Got the oil picked for the new rig...Valvoline WB

[Doublehaul]

Had a previous thread going but figured I'd start another to get some opinions on the plan.

New Vehicle (31 miles) 16' F-350 Super Duty XLT 4x4 Super Cab 6.2l V8
Use: Daily Driver and Snow Plowing with HD Boss plow (my driveway and property...not commercially)
Type of Driving: mix of short trips with longer runs mixed (55mph 20 miles+/-) in...some very long runs 500+ miles
Climate: Extreme northern Mi. Very cold, very snowy winters, rural 2 lane 55mph roads

In looking at Fords oil spec for the truck it looks like most GL-5 5w30s are approved. Plan is dump factory fill at 1k, fill with Valvoline WB 5w30 and reset the iOLM. UOA with 5k on oil and every 2.5k after until OLM hits 5% if oil shows life. Filter will be Motorcraft 820s

I like the Valvoline WB conventional as it A. Meets Ford spec B. Is relatively inexpensive($14 per 5qt) and C. Is available everywhere. I've also had great luck running Valvoline Syntech 0w20 out to 15k in my previous vehicles. Since I'm just following the OLM in the truck though I see no reason to go syn.

I plan to have the truck for the long haul so the goal is to find a solid performing oil, generate a baseline of its useful life under my conditions and work within those limits.

I once ran a GM 4.3 to over 500,000 miles with out engine failure on Valvoline WB 10-30 changing every 4-5k...hope it still performers for me!

 

[Kuato]

VWB is a very underrated oil that I used for many years, and I have not seen it perform poorly on a UOA here -- so your plan sounds great to me.

One note/question: hopefully you've got the block heater for winter?

 

[Doublehaul]

They are standard equipment on all Super Dutys in select states...Michigan being one of them. I'll never use it though honestly...never had a need on a gasser

 

[KingCake]

Valvoline white bottle and the FL820s is a great combo. Should serve you well.

 

[KD0AXS]

On a brand new truck I'd spend a few extra bucks per OCI and go with a full synthetic. Certainly nothing wrong with VWB, but I'm not comfortable running a conventional oil more than about 5000 miles. OLMs seem to go much longer than that. VWB meets the specs for our Jeep, but the OLM runs out to around 9000 miles. No way am I going to run a conventional oil that long.

I'd run a full synthetic, change per the OLM, and forget about the UOAs.

 

[spasm3]

If you like valvoline, watch for napa conventional and napa synthetic. Goes on sale a few times a year.

 

[Travis99LS1]

Nice truck...but no power stroke? C'mon man your killing me.

 

[LexAtlanta]

Valvoline WB is a good oil. My Dad used it for many, many years. My first new car - Chevy Cavalier w/5 speed - had WB every 3K and never had any issues. Sold it with only 125K on the clock and it was driven hard.

I use a full syn or blend - see my sig below - and feel the rather small price difference is worth it to me. Personal preference only, no data to support the remark. I live in Atlanta where the traffic is bad and so is the heat. Wal-Mart has great deals on syn and syn blend oil. Even Amsoil has their OE oil at a sub $5 price at dealer level for 5W-30.

Change it on a regular OCI and the engine will likely outlast the body.

 

[demarpaint]

I like your plan, but I'd be using synthetic oil.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
Nice truck...but no power stroke? C'mon man your killing me.


When someone refers to a pickup truck as a "rig", and speaks of the "long haul", you'd assume that there's a diesel engine under the hood.

 

[LexAtlanta]

The diesel would be a great option but an expensive one. A friend of mine just bought a 2016 F-250 Super Duty gasser because he could not justify the extra approx $10K for the diesel package. Here in Georgia the body will last as long as the engine, but up in Northern Michigan where the OP lives, the body will likely rust out before the engine dies.

Snow, ice, cold temps, salt on the roads all winter long, rust on the cars.........all reasons why I moved from the North many years ago to the warm Southern climate. Cold in Atlanta is 25 degrees and it only gets like that a few times a year. The heaviest jacket I own is a Carhart sweat jacket with hood.

 

[WobblyElvis]

A friend of mine has a snow plow/landscaping business. 3 or for GM pickups, oldest is a 2004. Obviously they are driven hard and work in a cold and salty environment. He takes them to the local oil change shop [bulk conventional oil] every 10,000km or 6,200 miles. The engines never fail before the body/frame/box have the poop kicked out of them. About 300,000 miles and they are discarded. Point is, there is no need to over think the oil situation.

 

[Doublehaul]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
Nice truck...but no power stroke? C'mon man your killing me.


When someone refers to a pickup truck as a "rig", and speaks of the "long haul", you'd assume that there's a diesel engine under the hood.



Maybe 10 years ago I would agree. Modern Diesels suck...they are time bombs with HUGE outpourings of cash waiting at the end of a [removed] rainbow. The days of half a million miles on lite duty truck engines are long gone

I will never own another...ever.

 

[Doublehaul]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I like your plan, but I'd be using synthetic oil.


I'll verifying via UOA that the conventional oil is up to the interval...why syn?

 

[Travis99LS1]

Originally Posted By: Doublehaul
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
Nice truck...but no power stroke? C'mon man your killing me.


When someone refers to a pickup truck as a "rig", and speaks of the "long haul", you'd assume that there's a diesel engine under the hood.



Maybe 10 years ago I would agree. Modern Diesels suck...they are time bombs with HUGE outpourings of cash waiting at the end of a poop smear rainbow. The days of half a million miles on lite duty truck engines are long gone

I will never own another...ever.


Good point...the 6.0 power stroke was an embarrassment. Enjoy your new truck...They are beautiful trucks inside and out.

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
Originally Posted By: Doublehaul
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
Nice truck...but no power stroke? C'mon man your killing me.


When someone refers to a pickup truck as a "rig", and speaks of the "long haul", you'd assume that there's a diesel engine under the hood.



Maybe 10 years ago I would agree. Modern Diesels suck...they are time bombs with HUGE outpourings of cash waiting at the end of a poop smear rainbow. The days of half a million miles on lite duty truck engines are long gone

I will never own another...ever.


Good point...the 6.0 power stroke was an embarrassment. Enjoy your new truck...They are beautiful trucks inside and out.


Yeah, when he said "poop smear rainbow", I immediately assumed that he's been burned by a 6-leaker

 

[Branson304]

Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
On a brand new truck I'd spend a few extra bucks per OCI and go with a full synthetic. Certainly nothing wrong with VWB, but I'm not comfortable running a conventional oil more than about 5000 miles. OLMs seem to go much longer than that. VWB meets the specs for our Jeep, but the OLM runs out to around 9000 miles. No way am I going to run a conventional oil that long.

I'd run a full synthetic, change per the OLM, and forget about the UOAs.


+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1

Also, do yourself a favor & leave that factory fill in for 3,000-5,000.

 

[Branson304]

*Buys $50,000 truck*

*Cheaps out on oil*

Why don't you just save money on all those UOAs & get Valvoline SynPower & run the OLM & be done with it?

 

[Jimmy9190]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
If you like valvoline, watch for napa conventional and napa synthetic. Goes on sale a few times a year.


+1 VWB is a great oil. Napa has it on sale now thru Feb. 29th for $3.59 a quart. That is even cheaper than the quart price at Walmart. The Napa store brand is also an excellent oil.

 

[Doublehaul]

I wouldn't blindly run anything out over 5k without establishing a base line and verifying oil condition via UOA. SynPower is not magic and no two engines are the same,