how much oil do you burn through between changes?
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,092
Likes: 145
From: San Diego, CA
15 qts (including 2 qts for the filter) is listed as the refill capacity in the 7.3L owner's manual supplement. I wonder if the actual capacity is different from that (I wonder if that counts the 1/2 qt or so in the HPOP reservoir)? 
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,225
Likes: 1
From: Farmington, Minnesota
I always put in 16 qts too, one extra qt. isn't going to matter. And it may be why he doesn't need to add 0-3000 miles.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,426
Likes: 6
From: Sioux Falls, SD
I have had the same experience - I will use 1-2 quarts in about 5,000 miles when pulling the 5th wheel during camping season and a quart or less if the miles are more around town.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 174
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From: Raleigh, NC
I only put in 15 quarts when I changed my oil after buying my truck. It read about 1.25 quarts low after that, and I drove it that way for about 4000 miles, as I have a habit of not adding oil until it gets to the "add oil" mark. (It's a BMW thing, I think)
Anyways- I had a 2500 mile trip coming up last month, so I added 2 quarts just to be safe, and it's reading about .25 quarts low right now.
So that's what? About .5 quart in 5-6k miles?
As stated above, I would not worry too much about losing a quart every 3k miles-ish. My M3 uses about that much, and with 200k on it, it's never run better.
As long as your exhaust does not look blue and you're not leaking, there's not much to worry about.
Anyways- I had a 2500 mile trip coming up last month, so I added 2 quarts just to be safe, and it's reading about .25 quarts low right now.
So that's what? About .5 quart in 5-6k miles?
As stated above, I would not worry too much about losing a quart every 3k miles-ish. My M3 uses about that much, and with 200k on it, it's never run better.
As long as your exhaust does not look blue and you're not leaking, there's not much to worry about.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 294
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From: Northern New Mexico
Maybe a half quart between changes. My usual interval is between 3,500 and 4,000 miles (Delo). Somtimes this is streched to 5,000 miles. I have a Banks Extreme Duty air cleaner and that seems to help in dusty rural New Mexico.
Freshman User
Joined: May 2008
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Where in NM are you...I'm in ABQ.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 331
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From: fl
.5 qt with 4,000 mi OCI. 326,000 mi. Rotella 15 W - 40W
UOA 7.3 F250 @ 294,444 mi Rotellla T - Bob Is The Oil Guy
UOA 7.3 F250 @ 294,444 mi Rotellla T - Bob Is The Oil Guy
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 288
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From: Maryland
My 2002 F350 will use 1-2 quarts within the 5000 mile mark. I run Delo 15w40 with the MC oil filter. From what I have read over the years, some 7.3's use oil between changes and others use very little or none.