Joenpb

I think the OLM is bunk. It doesn't take into account how the car is driven or the conditions it is driven in. It is a high tech idiot light. I sent a sample (@7500 miles) to Blackstone Labs. Their results said I had about 500-1000 miles worth of additives left (full synthetic Redline), but the OLM said I had 38% oil life left. Use the OLM at your own risk.

Since I drive about 18K miles a year, I change my oil based on mileage (6-7K), and occasionally send in samples for analysis. What I know is you can't really change the oil too often, but you sure can not change it enough.

GTC

That is just incorrect. The IOLM does in fact take into account both how the car is driven and the conditions it is driven in.

I think you may be confusing Ford's Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor™ with Ford's Oil Monitor System (OMS). The OMS found on numerous Ford's and Lincolns was simply attached to a one year timer and the odometer.

The IOLM introduced in 2011 does measure actual driving conditions and much more, and as a result, you do not need to adjust oil change intervals based on climate or vehicle usage. Moreover, it also looks at driving habits (such as towing and workload), hours in operation and at idle, oil and coolant temperature, engine speed and torque to name a few. These algorithm-based monitoring systems are engineered with an understanding of how temperature and load affect oil integrity; extreme temperatures and engine load are known to shorten oil life. For example, the OLMS will penalize estimated oil life when the engine is driven in very cold conditions or when the engine is extremely hot.

The systems do not monitor any direct physical or chemical property of used oil; they accumulate operational data from the car’s various sensors and translate the readings into accurate effect projections on the motor oil’s viscosity, total base number (a measure of remaining detergency) and oxidation level.

Ford engines have been tested using Motorcraft® Synthetic Blended Oils and the IOLM is calibrated to that particular and specific blend. If you do use synthetic oil, it may or may not meet the Ford blend specifications for motor oil and therefore not give accurate information with an alternate blend because an OLMS provides specific prediction of oil life based on a sophisticated mathematical model developed using a specific type oil.

Joenpb

The oil not only meets the spec, it exceeds it. The OLM displayed on the dash was incorrect, and I'd bet its incorrect most of the time if it always indicates a 10k mile OCI. When it comes to oil changes I prefer staying on the safe side.

Joenpb

OMG!

If using conventional oil at quick changes, 3K is probably still is good benchmark. Once additive packages are consumed, sludge forms quicker than people think.

https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...bye-motor.html

obokky

Hmmm...hate to be the bearer of realistic news, but...

All the "new" cars that I've bought over the years that have had 1-2K miles on them had all been driven by the owner. Only now, later in life when I've got access to so much more information am I starting to suspect that this is a commonly provided explanation which may not always be true.

I'm also learning that not all cars are used only for test drives. In addition to some of the questionable runs by potentially unscrupulous salespeople, low mileage cars may also be used as Service Loaners.

Some personal experiences:
A woman whose father owns a few dealerships doesn't own a car because the dealerships provide her one for about 1,500 miles before she returns it to be sold as new. Now she's not very rough on them, but some of these are highly marketed powerful V8 enthusiast models - which she lends to friends and coworkers who are eager to put them to the tests seen on TV and read about in auto magazines.

A new Shelby owner was given a base model while some warranty work was performed. The loaner had less than 100 miles on it. This loaner was thoroughly compared to the Shelby over the multi-day service period in terms of WOT, power shifts, and track app runs.

These are only brief examples of what I've been personally exposed to.

Just sayin...