7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
I have noticed that my local Wal-Mart is now carrying 5qt jugs of Motorcraft synthetic blend 15w40. What are the pros/cons if any. I have been running rotella, would there be any problems if I switched. I like the 5qt jugs and the synthetic blend idea, also the 5qts is less $ than the 4qts(gal) rotella.
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2002 F250 Ext. Cab 6sp 7.3 Banks Stinger Plus, Pyro and Boost guages, Banks 6.0 Technicooler, K&N FIPK 2, Zoodad, pop up goose neck hitch
If Motorcraft now markets a synthetic blend 15w40 for diesel engines, I don't see it on their website. FCSD Chemicals and Lubricants
In a nutshell, the difference in dino and synthetic blend is the blend will have a little more oil from vegetables and a little less from petroleum.
Ignoring the fact it's a blend, paying extra for synthetic is not cost effective. Therefore, paying extra for synthetic blend is probably not cost effective either. It won't help with wintertime starting because 15w40 is 15w40, regardless of whether it's made from castor beans or long-dead dinosaurs.
If a synthetic blend is the same or less cost as pure dino, then I'd try it, then use oil analysis to be sure it does the job. Otherwise I'll continue using pure dino Rotella T.
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My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; Ford Severe Duty Air Induction System (AIS); 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and Turbo Temp Monitor (TTM); Auxiliary Idle Controller (AIC); SP-Diesel exhaust brake and torque converter controller. Top Job front end replacement. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
It won't help with wintertime starting because 15w40 is 15w40, regardless of whether it's made from castor beans or long-dead dinosaurs.
Not true. You might want to brush up on the API's read-accross and interchangeability guidelines. The difference in pour points and viscosities at temperature can vary considerably between a conventional 15W-40 and a synthetic blend 15W-40 oil.
The dino Rotella T 15W-40 is a good oil. However, there are other 15W-40 oils, including synthetic blends, that will have better properties for winter use. Even the non-synthetic blend Motorcraft 15W-40 has slightly better cold weather properties than the dino Rotella T 15W-40.
I'm not a big synthetic oil fan, but they have their purpose, especially in cold weather, particularly where more harsh idling and operating conditions exist. Synthetics and synthetic blends generally maintain their viscosities better/longer than dino oils in these situations.
Smokey, you are correct, it is not a synthetic blend.,,,, as per normal Wal Mart, things were mixed on the shelves in similar containers, I went back today and looked again and the 15w40 in straight dino, but it is 5qts for less than the 4qt Rotella.....is there any harm in changing oil brands? I have been runin the Rotella since I got the truck in 03 with 8000 miles on it, I have the regular maintance coming up for it at 70,000. Is the motorcraft a good oil?
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2002 F250 Ext. Cab 6sp 7.3 Banks Stinger Plus, Pyro and Boost guages, Banks 6.0 Technicooler, K&N FIPK 2, Zoodad, pop up goose neck hitch
No problem changing brands. The Motorcraft oil is good stuff and what matters is that it will meet the latest API CJ-4 category, as well as the older API catagories CD, CF-4, CG-4, CH-4, CI-4 and CI-4 plus. The Motorcraft oil will have a smaller TBN, a little different ash content, and slightly better cold viscosity properties.
It always amazes me how inexpensive Motorcraft filters and oil are at Wal-Mart.
Yes, it's as good an any brand with the same specs. It's not as popular as Rotella or DELO because Ford hasn't pushed it to the truckers. But if it meets API CJ-4, then you won't find a better dino oil for a turbo-diesel engine.
I've been using the Motorcraft oil in the five gallon jugs for the last several oil changes now and I think it is a fine oil.
But I screwed up the first time and put in 3 and a half jugs thinking they were four quart jugs and overfilled the crankcase with 17 and a half quarts, versus the usual 14 quarts I get from 3 and a half four quart jugs of Delo.
It took me a while to get used to the five quart jugs.
(Just don't ask Gooch about antifreeze and we'll get along just fine)
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early 99 F350 4x4 wth some upgrades
Good timely topic. I was just at Walmart putting 4 gallons of Rotella in my cart when I saw the Motorcraft 15w-40 for the same price ($11.77) but with 5 quarts. That equates to $9.42/gal. However Hodges, you may not have been seeing things. They did indeed have 5 quart jugs of synthetic Motorcraft 15w-40 right next to the regular dino oil for $12 and change.
EDIT: Just got back from Wally World......the synthetic oil I saw next to the 15w40 was a different weight and for gasoline engines. Sorry.
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2001 F-350 Crew Cab XLT PSD 4x4, Long Bed, 6-speed, 3.73, Manual Transfer, Power TTT Mirrors, 122k miles.
1989 Toyota 4x4 xtracab SR5 V6, Beat to heck with 200k+ miles and still running strong.
Last edited by catch&release : 11-17-2008 at 04:10 PM.
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I was just at Walmart putting 4 gallons of Rotella in my cart when I saw the Motorcraft 15w-40 for the same price ($11.77) but with 5 quarts. That equates to $9.42/gal. However Hodges, you may not have been seeing things. They did indeed have 5 quart jugs of synthetic Motorcraft 15w-40 right next to the regular dino oil for $12 and change.
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