How many engine hours will oil last?

cbriggs · March 15, 2017

About 1800. We had a 2015 f-550 cp rail vacuum truck come in, low oil pressure warning on the dash coming on. Tech verified oil on stick, but very black. Showing 9000km on odometer, just over 2000 hours. We called the fleet managment company, only record of oil change was at 250 hours. Tech removed drain plug, nothing would come out, after poking in the drain hole a large worm like blob came out, and then nothing. Proceeded to pull oil pan, and found the oil to resemble more of a solid than liquid. A bit thicker than grease. He cleaned out the pan, replaced oil and filter and it has run about 600 hours so far, perfectly fine. The fleet company was informed that they will be buying an engine, we're just not sure when.

mchan68 · March 15, 2017

Oil changes? What's that?

Bruce Amacker · March 15, 2017

NYPD has a fleet of 6.7 wreckers to tow illegally parked cars, we calculated they were changing their oil at 1400 hours and having frequent engine failures. One of their guys, Rob, is on this forum.

Years ago I had a GM V6 car to do an LOF and nothing came out when I pulled the plug, I dropped the pan to find a black Jello type substance in the pan. When confronted, the lady owner said,"I change my oil all the time". Yea, right.

:grin:

Matt Saunoras · March 15, 2017

I saw a 6.4 wrecker go 17k miles until the high pressure turbo bearings failed. The best part was I had shortblocked it 17k prior, it never got one oil change. That shortblock did not last, it wound up having internal issues causing flexplate failure.

Matt Saunoras · March 15, 2017

The other guy here had a 6.4 with a high pressure turbo failure and never bothered to check the oil. Replaced the turbo and by the time he got about 4 miles from the shop the turbo was junk and the low oil pressure light was on. No liquid oil in the pan

Fredsvt · March 15, 2017

Sometimes it makes me wonder why they didn't put in a low oil pressure shutdown in 6.4 or 6.7 engine.

The now ancient 7.3 DI would shut down with low oil level, saw that so many times with them 10s of thousands over on service and about 10 quarts low. If they weren't low, being so far over on oil service they'd run like absolute crap.

Only two engines I've seen so badly sludged or gelled were Toyotas, one a late 80s 2.5 V6 Camry, 90k, still had the factory red seal oil filter, Solid burned sludge on stick that was extremely hard to pull out of the tube and basically a solid brick of carbon in the drain plug. Seized engine.

The other a 95 Camry 4 cylinder, engine, threw 3 rods through the block. Sludge in top end so thick, cams weren't visible.

lmorris · March 16, 2017

Sometimes it makes me wonder why they didn't put in a low oil pressure shutdown in 6.4 or 6.7 engine.

The now ancient 7.3 DI would shut down with low oil level, saw that so many times with them 10s of thousands over on service and about 10 quarts low. If they weren't low, being so far over on oil service they'd run like absolute crap.

Funny thing is, when International designed that system, that was never a factor. It just sort of happened.

rockymtn003 · March 29, 2017

* Special operation = operating conditions like extensive towing, Long idle time, Extended low speed driving, For off road/dusty conditions oil change intervals should be every 7,500 miles/ 12,000 KM, or 300 hours of engine operation. I will stick to my 5k mile oil changes. Coming up on 200K has been good so far.

This came straight out of the FORD owners manual ???? that no owner will read. HA HA

mchan68 · March 29, 2017

I've been doing oil changes on my '16 every 3000 miles. The hour intervals accumulated between changes with my use seem to average about 120 hours. I've been running Mobil Delvac Synthetic 5W40 since new. And I use it as a 'car'. Am I going Overkill on Maintenance?

Bruce Amacker · March 29, 2017

I think so. At 25mph avg the OLM would probably have you at 7-8000 LOFs. Even 5k would be a safe overkill, especially with full syn.

mchan68 · March 29, 2017

Fluids are always cheaper than engine parts is my theory. I was running 10W30 when I had my '07 6.0L used the same way as my current ride. But with this new ride, it's the normal regens (which occur about once every tank of fuel consumed for me) that 'scare' me into running the 5W40 synthetic. What now 'scares' me is Ford's new spec of CK-4 oil not being acceptable. I hope production of the current Delvac 5W40 CJ-4 oil will remain on the market for years to come. Failing that, I'm not sure what oil to switch to.

forddieseldoctor · March 29, 2017

Fluids are always cheaper than engine parts is my theory. I was running 10W30 when I had my '07 6.0L used the same way as my current ride. But with this new ride, it's the normal regens (which occur about once every tank of fuel consumed for me) that 'scare' me into running the 5W40 synthetic. What now 'scares' me is Ford's new spec of CK-4 oil not being acceptable. I hope production of the current Delvac 5W40 CJ-4 oil will remain on the market for years to come. Failing that, I'm not sure what oil to switch to.

I've been running the motorcraft 5w-40 in my 7.3.

And I recommend 5k on oil and filters. Most of our regular customers run 10w-30 and they dump it every 3000 miles. I don't know why.

Matt Saunoras · March 30, 2017

I'm running motorcraft 5W-40 in my 15 and changing it every 5k miles. That's the interval we recommend at the shop too. My old 6.0 I ran the same oil too. It's too convenient to walk to parts and get oil for 10% over cost.