Oil recommendations

[cobraracing]

I am designing the preventitive maintenance schedule for our new fleet of trucks and due to the Canadian climate have decided on the 5w40 oil
Just wondering if a mineral based oil should be used and should you wait for 20-30k before switching to a synthetic blend if this would even help, we will probably stay with the 5000mile severe duty Oil recommendations but what make oils are you using?

[blackvelvet]

I would say stick with Rotella or Motorcraft, stay away from AMSOIL

[ianstew]

i used rotella up until recently. switched to motorcarft. wally world has it for 11.50 for 5 quarts. and i researched the oil....it's pretty good. Stick with the good old dino in my opinion. or whatever the factory recomends..........

[elibenson]

I use Delo 400 (15W40) because I use hundreds of gallons, and it's the cheapest name brand oil I can get. It's CJ-4 compliant, of coarse, and I can run it in everything from my international tractors (70's models) to the new 6.4's

+1 on the "don't use Amsoil" comment. It may be excellent oil for other diesels (I don't know personally), but it DOES NOT play well with the 6.4l . I know some Amsoil zealot will probably rip my head off, and blame everything else but the Amsoil for the problems the tech's here have seen first hand. To me it isn't worth the danger.

[pyro2nite]

Stick with the dino. Shell Rotella. 5000 mile changes

[Aussiekeeper]

I use Schaeffer 9000 and have a FS2500 bypass. I change oil once a year with filters. My engine is real clean and it loves the Schaeffers......

Ron

[cobraracing]

Just as a side note we are purchasing 198 2009 F450 diesels so the pricing isn't a factor (bulk)
Is it worth going to a synthetic or staying mineral based and YES I WILL AVOID AMSOIL...
I have ordered a FS 2500 bypass for a trial and I think it will be benificial to the longevity of the engine

[shu873]

Let me ask you this, if they are fleet vehicles how long does your company plan on keeping them? Makes a big difference in how much you should spend on the oil. 198 is a lot of trucks... Any 15w-40 flows like sludge in a severely cold weather start up, but they will flow. Say if you were only leasing the trucks for 2-3 years and then trading for a new model the synthetic wouldn't be worth it for the cost IMO. If your company is buying them and running them till they die then go 5w-40 syn maybe. I don't know the situation yet. Will they be plugged in if left outside? Lots of questions need to be answered, then you have to pick the most cost effective option that will meet your needs.

On edit: I see that the 198 vehicles are 2009's which would mean they are the common rail 6.4's correct? The main reason I use a syn. oil is that with the HUEI injection system the syn. oil is much friendlier on it. I wouldn't think that it would make that much of a difference on a 6.4 especially if your change intervals are 5000 miles.

[cobraracing]

We currently have 138 1999-2003 7.3 PS with over 450,000 miles on average per unit and are phasing them out, they are parked inside mostly with a minimum temp of usually 45 F
We have had some engine failures (2 bearing, numerous valve stem and injector cup corrosion) and I am blaming it on some oil contamination (oil cooler replacement allowing coolant into the crankcase) and operator abuse
They have been detuned to 120 hp and oil is changed every 3000 miles of all city driving and some idling
We will keep them for at least 7-10 years and would like to see no engine failures over 500,000 miles if possible
I don't mind switching to a synthetic but after reading the Amsoil problems I wonder if it's worth it or just add the FS2500 bypass filter and change at 5000 miles

[shu873]

what oil are you using now? and when you say oil cooler problems, I'm assuming you're talking about 2003 6.0's???

I would bet if you switched to Motorcraft 15w-40 (buy it by the barrel for that many trucks) and used OEM filters you would be in great shape. Change the oil at 5000.