Hi Everyone,
I thought I would share with you the results from my last oil analysis reports from Blackstone. Maintenance is the key to longevity. Here are the comments:
Engine:
Everything continues to look excellent in this latest sample from your F250. Wear showed only mild changes compared to last sample, and all metals still match up well with universal averages. We think going to 7,000-7500 miles on the oil will be just fine for the 7.3 engine and they way you operate it. You could easily stretch that out longer if you needed to, but you are getting good use out of the oil with this long of a run and the engine should last a long time, so why mess with a good thing? No fuel dilution, anti-freeze or excess soot present.
Then the trans:
This AFT has 20,512 miles on it and probably could have gone longer. Wear still looks good in this 4R100 transmission. Universal averages show typical wear for this transmission type. The oil's viscosity is normal for ATF and no moisture or other contaminates were present. Insoluables are the solids that are present and the filter is keeping those low at a trace level. Go ahead and try 30,000 to 40,000 miles for the next sample. This tansmission is better than most.
I have been using Delo 15/40 or Delvac 15/40 whichever is on sale. I was using Mercon, then at this change switched to mercon V. The truck is an early 99 and has 231,523 miles on both the engine and the trans....Maintenance pays. I do carry a cabover camper at times and pull a 2 horse trailer. Just thought I's share.
jeff

 

Good to hear. I'm new and have heard of the oil analysis and think its a great idea to do this before purchasing a used truck. How should I do this? How do I get the oil for analysis out? Where should I send it here in northern michigan? Any suggestions? I'm sorry if this has been covered already. If so could someone provide a link please?

 

I have a 2002 F250 7.3,and was wondering what you recomended for the milage for an oil change with AmsOil,15w40.It has 198,000 miles on it.

 

Bear in mind that oil changes in last decades are dictated by lawyers, not engineers.
On my 1972 Detroit the manual say"
"Do first oil analyze at 50,000 miles and than every 10,000 miles. If the analyzes come positive -change the oil at 100,000 miles interval"

 

I have had schaeffer do my oil analasys and with regulat motocraft filter, 15/40 motorcraft oil and 7000 miles, everything is good. hard to post the results page but everything is in the normal or low wear.
Ill be swapping to synthetic in another 2k or so.

 

There are quite a few places to choose from. Here are a couple of options & links:

Polaris Labs $17.20 when you buy 10 - Oil Analysis - POLARIS Laboratories:

Schaeffer MFG Co. $11 when u buy 6 - Schaeffer Oil 3.0 | Industrial Lubricants | Diesel Fuel Additive | Synthetic Motor Oils

Many folks use Blackstone ($19 when u buy 6) like the original poster but they do not report oxidation & nitration levels.

Blackstone Labs


You can either catch a sample during an oil change from the pan or use a pump like this to pull it out of the dipstick. Just hook the sample bottle up & insert the tube down the dipstick.



Koski19 - if you like you can e-mail me your oiul analysis and I will post it up for you. The report sounds good - I would be interested in seeing the viscosity (CST @ 100 degrees) and the wear metal levels. Delo 400 15W-40 does very well in the 7.3L

 

Looks good... Is that the factory trans?

 

Darn. I should have sent an oil sample of my trans oil as well. I'm sure it's all used up but I don't want to jinx it. Lol.
Maybe I'll do that this weekend. I have 5 more sample containers, might as well us them.

 

Thank you VERY much Rich. I really appreciate you taking the time to help a newbie out!

 

To White Buffalo, Which oil anaylsis do you want? Engine or trans or both? Blackstone's price went up to $22.50 per sample. The 4R100 is all original. I have yet to perform anything but maintenance. I do run two filters. One in the pan and one magnafine filter in the return line from the cooler. What got me started on the oil anaysis, I took the truck to AAMCO, they performed a trans service (LOL) Basically, they drained the pan, said they installed a new filter and gasket, then filled the pan and topped off. This is NOT a trans service in my opinion. I then argued with the service manager about the service to no avail. I took the truck home, found the info here at FTE to do a complete trans service, which I did and sent in a sample to Blackstone for analysis. The results were terrible. The filter was used up, high metal content etc. Based on that information, I did another complete fluid change with a new filter and added the inline filter. Ran the oil x amount of miles and performed another fluid exchange. Using Blackstone oil change intervals recommendations, it has taken two years and 4 services with samplings to get the trans back to below and stable readings. I then sent a complaint into AAMCO Customer Service(with copies of the analysis and receipt) to no avail. They just blew me off! Refused to talk with me or return calls.
I'm getting very good results from Delo or Delvac so I haven't changed over to synthetic for the engine. I run the FL1999 oil filter. Other than service and a few leaks here and there I haven't needed to repair the engine yet. 232,000 miles and counting. Hoping to make the 500,000 mile mark. I do run Mercon V in the trans and Mobile 1 synthetic for the power steering steering.........Jeff

 

Sounds like your proactive maintenance approach is paying off. Keep an eye on the return line trans filter. BTS is not a big fan of these, I have one also in my F-250. They will do the job and filter well, just don't want them to get clogged and cause a restriction.

I'll PM you my e-mail address for the UOA.

Rich

 

Here you go. AMSOIL Diesel Oil Drain Intervals and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation)

 

The Magafine filters are recommended to be changed out at 15,000 mile intervals. At 20,000 with no ill effects. For a $30.00 filter it would be nice to be able to change out when the fluid change and main filter is done.
Jeff

 

Rich:

Schaeffer is now also offering a web-based analysis reporting system, but due to the extra efforts involved in cataloging teh data into the system, the price is $13 each for a kit of 6 samples ($78 total for the 6-piece kit). Also, either route you go, there is no shipping charge for sending in the samples.

Regarding the Amsoil DEO 5w40 synthetic, I ran that before I switched to Schaeffer, and everything looked fine until I crossed the 8 mile mark. Somewhere between the 8K and 13K mile mark when I changed the oil, the wear metals started jumping and the oil's viscosity started dropping. Since switching to Schaeffer's 9000 series 5w40 synthetic, I am now running close to 18K miles between changes and having no issues at all. Just for additional context, I am running a large bypass filter element which helps a lot with oil cleanliness adn extended OCI's.

 

Most retailers/sales reps are not aware of how hard the HEIU injection system in the 7.3L is on oil. Like Pete posted, you will see the viscosity drop in most 7.3L applications before 10,000, in the 6,0L's it's before 5,000. Not nocking the oil, just don't run it for 20K like the advertisement says - the ICP of 3,000+ psi shears the oil over time. Me personally, I would not run an oil in a 7.3L over 5K without doing a used oil analysis and getting some historical results so you know for sure what is going on.


Thanks Pete - neet application, I like how it goes into detail when you click on the wear metals, oil properties, viscosity, etc.... I'm gonna have to try this on my next UOA.