Oil Changes

[JTredway]

Perhaps, but certainly not when the truck experiences "severe service" such as short trips (accumilated condensation with no chance to steam off), extended idling (potential fuel dilution, more condensation) or off-highway travel (dust).

My truck often experiences all three, hence regular 5000 mile oil and filter changes.

I'm in heavy civil construction. I don't think we're that different... I think this falls into risk profile and peace of mind.

The intelligent oil life monitor takes a lot of this (what you specified and then more) into consideration just FYI.

If you want to run 5000 mile oil changes that’s on you and that’s perfectly fine i’m just basing my information off what my used oil analysis state and how it compares against oil life minder (that adjusts based on usage) . i’d be willing to bet if you paid for used oil analysis it would show that you have plenty of headroom still available.

 

[Bignc]

Watched a YouTube about 500k mile ownership. Common theme was owners recognized Severe Service. I am in dusty north Florida. So the 3 months of fall we have can probably make it stretch but otherwise, I’m in Severe conditions.

Also heat in general and its effect on rubber in the engine bay and not aggressively accelerating and braking too often.

 

[Phil314]

It seems like there has been a lot of cars lately with failing timing chains. For the most part this seems to be because of 2 things.
1 - Extended oil change intervals & 2 - lighter weight oils.
These 2 things don't affect most parts of the engines too much, but timing chains are very sensitive to it.
It might be just a tiny bit of extra wear, but multiplied by 200 links or so, and the chain stretch can throw off cam timing significantly.
Seems to be a bigger problem with the smaller 4 cylinder engine that have small timing chains.

Case in point, My brother bought a brand new CRV a couple years ago. Got the engine with the timing chain because he didn't want the 100k maintenance of a belt. At 72k, past the 60k warranty, and the CRV throws a check engine light and several timing codes. My brother was following the Oil Life indicator, so about 10k oil changes.
Honda says not covered. My brother says he's followed all recommend service and has receipts. After several conversations, honda agrees to fully cover the repairs. When my brother picks up the CRV, the service manager tells him it's a known problem and highly recommends 5k intervals regardless of what the OLI says.

Anyway, doesn't matter what kind, type or brand of oil or additives you use. Oil gets dirty, period. The ONLY way to get dirty oil out of the engine is to change it, period. I used to go by the OLI, but I'm more of a 5k believer now.
That's my 5 cents (had to round up cause we don't use pennies any more).

 

[Vecman]

Perhaps, but certainly not when the truck experiences "severe service" such as short trips (accumilated condensation with no chance to steam off), extended idling (potential fuel dilution, more condensation) or off-highway travel (dust).

My truck often experiences all three, hence regular 5000 mile oil and filter changes.

Drive min similar to this. I do 10k mile changes, and did blackstone testing on the first couple. They always told me I could go longer out, but I’m good with 10k. I was doing 5k, but just didn’t seem needed. Backed it up with the lab data. Now I just use the same brand oil, same filters, and I know based on my driving habits that 10k is more than reasonable. I’d get lab testing if I was doing every 5k to show yourself you’re probably doing it too often. Save the money and time IF the lab results back it up

 

[The Evil Twin]

Drive min similar to this. I do 10k mile changes, and did blackstone testing on the first couple. They always told me I could go longer out, but I’m good with 10k. I was doing 5k, but just didn’t seem needed. Backed it up with the lab data. Now I just use the same brand oil, same filters, and I know based on my driving habits that 10k is more than reasonable. I’d get lab testing if I was doing every 5k to show yourself you’re probably doing it too often. Save the money and time IF the lab results back it up

Just make sure to pony up for the soot testing too. That tells the whole story.

 

[JM454]

Timing chain stretch is mostly a problem in GDI engines where particulate soot gets into the crankcase and then into the oil. When injecting fuel directly into the cylinder it does not have the time to atomize in the intake port, so you get some particulate matter created within the combustion chamber. This fine soot makes it past the ringlands and into the oil. These fine particles get into the contact points (pins) on the chain and wear the pin to chain contact creating “slack”. The 7.3 Gas does not use DI, and will not have the chain slack issues it entails.

Ford has this pretty well managed on the 5.0 by only using the DI in high load situations and on startup. The rest of the time the system relies on PI. Under load, the DI manages knock by cooling the intake charge for that hot 12:1 compression ratio so they don’t have to pull back ignition timing. The fueling tables are available for the 5.0 Coyote, cool stuff how the computer decided to mix PI/DI based on load, intake temperatures, and RPM on the fly.

 

[JTredway]

Just make sure to pony up for the soot testing too. That tells the whole story.

This, can confirm good here, I've paid for this test a few times as it's not the same as just insolubles for those that don't know.

Timing chain stretch is mostly a problem in GDI engines where particulate soot gets into the crankcase and then into the oil. When injecting fuel directly into the cylinder it does not have the time to atomize in the intake port, so you get some particulate matter created within the combustion chamber. This fine soot makes it past the ringlands and into the oil. These fine particles get into the contact points (pins) on the chain and wear the pin to chain contact creating “slack”. The 7.3 Gas does not use DI, and will not have the chain slack issues.

Ford has this pretty well managed on the 5.0 by only using the DI in high load situations and on startup. The rest of the time the system relies on PI. Under load, the DI manages knock by cooling the intake charge for that hot 12:1 compression ratio so they don’t have to pull back ignition timing. The fueling tables are available for the 5.0 Coyote, cool stuff how the computer decided to mix PI/DI based on load, intake temperatures, and RPM on the fly.

Def some of this, material changes and lighter oils chasing mandated MPG improvements combined with planned obsolescence. If this was an Ecoboost I'd easily be convinced of 5k mile OC bc of timing chains and cam phasers in those things and even then doesn't seem to matter

 

[The Evil Twin]

^^ Yup. The wife’s car specs 5-30 with 5-40 as an alternative. I use the -40 in it being that it is a TDI (gas) with a chain.

 

[Vecman]

Just make sure to pony up for the soot testing too. That tells the whole story.

Yep, always do oil analysis, TBN, and soot. I have a dual bypass filter system, and the results have always shown it's doing its job well. They keep telling me to go longer, but I feel good at 10k. Then the vehicle minder seems to match and that helps me remember, although it's pretty easy to remember every even 10k miles, even for my old brain..

 

[JM454]

This, can confirm good here, I've paid for this test a few times as it's not the same as just insolubles for those that don't know.

Def some of this, material changes and lighter oils chasing mandated MPG improvements combined with planned obsolescence. If this was an Ecoboost I'd easily be convinced of 5k mile OC bc of timing chains and cam phasers in those things and even then doesn't seem to matter

No Eco-Boobs allowed! I finally escaped those people

 

[Rolind]

I am way into the blackstone oil analysis but probably bc I’m a frustrated chemist . On my 6.7 I shoot for oil changes every 7500 mi and fuel filter every other oil change. Not sure oil change interval is my weak link, so dcr is coming in august. Also, a pusher intake and hot and cold pipes just for fun. That leaves dpf, but unfortunately, I am a rule follower, so not sure how that is going to work out! I wish the epa would get the f*** out of my truck.

 

[avocadofarmer]

I've read more than I should over at BobIsTheOilGuy site and I see many, many 6.7 UOA's that show 8k-10k analyses showing that the oil is usually good for 10k. Based on this I feel pretty good about doing 8k changes on mine which occur about annually.

 

[LWS]

Any difference in target mileage for oil changes between the 7.3 and 6.7? How much does mileage versus time matter?
I target 5000 miles, but often it creeps up closer to the 6500 before I can get it changed. I am different than most on the forum, as I have had to have 2 oil changes in one week multiple different times.
Trying to schedule oil changes at different Ford dealers across North America is one of my greatest frustrations.

 

[Jack.]

I like 5k intervals cause math is hard and counting by 5's is way easier.

 

[nacanitihs]

I like 5k intervals cause math is hard and counting by 5's is way easier.

Haha yup. Oil 5k and Fuel Filters 10k. Worked great for my 2012 I had for 8+ years and keeping that same method for the 2023

Example
30 000 Oil Change and Fuel Filters
35 000 Oil Change
40 000 Oil Change and Fuel Filters
etc

Easy Peasy

 

[The Evil Twin]

8k is hard. 7.5k is harderer.

 

[thatdood]

8k is hard. 7.5k is harderer.

Depends how much that piston is working and if the lubrication is still good to prevent friction on the cylinder walls

 

[The Evil Twin]

Depends how much that piston is working and if the lubrication is still good to prevent friction on the cylinder walls

Towing 50% of the miles. It works pretty hard. Went to 10k and the oil is good, soot is low, TBN and TAN acceptable. The IOM estimated miles puts me at 12k, but 10/ annual makes it easier to change the oil right before busy season.
240k on the old truck with no hiccups. Pretty happy with the oil/ filter combo I use knowing I still change it before it needs to be.

 

[Phillbo]

7500miles oil. Every other change includes Filters.
50000miles tranny, transfer case and front / rear diff.
65000miles brake fluid flush

Still waiting on analysis results to see how long to push the blinker fluid.

 

[1200Lb-Ft Tremor]

I've gone to every 6k from 5 due to the bigger pan. Oilfield puts a lot of hours on, but not miles.