1997 Ford 7.3L 177k 4800mi Sample

[Wicked94Z]

Ok first post here, but I'm a longtime lurker.

I've put 20k miles on this truck, unknown previous lifetime. I have done two UOAs on this truck. Both are listed, with comments from the lab. This oil is still in service, first time I've used the fumoto valve which was nice. No makeup oil added, it's about 1 qt down.

Two changes ago, I put new injectors in with new orings. Curious if that would affect the silicon levels? How much longer does everyone think I should run this oil?

Thanks!

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Hey....Welcome!

So you have 4,800 on the oil or 20K?

I would check the air filter and change as needed, is it stock?

These engines like to run a quart down, so I would keep it that way.

If you put an average of 10 to 12 k PER year on the engine, I would do a once a year oil change with all filters....i.e. fuel, oil, air, and call it good.

 

[Donald]

If your looking to see how long an oil can run, you need TBN. The oxidation and nitration numbers do not look correct. Those numbers are not zero with a VOA. So you found the air intake leak since silicon is down?

 

[Wicked94Z]

Thanks for the replies. I have 4800mi on this oil, and it is still in service. The silicon numbers are UP, sorry the numbers on top are this change, the bottom are from 16k ago which was the initial analysis I did on this truck.

Sodium numbers came down, the lab was worried before about a possible coolant leak. I inspected the injector cups, and have kept a very close eye on coolant levels with no changes. I think it must have been residual from before I aquired the truck.

I have a K&N air intake on the truck that came with it. I did clean and re-oil the filter about 12k ago, but it appears that the silicon numbers don't lie. I drained about 5 sec out of the fumoto before taking my sample, so I don't believe contamination occured at the time of sampling. I'll have to measure, but maybe the popular 6637 filter will directly replace the possibly poor filtering k&n. Thoughts?

 

[sdan27]

Yeah, get rid of that KN air filter. I had one in mine for awhile but didn't like it. Seemed like kind of a mickey mouse set up the way you had to apply grease all around it just to get it to seal. Do the 6637 open air element and you'll like it a lot better except then you'll have to get an aftermarket downpipe to help all the extra air flow back out of the engine.

 

[BituminousCoal]

From a guy who loves the 7.3 engines, please, get rid of the K&N filter. These trucks are prone to dusting as it is, and even more people who run the K&N's have experienced it.

I'd recommend disassembling the intake air setup, installing a quality paper filter, clean everything, and apply something like curil-T to all seals and hose connections if you want to have good compression for years to come.