2003 F-250 6.0 Start-up, Warm up to High Idle

[o4rhm1]

2003 F-250 6.0 Start-up, Warm up to High Idle
This is my baby, bought used with 107k on it, Now i got 120k and just had the oil changed "rotella 15-40" the same thing that has been ran its entire life. I know im prob. beating a dead horse, but would it hurt to change to Rotella Synthetic Blend and step to 10-30, with so many miles, and do you hear anything unsually during the start or at idle first?


It was not run for 16hrs and it was about 3 degrees outside, not plugged in at any point.

First Start.

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 1

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 1

This vid follows the last one about 30 secs or so.

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 2.

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 2.

I got the high idle mod on here.

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 3

YouTube - 2003 6.0 High Idle Warm up 3

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[Galaxie]

You will be a better start with some other oil. I love my 5/40 full syn T6. Helped with these single digit temp starts!

You will be fine with a switch now. People say you should go back and forth which makes sense. I would never switch it up in my truck. I am synthetic and it will stay that way.

I do have a Mustang that gets something different every time. In the past 10 years, it probably hasn’t had the same type of oil in it more than once! lol. Also, the car gets a nice shot of NOS, shifted above 6100 RPM and a 6200 RPM launch on a full slick about 30 times a year. Never an issue!

[Lilpooh]

13,000 miles between oil changes isn't good.

[howell_jd]

I agree with Lilpooh on the 13k mile interval being excessive. The regular service interval is 7.5k or 5k for extreme duty use.

It does seem like a typical cold start although it also seems to remain rich on the fuel mixture for longer than I would expect. Clean oil and the proper oil filter are so important for the injectors of a 6.0L that to go to extended oil change intervals without laboratory based analysis of the oil periodically is much the same as playing Russian Roulette and including more than one or two bullets.

I'm sure you've seen it mentioned but it never is inappropriate to remind folks that the only oil filters that should be used are the patented oil filters manufactured by Racor and either branded as Racor, International, Motorcraft, or perhaps NAPA. I personally buy all of my filters (oil and fuel) at DieselFiltersOnline.com as they have excellent prices and reasonable shipping at $8.95. They are both reliable and trustworthy as a dealer here. The International dealer will also have the filters for less than the Ford dealer but let me be absolutely clear, saving money on oil and filters is penny-wise but dollar-foolish if opting for non-patent filters or inappropriate API oil of CJ4 rating in the grade appropriate for your operating conditions and driving style.

I too run the Rotella T6 full-synthetic in 5W40 although as has been observed from more than a few used oil analysis reports the 6.0L shears a 40 to the upper end of a 30 (just know what you're getting). I'm sure you're also running a fuel additive to prevent gelling such as the Motorcraft Cetane Boost and Performance Enhancer in the blue bottle or the white Power Service bottle.

Personally, I would pull an oil sample and have it analyzed as a matter of regular service. You may have a truck service station nearby that will provide analysis while you wait or you may use one of these laboratories:
Predictive Maintenance Services, Inc.
Oil Analyzers, Inc. - Oil Analysis, Oil Testing Services
Blackstone Labs
I have used all three and they provide excellent service at a reasonable price. They will let you know about potential problems well in advance with regular sampling in most cases.

Truck sounds normal for such cold weather but extended oil changes don't treat your engine kindly - unless you have supplemental bypass oil filtration and regularly have your oil analyzed providing objective and quantifiable support of the additive levels, viscosity, and insoluable concentrations.

Hope this has been helpful.

Jonathan

[PGreenSVT]

13k oil changes is going to kill your injectors sure as heck. The High Pressure Oil System that actually fires the injector uses oil that reaches 4000psi at WOT to shove the oil through the little tiny orifice in the injector. You want the oil as clean as possible or you will start dropping injectors. It's about a $3000 job to replace all the injectors so weigh that against the cost of being anal about routine maintenance. A 5wXX oil is going to be much friendlier to your injectors than a 15wXX. At 3 degrees I would be running a 5w30 for the winter and a 5w40 for the summer. It is really best to stick with a 5k change interval unless almost all of your driving is highway. Stop and go, and short trips is considered extreme duty. Most dino oils have sheared out of spec by 4k miles while a good synthetic will hold up for about 6500. If you intend to push the change interval beyond 5k get a Used Oil Analysis done so that you now how your truck is doing with the oil you are running. Different trucks seem to like different oils for some reason and the only way to know how your truck likes a particular oil is through testing.

I am also a strong advocate of bypass oil filters not because you will be able to get extended change intervals, you won't, but because the clean the oil so much better. The full flow filter only filters to 20 micron's to be able to maintain the flow rate demanded by the engine. A good bypass filter will get that to 2 microns or less. That means 10x smaller particulates in the oil going through your injectors and bearings. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the benefit of this.

As stated, use the proper filters from Racor, Motorcraft, International. Dieselfiltersonline is an excellent source that will save you some money here, so will an International dealer.

[o4rhm1]

I started reading the post from yall and i appericat all of yalls feed back but i started seening 13k oil change and i went and re-read what i posted and..... i miss typed it it is now at 112XXX. I should stay off the computer in the early morning hrs Anyways

I do live in Texas where the weather changes daily. Today was 60 and next weekwill be 80 and prob. the next it will be 20.... Do yall think it would be good to run a 5w40 or prehaps run 10w-30 t5 or t6 for the extrems in temps differences we have in Texas. As far as the filters go, i got recipts from 10-2003 to present that show Motocraft Oil and fuel filters were used "it took about 2 hrs with 2 people reading threw it all".

Thanks guys for your help, and the info, I do plan on a bypass oil filter, and bypass coolant filter.

Oh yea I took a 420 mile trip today and and only used 3/4 tank of fuel which when i filled up was 22 gals, I was happy with it.