Hello guys,

I have some real quick questions;

1) How often do you guys change oil (is it 3K or 5k???)? I read some posts where people claim to change oil every 5K instead of 3K?

2) Before driving every morning, how long should I let the engine idle (I normally let it idle anywhere from 30 second to a minute, am I going overboard??)?

3) Before cutting the engine (after 250 miles of non stop driving) how long should I let it idle so that it cools down (hot gases in turbo )?



My truck: 2000 7.3L PSD, Lariat LE, I do not drive it to work generally, But I travel back and fort on weekends from DC to home in NJ.

 

I change my oil every 5K, but I do almost no stop and go driving. I believe the Ford change interval is 5K and in fact, International (the engine builder) uses a longer interval than that - 10K or 350 hours

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) Before driving every morning, how long should I let the engine idle (I normally let it idle anywhere from 30 second to a minute, am I going overboard??)?

I don't idle at all, I just drive it easy until it comes up to operating temperature...If it was cold (below say freezing) out I might idle it until it ran smooth...then I drive easy until reaching operating temperature. Truth be told, I always drive my truck gently.

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3) Before cutting the engine (after 250 miles of non stop driving) how long should I let it idle so that it cools down (hot gases in turbo )?

I let it cool down to 350 degrees...You of course will need a pyrometer to know what temperature the turbo is running to use temperature as a guide.

Neal

 

I have been told that it only takes a couple or three minutes for the turbo to cool down if you have been working it.

 

If you are at the end of a race track, yes. However, most of us, even when working it, get to say 1000 deg and then when you are pulling into your stop, you will have cooled it down enough so that when you unbuckle yourself, apply the E brake, gather your stuff to take it, it is probably cool enough. Least that is the way it works out for me. My temps are between 300-400 on shutdown and I may idle it for about a min tops.

 

Same procedures here except I change oil at 10,000 miles with UOA at 5,000 miles.

 

1. I've been changing at 5k. It's really personal preference, but generally if you do a lot of stop and go or harsher driving, you'd want to change more often than if you did a lot of easy driving or highway miles without a lot of stop and go. The first style I described is what Ford calls the "sever duty" IIRC. Do whichever you feel is best for your truck.

2. For me it depends on the temperature outside mostly. If it's real cold, like below freezing (rare for me... I go to Lake Tahoe a couple times a year in the winter is about it), I'll let it idle for maybe 10 minutes or so. Currently it's been pretty hot/warm but still I let it warm up for probably 2-5 minutes before driving away. Often I'll go out and start it, go back in and brush my teeth or grab whatever last things I'm taking with me, and then go out and get situated and drive away. I also go fairly easy on it until the temp gauge is up to the normal range, and also until the tranny gauge has gotten some movement on it (as I feel this allows the drivetrain to be warmed up a bit). This again is personal preference. Some folks let it idle 15 minutes every time before they drive anywhere, any temps... other start it, wait 10 seconds, and they're off (hopefully taking it real easy, though ).

3. Best to have a pyro... I always wait for 300* to shut off. By the time I get off the highway, get the few miles to my neighborhood, and get back to our house, it's at 300 already. If I've just been running on the highway for a long while and hop right off and park... gonna have to wait a couple/few minutes. If you were pulling near max or really working it hard, you'd probably have to wait 5-7 minutes. Until you get a pyrometer, just use that sort of guideline... if you've been driving easy for a few minutes, you probably can shut off right away. If you've been driving hard for a while and park almost right away, give it a few minutes to be safe.

 

when i come in off the road, park and switch it back to stock for the next startup, the temp is usually around 500*. so i sit and let it go to 400* then shut her down. if it is really hot i will flip to the hi idle position and it really drops the temps to 450* or so fast.

im convinced my temp gauge always reads high.

 

Thanks guys, Well I have one more question, I have an aftermarket air filter, how can I clean it( it is quite dirty now) soap wash to take off oil spots& dirt or buy a new filter head?

 

Is it a foam filter? Who is the manufacturer? I am in an extremely dusty environment and I installed a Ford AIS filter system...no better filtration available AFAIK.

 

It is AFE with pinkish intake! can I soap wash it? else how do I clean it?

 

my $.02: Idling on the freeway in traffic is CONSIDERED to be extreme service duty by ford ( consult your manual) and therefore gets the 3000 mile oil change requirement.

Running along at the speed limit all day can get you by with the extended service requirements, which I believe are at least 5000 miles.

the turbo pyro temps do not reflect the actual temps of the exhaust vanes on the turbo. since it is either thermal cycling or bearing coking that eats turbo's on the hot side, I believe that at least 5 minutes idling after running above 55 is required to equalize the temps to what the pyro sees.

 

I may be way off here, but I was under the impression that the reason we leave the trucks idleing after pulling hard ( I drag 9500# fiver through the mountains of North Carolina) was to circulate cooler oil through the turbo and oil cooler? I don't see where the pyro would tell you anything about the oil temp? I read somewhere that the oil pump can circulate the oil at like a rate of 14 or 15 gallons per minute...maybe not at idle but certainly slightly above that. I think you should allow at least 5-7 minutes to get the oil circulated several passes through the oil cooler so as not to let the hot oil set stagnent in the turbo and cook the oil??? Let me know if this is right or wrong but that is what I have concluded from all of the research I have done. I also have noted that COLD..or at least setting overnight, I see about 60 PSI of oil at idle and up to 70 accelerating. At 2000 I see about 52 HOT and when I get off the interstate to refuel, I see 22-25 and I see a slight rise to about 30 after 8-10 minutes at idle and also figure that the oil is cooled off enough to regain some of the pressure. Another theory yet to be proven, but is consistant with all of the research I have done....Any other input is greaty appreciated.....Dave

 

If the EGT is low, it will cool off the turbo.

 

Ok, I give how do I know the turbo temp on a box stock Ex.? Jim

 

Drill a hole in the exhaust manifold and stick in an EGT gauge.