Switching to synthetic oil

[early99psd]

I was thinking of switch to a synthetic oil, do I need to do anything other than the normal oil change?

[revolvingsteel]

I used Rotella T6 synthetic and the Donaldson ELF7405 filter. It worked good for me, better cold starts for sure! The Donaldson is pretty awesome, there are a few threads on here about it.



Edit: Sorry didn't fully answer, I did nothing more than the standard oil change when I switched.

[Lilfarmrboy]

I just did a complete oil drain and then added the Rotella T6. My truck LOVES this oil and better cold starts. Add some RevX and it gets even better.

[bob00stroke]

I would say it's just a normal oil change, but keep an eye out for leaks the 1st month or so, both visually below and on the dipstick. I have read of people having the o-rings at the turbo start leaking.

I have had the 5W-40 Rotella T6 synthetic in my 177k 2000 for about 3000 miles now. I can now instantly start at 0 to 4 degF without any chugging at all. I did it on 3 consectutive days after sitting all night and with only 1 cycle of the (fairly new) Motorcraft glow plugs. Of course you need to let the truck warm up very well after doing this. It would be better to plug it in, but when you are out of town, this is almost always not an option.

Before, with the 20w-40 regular Rotella T, I was getting 2 to 5 chugs below about 25 degF, but it would start, even at about 15 degF with a dual cycle of the glow plugs, but did not try below 15 degF.

This is all with winter blend fuel right out of the pump (70%#2 & 30%#1) that I add PowerServices winter Fuel Supplement to (at standard 1oz per 3 gal ratio) and I also put in some PowerServices Diesel Kleen summer additive along with it (about 1 oz per 6 gal).

I emailed them and PowerServices told me just don't exceed a total of a triple treatment with either or both products. I think the cetane boost you get with the PowerServices additives helps winter starting a bunch. Before I started using it, below about 27 degF, it was chug city and then it would die or I would shut it down, and then I would plug it in for a couple hours.

[xraypipeliner]

I use it year round with the K&N oil filter, Love it

[rufushusky]

Originally Posted by early99psd

I was thinking of switch to a synthetic oil, do I need to do anything other than the normal oil change?

Nope, just drain out the old stuff and put in the new. You can go back and forth between synthetics and conventional too.