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[BigRedDog]

or on any other similar system.

This is the first vehicle I've had new enough to have this 'high tech' stuff and I have always done all my own oil changes (one exception and that was a big mistake).

The oil was changed at Clairmont (near Orlando) Ford before we bought it.  The tag on the upper left corner of the windshield they installed suggested the oil should be changed on July 1st or at the stipulated mileage figure.  On July the 1st it was still way shy of the suggested mileage so I just let it go.  Now I'm within 150 miles of their suggested mileage so I figured it was time to start thinking about changing the oil.  I knew it had an electronic monitor so while I was waiting for my wife to have some tests run this afternoon I started exploring on Ford Synch...

found the monitor and opened it...   it's at exactly 50% of the oil life left yet!!!  At 50% now that will put me at or near 10,000 miles by the time it needs to be changed.  According to what I've read in the owner manual and some Ford videos online they claim that the monitor can adjust for heavy use.  We have used it to tow the camper (@ 7,000 lbs) about 1500 miles but the rest of the driving is what I would call 'light' duty.  Ford does say to change the oil once a year even if you don't drive the vehicle!!!

The oil is darker than new but still not looking nasty black or brown and it doesn't smell burned either. 

Anyone been relying on one of these (doesn't matter which brand of vehicle you have) for their oil change intervals?

Any other thoughts...   everything thrown out there will be considered

[Newport-Bill]

While I was working at Ford the last few years they had us go by the IOLM for our company vehicles which was roughly 10K miles.  I presently have a 2010 F150 with 40K miles and I have been doing the same since the first time I took it in at 5K and they showed me the oil - similar to what you state, darker but not black - and they said they would change it if I wanted but I would just be wasting money.

[blue2]

 I'm an old school guy and liked to change oil and filter every 2-3000 miles.   The last oil change in my Ram I mistakenly grabbed Mob-1 oil good for 15000 mile..I've since given up the truck and it's been almost a year.  The grandkids have put about 6000 miles on it.  I'm telling them I want to change it before winter.   And I will go back to the Mob-1 5000 mile oil..
My car has the engine oil monitor you describe. I've had it changed 2 or 3 times and I  wait for the dealer to call or send me email that it's time. I'm usually over the tine limit more so than the mileage..
And I think if you have a vehicle that is a corn burner (E87) I understand it burns a lot hotter than reg gas  and I'd want to change oil more often. Of course I'd never use E87.,

[SidecarFlip]

BRD..  My new Focus has the Sync stuff and the same setup you have (oil monitor).  I change mine every 5K miles because oil is cheap and I'm old school anyway....and, I change my own oil (and I use K&N Filters).

I just reset the oil monitor every time I change the oil.  no biggie.

Would I run my oil 10K?  No way Jose'

Now my farm tractor, I do an oil analysis on it.  25 bucks and the lab tells you if the  oil should be changed more or less frequently.  I change that every fall.

I run the same oil in everything, cars, pickup truck, farm tractor, even the lawnmower...5-40 Rotella T5 Synthetic.  Less jugs on the shelf that way.  Actually, less pails.  I buy it in 5 gallon pails.  cheaper that way.

Must be ok.  I average 40mpg with the Focus according to the readout in the display panel.

[BigRedDog]

I'm an old school guy and liked to change oil and filter every 2-3000 miles.   The last oil change in my Ram I mistakenly grabbed Mob-1 oil good for 15000 mile..I've since given up the truck and it's been almost a year.  The grandkids have put about 6000 miles on it.  I'm telling them I want to change it before winter.   And I will go back to the Mob-1 5000 mile oil..
My car has the engine oil monitor you describe. I've had it changed 2 or 3 times and I  wait for the dealer to call or send me email that it's time. I'm usually over the tine limit more so than the mileage..
And I think if you have a vehicle that is a corn burner (E87) I understand it burns a lot hotter than reg gas  and I'd want to change oil more often. Of course I'd never use E87.,

I don't have any plans for using the E87 even though it is a Flex Fuel engine. 

Now you've got my curiosity up even more with the 'on board' oil analysis...

if someone is using the 15K Mobil 1 will the IOLM system jump up to the 15K limit from what appears to be the typical 10K limit it's currently programmed to?

[BigRedDog]

BRD..  My new Focus has the Sync stuff and the same setup you have (oil monitor).  I change mine every 5K miles because oil is cheap and I'm old school anyway....and, I change my own oil (and I use K&N Filters).

I just reset the oil monitor every time I change the oil.  no biggie.

Would I run my oil 10K?  No way Jose'

Now my farm tractor, I do an oil analysis on it.  25 bucks and the lab tells you if the  oil should be changed more or less frequently.  I change that every fall.

I run the same oil in everything, cars, pickup truck, farm tractor, even the lawnmower...5-40 Rotella T5 Synthetic.  Less jugs on the shelf that way.  Actually, less pails.  I buy it in 5 gallon pails.  cheaper that way.

Must be ok.  I average 40mpg with the Focus according to the readout in the display panel.

So, you don't have any faith in the system to do an on board analysis?

[BigRedDog]

Here's a generic IOLM youtube for 2011 and later Ford vehicles that are equipped with it...  not sure if it's all or not!

You can also find a specific one for each individual vehicle if you want more specific info.

Intelligent Oil Life Monitor™ IOLM Oil Monitor System OMS

[SidecarFlip]

So, you don't have any faith in the system to do an on board analysis?

It don't do anything but monitor the engine hours and run miles and alerts the drive when it's time to change the oil.  Oil analysis is spectroscopic, no automobile can do that.  Blackstone Labs can for 24 bucks.  You want a sample bottle?  I have a few.

That oil alert is a scant step above an idiot light, nothing more.

I have no faith in engine monitoring as it pertains to lubricants.  Besides, oil is cheap.  Engine rebuilding isn't.

[SidecarFlip]

The only difference between a 'flex fuel' engine and a regular engine is the materials used in the fueling system.  E85 is death on any engine that don't have the proper seals (in the fuel system) to deal with the alcohol content.

All engines today are low compression smog motors.

My Focus is a Flex fuel engine as well.  Never used it, don't plan on it either.  I get 40 mpg from regular weasel pee.

[blue2]

i've been told E87 burns hotter than what they call regular fuel.  I don't have any way of telling that.  But i do know the gas mileage is worse. 
I fugured at the time i tried it E87 had to be 50 cents a gal cheaper than regular to break even.

[Newport-Bill]

But i do know the gas mileage is worse.  I figured at the time i tried it E87 had to be 50 cents a gal cheaper than regular to break even.

I personally have not tried it after a friend told me the same.  He said dollar wise E85 ended up more expensive in the end per mile.

[BigRedDog]

The only difference between a 'flex fuel' engine and a regular engine is the materials used in the fueling system.  E85 is death on any engine that don't have the proper seals (in the fuel system) to deal with the alcohol content.

All engines today are low compression smog motors.

My Focus is a Flex fuel engine as well.  Never used it, don't plan on it either.  I get 40 mpg from regular weasel pee.

I have the 5.0 Coyote engine and at 10.5 to 1 compression that isn't exactly low compression...  yes, it's .5 lower than the Mustang Coyote engine at 11.0 to 1 but not really low.  It has the Flex Fuel badge on the tailgate too. 

F150 Coyote Engine

10.5:1 Compression Ratio
Milder Cam Profile for More Torque at Lower RPM's
Cast Iron Exhaust Manifolds
Tuned for Towing
Front Mounted Oil Cooler
No Windage Tray
Front Cover Moves Alternator Further out to the Side

Above from:

https://lmr.com/products/what-makes-a-coyote-f150-engine-different

[SidecarFlip]

Still a smog motor, just electronically controlled smog motor.

[SidecarFlip]

A coyote is a mangy dog running wild that only deserves to be shot......

[BigRedDog]

Still a smog motor, just electronically controlled smog motor.

In '69-70 a 'stock' 302 Boss engine was putting out 290 horsepower and those were before the 'weasel pee' days. 

The Coyote engine is the same displacement and still putting out more horsepower today in full smog control and running weasel pee.  One of the first things I noticed was the tach goes to 7K and there is no red line on the tach.  I found on a Ford F-150 a guy that seemed to know what he was talking about and he says in the trucks the engine has a rev limiter set at 6800.  When we were in the mountains in Tennessee I looked down one time and I was running right at 5800.