'WORST' oil on the market.

He knows because he opens up his engine for every oil change...

 

See what happens when you write about something as controversial as
an oil change. Better tone it down next time.

 

All this talk about Fram and Pennzoil has me wondering. We've always used Fram filters in all our vehicles but I'll switch to Motorcraft being this is my first Ford and don't want to take any chances.

I've noticed no one has mentioned anything about Castrol oil. This is all my family has ever used. My dad works for them and is able to take a couple quarts to his house once a month so it's a no-brainer for us to use it. Any negative thoughts or bad experiences with Castrol?

 

I'll retract my statement on Penn synthetic. I have no experience with it at all. I haven't bought a Pennzoil product in 30+ years. My apologies on the oil statement.

I have a lot of engine experience. I've been building engines for 40 years. Never seen a good Pennzoil engine, ever. That's why I won't have anything to do with it.

Fram filters cause a pressure drop. Seen it at least 50 times. Change the filter and pick up 10-15# of pressure on the gauge. I know race engine builders that will not warranty a engine that uses a Fram filter. I've seen it on engines in race cars and on the dyno. We even did a back to back test on a 735hp Yates headed dirt late model engine and there was a 20# difference in a Fram and a Wix/NAPA filter. This was a full roller engine with a 5 stage dry sump oil system we regularly turned 9200 RPM. Did it simply to prove it to the dyno operator. He became a believer in less than 5 minutes.

Sorry to ruffle your feathers, just sharing my experiences, and yes, I have been inside a lot of engines. We raced for 30 years and built our own engines the majority of the time.

If you don't want to see what I have to say, block me.

As for Castrol, we ran it for years until they removed the Zinc from it for emissions compliance. Never had a bearing related issue with Castrol 20/50 over a 15 year span. When they removed the zinc, we switched brands to Brad Penn (the old Kendall formula that is a race oil and contains the proper amount of zinc to get lifters to live with high spring pressures on solid lifter cams at 8500 RPM).

Motorcraft, Wix, NAPA, Car Quest (this may change since they just got bought out, need to watch this).



SPark