What is algorithm to calculate oil change?

[Roady68]

So I get in my 2023 Mach 1 yesterday to get it out of its winter hibernation. The Change Oil message came on. What is the algorithm used to determine oil change? The car has 1500 miles but I have had it just over a year. So I can see that there may be a time component to calculating the oil change duration. It certainly can't be milage. The car is store in a heated garage during winter (radiant floor heat system is nice). Unfortunately work keeps me from home a lot to enjoy the toys. Thanks.

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[Johnnybee]

You answered your own question. Ford states oil to be changed once annually, so even if it never turned a wheel, nearing the one year mark you get the message. If you look in the Ford app, if you’ve added it to your phone, you can check oil life and you’ll see it drop even if not being driven.

 

[luc]

So I get in my 2023 Mach 1 yesterday to get it out of its winter hibernation. The Change Oil message came on. What is the algorithm used to determine oil change? The car has 1500 miles but I have had it just over a year. So I can see that there may be a time component to calculating the oil change duration. It certainly can't be milage. The car is store in a heated garage during winter (radiant floor heat system is nice). Unfortunately work keeps me from home a lot to enjoy the toys. Thanks.

Time, oil/water temperatures and rpm’s

 

[AlphaTheBum]

Fords of this era have a built in clock. Its been a year. Also, it measures the viscosity of your oil live time to calculate oil time, it is not just based on time and mileage. if you beat on it youll see it drop faster

 

[bankyf]

Fords of this era have a built in clock. Its been a year. Also, it measures the viscosity of your oil live time to calculate oil time, it is not just based on time and mileage. if you beat on it youll see it drop faster

How does it measure the viscosity? How does it know what viscosity I put in?

 

[AlphaTheBum]

How does it measure the viscosity? How does it know what viscosity I put in?

When I say viscosity I mean the wear and tear on the oil. The longer the oils been in there the compound changes. constant heat and cooling. changes the thickness over time resulting in lower viscosity.

 

[luc]

How does it measure the viscosity? How does it know what viscosity I put in?

Doesn’t mesure viscosity, no sensor for that
As i said oil/water temperature and rpm’s are used to calculate

 

[bankyf]

Doesn’t mesure viscosity, no sensor for that
As i said oil/water temperature and rpm’s are used to calculate

I’m aware, just wanted to see what his thought process was. I get the intent of what he is saying now, it was just stated poorly initially.

 

[tdstuart]

How does it measure the viscosity? How does it know what viscosity I put in?

It doesn’t. Only now with the gen3 and gen4 cars do the gts even have oil pressure sensors. The car could infer oil viscosity based on temp, rpm, and pressure but for most of the gen2 and gen1 cars that don’t have pressure sensors the car can’t do that.

From what I think it’s set to 10k miles/one year until you hit higher mileage where it’s then set to 5k miles/one year. That’s based on what I’ve seen in the manual and what I’ve seen with my car. Not 100% sure though.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

It doesn’t. Only now with the gen3 and gen4 cars do the gts even have oil pressure sensors. The car could infer oil viscosity based on temp, rpm, and pressure but for most of the gen2 and gen1 cars that don’t have pressure sensors the car can’t do that.

From what I think it’s set to 10k miles/one year until you hit higher mileage where it’s then set to 5k miles/one year. That’s based on what I’ve seen in the manual and what I’ve seen with my car. Not 100% sure though.

There’s definitely a load % or RPM and time component to the equation. From a fresh reset, I can flag an oil change required message in a 2 day track event.

 

[Jaymar]

I’m aware, just wanted to see what his thought process was. I get the intent of what he is saying now, it was just stated poorly initially.

I have no insight into the system or proof whatsoever so take this for what it is worth.

In the early days of these smart oil monitors of the early 00's I was told that the Chevy system actually could measure viscosity changes. It resets a baseline when your reset the counter so it accounts for different oils. It then measures viscosity by looking at how much fuel it burns to achieve an RPM accounting for the load as well. Add to that a function for time and work-load and it derives a calculated oil life. That may sound a little far fetched but at the same time we had voltage regulators modulating the alternator field to squeeze mileage out of cars by applying a charging profile to the drive so it's feasible.

 

[WildHorse]

engine hours + a percentage per month. If the engine hasn't ran, then the monthly percentage goes up.

 

[Roady68]

Thanks all. I will make an appointment for an oil change. Now to prepare myself for the typewriter tick everyone gets after the first oil change. Lets see if that happens.

 

[engineermike]

The oil degradation calculation is rather complicated and takes a lot of things into account including inferred ethanol content in the fuel. I believe ford even patented methodology to use cam phaser duty cycle vs position to infer viscosity but I don’t believe they implemented that logic.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Thanks all. I will make an appointment for an oil change. Now to prepare myself for the typewriter tick everyone gets after the first oil change. Lets see if that happens.

Heh, dont go out of your way listening for it but I haven't gotten it yet.

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