It's time for my first oil change at 5,000 miles. So here's a few questions:
1. Does anyone have DIY instructions on the oil change? Anything special to keep in mind?
2. Thinking of switching to synthetic. What's your favorite oil brand and weight?
3. Where's the best place to get an oil filter? Dealer, Amazon, eBay? What should I look for if I buy online?
4. DEF is showing half full. Would you fill up now or wait until it's down to almost empty. DEF was filled by the dealer about 11 months ago.

I did receive a promo for diesel oil change from the dealer for $99. At that price I think the oil is a regular dino oil. What should a synthetic oil change cost me at the dealer?

Thanks!

 

Here is a great DIY on the oil change presented by a Super Duty Hero.

Personally I like AMSOIL but others will recommend oils like Rotella T6 and Valvoline PBE. Check the Ford certified oil list as another place to look. The certification changed a few months ago.

I get my oil filters from AMSOIL but there are many websites including sponsors here on the forum who sell them for most likely cheaper than a dealership.

It never hurts to add a little DEF at the 5,000 mark...especially if you are doing heavy towing.

I would 100% go with synthetic oil.

I have changed the oil on my truck twice now and it's a very easy process...surprisingly a clean process also.

Recommendations:

1. Collect the oil from the pan in some sort of bucket and do not use the black containers from Walmart. Those cannot handle the volume of oil coming out of the engine. I then pour the oil from a bucket into the walmart container for storage until I can recycle it. I use 2 10 quart paint buckets from Home Depot/Lowes.

2. Poke a hole in the bottom of the oil filter prior to unscrewing it. There is more oil than you can imagine that will drain out of that filter and it's much less messy if you drain it first. I use a small phillips head and a small hammer. A light tap is all it takes.

Have fun!

 

Dang. His truck was at the 'oil change required' at just over 4000 miles. I know from his other video he has a rather travel trailer he pulls, but that seems very short for an oil change.

 

And the second oil change warning came on only 3,000 miles later! I was, "What the...?" Interestingly, when towing season started I got 7,800 miles out of the third oil change. My take is that towing is good for the engine and running around getting groceries is bad. It's all about oil dilution due to regens and not getting the engine oil hot enough to burn off the various things that tend to build up. I watch the oil dilution percentage PID on FORScan lite and the number climbed as high as 10% right before the second oil change. When I'm towing and getting the engine good and hot, it never went above 4% and that was for a very short time. It actually retreated to 3%.

Take that for what it's worth, just an observation on my part. But I"ll bet that others have noticed their oil remaining value drop suddenly from say 40% to 0 and it's probably due to the oil dilution value. If it gets to 10%, the truck's computer is going to abandon all predictions and algorithms and simply demand that the oil get changed immediately.

 

Just an FYI........

All oils today are considered synthetic. While I am not promoting this company nor their products, they have an excellent, detailed description as to how & why all oils today are considered “Synthetic” Synthetic Motor Oil and was confirmed through legal proceedings http://www.scribd.com/doc/217558103/...s-Day-in-Court. Mfgs such as castrol, are actually using a oil base that is not by previous industry standards to be even considered a "synthetic", was sued (By Exxon/Mobile IIRR) and they won in court because they were able to demonstrate with additives they were essentially delivering a syn product. When looking at all the refineries in the US (2014), the only one really capable of supporting 100% synthetic oil manufacturing is Chevron/Phillips refinery in Texas…and it is not promoted as a synthetic oil.

 

No kidding!

 

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice! That video was great, very informative. Looks like an easy job.

 

Here's and interesting read from people who know oil probably as well, if not better than anyone, Blackstone's. https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f64139...Aug_17_ENG.pdf

 

Hydrocracked group iii, PAO (group iv), and ester (group v) are all called synthetic. Conventional oil is not. The suit was about calling group-iii synthetic.

My favorite oil in the 80's was Mobil1, which was a group iv PAO before they lost the suit about calling group iii synthetic. I run Amsoil in my F150, but use PBE in my 2017 F450. I want an "approved" oil while under warranty.

 

Very interesting read - thanks. Good data to ponder. Would enjoy seeing their wear report tables for the 6.7L specifically.

 

I've only got 1400 miles on mine so far, but just looking ahead to maintenance. So, whats the cost of DIY vs having it done? Haven't priced it. Thats about $75 in oil, guessing $25 for the filter? What does the dealer charge? (I guess I can call them) Just wondering if it's worth it.

 

Went to the dealer for the first one and it was about 135.00 did the last 2 myself at about 90.00 each time.

 

RJ,
Thanks for that link. I like to see analysis backed up by facts,
Eliminates all the subjective noise when selecting an oil.

m

 

Changed the oil and filter yesterday following the excellent instructions by EpicCowlick and Redrockerstl55. Easiest oil change I've ever done on my vehicles. Used Rotella T5 10W-30, has the CJ4 rating, so I hope I chose the right stuff. If any of you has any comments on this oil, please let me know.

Adding a couple of points to the oil change:
You will need a 16 mm wrench to remove the oil plug. My plug was pretty tight coming from the factory. Oil started coming out immediately after the plug loosened a bit, so make sure you tighten it back good after the oil change. Didn't see any washer for the oil plug, is there supposed to be one?

I suggest using another drain pan for the filter. The filter and your hands will be slippery when removing the filter and you can accidentally drop the filter into the oil if you are not careful. I just dropped the filter into the second pan along with the remaining oil, made the job easy.

Thanks again for helping me out with your advice, appreciated!

 

There's a lot of satisfaction to be had from doing the job yourself. If you really want to make the job a breeze, buy a Fumoto oil valve. I have one on my old 7.3. Every time I change the oil I realize how it was SO worth the money I paid for it. No more 16mm wrench and oil on your hands.