7.3 Powerstroke Synthetic or Regular 15W40 ??

[greenline tree]

Oil change due on 1999 F-550
Wondering if we should get with the times and try some full synthetic this time?
Heard that the Valvoline Extreme is a good choice?
Any input and experience would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[mdavlee]

I used sythetic in a 2000 model I had. It started quicker and easier in the winter with the synthetic. Valvoline is some real good oil. The 7.3 fires the injectors off of oil pressure so the oil is worked really hard in them.

 

[Walt41]

How many miles are on it? Might want to do a gradual changeover, some good discussions on the diesel forums.

 

[biggenius29]

I run synthetic in all my vehicles. My personal stuff gets Mobil 1

 

[Walt41]

I run synthetic in all my vehicles. My personal stuff gets Mobil 1

Same here, gets pricey but you can always count on the black Friday sales, last year I got a smoking deal from PEP boys on the stuff, almost carried me thru till this year.

 

[biggenius29]

Same here, gets pricey but you can always count on the black Friday sales, last year I got a smoking deal from PEP boys on the stuff, almost carried me thru till this year.

Yea, around $40 for a oil change is pricy, but I know my engine will last next to forever.

Really, they have deals on Mobil 1 on Black Friday?

 

[deeker]

Send Olyman a PM. He is THE one to ask about 7.3 diesels.

Kevin

 

[Walt41]

Yea, around $40 for a oil change is pricy, but I know my engine will last next to forever.

Really, they have deals on Mobil 1 on Black Friday?

They did last year, dragged the wife along because of quantity limits, she laughed about getting up at 5am to buy oil and wiper blades.

 

[olyman]

heres one thing you guys need to be aware of---------------ford 7.3's strokes, when they first came out, were ALMOST problem free..except about 1 year later--people were complaining the engine wasnt running just right,and would occasionally miss!!! guess what ford found out??? there werent enough detergent dispersants in other brands of oil, other than ford 15w40...the oil would start to foam--foam would get to the oil passages in the heads, hence the miss,or rough running!!!! so,make damn sure the oil is right--or you may have those problems...if you just putt,putt with your truck you may be ok..but if you start to push it,like pulling a trailer, or other heavy load,for a extended distance--problems!!! and the truck wont even get warm--just the oil wil get hot,and because its moving so fast, the oil cooler wont even have time to cool the oil down fast enough--and foam!!

 

[mdavlee]

A friend of mine had a 6.0 that wouldn;t run right with rotella. The dealwer told him to run something other than rotella and his problem went away.

 

[deeker]

heres one thing you guys need to be aware of---------------ford 7.3's strokes, when they first came out, were ALMOST problem free..except about 1 year later--people were complaining the engine wasnt running just right,and would occasionally miss!!! guess what ford found out??? there werent enough detergent dispersants in other brands of oil, other than ford 15w40...the oil would start to foam--foam would get to the oil passages in the heads, hence the miss,or rough running!!!! so,make damn sure the oil is right--or you may have those problems...if you just putt,putt with your truck you may be ok..but if you start to push it,like pulling a trailer, or other heavy load,for a extended distance--problems!!! and the truck wont even get warm--just the oil wil get hot,and because its moving so fast, the oil cooler wont even have time to cool the oil down fast enough--and foam!!

What brand do you recomend?

 

[olyman]

cant say for sure--but this is with strokes only---i just run ford oil in mine--as wally has it real low priced--

 

[mdavlee]

I run some valvoline premium blue sythetic and it seemed to do real well cold starting. It is some real good oil to run in any diesel. Mobil delvac seemed to do good. That's what I'm running in my 09 6.4 now. I got it on sale so I'll use it for a while then if it's not on sale I'll go back to the ford oil.

 

[lone wolf]

It just is getting to complicated now a day. You have to be a genius just to do anything on these trucks anymore . Wish they were like they used to be . Just look at the prices of this oil and it is going up. Antifreeze the wrong one will harm the engine, wrong oil wont run right wrong transmission fluid it starts banging WTF is going on?

 

[RAS323]

Yea, around $40 for a oil change is pricy, but I know my engine will last next to forever.

Really, they have deals on Mobil 1 on Black Friday?

$40 for an oil change? Not for a 7.3 diesel (15 quarts). From everything I've read you will still have to change your oil every 5000 miles whether it's synthetic or dino. I use rotella and haven't had a problem.

 

[olyman]

$40 for an oil change? Not for a 7.3 diesel (17 quarts). From everything I've read you will still have to change your oil every 5000 miles whether it's synthetic or dino. I use rotella and haven't had a problem.

oh really?????????????????? 10 QTS, for a idi, and 15 QTS for a stroke----

 

[RAS323]

I stand corrected!

 

[mdavlee]

I've been changing the oil in mine for $45 with 15 quarts and the filter. It helps when you get the oil for $8 a gallon.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Been using the Rotella in my 01 F-350. No problems.

 

[olyman]

I've been changing the oil in mine for $45 with 15 quarts and the filter. It helps when you get the oil for $8 a gallon.

thats the price now on ford 15w40??? i loaded up on the last wally sale--