Diesel Pick-up oil change

[Jingles]

15 quarts delo 400 15W40  Fram Filter every 5000 +/- 1000 in a 99 7.3 Powerstroke just rolled 350K no real problems so far (knock on wood) No do not test oil

[yorketransport]

I have an International T444E (7.3 Power Stroke) in my 2003 International stepvan (FedEx Ground truck) with 253,000 on it. I change the oil about every 6k with around 18 quarts Delo 400 and a K&N filter. This truck starts and stops 130-160 times a day, runs at an average GVW of 20,000# in stop and go city traffic, but only covers 70 miles each day. I can't think of harder conditions to run a diesel engine. It costs me about $130 for parts to do the oil change myself.  An oil change is a lot cheaper than an engine rebuild.

Andrew

[KFhunter]

lot of folks around here are switching to shaffer's oil

bit expensive but they say the engine gets quieter with the moly in the oil it coats all the parts in the engine and it runs smoother/quieter.

I might do it, I advanced the timing on my engine a little bit so it might help 


http://www.schaefferoil.com/

I was quoted about $500 for a complete lube change out to synthetic schaeffer's oil - including the T-case and both diff's with moly oil.
The auto trans would also be changed but that wouldn't be the moly stuff obviously. 

[Wacenturion]

lot of folks around here are switching to shaffer's oil

bit expensive but they say the engine gets quieter with the moly in the oil it coats all the parts in the engine and it runs smoother/quieter.

I might do it, I advanced the timing on my engine a little bit so it might help 


http://www.schaefferoil.com/

I was quoted about $500 for a complete lube change out to synthetic schaeffer's oil - including the T-case and both diff's with moly oil.
The auto trans would also be changed but that wouldn't be the moly stuff obviously.

KF....make sure if you get Schaeffer's to get it through the local rep.  I believe he is in Kent.  Name is Ray.  Just go to the website, upper right...find local representative.  Takes you to a page where you put in zip and his name and contact comes up.  Much cheaper than going directly to Schaeffer's.
 You may have to order extra as it comes in cases, like I did.  But I'll eventually use it all.

But then again....you may already know all that.

I also use their diesel fuel additive.  Bought a case that should last forever.  No limit on shelf life.

[KFhunter]

We got a local rep here that treats us pretty good 

[2labs]

99 7.3 225k for mileage . Was having cold start problems. 17 degrees the other night. Always ran delo 15 40 . Switched to  the new delo 5 40 syn. Starts up like its summer time. No loping or smoking. I was amazed just changing oil wieght would have such an effect. 7.3 also use their oil as a hydraulic  to fire the injectors. Pumping out your high pres. Oil pump is a waste of time. Change your oil,hit the throttle and shazam ,it's changed.

[STED9r]

Polarbear, if your rig starts fine when plugged in then your glow plug system isn't working.  Do some googling on checking and replacing your glow plug relay. 

Also do some checking on the top end oil change.  It's not a closed system, it's the same oil you see in the pan circulating through the reservoir.

This is true.....
On the interwebz so it must be true......
Ford diesel tech here. If it comforts you, do it. But really, its bs.
The huei injectors on a 7.3 or 6.0 are different animals then the rest, change at 5-7k. You'll hate life when you have a pan full of needle brgs from the cam followers or flushing the wallet for a new hpop.
Karl, long time no see. You dropped off nwfd!!!

[kisfish]

Update: 7.3 starts exactly the same now. I think it was a fluke it fired so easy the morning after the top end oil change. I am going to check the relays next.

[STED9r]

Check uvc harness also. Relay may be good but if the plug or harness is baked you still get no juice to the gp's. There are repair kits available from ford. If you've got the early style dual plug uvc, get the single plug kit and single plug uvc. The dual style has always been problematic and the single fixes that.

[Grit dog]

My '07 Cummins used 12qts and I changed it between 7500 and 10,000 miles.

My '11 Duramax uses 10 qts and I change it by the oil life monitor. Usually approaching 10,000 miles

The Cummins and Duramax are both very easy on engine oil and will run a long time with whatever 15w-40 you want to run.

This^.
No rocket science needed.
I change the fuel filter every oil change and on the Dmax change the trans filter every oil change as well.
I don't usually buy into high $ oil hype except for Transynd in Allison transmissions and synthetic in my axles and gear boxes.  But that's only so I can go 75k+ mi on the diffs and t case.
Fleetfilter.com has good prices on Wix filters in bulk.
I don't find diesels to be any more difficult or expensive for basic maintenance really.
There are other attributes of a diesel that can get real spendy compared to gassers, especially the post 08s and emissions issues. 

[farmin4u_98948]

Duramax, 10 qts of Amsoil. I change the filter every 6-7k and all the oil at 12-14k

Ditto on this.... 01 has 210000  mi . Been on amsoil since 10000  mi. Love the truck..

[Come Get Some]

1999 F350 400,000 miles. Changed the oil every 15k. Castrol. Checked the bearing journals at 300,000. There was only 1/10,000 of an inch of wear. Not a speck of sludge or carbon in the engine.
 I have  a 2012 F450 6.7. I use AMsoil in it. Change it every 20K. I put Amsoil in the transmission also. Pulling my boat is a 38,000 lb load. Transmission only heats up 2-5 degrees. 10 Tons of hay and a 7500 lb trailer in the summer, Excelerating up white pass ,no heating up of the transmission and only about 10-15 degrees in the engine. If I had it to do over again I would have used Amsoil in my 99. But I am not unhappy with 400k on the engine. It runs as strong as the day I bought it. I made a New Mexico Trip in November. 35 hours each way. 75 MPH did not burn adrop of oil. At 400K it is still amazing.

[hollymaster]

1999 F350 400,000 miles. Changed the oil every 15k. Castrol. Checked the bearing journals at 300,000. There was only 1/10,000 of an inch of wear. Not a speck of sludge or carbon in the engine.
 I have  a 2012 F450 6.7. I use AMsoil in it. Change it every 20K. I put Amsoil in the transmission also. Pulling my boat is a 38,000 lb load. Transmission only heats up 2-5 degrees. 10 Tons of hay and a 7500 lb trailer in the summer, Excelerating up white pass ,no heating up of the transmission and only about 10-15 degrees in the engine. If I had it to do over again I would have used Amsoil in my 99. But I am not unhappy with 400k on the engine. It runs as strong as the day I bought it. I made a New Mexico Trip in November. 35 hours each way. 75 MPH did not burn adrop of oil. At 400K it is still amazing.

Dang that's a boat! 

[iusmc2002]

For those of you that don't change your oil unless it's got 10k miles on it, do you notice any difference in your fuel mileage?  The reason I ask is because my '02 Duramax, when it gets over 3-3200 miles on an oil change, I start noticing my fuel mileage dropping.  Not significantly, but around 1-1.5 mpg.  I change the oil and it goes right back to 21mpg.  Mileage on the truck is about 215k +/- (my odometer doesn't work, died at 205k last winter). 
We just purchased an '04 Excursion, and I'm torn between going as long as you guys do between changes, and sticking with the 3k changes like I do on my truck.  The Excursion has 145k and I would like to keep it in as good a shape as possible.  Thanks

[jeepasaurusrex]

Oil is cheap. Change it often.