Looking for most longevity/reliability f150 build?

[buzzylite]

Hey all!

Appreciate your time! Please excuse me if this has been overly-discussed! Assuming oil changes are done every 5k miles and the manufacturer maintenance schedule is adhered to - what kind of F150 build combination should have the most longevity/reliability? I want this truck for 20-25 years/ 200,000+ miles with the least instances of severe issues.
Engine (spoke to a few mechanics- all say stay away from turbos but that doesn’t seem to be the consensus anymore online)? suspension? Does gear ratio matter for this? Any effect of trim level?
Thank you!

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[Gros Ventre]

Well... I made a 92 Suburban go 30 years and am doing similar things with my 21 PB. I'd changeout all lubricants (engine, transmission, transfer case, front & rear axles) early... like sometime in the first 1,000 miles. Purpose is to flush out any manufacturing debris left over. If you don't have one get a block heater and use it. Pick good synthetic oils for the change out. I'm partial to AmsOil. Read the labels as some specs change. Gentle the engine for the first 1,000 miles (I don't mean you have to go slow, I mean don't floor it). Vary speeds on the highway for the first 5,000 miles to ensure you don't set up a limit on wear pattern. Crawl around under the truck for the first 10,000 miles and look for leaks or weeps. At the long maintenance intervals specified by Ford on lubricants, a one drop per mile weep (nearly un-noticeable) can empty on axle in less than Ford's intervals.

 

[roadPilot]

Changing oil every 5K miles will accomplish little more than emptying your wallet faster than you need to empty it. Oil analyses, not the odometer, will tell you when to change.

 

[buzzylite]

Well... I made a 92 Suburban go 30 years and am doing similar things with my 21 PB. I'd changeout all lubricants (engine, transmission, transfer case, front & rear axles) early... like sometime in the first 1,000 miles. Purpose is to flush out any manufacturing debris left over. If you don't have one get a block heater and use it. Pick good synthetic oils for the change out. I'm partial to AmsOil. Read the labels as some specs change. Gentle the engine for the first 1,000 miles (I don't mean you have to go slow, I mean don't floor it). Vary speeds on the highway for the first 5,000 miles to ensure you don't set up a limit on wear pattern. Crawl around under the truck for the first 10,000 miles and look for leaks or weeps. At the long maintenance intervals specified by Ford on lubricants, a one drop per mile weep (nearly un-noticeable) can empty on axle in less than Ford's intervals.

Really appreciate this advice! Are you concerned about any electrical issues with the PB- especially if it’s lariat+?

 

[Calson]

Changing the oil every 5,000 miles is very wasteful and not going to improve the life of the engine and all the sub components (steering motors, AC compressor, alternator, transmission, etc).

Engines and lubricants changed radically after 2017 and plenty of information online about this. Engine life dramatically increased in the 1990's with lead no longer legal to put in engines. In the 1920's the GM engineers knew that adding tetraethyllead to gasoline reduced engine life by 50% but as GM had the patent for this addive the royalties were too much to resist.

Carcomplaints.com provides some data on which makes and models have issues. I know for towing that sudden shutdowns of the 2.7 engines was not unusual and so I bought a truck with the 3.5L instead. Turbos had problems in the 1980's but are much improved in today's vehicles. Ford trucks had a significant number of problems for model years from 2013 to 2018 but few with 2019 and newer trucks and then mostly problems with the electrical system (often the battery) and transmissions.

This from the NHTS for the 2022 F-150 but bear in mind that Ford sells more than 1 million trucks each year and so more issue being reported is in part due to those numbers:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/F-150/2022/electrical/electrical_system.shtml

 

[Gros Ventre]

Really appreciate this advice! Are you concerned about any electrical issues with the PB- especially if it’s lariat+?

No. Mine is an XLT. The electrical side has been flawless.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Changing the oil every 5,000 miles is very wasteful and not going to improve the life of the engine and all the sub components (steering motors, AC compressor, alternator, transmission, etc).

Engines and lubricants changed radically after 2017 and plenty of information online about this. Engine life dramatically increased in the 1990's with lead no longer legal to put in engines. In the 1920's the GM engineers knew that adding tetraethyllead to gasoline reduced engine life by 50% but as GM had the patent for this addive the royalties were too much to resist.

Carcomplaints.com provides some data on which makes and models have issues. I know for towing that sudden shutdowns of the 2.7 engines was not unusual and so I bought a truck with the 3.5L instead. Turbos had problems in the 1980's but are much improved in today's vehicles. Ford trucks had a significant number of problems for model years from 2013 to 2018 but few with 2019 and newer trucks and then mostly problems with the electrical system (often the battery) and transmissions.

This from the NHTS for the 2022 F-150 but bear in mind that Ford sells more than 1 million trucks each year and so more issue being reported is in part due to those numbers:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/F-150/2022/electrical/electrical_system.shtml

As to oil changes: Agreed. I do oil sample analysis using WearCheck. My thinking is let the oil results drive oil changes. So far I've found that Boron and TBN depletion occur around 12,000 to 14,000. So I sample at 5k & 10k and plan on changing oil within a month or two of the 10k sample. I had the transmission oil changed and filter changed at 15k, 30k, & 45k... and am continuing to change it. Note that the PB transmission filter is different than a non-PB transmission filter. I think because of the additional length brought on by the motor/generator. So if you take it in for that change, ensure the dealer orders the correct filter. My dealer remarked the last time I had the transmission oil & filter change that they were seeing some issue with transmissions that had not had such changes. Didn't elaborate as to what, just that mine was problem free.

 

[Gros Ventre]

There are many on here who subscribe to the idea that changing oil every 3k or 5k miles is cheap insurance. I hew to your way of thinking which says that's just throwing away good oil. I go a bit further with the oil samples. I consider sampling as cheap insurance. In one case an oil sample revealed an air cleaner casing not put back together properly.

 

[buzzylite]

There are many on here who subscribe to the idea that changing oil every 3k or 5k miles is cheap insurance. I hew to your way of thinking which says that's just throwing away good oil. I go a bit further with the oil samples. I consider sampling as cheap insurance. In one case an oil sample revealed an air cleaner casing not put back together properly.

So oil testing will help catch other issues with the truck. What i’m gathering is this is the most effective longevity method regardless of engine?

 

[Gros Ventre]

So oil testing will help catch other issues with the truck. What i’m gathering is this is the most effective longevity method regardless of engine?

I believe so. I spent a career in the nuclear Submarine Force to include Chief Engineer. One of the ways we get machinery to last 40-60 years is lube oil analysis (along with other monitoring methods such as sound analysis). So I'm a fan of oil analysis. I now use Wear Check. I previously used blackstone but they began taking as long as 6 weeks after receipt of a sample to get the results out the door. The idea is simple: if a failure is developing, predict it and change out the component. In my case a failure on the road in February in Wyoming 40 miles from anywhere when its -40ºF means a lot. The one time it happened the engine could still run and provide heat while I waited for AAA to arrive.

 

[roadPilot]

There are many on here who subscribe to the idea that changing oil every 3k or 5k miles is cheap insurance. I hew to your way of thinking which says that's just throwing away good oil. I go a bit further with the oil samples. I consider sampling as cheap insurance. In one case an oil sample revealed an air cleaner casing not put back together properly.

They are wasting thier money, but it's thier money.

Yes, only actual oil analyses can let you know how often you should be changing your oil in a particular vehicle.

 

[Natetroknot]

If I owned a semi with 10 gallons of oil in the motor & a $45 filter I could justify spending $35 for an analysis to let me know it’s ready for a drain or not, but at the price point for an oil change on our trucks I just don’t get it guys.

I paid Blackstone once in my life for an analysis and if it wasn’t for the summary paragraph they wrote it may has well been in Latin, it maka no sense to this dumb farm kid lol

 

[roadPilot]

If I owned a semi with 10 gallons of oil in the motor & a $45 filter I could justify spending $35 for an analysis to let me know it’s ready for a drain or not, but at the price point for an oil change on our trucks I just don’t get it guys.

Many folks don't change thier own oil, so they spend $100 or more each time. Throwing out oil that still has 50% left in it wouldn't be a good financial decision for some of those people.

I paid Blackstone once in my life for an analysis and if it wasn’t for the summary paragraph they wrote it may has well been in Latin, it maka no sense to this dumb farm kid lol

You're right - tools are only useful when in the hands of someone who knows how to use them. ?

 

[Natetroknot]

Many folks don't change thier own oil, so they spend $100 or more each time. Throwing out oil that still has 50% left in it wouldn't be a good financial decision for some of those people.

You're right - tools are only useful when in the hands of someone who knows how to use them. ?

Point taken on the latter, but will all respect how exactly does one go about acquiring an oil sample that pays someone else to do the actual oil change?

Also curious, since you are able to decipher the analysis, how does it compare to the OLM in our trucks? Is there a large discrepancy in your experience?

 

[Gros Ventre]

The OLM is simply an odometer clicking away.

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