1st Oil Change on Badlands

[sajohnson]

On a Badlands once skid plate removed that all that is needed.

Thanks. The reason I asked is that there are 4 larger machine screws shown that appear to be for the skid plate, but there are also 4 smaller black screws that look like the type used for underbody plastic splash guards.

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[69cuda340s]

Thanks. The reason I asked is that there are 4 larger machine screws shown that appear to be for the skid plate, but there are also 4 smaller black screws that look like the type used for underbody plastic splash guards.

4 small screws go threw bumper cover and into skid plate. So you are correct the small screws hold bottom of plastic bumper to skid plate. If you look at picture of skid plate you can see where small screws go in.

 

[Desert Bronco.]

Thanks for sharing that Mark

an oil analysis will show you similar results as to the condition of the engine, pistons, valves, internals, etc. it’s interesting that there were larger metal particles. I’m wondering if a magnetic fluid oil drain plug would capture the residual ferrous metals? It’s worked in the past on Volkswagen bugs and other vehicles. Also, I would be concerned with what passes through the filter that you can’t see?

 

[Mark S.]

an oil analysis will show you similar results as to the condition of the engine, pistons, valves, internals, etc. it’s interesting that there were larger metal particles. I’m wondering if a magnetic fluid oil drain plug would capture the residual ferrous metals? It’s worked in the past on Volkswagen bugs and other vehicles. Also, I would be concerned with what passes through the filter that you can’t see?

Most labs will tell you not to send in a sample from the break-in oil. I ran a magnet by all the particles I saw; none were ferrous. Given this was the break-in oil, I was not surprised (or concerned) to see the number of small particles I found in the filter.

Theoretically, any particles small enough to make it through the filter--I'm sure there are many!--aren't large enough to be of concern. That's assuming you use a filter that meets Ford's specifications.

A drain plug with a magnet would certainly attract any ferrous metal particles not captured by the filter.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Where in the manual does it specify to change the oil after the first 1,000 miles? I can't seem to find any info on break in period other than references to refueling and tires.

 

[rmreid22]

Where in the manual does it specify to change the oil after the first 1,000 miles? I can't seem to find any info on break in period other than references to refueling and tires.

There isn't any reference too do that and according to most mechanics (at least the ones I know) engines these days do not use break in oil anymore

 

[Warpious]

From the gumpy old guy... ?

Reminds me of something I saw about oil change instructions for women vs men:

Oil Change instructions for Women:

1. Pull up to Dealership when the mileage reaches 5,000 miles since the last oil change.
2. Relax in the waiting room while enjoying a cup of coffee.
3. 15 minutes later, scan debit card and leave, driving a properly maintained vehicle.

Total Cost:
Oil Change: $39.95
Coffee: Complementary
TOTAL: $39.95

Oil Change instructions for Men:

1. Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, and use your debit card for $50.00.
2. Stop to buy a case of beer, (debit $24), drive home.
3. Since you have beer you may as well have one.
4. Jack truck up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5. Find jack stands under kid’s pedal car.
6. Alleviate frustration with another beer.
7. Place drain pan under engine.
8. Spend 30 minutes looking for correctly sized socket and ratchet.
9. Give up and use crescent wrench.
10. Consider beer, realize you are behind schedule and decide against.
11. Reconsider beer, realize it's Saturday and there is no schedule: Beer!
12. Unscrew drain plug.
13. Splash hot oil on you when plug falls in drain pan.
14. Cuss.
15. Crawl out from under truck to wipe hot oil off you and put kitty litter on spilled oil.
16. Have another beer while oil drains.
17. Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
18. Give up; crawl under truck and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
19. Crawl out from under truck with filter dripping oil everywhere from holes and cleverly hide it in trash to avoid environmental penalties.
20. Drink a beer to celebrate your inventiveness and cleverness.
21. Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
22. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
23. Remember drain plug from step 12.
24. Scramble to find drain plug in drain pan.
25. Realize it's too late and drink a beer to calm down.
26. Put kitty litter on 1st quart of oil now on floor.
27. Crawl under truck to install drain plug and get kitty litter in eyes.
28. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug.
29. Bang knuckles when stupid crescent wrench slips off the drain plug as you tighten it.
30. Engage in cussing fit (you know from experience it really helps with the pain).
31. Throw stupid crescent wrench (this ALSO helps with the pain).
32. Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit truck and left dent.
33. Realize it's time for beer.
34. Clean up hands and bandage as required.
35. Beer.
36. Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
37. Beer.
38. Lower truck from jack stands.
39. Beer.
40. Test drive to check for leaks.
41. Get pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence; truck is impounded.
42. Call loving wife, make bail.
43. 12 hours later, get truck from impound yard. Note there are no oil leaks under it. Success!

Total Cost:
Parts: $50.00
DUI: $2,500.00
Impound fee: $75.00
Bail: $1,500.00
Beer: $20.00
TOTAL: $4,145.00

But you know the job was done right!

This made me spit out my beer...but to be fair I wasn't driving.

 

[Warpious]

Where in the manual does it specify to change the oil after the first 1,000 miles? I can't seem to find any info on break in period other than references to refueling and tires.

It doesn't say to change the oil but it does say break in period of 1000mi...might have punched it on the highway before that though...

 

[sajohnson]

Where in the manual does it specify to change the oil after the first 1,000 miles? I can't seem to find any info on break in period other than references to refueling and tires.

I've been working on cars and power equipment since the 1970s, so I'm used to mfrs recommending a short first oil change interval. That said, the newest car we have is a 2002 WRX. We also have a newer Suzuki DRZ-400 and a Honda mower -- both of them had short 1st oil change intervals also. In both cases there was a significant amount of metal particles in the oil.

I just did a few searches and all recommendations now (for cars anyway) seem to be to just go with the normal factory recommended interval.

In our case we'll be doing it by time, and it will be far less than the recommended miles -- but it looks like everyone who goes by mileage can go ith the normal interval (assuming no 'severe' use).

 

[Broncosprt57]

Hi My first post here, and I’m awaiting a build week of May 23 2023!

As a former insurance adjuster for an automobile insurance company that used to handle mechanical breakdown claims here’s my thoughts.

Do the 1000 mile change after the “break-in”. There will be a good amount of debris suspended within the oil at this time. Engines are expensive, oil is cheap. If there’s a break in period there’s a reason to service it. My last three vehicles needed it, so why not the FORD. My thoughts are that ford l, who will try to pinch a Penny anywhere possible, they did away with this as the wear caused by not doing a break in change will likely have a minimal effect on the lifespan of the engine. Ford sells millions of vehicles, that’s a large savings for them to not do the oil and pay the dealership their fee.

Secondly “cost to own” is a stat that is thrown around there. One manufacturer doesn’t put it on there and ford does (and let’s say ford doesn’t comp it) now their advertised cost of ownership is higher than their competitors. It’s a bad look to ford when CR reports “higher cost to own!”

Lastly, and here’s my insurance end of it. If you plan on using the same dealer or have extended warranties whether ford, mechanical breakdown insurance or a independent VSC. You’re setting the expectation from the get go that you’re a responsible and knowledgeable owner. I’ve seen claims and personally had claims that were covered due to exceptional maintenance history. Surely, I can get annoying at times, but the name of the game is documentation, and in-disputability. You come in a concern and it’s not addressed, reproduced or “normal for the vehicle” have the dealer put their reason on the invoice verbatim.You can always fall back and say, I even did the first oil change at 1500 miles, followed by a laundry list of receipts and any good dealer will appreciate the loyalty and should fight for you.

Case and point, I’ve had Saabs and Mazdas, both dealer serviced, exceptionally. I’ve had repairs totaling over $3000 covered that normally wouldn’t be due to advocating the maintenance history.

Just a thought but I’m not a fan of blend oils, or the motorcraft filter. I live in the NE, oil can get thick when it’s cold here, synthetic is marginally more expensive, flows better, has more uniformity in the molecular structure for lubrication and suspension of particulates. Also at the suggested change interval of 5000 miles it will still be protecting like new whereas the synblend is on the way out. The motorcraft filter is only rated at 80% at 20 microns, that’s pretty poor. A base level purolator is 96.5% at 20 and is the same cost as motorcraft most of the time.

You can’t beat a $39 oil and tire job, but it’s an opportunity to upsell each time for the dealer. A loss leader as others have mentioned and many times, being in the shops, I’ve seen oil changed, filter thrown on, and out the door it goes. Tires weren’t touched, vehicle wasn’t checked, and body wasn’t retorqued. Some dealers are good and do the right thing and then others just want to rid themselves for the next best job coming through.

 

[sajohnson]

Hi My first post here, and I’m awaiting a build week of May 23 2023!

As a former insurance adjuster for an automobile insurance company that used to handle mechanical breakdown claims here’s my thoughts.

Do the 1000 mile change after the “break-in”. There will be a good amount of debris suspended within the oil at this time. Engines are expensive, oil is cheap. If there’s a break in period there’s a reason to service it. My last three vehicles needed it, so why not the FORD. My thoughts are that ford l, who will try to pinch a Penny anywhere possible, they did away with this as the wear caused by not doing a break in change will likely have a minimal effect on the lifespan of the engine. Ford sells millions of vehicles, that’s a large savings for them to not do the oil and pay the dealership their fee.

Secondly “cost to own” is a stat that is thrown around there. One manufacturer doesn’t put it on there and ford does (and let’s say ford doesn’t comp it) now their advertised cost of ownership is higher than their competitors. It’s a bad look to ford when CR reports “higher cost to own!”

Lastly, and here’s my insurance end of it. If you plan on using the same dealer or have extended warranties whether ford, mechanical breakdown insurance or a independent VSC. You’re setting the expectation from the get go that you’re a responsible and knowledgeable owner. I’ve seen claims and personally had claims that were covered due to exceptional maintenance history. Surely, I can get annoying at times, but the name of the game is documentation, and in-disputability. You come in a concern and it’s not addressed, reproduced or “normal for the vehicle” have the dealer put their reason on the invoice verbatim.You can always fall back and say, I even did the first oil change at 1500 miles, followed by a laundry list of receipts and any good dealer will appreciate the loyalty and should fight for you.

Case and point, I’ve had Saabs and Mazdas, both dealer serviced, exceptionally. I’ve had repairs totaling over $3000 covered that normally wouldn’t be due to advocating the maintenance history.

Just a thought but I’m not a fan of blend oils, or the motorcraft filter. I live in the NE, oil can get thick when it’s cold here, synthetic is marginally more expensive, flows better, has more uniformity in the molecular structure for lubrication and suspension of particulates. Also at the suggested change interval of 5000 miles it will still be protecting like new whereas the synblend is on the way out. The motorcraft filter is only rated at 80% at 20 microns, that’s pretty poor. A base level purolator is 96.5% at 20 and is the same cost as motorcraft most of the time.

You can’t beat a $39 oil and tire job, but it’s an opportunity to upsell each time for the dealer. A loss leader as others have mentioned and many times, being in the shops, I’ve seen oil changed, filter thrown on, and out the door it goes. Tires weren’t touched, vehicle wasn’t checked, and body wasn’t retorqued. Some dealers are good and do the right thing and then others just want to rid themselves for the next best job coming through.

Great first post Anthony, welcome!

You made many good points:

1) "Do the 1000 mile change after the “break-in”. From what I had read, it sounded like there is no break-in period. I just checked the BS Owner's Manual and sure enough, there is a 1,000 mile break-in period. There is no mention of doing an oil change at 1,000 miles but as you said, engines are expensive, oil is cheap.

EDIT: After posting this I saw Warpious' mention of the 1,000 mile break-in period above.

I do recall reading that machining tolerances have gotten much better over the years. I understand what you said about Ford wanting to keep the "cost of ownership" down, and that may be a factor, but it's possible that modern engines do not require an early initial oil change. Still, the cost is minimal, especially if it is DIY. Synthetic oil can be found for about $4-$5/quart, and oil filters aren't much. The OE filter is about $4.

2) Documentation is critical.

3) "Synthetic blend" oils. I agree that it's better to just go with synthetic. Blends are only about 20% synthetic (IIRC) and they are often about the same cost as synthetic -- maybe more in some cases!

4) Oil filters -- OE Ford vs aftermarket. I'll have to do some research. 96.5% efficiency @ 20 microns is certainly better than 80%. I imagine there is an efficiency range that is considered ideal. Obviously we don't want an inefficient filter that allows too many particles through, but OTOH, if a filter is too restrictive, that could also be bad -- it might become obstructed and the bypass valve would open.

Of course, oil and oil filters are the subject of epic online discussions. My hunch is that the Motorcraft filter is fine, but there may be even better choices.

 

[Mark S.]

...so why not the FORD. My thoughts are that ford l, who will try to pinch a Penny anywhere possible, they did away with this as the wear caused by not doing a break in change will likely have a minimal effect on the lifespan of the engine. Ford sells millions of vehicles, that’s a large savings for them to not do the oil and pay the dealership their fee.

If it were important though, why not just roll the cost into the MSRP? The "break-in" mentioned in the manual involves more than just the engine, BTW. Tires, brakes, suspension parts, etc., essentially anyplace where one part touches another has to get through an initial wear period.

There will be a good amount of debris suspended within the oil at this time.

Any "debris" large enough to interfere with engine operation resulting from parts wear during break-in will be caught by the filter (see the photos I included in my first post on this thread). There will be other "stuff" suspended in the oil—combustion by-products, water, acids, etc. But those will be found in any used engine oil, and there's no reason to assume there will be more of them in break-in oil. The one thing you might find more of in the first oil change for a new engine is assembly lubricant, but that shouldn't be any cause for concern. These engines have relatively large oil sumps compared to their displacement. My first car had a 5.2L V8 engine and a 4qt oil sump. My Badlands has a 2.0L engine with a 5.5qt sump. That's a +60% reduction in displacement and nearly 40% more oil in the sump. That much oil can hold a LOT of contaminants before a significant loss of lubricity.

Secondly “cost to own” is a stat that is thrown around there. One manufacturer doesn’t put it on there and ford does (and let’s say ford doesn’t comp it) now their advertised cost of ownership is higher than their competitors. It’s a bad look to ford when CR reports “higher cost to own!”

The other side of the argument is that an auto manufacturer ALSO has a vested interest in vehicle reliability, durability, and longevity. Skimping on maintenance costs might earn a sale up front, but if your cars don't go the distance word gets around, right?

What I find far more likely is that modern engine design and manufacturing has obviated the need for any particular engine break-in regimen, including the use of specialty oils that need to be changed at a shorter interval. Ford's engine development and testing program—like that of all manufacturers—is absolutely brutal. Ford's new-car testing program is so severe it's begun using robot drivers, because the conditions and test protocols are too physically demanding for people.

Here's an example of one of the engine tests Ford does:

[For thermal testing] engineers run an engine up to peak power, and when the water temperature hits 230 degrees Fahrenheit, they shut it off and pump minus-22-degree coolant through it for 15 minutes. Then they start the frost-covered engine, allow it to idle for 20 seconds, and rev it to the power-peak rpm until the temp hits 230 degrees again, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes. During this test, the oil temperature goes from about 5 degrees to more than 280. Engineers repeat the process five consecutive times. Throughout the full durability-test regimen, an engine undergoes 350 such cycles, with other grueling programs in between.

Beyond that, cars with new (prototype or redesigned) engines are driven millions of miles in the absolute worst environments before getting torn down and inspected. Before & after parts measurements can provide the data necessary to extrapolate out the expected life for wear components. My guess is Ford's testing has shown that very little actual parts wear occurs during what would normally be a traditional break-in period, mainly because modern engine design and precision manufacturing allows such close tolerances on internal parts.

So why did I change my oil after the first 1,000 miles? Mainly because I was curious: I wanted to see what the filter caught. If you look at the pictures I included in my first post you'll see; not much...

 

[FriscoOBX]

This is the style of wrench I like, but years ago when I started changing oil on our Focus with the FL-910S I bought a composite style which doesn't grip as well as the metal versions I have for other filters. I particularly like this model because it allows the option of using an end-wrench if space is limited:

https://www.amazon.com/CTA-Tools-2481-76-Millimeter-Heavy-Duty/dp/B007S8LZ6K/ref=psdc_15708821_t4_B00KMUMN4Y?th=1

So this 76mm fits the BS 2.0 engine oil filter?

 

[Mark S.]

So this 76mm fits the BS 2.0 engine oil filter?

These work as well. The harder you turn the tighter it gets. You don't need a wrench to tighten.

 

[MaxVelocity]

So this 76mm fits the BS 2.0 engine oil filter?

Yes, that is the correct size. I ordered it and tested for fit on the Motorcraft filter that came off my 2.0L.

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