Hi Frank and everyone else. It's been over a year since I did my Auto-Rx Basic Application on my '00 Mercury Grand Marquis. I have ran a maintenance dose ever since. Prior to the Basic Application, I have used only Motorcraft 5W-20 synthetic-blend. Afterwards, I had used Mobil 1 5W-30 until my last oil change in which I reverted to Motorcraft 5W-30 synthetic-blend. I use an OCI interval of 3,000 miles.
My concern is that usually my oil is pretty dark by the time it gets to the last 1,000 miles in my OCI. For nearly the entire first 2,000 miles, the oil stays very clean and has no odor of fuel. But the last 1,000 miles, the oil is pretty dark - near black and still has no odor of fuel. Prior to the Basic Application, the oil would come out quite a bit lighter than it does now.
It has done this ever since I did my Auto-Rx treatment. I don't think it has anything to do with the product, as I love it, stand by it, and recommend it to anyone I know that truly cares about their cars. I just have a concern that maybe the filter media gets clogged up before the end of the OCI and the oil is not being filtered in this time. I do use Motorcraft FL-820s filters as recommended for my car.
Additionally, I do have a tune on my vehcile for the last few months in which the rev limiter is up to 6,500RPM from stock (4,500, IIRC). I drive this car like a mustang on most days so I do get the revs high often. Is this a concern that the oil system may not be up to par with these RPMs and maybe the filter is not large enough to support it? Or maybe is it likely the filter has kept getting clogged with the maintenance dose ever OCI since the Basic Application?
Maybe I'm just worrying too much. I just want to make my car last me a long time and keep cruising around like Brent's Marauder
-- Edited by RichG on Friday 9th of October 2009 09:41:43 PM
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2000 Mercury Grand Marquis LS [ pictures | videos ] Dual Flowmaster Delta 40s / J-Mod / PI Intake Manifold / Marauder Air Box / 80mm MAF CVPI Zip Tube / Ported & Polished Plenum / BBK 70mm / 93 Octane Tune / Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
Well I actually just changed the oil and filter changed yesterday, which is what sort of sparked this question to be posted yesterday. And isn't the Motorcraft blend a Group III oil?
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2000 Mercury Grand Marquis LS [ pictures | videos ] Dual Flowmaster Delta 40s / J-Mod / PI Intake Manifold / Marauder Air Box / 80mm MAF CVPI Zip Tube / Ported & Polished Plenum / BBK 70mm / 93 Octane Tune / Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
"I just have a concern that maybe the filter media gets clogged up before the end of the OCI and the oil is not being filtered in this time."
Suggest you open up your used filters and look for clues that it is being over loaded with contaminent. As the filter loads up with contaminent it actually becomes more efficient. Unless there are problems a filter rarely goes into bypass. If the filter media is not torn or has holes in it and is not wavy, there is no noticable sludge or contaminent issues, then you are good to go. A 3,000 mile oil change interval should not be putting a strain on the filter if the engine is running as it should.
I don't think your maintenance dose of ARX is the cause of any problems. If anything it's helping you get more life out of your oil.
Motorcraft Synthetic Blend is a mix of Group II and Group III base stocks. The FL-820S is also an excellent filter.
Couple of things here; how often do you replace your air filter? What air filter are you using? When were you spark plugs replaced? When you say high revs, how high are we talking? Modular engines produce a lot of low end torque. When was the last time you cleaned your fuel system?
In 2003 the oil pan was upgraded on the Ford Panther platform to accommodate 6 quarts of oil, so if this is a concern, you might consider upgrading the oil pan.
-- Edited by Falcon LS on Tuesday 27th of October 2009 03:28:33 PM
I'm running the OEM Marauder air filter. About 4 months old and is still clean. Plugs were changed out around 3 months ago to new Motorcraft OEM spec plugs. And I changed the fuel filter about a month and a half ago with a Wix filter and ran a treatment of STP fuel system cleaner through the lines.
I did find out over this past weekend that I have coolant leaking out of my head gasket and into the valley. It's not a bad leak, just makes a "wet spot" in the area on the front driver side head and block area. I;m wondering if this has anything to do with it. Although my fresh oil still looks very clean and clear with no odor to it. I don't believe the coolant is getting into the cylinders or oil, just leaking externally from the gasket.
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2000 Mercury Grand Marquis LS [ pictures | videos ] Dual Flowmaster Delta 40s / J-Mod / PI Intake Manifold / Marauder Air Box / 80mm MAF CVPI Zip Tube / Ported & Polished Plenum / BBK 70mm / 93 Octane Tune / Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
Your best bet would honestly be a used oil analysis. Make sure to ask for a TAN and TBN when ordering one.
Did you do a pressure test to find the source of that wet spot? If it's a head gasket issue, I would look into that ASAP! If you're taking the heads off, you might want to invest in some PI (Performance Improved) cylinder heads, found on 2001+ models. :)
I will be getting a UOA at my next oil change to check for any coolant present.
I didn't do a pressure test but had the engine warmed up and running and saw bubbles coming out from the front driver side head gasket, right under the ECT sensor. I'd like to get some PI heads and change my timing chain tensioners and guides while I'm at it, but I never did anything this complex before and don't want to go this one alone.
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2000 Mercury Grand Marquis LS [ pictures | videos ] Dual Flowmaster Delta 40s / J-Mod / PI Intake Manifold / Marauder Air Box / 80mm MAF CVPI Zip Tube / Ported & Polished Plenum / BBK 70mm / 93 Octane Tune / Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
