Those with the BBQ tick - when was your first oil change?

[Rash]

Thinking about changing the oil for the first time on my 18GT (5000+ miles), but I'm afraid of the BBQ tick. Just wondering for those who (unfortunately) have the tick - when was your first oil change? I'm thinking maybe the longer I wait the less chance i have of getting the tick? I have no basis in thinking that, so your responses will either help support that thought or render it baseless.

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[Kevin08]

Mine did it before my first oil change so I wouldn't worry about that as the cause.

 

[geddy lee]

Same here...mine ticks altough there was no first oil change yet. Probably you can change the heading and add the option "even before first oil change"

 

[Rash]

Same here...mine ticks altough there was no first oil change yet. Probably you can change the heading and add the option "even before first oil change"

Good idea. Done.

 

[usgiorgi]

I had my first oil change done on the 2016 at 1000 miles right after the break in. I noticed the tick the very next day.

 

[gmupatriot]

Thinking about changing the oil for the first time on my 18GT (5000+ miles), but I'm afraid of the BBQ tick. Just wondering for those who (unfortunately) have the tick - when was your first oil change? I'm thinking maybe the longer I wait the less chance i have of getting the tick? I have no basis in thinking that, so your responses will either help support that thought or render it baseless.

@Rash I have the tick but it only happens when the engine is cold. It goes away withing 3-5 minutes. I changed my oil around 2700 miles (should have waited as the oil was still looking decent). Now I hear the tick when the car is started after sitting overnight or while its parked at my job for 7-8 hour but goes away when I start driving and the oil temp starts going up. I am using Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-20 with a Ford FL500s filter.

 

[Diocletian]

Had the tick since 2100miles. Car is getting it's first oil change now @ 4600~ miles. Going full synthetic Mobil One.

I know the tick I get is a normal issue, only happens at idle when the car is warming up but I'll report if the oil change today changes anything

 

[Chainsaw]

Had a Roushcharger installed at 6500 miles. They did the oil change with 5W 50 and I got the BBQ tick.

 

[kluke15]

changed my 2017 at like 3400 miles but didnt really notice any ticking until maybe 12k

 

[GT Pony]

From the replies so far, it doesn't look like there is any real correlation between an oil change and the BBQ tick. I think those that get it shortly after an oil change it's just a coincidence.

For those who haven't seen this video, this could possibly be the source of the BBQ tick. Checkout how much rod end play clearance there is on that set of rods. The service manual says the max clearance spec is 0.5 mm (0.020") ... that looks like way over a mm of play.

Thanks to member "spogshd" for the video. More information about the rod end clearance in that thread beyond post #79.
2016 Mustang GT Ticking issue

 

[GT Pony]

The guys with 2018s that say the ticking only happens at a cold start-up and goes away in a few minutes, that sounds more like cild piston slap. The BBQ Tick will happen even when the engine is fully hot. The 2018s might have two separate type of engine ticks/rattles going on.

 

[TheLion]

I noticed the engine has a bit of a tick for the first few thousand miles after changing to full synthetics. I'm a little over 20k miles and I really thrashed the car hard several times. I'm talking 20 minutes of sustained WOT with three passengers, AC on in 90F heat (some family wanted a ride on some country back roads). Other than some power fade due to oil vapor (which I fixed by a catch can), I have not had any drive ability issues. The engine definitely gets more clanky when the oil gets hot after hard driving (I have a PP GT, so it does have the larger radiator). Both with MC 5W-20 semi-syn and full synthetics.

I did some experimenting out of curiosity and have been paying attention to engine noise with different oils:

1. MC 5W-20 Semi-syn changed by dealer at 5,600 miles, MC FL500-S filter. I only really notice any ticks when by a wall or a barrier where sound is reflected off of and it's not abnormal as far as can tell.

2. Penzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-20 changed by me at 10,000 miles, MC FL500-S filter. Definitely noticed some pronounced ticking at times, especially by a wall or when next to a car, I initially though something might be wrong, but decided to keep running the oil for at least 5k miles (car was stock and has 100k powertrain warranty). I also noticed some ticking when under lower throttle in the 1,500 to 2,500 RPM range when starting from a stop, but it wasn't audible with windows up or music on. However after 3k+ miles the ticking died down as the oil thickened with use and eventually by the time it was due for a change I couldn't tell any difference between MC 5W-20 and PUP 5W-20 from a noise standpoint. But it sure did rev much more freely with PUP 5W-20 than MC 5W-20. You can absolutely tell the difference.

3. MC 5W-20 semi-syn changed by me at 15,000 miles, MC FL500-S filter. Same as #1 above.

3.1 Had a Ford Performance Power Pack 2 installed by the dealer (for warranty purposes) at 17,250 miles just for reference.

3.2 Installed a catch can at 19,500 miles to correct some occasional power fade during sustained heavy throttle (more than 5+ minutes) which became even more noticeable with Power Pack 2. Worked like a charm and the 5.0 remains stout and strong now even when I keep pushing it.

4. Mobil 1 Advanced Synthetic 5W-20 changed by me just 100 miles ago at 20,043 miles, MC FL500-S filter. Noticed some ticking at low RPM under load while starting on a hill, but it's only audible if the windows are down, I'm next to a barrier that reflects sound and the music is off. I can't hear it if the windows are up, or if music is on or if the roadway is open or there's a truck next to me etc. I thrashed the car hard for about 5~7 minutes with constant WOT and high RPM this morning, then pulled up to a stop sign before getting onto the highway and no change in sound. Sounded exactly the same, mild tick in the 1,500~2,500 RPM range (light throttle when starting from a stop) that I could hear only when next to a barrier with the windows down and music off. Most people would probably never pay enough attention to hear it. It's not any louder than the valve train clatter in my wife's 2012 Prius C that has 92k miles on it.

I expect the same overall results with Mobil 1 5W-20 Advanced Synthetic as with PUP 5W-20. As the miles pile on the oil with slowly thicken and mechanical noise will die down some as the oil provides a little more fluid dampening. I can definitely tell MC 5W-20 semi-syn is more viscous at room temp than either synthetics I have tried. While they are both 5W-20 viscosity grade, there's a "tolerance" or range of variation to 5W-20 and synthetics definitely behave differently than partial synthetics due to the additive packages. They flow better at low temp, but that also seems to allow for more audible mechanical noise in the 5.0.

If I experience any issues or major problems, I'll be sure to post them and everything I find, but at this point and with this many miles I'm starting to build some good confidence in my GT as I'm soon exiting the infant mortality stage of it's life span. I still have 1 year and 16k left on the Ford Performance warranty / 36,000 / 3y bumper to bumper warranty as well. And if there is an issue and it is NOT related to the FP modifications directly, the regular 100k power-train warranty is still in effect as well which the car also has. FP reps told me the 5.0, particularly the cam phasors, are very sensitive to oil viscosity. There's a lot of noise sources in this engine:

32 hydraulic lash adjusters
32 valves
4 hydraulic cam phasors
8 rod bearings
2 hydraulic timing chain tensioners
4 cams with 8 lobes each
8 pistons
8 rods...

I've read reviews on Amsoil's site even of a guy with a F-150 and the older Triton 5.4L who always ran MC 5W-20. Truck had over 200,000 miles on it. He switched to Amsoil XL for the first time and said the truck immediately had a knocking noise which he believed to be a chain tensioner. He then switched back to MC 5W-20 and viola, noise was gone. And I'm 99% sure Ford is not the only one making engines that have some sensitivity to oil properties.

Higher powered engines are probably more sensitive due to things being amplified vs. more typical lower output passenger car engines. There are just more components to generate noise.

I can tell you that mine definitely seems sensitive to oil regarding mechanical noise. But so far I don't believe it is harmul as most of the above posters and it seems to fall in line with their experiences. I have a decent amount of miles already on the car as well.

From what I've read, most of those who did have major problems were well within the infant mortality stage (very low miles). I saw the same thing with 2.3L Ecoboost failures on the EB section back when I was running that. There was only one car that made it to 65k miles on the failed list with a Livernois 91 tune, every other car that failed an engine was well under 30k and every one of them except one was tuned. Only one with a FP power pack and it, along with the stock one that failed, were covered under warranty.

 

[JuRuKi]

Had ticking after oil changes since 5-6k miles and i now have 25k miles.
Yesterday i switched to 5-30. Ticking is gone for good!

 

[accel]

Had ticking after oil changes since 5-6k miles and i now have 25k miles.
Yesterday i switched to 5-30. Ticking is gone for good!

please vote here so it might help us understand bbq tick and how to fix it https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/gt-tick.108931/

 

[highvoltage]

My first oil change was between 500-1000 miles. My tick did not start until roughly 17k miles when i switched to AmSoil. I have switched back to PP and still a tick.

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