You're right... thanks for straightening that out. I was still using the gas engine math... When I had a gasser for a daily driver the recommended interval was every 3k miles and that equalled every 6 weeks or so (I changed every 5k). I was still thinking that the lesser (5k intervals) was 6 week intervals (that's what I get for sitting at work thinking about my diesel truck rather than working). So, with the 5k mile changes it would be every 10 weeks,and 15 weeks with 7500 mile changes, just counting weekday driving.

I've changed the oil twice @ 7500 mi intervals (Rotella 15W-40) and just did the fuel filters with my 15,000 mile oil change (the smell of diesel ranks right up there with hot 90wt gear oil, and stays with ya almost as long).

Any ideas on the fill capacity or should one just go with what the stick says?

Tym

 

Go by the stick and use common sense...

The system holds 15qts with a filter change. However, .5 - 1qt can stay in the high pressure oil system when fully drained... so you may end up re-filling with only 14 - 14.5 qts when done. Some say a little less as to prevent foaming... but I personally have not had a problem. Make sure you release the oil filter lid and let that oil drain down to the pan before draining. Let it fully drain while removing the drain plug. If not, 1 qt remains in the oil filter housing and will drain down after you have re-installed the plug... so do it before hand. I have found that leaving the oil filter housing and oil fill cap off relieves pressure and allows for a faster drain flow.

When refilling, I add 13 - 14qts then start motor and let idle for 2 minutes or so. Then wait 5 minutes and top-off with proper amount to bring to full (but never more than full) on the dip stick. Some say to be in the middle of the hashmarks as not to overfill... so use your own judgement.

Your doing fine... and enjoy.

 

When I bought my diesel, i figured at about 5,000 ,miles as well.

But did'nt figure the cost of Motorcraft oil filters...OUCH!!!

Much less the cost of fuel filters at about 15,000 miles.

Man, ain't that oil filter position so neat? And what about those fuel filter locations? THAT's NEAT TOO!!

Great design Ford.

 

Where did you cost out the price of filters.... you did not say, but $19.99 or so for Motorcraft and Fram oil filters at Walmart and other auto stores and less expensive from some of the sponsors on this site (aftermarket brands). Dealership will always be too high!!

 

Dealer puttin' in Kendall brand oil from their bulk at 70.00 per changewith Motorcraft filter.

I don't know nothin' about Kendall oil. I thought my manual said Motorcraft oil in my diesel?

I challenge you to find a Motorcraft branded oil in a dealer shop that meets this, and I quote straight from the engine Manual: "Ford Specification WSS-M2C171-D"

Furthermore, a Ford service dealer that exclusively uses Motorcraft oil branded to the above specifications in diesels??

Like said many times I run DELO 400 only. Motorcraft oil filter costs are about $16.00 from local autoparts store.

BUT!!! Try to find a Motorcraft fuel filter set for the 6.0. Ford dealer charged me $170.00 plus. That for two packages of the first and final Motorcraft fuel filters at Ford dealership. Ford number: 3C3Z-9N184-CA.

Point is that Ford is taking me as an owner to the cleaners on simple maintenance costs, putting questionable oil in my new engine. (See page 40 of the '04 6.0 owners manual)

Never known anyone or any Ford dealer to use Motorcraft diesel oil as reccomended by the engine manual. Even my dealer was unaware that Motorcraft had a diesel oil. Has anyone ever seen this oil?

Go figure???

 

Here is link to showing a jpg picture of 15W-40 in quarts.

http://www.shopdiesel.com/images/large/15W40QSR.jpg

Here is another link with a better picture... scroll down. It shows CI4, but it all comes CI4+ now.

http://dan.prxy.org/Truck/Parts_db/Parts.html

Can't find the 10W-30 (or some sort of 30 weight, but they make it).