Oil life monitor?

[B2000]

Less than 2000 miles and my OL is at 17% which of course translates to one year.

Sponsored

 

[Probity]

The IOLM is an algorithm-driven (entirely software-based) system. Use it for guidance, not take-it-to-the-bank absolutes. Even Ford tells us that. We’re all naturally curious about how EXACTLY it works, but unless you’re a member of the Ford team that designed/developed it, all the minutiae details of how it works will remain a mystery for 99.999999% of Ford owners. For me it’s like Ford’s battery management system (BMS), we know it’s “there” but other than Ford team members that developed it we’ll likely never know all details.

There are no ‘oil quality sensors’ as part of the IOLM. It doesn’t know the grade/viscosity of oil you put in, or if it’s conventional (dino) oil or semi-syn or full syn oil. Is the IOLM vehicle/engine line specific? Conventional wisdom is, yes it is, otherwise why do different vehicles with different engines have different ‘recommended oil change intervals’. Supposedly OLM’s are “tested” with the recommended oil as per OM’s. So if your Ford vehicle/engine calls for semi-syn, that’s what the OLM algorithm assumes, if it’s full syn that’s what is assumed, etc.

Engine operating conditions and how you drive are used to calculate remaining oil life. Lots of inputs used – engine revolutions, fuel used (injector pulse width), coolant temperatures, oil temperatures, ambient temperatures, idle time, overall time since OLM reset, general operating conditions (normal city/hwy driving, towing/high load driving, short trip driving). If you set your remaining oil life to 100% on 1/1/2025, then drive only 1 mile/month, on 1/1/2026 after only 12 miles your remaining oil life will be zero. That’s how Ford’s system is set up, after 1 year regardless of actual mileage, you’ll get a reminder to change your oil. GM is similar, it triggers after 1 year.

Many articles on this (most seem to be on GM’s system, maybe because they supposedly ‘invented’ the OLM algorithm), not many that are brand new (within a couple years), but you’ll get the general idea. If you dig deep enough you'll get into things like zinc depletion in oil, etc. etc. which although interesting don't help you with understanding IOLM operation. Use the IOLM as a guideline, mainly use your common sense, you’ll be fine. Don’t overthink it.

Understanding Ford's Intelligent Oil Life Monitor System
Intelligent-Oil-Life-Reference-Guide.pdf
Determining The Life Of The Oil: How Do OEMs Calculate Oil Life
How Accurate Are The Oil Life Monitors In Modern Cars?
Can You Trust the Oil Life Monitor? - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10137589-9999.pdf
GM Oil Life Monitor...How Does it Work? | BobIsTheOilGuy

 

[Tbone289]

I'll post the screen dump and page later - it's there in the pdf - till then debate away

Cheers

No need to debate, that doesn't agree with what you stated earlier at all:

People using their OLM to gauge when to change the oil past 5K are really misunderstanding the meter. It is there to tell you IF you need to change it sooner than 5K only - has nothing to do with extending mileage past the 5K recommended oil changes - per the manual

Cheers

 

[Geo8866]

People using their OLM to gauge when to change the oil past 5K are really misunderstanding the meter. It is there to tell you IF you need to change it sooner than 5K only - has nothing to do with extending mileage past the 5K recommended oil changes - per the manual

Cheers

The manual does not say anything about 5k oil changes. At least the 2025 doesn’t.

 

[todd92]

Did you put non Motorcraft oil in? That would make it tick down faster.

 

[Tbone289]

Did you put non Motorcraft oil in? That would make it tick down faster.

Why is that? Because the quality of Motorcraft oil is higher than the other brands?

 

[Meeka]

Why is that? Because the quality of Motorcraft oil is higher than the other brands?

I’m hoping he was just being sarcastic.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I'll post the screen dump and page later - it's there in the pdf - till then debate away

Cheers

Ya. And nope. Not the same thing most people are talking about in this thread. And not the same as your statement above. Hope you see that now.

 

[Tbone289]

I’m hoping he was just being sarcastic.

Yeah, being as I am I should have realized that...

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Seems to be good data of in HYBRIDS:

Oil Life Monitor

1 year
or
10,000 engine on miles (gentle)
or
10,000 total miles (average)
or
5,000 total miles (severe / towing)

Which mimics pretty much what human owners would do without an oil life monitor. So it's just there as a luxury, so you don't have to keep track yourself.

 

[Chops]

Here is what the online manual for mine says.
" By using several important factors in its calculations, the monitor helps reduce the cost of owning your vehicle and reduces environmental waste at the same time.”
.

Reducing the Cost of Ownership is an important Sales & Marketing metric. Helps to sell cars.
Reducing environmental waste is an important concept we should all embrace/hug.

But why aren’t the mechanical and engineering benefits to these longer oil changes stated in the manual? Maybe because they don’t exist

Thank you MSV for posting the manual excerpt. Trying to navigate that “manual” on my phone is a pain!

 

[24hrsun]

Ford's version of the OLM is "intelligent". Meaning it knows coolant temp, duration of the run time at what temps, the duty cycle of the injection system, and operating temps and times. So it knows your short trips are not getting the engine up to operating temps long enough to vaporize any fuel or condensation. It appears that the OLM systems that have some intelligence to them know this is a severe duty cycle so it is decrementing faster. We also know from others who have run the oil analysis that the estimate given by the OLM is conservative so there will still be life left even when it tells you to change the oil. It has a calendar function to have you do that oil change annually even if you didn't put the miles on the vehicle. Fuel is the enemy of your oil. I would just relax and decide what cadence you want to do your oil change. Every X number of miles or to trust the OLM. As long as it gets done relax and enjoy your Maverick.

 

[24hrsun]

The oil life meter is WAY MORE accurate than the human guess-o-meter behind the wheel.

Want some proof?


First one was 75% city / 25% highway.
Second one was 50/50.
I comfortably take the Oil Life down to 1%
One not tested was 80% towing (coast to coast vacation) and oil life hit 1% at 6,000 miles. So I changed it at 6,000 miles.

15,130 miles and Oil life at 1%.
Zero added oil in about a year.

Used reports at 10,000 (more city) and 15,000 (more highway) are nearly identical.

Of course the hybrid is a lot easier on the oil than the Ecoboost. But nice numbers. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tbone289]

Of course the hybrid is a lot easier on the oil than the Ecoboost. But nice numbers. Thanks for sharing!

In some ways it is, it some it's not. For example, the hybrid ICE likely spends more time running below operating temperature, at least in the case of city driving cycles.

 

[24hrsun]

In some ways it is, it some it's not. For example, the hybrid ICE likely spends more time running below operating temperature, at least in the case of city driving cycles.

Most boosted engines have more fuel dilution. It is just the nature of the beast.

Sponsored