Oil Change Interval vs Explorer

[keithw1975]

I am a little surprised at what the oil monitor has been recommending as far as oil life on our F-150 vs our Explorer ST. Both vehicles get Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-30, but the F150 Hybrid is driven the most and is primarily driven in town. Even with almost 5,000 miles on the current oil, the truck is saying that there is 62% oil life left. Meanwhile, our 3.0l Explorer is driven much less and is driven almost entirely on the interstate. Every day we drive about 8 blocks to the interstate and then drive for 22 miles round trip and back home where it sits until the next morning. On the weekends we will take it short distances, maybe 4 or 5 miles each way but not every weekend. We are putting about 8,000 miles a year on it. This isn't a hybrid either, so I would expect that and the fact that it is driven so much on the highway would mean a much longer oil life surprisingly though the oil life is showing only 20% life left after 6,000 miles.

On a side note, I noticed today that when I changed the oil on our Explorer that after putting fresh oil in and checking the dipstick, the new oil on the dipstick smelled like gasoline. I know the GDI engines are prone to let fuel leak in, but after a fresh oil change, I wasn't expecting it, especially with all the high temp highway driving.

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[12Lariat21]

It's not that different...at 6000 miles the F150 (at the same % per mile that it's currently at) will be at 25% oil life. Also I'm not sure what they all put into that 'calculation' but the Explorer sitting more, could effect it...I think if you switch vehicle use with each other, you'd probably see the same results, it just is what it is.

As far as the fuel smell, it doesn't take much for something to get that smell, so if you do have have some leakage into the oil, that would certainly cause it, and when you drain the oil you are never getting 100% out, so there will always be some fuel/oil in the engine, likely giving 'new oil that smell.

You could always send an oil sample out for analysis and verify just how much fuel is getting into the oil, but either way, if your oil has a fuel smell to it, you probably shouldn't be going by the oil change indicator, and change the oil every 4-5,000 miles....

 

[Vater]

Be wary of using Ultra Platinum on that 3.5L. Twice I had SpeedDiagnostix lab tests run mid oil cycle at about 2400 miles. That oil was sheeting out of viscosity back down to 20, from 30. Oil life indicator doesn’t mean squat. Run lab testing from SpeedDiagnostix or Blackstone to definitively determine oil condition and oil life.

 

[powerboatr]

Our explorer st... got black within 2k, (that was delivery oil), miles..had it changed now has a bit over 1800 on fresh oil. Still clean on stick..no smells


The truck was changed the week before and I out around 1500 on that oil...it's black already
We live in dust from hell on the roads
Thst powdery oily crap
Truck is driven a bit more robust
Than the st

 

[keithw1975]

It's not that different...at 6000 miles the F150 (at the same % per mile that it's currently at) will be at 25% oil life. Also I'm not sure what they all put into that 'calculation' but the Explorer sitting more, could effect it...I think if you switch vehicle use with each other, you'd probably see the same results, it just is what it is.

As far as the fuel smell, it doesn't take much for something to get that smell, so if you do have have some leakage into the oil, that would certainly cause it, and when you drain the oil you are never getting 100% out, so there will always be some fuel/oil in the engine, likely giving 'new oil that smell.

You could always send an oil sample out for analysis and verify just how much fuel is getting into the oil, but either way, if your oil has a fuel smell to it, you probably shouldn't be going by the oil change indicator, and change the oil every 4-5,000 miles....

The dealer has told us on a few ocassions not to let it go past 10k miles even if it has oil life percentage left. I had been doing 5k oil changes, but let it slip this one time. I have never used an oil analysis service, but will give it a try at next oil change. I was under the impression that Ultra Platinum was one of the top 3 best oils you could get for GDI engines.

 

[Oxford_Powerboost]

The oil life monitor considers time too. 8,000 miles a year means it’ll count down to 0 before your mileage would ever hit what the 150 gets changed at.

 

[redline]

Fords oil life monitor is a POS… I would just go on every 5k and forget what that monitor says .

on another note , I am considering a explorer st , how do you find them ?

 

[keithw1975]

Fords oil life monitor is a POS… I would just go on every 5k and forget what that monitor says .

on another note , I am considering an explorer st , how do you find them ?

Just so you know, we previously had a 2015 and 2019 Explorer Sport, so my impression of the ST is in comparison to those and my F-150 in some respects.

The ST has suspension that is noticeably firmer than the Sport. My F-150 with the FX4 package is much smoother riding. The engine is also noisier and that is a little frustrating. I also really hate the vertical center display and the lack of wireless Carplay which my 2 year older F-150 has.

Now for what I like, The ST seems very sure-footed and solid compared to the old Sport, and driving it aggressively always tickles me. I used to have a '96 TransAM and the ST out accelerates it and I feel like it outmaneuvers it. I have driven on some windy roads and I kept pushing the speed up and was extremely impressed with how it felt glued to the road. If you are looking for a sports car that can also get around in bad weather and haul the kids around it is phenomenal. If you want a smooth relaxing ride with gobs of power and acceleration, but not so good handling then my F-150 Powerboost beats it hands down and has a better infotainment system too. The 2025 Explorers may be getting an updated infotainment system.

One of the most fun and scary things to do is to pull out onto a roadway with the explorer and floor it. With it's AWD system it throws you back in the seat and accelerates so hard that you have to work at keeping control of the wheel while turning, but it handles it and doesn't slide or lose control.

 

[PPEng15]

Main topic:
My PB is at the 6500 mile mark and shows 50% oil life. About 10% electric miles.
The Explorer was pretty much spot on with percentage and mileage.

Side Topic: Our 2020 ST was great for driving hard. Fast, responsive and just a blast to drive for a SUV. The suspension is a little stiff for our crappy roads. The back up camera sucked. We recently traded it in on a 2025 Aviator. Same power, a little more calm and relaxing while diving, but can still be a lot of fun.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I don't rely on the monitor at all. I do analysis. I find that Boron & TBN deplete around 12,000 to 14,000 miles. So I use these as my benchmark. I typically draw a sample at 5,000 & 10,000 miles and base any change on those results. I now use WearChek. Blackstone was taking so long to return results (4, 5, & 6 weeks from receipt) as to make any real time change decision moot.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

The dealer has told us on a few ocassions not to let it go past 10k miles even if it has oil life percentage left. I had been doing 5k oil changes, but let it slip this one time. I have never used an oil analysis service, but will give it a try at next oil change. I was under the impression that Ultra Platinum was one of the top 3 best oils you could get for GDI engines.

Many well respected technicians urge to not go beyond 5K. Oil is cheap, it’s relatively easy to change. It’s really just not worth the risk of having a stuck piston ring because of long oil change intervals.

Your truck, you do you, but if you’re asking, you already have a doubt. Listen to that little voice.

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