# 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


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## 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.


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## Walt41

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


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## biggenius29

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


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## Walt41

biggenius29 said:


> 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.


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## biggenius29

Walt41 said:


> 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?


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## deeker

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

Kevin


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## Walt41

biggenius29 said:


> 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.


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## 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!!


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## 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.


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## deeker

olyman said:


> 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?


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## 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--


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## 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.


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## 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?


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## RAS323

biggenius29 said:


> 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.


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## olyman

RAS323 said:


> $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----


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## RAS323

I stand corrected!


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## 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.


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## Slvrmple72

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


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## olyman

mdavlee said:


> 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--


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## biggenius29

RAS323 said:


> $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.




Sorry, that is for my wifes van or my jeep (5 quarts)

I just got done doing a change on her van the other day after 6000 miles, (her trips are usually under 15 miles, so no long trips) and that oil looked and felt like it could have went another 6000.


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## mdavlee

olyman said:


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



Mobil delvac. I got 8 gallons at that price. I wish the ford oil was $8 a jug that would make a real cheap oil change.


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## BlackOakTreeServ

olyman said:


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



Thats what I just bought for the 7.3 PSD, motorcraft 15W40 stuff from wally world...comes in 5 quart containers...takes 3 of them at $14 a pop.


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## jrocket

All my freinds, co workers, and I use mobil-1, yes its expensive, $100 oil change with a XE filter. Ask yourself what a new truck costs and make the decision yourself. BTW a new truck wont have a 7.3, youll have to put up with even more maintainance and expense with a new diesel.


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## mdavlee

The oil change doesn't cost that much more in the new 6.4 trucks. The fuel filter is what is so expensive. A motorcraft is $80, a wix $62, and then a fram off brand is $27. It has the same numbers on it as the motorcraft. The oil filters are the same in the fram box or the motorcraft. I don't think any of the new trucks will last as long as the 7.3 does. My 6.4 went into regen and stayed in it for 100 miles. I used a half a tank of fuel for that 100 miles. 

I went form a 5.9 cummins to a 6.4. I was used to a $40 oil change and a $14 fuel filter.


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## Fred482

jrocket said:


> All my freinds, co workers, and I use mobil-1, yes its expensive, $100 oil change with a XE filter. Ask yourself what a new truck costs and make the decision yourself. BTW a new truck wont have a 7.3, youll have to put up with even more maintainance and expense with a new diesel.


 
That's exactly right. If your investment is substantial, so should your maintainance program be....! You get what you pay for.

My oil at last purchase was $540 per 55gal drum, filters were $44 per case of 12, truck, purchased in '90, '82 GMC (3/4T, 4X4, 8600 gvw, 170,000 miles), was $1000, complete with burned up transmission. Repair cost was $500, including $200 for rear axle parts.

It now has 245,000 miles with minimal expense, used as a parts runner, trailer towing, etc. Not a daily driver, just a farm truck. Regular services every 2500 miles, fuel filters @ 7,500, coolant every two years, etc. If I could justify the expense of a newer truck, I'd have one but, for now this one serves me well.


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