OK, once again I have to apologize in case this has been gone over a squillion times before, but I DID TRY searching the site for answers and came up short.

I am looooooong overdue an oil change. Partly due to the fact my truck sat a year when I moved out of the country then also that I've been waiting to buy Rotella T, which I always used, but is not available where I now live. I do realize now that a different but new oil would've been better than waiting so long, but trips back to the US kept being delayed for one reason or another and now, here we are.

I finally have my oil and filter and figgered I'd check the group for the proper method for doing a *thorough* change, as I seem to recall there's a way to change oil in the HP section as well as from the block and filter. I cannot find it anywhere and the one vid I found on the net didn't cover it, only a regular oil change. First off, is it necessary to do this and how is it done? Also, my oil is waaaay past it's 'best before' date and the truck has started running really rough when it's cold. I say cold but the outside air temp is rarely below 70-75 degrees, so is this just because the old opil has broken down and is not firing the injectors properly, or could it be a sign of some other problem???

As always, thanks to everyone who can offer assistance. It is appreciated.

David.
99.5PSD, CC, SB, 2WD, 6637, batt box and muffler delete.

 

I personally have not changed the oil in the HPOP, just the engine and filter. I just switched to Rotella 5w-40 sythn oil and love the sound of the engine. And my area gets waaaaaaay colder in the winter so it will help with cold start ups. If your oil is old or just low, get in changed, it will affect the performance of the engine.

 

Welcome Back to the USA.

You can suck approximately a quart of old oil out of the HPOP reservoir. Some do it some don't. It's a matter of choice. But this still leaves about another two quarts of old oil in the top end that does not drain.

Old oil can cause the motor to run rough. But until fresh oil is in you won't know if that was causing it.

Are you using Rotella dino or synthetic. I find, and so do others, that their motors run quieter with the Rotella synthetic 5W-40.

Edit: Damn, I'm slow

 

Thanks Chris, Robin,

I have used dino because I always thought it wasn't good to switch one way or the other, but I think maybe it's more important not to switch back to dino from synth, than the other way around?
I just bought 10 gallons of dino Rotella while I was up there but I have a backhoe too so it'll get a couple changes out of that. If there's 2 quarts that will not come out then I probably won't mess with the HPOP, as I've never done it before and might just spoil the old gurl and give her another full change in 1,000m rather than 3k. I've neglected her for a couple so it won't hurt any.

I'll report back if the oil chane doesn't fix te shudder in the AM's.

Thanks again for the input.

David.
99.5 F250PSD, CC, SB, 2WD, 6637, batt box and muffler delete.

 

Be sure the the engine is up to temperature before changing the oil.. Did you check with Walmart for the Rotella ? It is usually a bit cheaper..

 

I forgot to warm mine up last week before the change....it took FOREVER to drain outta the Fumoto valve, engine should at least be warm

 

David, you are welcome. Getter done and report back.

I also crack the oil filter loose and then poke a hole in the bottom to drain the oil out of it. You'll be surprised on how much oil is in that filter and how heavy it can get. But, loosen it first then poke, just in case of the worst case scenario of it being on there too tight.

 

The HPOP reservoir holds about a quart, David. There is small hex plug on the top of the reservoir that you can stick a tube into to siphon or suck out with a hand pump. I've done it once, and the only time I'd do it again is if I was in your situation. It's really easy, so think about doing it.

There are several here that run 5W-40 syn in the winter and 15W-40 syn or dino in the summer. You can switch -- with today's seal materials and more advanced syn technology, it's not a big deal anymore.

 

Good point Chris. The oil cooler also drains when you crack the filter loose, so a LOT of oil will come out. I always poke the filter to let it drain. Also, don't forget to fill the filter before putting it back on. It holds almost two quarts. And don't put it on too tight -- spin it on, and one turn past where the gasket first makes contact (which I can do with my hands, but some use a wrench).

 

I'm one of those that change back and forth from dino to syn with the seasons (syn in the winter and dino in the summer). Been doing it a long time and concur with Senor Izzy .

 

I usually have to go back after running the truck for a day and snug up the filter either with my hands or a wrench. Mine likes to seep oil down the sides. No matter what brand of filter I use (although I've stayed with Motorcrafts for the most part).

 

Not to hijack but...

I just tried the Mobil 1 brand filter for the first time EVER after using nothing but Motorcraft....it was on sale for like 7.99 and its the 1st time Ive ever had a dry, slippery free filter when checking on it after install.

 

Thanks, good to know. Not sure if I've seen Mobil 1 filters that fit our trucks. I've used Baldwins, Motorcrafts, and Wix with similar results. I settled for M/C because they are available at Wally World for $9.99 and always seem to have them in stock. i used to get Baldwins thru work but the price went up to $12.99.

 

Also what i do is clean the mating surface where the filter screws up too, helps for a dirt and crud free seal. Always done it...Also take it out after changing for a nice drive, get her up to temps to burn up any condensation that might be in there for that long of time sitting.

 

David, if you are doing 3k mile oil changes you are doing them a little too frequently in my opinion.(not that it's a bad thing, just a little expensive) If you are using regular dino oil you usually can go 5k miles no problem at all. I have been doing used oil analysis and they have me up to 9,000 mile changes using dino Shell Rotella T with no external filtration at all, although I just bought a bunch of Schaeffers 9000 series synthetic that I am going to switch to in a little while.

In short, I would at least extend those oil changes out to 5 thousand after you do this next one.