5.4L oil change intervals

[Needleroozer]

2008 Navigator, 131500 miles. I like to keep meticulous records of my car maintenance. I change the oil when the car tells me to. So far the oil change intervals have been 16328, 11997, 13472, 14824, and 3377 miles. I didn't really notice how soon that last one came because it had been 6 months. That was in April. It's now been 4 months, 4789 miles, and the car is telling me the oil is at 12%. Why is it suddenly having me change the oil so frequently?
I've read that these engines have long thin oil passages that can clog easily. Is that happening to my engine leading the car to recommend more frequent oil changes? Is there an additive I should use to help keep those passages open? Something like a can of sea foam for 100 miles or so before the next oil change?

 

[CEB_CLT_Navi_2020]

5k between oil changes, IMO

 

[bbf2530]

2008 Navigator, 131500 miles. I like to keep meticulous records of my car maintenance. I change the oil when the car tells me to. So far the oil change intervals have been 16328, 11997, 13472, 14824, and 3377 miles. I didn't really notice how soon that last one came because it had been 6 months. That was in April. It's now been 4 months, 4789 miles, and the car is telling me the oil is at 12%. Why is it suddenly having me change the oil so frequently?
I've read that these engines have long thin oil passages that can clog easily. Is that happening to my engine leading the car to recommend more frequent oil changes? Is there an additive I should use to help keep those passages open? Something like a can of sea foam for 100 miles or so before the next oil change?

Hi Needleroozer. 16328 miles? 11997 miles? 13472 miles? 14824 miles? Something does not sound with those OCI readings?
Or a long shot…perhaps the settings were accidentally set to kilometers previously?
What is the recommended OCI listed in the Maintenance Schedule for your vehicle?

The OCI’s back around 2008 were generally in the 7,500 mile range. I can’t remember if it was every 6 months or a year.

What does the Lincoln Maintenance Schedule for your 2008 Navigator specify as the required OCI?

Concerning that “4789 miles” current reading? I’m not sure. However, it seems something much larger is wrong if you were getting those unreal OCI warnings from the IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) up until now.

Unless the 5.4L engine OCI’s were a huge outlier back then.

I’m sure others will also jump in to help, so keep us updated and good luck.

 

[Needleroozer]

Hi Needleroozer. 16328 miles? 11997 miles? 13472 miles? 14824 miles? Something does not sound with those OCI readings?
Or a long shot…perhaps the settings were accidentally set to kilometers previously?
What is the recommended OCI listed in the Maintenance Schedule for your vehicle?

The OCI’s back around 2008 were generally in the 7,500 mile range. I can’t remember if it was every 6 months or a year.

What does the Lincoln Maintenance Schedule for your 2008 Navigator specify as the required OCI?

Concerning that “4789 miles” current reading? I’m not sure. However, it seems something much larger is wrong if you were getting those unreal OCI warnings from the IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) up until now.

Unless the 5.4L engine OCI’s were a huge outlier back then.

I’m sure others will also jump in to help, so keep us updated and good luck.

I didn't read the manual because I thought the car knew best. So what you're saying is it's been lying to me but now it's telling the truth. Good thing I use a good synthetic!

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[bbf2530]

I didn't read the manual because I thought the car knew best. So what you're saying is it's been lying to me but now it's telling the truth. Good thing I use a good synthetic!

Hi Needleroozer. Well, not exactly.

What I was “saying” and trying to recommend is you read the manual to verify what the actual Lincoln recommended oil change interval is (time/mileage), because the IOLM warnings you are getting seem to be very inaccurate.

I’m sure others will also jump in to help, so keep us updated and good luck.

 

[driller]

I always went with 3,000 to 5,000 mile oil change intervals depending on service conditions (towing, idling time, etc,..) with my vehicles. Regardless of mileage, I would generally change the oil annually. On occasion I may see 6,000 or possibly 7,000 miles between oil changes, but not routinely. That is/was actual practice, not necessarily prompted by the vehicle oil life indicator.

I know on my older Lincolns, the reported oil life remaining was influenced primarily by time and mileage but also the operating conditions such as temperatures and engine load. I would need to research current shop manuals, but I would suspect the same is true and likely much more refined over the years.

I can't fathom any reason to validate 12K-16K miles between oil changes on any passenger vehicle.

 

[CEB_CLT_Navi_2020]

I had a 2008 Expedition and let the oil go a little longer than I normally did, not sure how much but not a lot and one of the hydraulic lifters stopped working. Oil changes are the best way to maintain your engine. I have a BMW X5 and the interval is 10k miles and even the service advisor agrees that’s ridiculous. I’m a 5k miles with synthetic oil believer.

 

[Action]

The 5.4l 3v in my 06 Navigator has over 220,000 miles.
I change the oil & filter (FL820S) in Spring and Fall. Generally, that is around April and October. I am doing 3 vehicles back-to-back. And I am the one doing this.
Typically, a 4 or 5 thousand miles stretch between changes on my Navigator. (I ignore the Maintenace reminders and just rest when they come up)
Typically, I use a lower cost 5W20 synthetic blend oil
So far, no adverse internal engine situations on any vehicle I have had in the last 3 decades other than an engine oil leak on a non-Ford product.

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[Action]

As a postscript to the above ..... for an internally clean engine over the long haul, do change the air filter and clean the engine crankcase vent system frequently.
(And/or replace a PCV if that applies.)

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