Anyone with high mileage trucks? Looking for advice…

I bought a super clean ‘18 with the 2.7L and 125k miles about a year ago. It’s been running great, but my new job has me driving on the highway a lot more, and the miles are adding up fast.

Anyone have tips on how to get to 200k miles without big issues besides staying on top of oil changes?

That’s pretty much all I’ve done. I’ve been using synthetic oil with Ford filters since I had 500 miles on it. I’m at over 260k miles now on my 2014 3.5.

Avery said:
That’s pretty much all I’ve done. I’ve been using synthetic oil with Ford filters since I had 500 miles on it. I’m at over 260k miles now on my 2014 3.5.

Hearing that gives me a lot of hope. That’s awesome!

I didn’t know about the possible $4k cam phaser repair until I joined this forum… Should I start saving for that now?

Wil said:
I didn’t know about the possible $4k cam phaser repair until I joined this forum… Should I start saving for that now?

I’ve got a 2016 3.5 with high miles, and as repetitive as it sounds, oil changes are everything. I switched to full synthetic, specifically Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, and it’s been solid.

Wil said:
I didn’t know about the possible $4k cam phaser repair until I joined this forum… Should I start saving for that now?

Isn’t that cam phaser issue just a 3.5 thing though? Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

@Aki
That’s what I’ve heard too. I’m debating getting an extended warranty to cover it, just in case.

Wil said:
I didn’t know about the possible $4k cam phaser repair until I joined this forum… Should I start saving for that now?

You’ve got the 2.7, so you don’t need to worry about the cam phasers.

@Jesse
But you might want to keep an eye on the rubber belt submerged in oil that drives the oil pump. It’s under the timing cover.

Wil said:
I didn’t know about the possible $4k cam phaser repair until I joined this forum… Should I start saving for that now?

At this point, I’d save for an engine or transmission swap if the body’s in good shape. Spending $4k on a 200k mile engine might not be worth it.

I’ve got 270k on my 2016. The only major repair I’ve had to do was replacing the driver’s side turbo recently. Other than that, just tires, brakes, and suspension parts that wear out normally. Always run full synthetic, and I change the oil before the display even tells me it’s time.

I’m sitting at 190,000 miles on my ‘11 3.5 and haven’t had anything go wrong beyond regular maintenance.

280k on my 2011 3.5L. I use Mobil 1 oil and a Motorcraft FL500S filter every 5k miles. I let it warm up a bit when it’s cold out and let it cool down after hard driving before I shut it off. New spark plugs every 60k, and I’ve always used 87 octane.

@Uma
What do you mean by letting it cool off before shutting it down? Wouldn’t turning off the engine cool it faster?

Ellis said:
@Uma
What do you mean by letting it cool off before shutting it down? Wouldn’t turning off the engine cool it faster?

I’m mostly talking about the turbos. After heavy use, they can be red hot, and if you turn the engine off, the oil stops flowing through them. This can cause the oil to bake onto the hot parts, which is bad news. Ford says you don’t need to worry about this with the Ecoboost, but I’ve been doing it just in case, and I’ve never had any engine issues in 280k miles.

@Uma
I could be wrong, but I think newer Fords (starting in 2018) have an oil pump that keeps oil circulating through the turbos for a few minutes after you shut off the engine.

I just hit 100k on my 2014 3.5. I’ll be replacing the cam phasers soon and upgrading to a high-volume oil pump. The truck’s been mostly trouble-free except for the phasers. Change your oil regularly, because over time the VCT solenoids and turbo oil lines can clog up with soot and cause bigger problems.

I’m at 137,000 miles on my 2015. Had to replace the fuel pump last fall, which was a pain because I had to drop the tank. Other than that, I’m using synthetic oil and Ford filters too.

I’ve got a 2013 3.5 with 170k miles. The only issue I’ve had was the transmission solenoid, which was an easy fix—cost about $300 and took a couple of hours in the driveway.

I had a 2011 3.5 that I traded in with 225k miles. All I did was regular oil changes with full synthetic, and I never let small issues turn into big ones.