94 Ford 7.3L - Oil Recommendations?

[MGMLVKS]

New Guy here! Great Info on the site - a whole 'nother world under hood after reading the forum posts!

Anyway -

Finally upgraded a year ago to a truck in the home fleet with 94 Ford 2WD F250 with 7.3L engine and 170,000 (now) miles. Probably classified as "severe" service due to short hauls. My maintenance background is small cars and light trucks - so I have the local truck repair garage run the maintenance, changing oil every 3000 miles.

I read the manual, and bought a case of oil to use when necessary to keep the levels up. I ran out, and needed a quart. Went into the store (in a hurry) to buy a quart of diesel rated oil, was not too worried about the brand as oil change coming up in 500 miles, and realized

1. I did not know what oil weight/type/brand I used. (cannot even tell you what the garage uses!)
2. Counter guy gave me recommendations from his computer for something that did NOT say "diesel" on it, as I was pretty sure my previous oil did.

Ended up with Rotella (which I had never even heard of), and went on with life.

Got home and got out the manual. it calls for
Ford ESR M2c171-B
or
API CF-4/SG,SH or CE/SG,SH
and cautions NOT to use any single designation oil
Prefered straight 30w in above freezing conditions, 10w-30 for below freezing, and 15w-40 for inbetween.

hmmmm - - the new oils have new designations. OK - I went to the internet and found that my truck is too old for Ford to have a recommendation, Autozone recommends an SG, and now I am confused.

This place looks like the place to come for professional advice, perhaps conflicting in some details, but certainly professional!

Can "someone" help me choose a brand/API/"or something" that makes sense

1. I do not drive much over 50 miles at any one time, maybe once a week
2. Perhaps 5 trips per day of 5-10 miles
3. Weather here is 105F in the summer and bottoms out at -15F in th winter.
4. Always have 200lb in the bed, rarely over 500lb
5. Twice a year we get in the truck and drive like maniacs to Oklahoma or South Dakota (1000 mi rt)

Advice, Admonitions, condolances, etc., all appreciated

Thanks

Mike
Leavenworth, KS

 

[Jelly]

Powerstrokes seem to be sensitive to roller-follower wear and foaming/aeration in regards to the injectors.

Any of the modern CI-4/SL oils can easily handle the requirements though.

Personally, I don't like Rotella because of its high pour point...to me, the choice is between the first three, which I've listed in no particular order. BTW, the first three can be used year-round.

1. Mobil Delvac 1300
2. Chevron Delo 400
3. Pennzoil Long-Life
4. Shell Rotella-T

All are 15w-40, and all can be had at Wal-Mart for $6/gallon.

 

[Ken2]

API Service Category CH-4 or CI-4 are the current specs. You'll use 15W-40 except in the dead of winter, and even then most folks stick with the 15W-40, especially if they have a block heater (very highly recommended).

Schaeffer's #700 15W-40 synthetic blend is probably the best oil for the money you can buy. It'll work very well winter and summer.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/data/700.htm

In the coldest part of winter, a CH-4 10W-30 might be OK, or a better choice is either the Schaeffer's or a synthetic CH-4/CI-4 5W-40. Mobil Delvac 1 is probably the best, Amsoil 15W-40 is excellent but pricey, and Shell Rotella Synthetic 5W-40 is OK.

Shell Rotella-T 15W-40 is widely used, but Chevron Delo 400 15W-40, Mobil Delvac 1300S 15W-40, or Pennzoil LongLife 15W-40 are probably better oils for the same price.

In another post, ask about fuel additives, fuel quality requirements, winter fuel, fuel filters, coolant requirements, Schaeffer's #204S ATF, using Schaeffer's Neutra for cleaning the fuel system, and Neutra or Auto-Rx for cleaning the engine oil system, transmission, and power steering system.


Ken

 

[Neil Womack]

Sounds like you might use a lot of oil. Bought a case for make-up purposes and ran out?

If the PSD is consuming a lot of oil buy what ever 15w-40 is the cheapest.

If the PSD is not an oil burner and you want to go premium the Schaeffer's 7000 15w-40 is hard to beat at less than $12.00/ gallon when ordered in mix or match case lots of $250.00.

The Schaeffer's has excellent cold resistances to flow numbers, moly and a good antifoam package.

 

[MGMLVKS]

Neil and all

GREAT info and a big help

I guess it does seem if I use a lot of oil, but what actually happens is I (try to) keep 3-4 qts in the truck, and the rest in the garage. These garage quarts are "special" as they get little feet and walk off. I find their carcasses in the garden shed by the lawnmower, or in the trash after the kids "stop by to visit", or in their trash when I go by to see them.

Better to be used than sitting around looking pretty I guess. So when I ran out in the truck, I was already out at home.

Mike

 

[Neil Womack]

My Schaeffer's escapes too. A little Leavenworth humor. Sorry couldn't help myself. Leavenworth was the place the Navy always promised to send me if I was bad.

The son-in-laws see it in the garage and want to give it a try.

Even though their not good enough for my daughters what can I do. Except say sure lets go get a filter and change it right now.

After all my babies and grand babies need to ride in vehicles with reasonably priced Premium Oil in them just like their old dad.

 

[Tim]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ken2:
Mobil Delvac 1 is probably the best, Amsoil 15W-40 is excellent but pricey,

Ken

---

I've seen similar comments before. I must be looking in the wrong places for Delvac 1

The cheapest I've found Mobil's finest is $21/gallon. I can get the Amsoil 10W-40 for $3/gallon less and the 15W-40 is even a little cheaper.

What am I doing "wrong"? Is their really a place to get Delvac 1 for significantly less than $21/gallon?


Tim

 

[Neil Womack]

$21.00 / gallon for Delvac 1 thats excellent. Where and does it involve buying it off the back of a truck?

[ September 21, 2003, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: Neil Womack ]

 

[Jelly]

$21/gallon...where!?!?

 

[ssmokn]

Sounds like you are consuming a lot of oil (if you bought a case for makeup and ran out). My PSD will consume 1 to 2 qts. per 5K miles depending on brand of oil.

If you are consuming much more than that there is a good chance that your injector o-rings are shot. This is something you can "fix" yourself. Ford (or International) sell an o-ring kit and you can easily get good directions by searching in Google.

Enjoy the truck at 170K she is just breaking in

 

[Jimbo]

For winter, Rotella T synthetic at about $13 a gallon (Walmart) may be just the ticket.

 

[ssmokn]

I just did the same thing. I'm using my truck less now and I only need to change the oil once a year. I was using Delvac 1300 and I used Delvac 1 once.

I know Delvac 1 is great stuff but my local distributor when from $17 to about $22 per gallon.

I decided to go with Rotella T Synthetic 5W40 for $12.88 from Wallyworld. Seems like a decent price/performance compromise.

I can definitely notice a difference on the cold starts (about 30 degrees) compared to the 15W40 Delvac 1300.

 

[medic]

FYI for everybody saying this engine is "consuming" alot of oil.

From my experience with the Ford / International 7.3L & PSD's, they have what I like to call a "happy zone". If the oil is topped off to the full mark on the dipstick you may notice that it is low again after a few hundred miles, but is still in the cross-hatch. DO NOT TOP OFF the oil if it is in the cross hatch area. Chances are that the engine likes to run about .5 to 1.5 quarts below the full mark. If you check this on a regular basis, you may figure out where your engine is happy, and save alot of $$$ on "top-off" oil.

I had a guy at work do this. He was using 5,000 mile OCI's and using about 3-4 quarts of "top-off" oil during this 5,000 mile period. Once he quit topping off, he realized that the oil level never dropped below the cross hatch on the dipstick and oil usage dropped to 0 make up oil.

To answer the initial question, I would go with any of the oils mentioned here. The Castrol Syntec Blend has also shown good wear numbers in the Cummins I-6.

And, if you live in a cold area and the truck isn't in a heated garage, get a block heater!

I have access to quite a few UOA's on this engine with both Exxon XD-3 15w-40 and Mobil Delvac 15w-40. If you would like to see them, let me know.

 

[mrchecker]

I'd like to second medic's comment about the "happy zone" on Navistar/Ford 6.9/7.3 liter engines. Back when I was a school bus driver for a large contractor, I took on the extra duty of checking the oil in the 250 unit fleet (all IH, mostly IDI 6.9 an 7.3 power). Saturday mornings, took about 6 hours once you got a rhythm going. These motors, as stated, liked to be about halfway down the crosshatch. If you filled a unit up, it would be right back in the middle the next week. If you left it alone, most never moved unless there was a leak or the motor was going south.

 

[JR]

As many said 6.9/7.3's like to run 1-1.5qts low.
The farm/plow truck has a 6.9, odometer read 9x,xxx. Dealer sae30 .and dual tl-1995.
The 94 f350 7.3idi/ turbo has north of 500k. Spouses minivan. R6 0w-40/fl-1995
97 f250hd 2x4 7.3psd has 203,500 on the clock. PZ long life 15w-40 and Purolator.

The 6.9 has oil pan heaters on deo, ATF, fuel, and diff's. So the sae30 is okie dokie.
The 94 7.3idi-custom has heaters on deo, atf, and fuel.
The 97 has just block heater.
All three get radiator cold front at 40degrees, 10degrees to test the Colling system.


Harvey

 

[OilFilters]

Unknown to many people who think they are experts, Ford made TWO 7.3L diesel engines in 1994, one is a Powerstroke, the other very much is not. Until we know which motor we are talking about, all of the advice in this thread is wrong/bad. People are randomly talking about both engines.

The 7.3 Powerstroke and the 7.3 IDI (indirect injection) are TOTALLY different motors. The Powerstroke is very oil sensitive and very oil particular. The IDI probably would be fine with crude oil in the crankcase. The only thing they share in common is they both need a "diesel" rated oil.

OP, which engine do you actually have? Does it have the round air filter on top of the engine like an old school carburetor? Or does it have "Powerstroke" badges anywhere?

Also, with either engine, they take a good 20 miles to get up to full operating temperature. If you regularly drive only 5 miles, then you should try to use your block heater to preheat the engine. You will save fuel and your engine will last longer.

 

[roadrunner1]

You realize that the original post is from '03 and highly unlikely that the OP even remembers what color this truck was?

 

[OilFilters]

Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
You realize that the original post is from '03 and highly unlikely that the OP even remembers what color this truck was?

No, I don't usually bother to carefully inspect the thread dates when somebody bumps up an old thread, because I really, really don't care. Information is still relevant regardless of the date...

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: OilFilters
all of the advice in this thread is wrong/bad.

Were you actually as knowledgeable on this subject as you seem so intent on proving to everyone, you would have glanced at the OP provided info from his manual and quickly known which engine his truck was equipped with. Instead, you've dredged-up a 12+ year old thread for no apparent reason other than being bent on proving your presumed mastery.

And acting like a petulant child towards roadrunner, who unlike yourself, is a well-respected member that continually provides useful, valid, and relevant info/data? Wonderful.

Welcome to the forum.