4.6 Oil change interval

[lithdoc]

Hello folks,

I'm a proud owner of a 99 Town car with some 117k miles. I just wanted to hear your opinion on the 3k mile oil change recommendation. Do you stick to it or do you have other opinions? Thanks!

[LimitedStreet]

I do it at about 3500 on my car. At work the boss tells us to do every 5k on the Econoline vans with 4.6's/5.4's. I dont think it means too much as long as you check the oil level in between, but I like giving myself the best odds of getting 250k+ out of a car.

[gadget73]

Depends on your usage but if you use decent oil, get the engine actually warmed up most times when you drive it, and make sure you check it occasionally 5k is probably fine. If you use the OEM synthetic blend oil, it'll be perfectly content with that.

For whatever its worth, I do my own at 3k or once a year, but thats with 302's that get fairly little usage. They often sit a week or more between being started, and I seldom manage to hit 3k a year. I change mine more for fear of condensation problems than the oil actually getting contaminated. The Mark VII in it's previous life got a lot of miles put on, and I have records going back years of a 3k mile oil change about every month and a half. Its at 241k now and the inside of the engine is spotless.

[SVT98t]

Yeah, between 3k and 5k, depending on use, sounds good. As long as you keep an eye on the oil.

-ryan s.

[sxcpotatoes]

Every 6 months, regardless of mileage. Right around car insurance renewal time. I figure it gives my mechanic plenty of opportunity to notice things, and for me to bring up anything I see/hear/feel that doesn't seem right. I'm lazy, never bother to change the oil myself.

[01Townie]

i normally go around 4500 to 5k between changes. ive noticed the oil is the same whether it be 3k or 5k, so i go for the "get some more life out of it and save some cash" approach. its really up to personal preference, and probably what condition the engine is in.

[mpco239]

Five grand is good to go. Without getting into the mind numbing detail, a guy on Bob is the Oil Guy was tracking fleet maintenance on 4.6s for years. He said over the run of the modulars, (92-11) they tracked with amazing consistancy on their wear patterns with oil changes anywhere from 3k-7.5K (IIRC) with several different grades of oil, didn't matter. I run 5k just because its a nice square number and its a happy medium, especially since i run Mobil 5000 or whatever 5w-20 is on sale. I have seen police agencies run 15w-40 at 3k intervals, 10w-30, 5w-30 and 5w-20. The only 4.6 engine I ever saw give up the ghost was a 2000 CVPI that didn't get oil changed in police service for over 11k. In my opinion, run the recommended grade (although anything within reason will work pretty well) and change every 5K. You cannot go wrong.