Jan. 31, 2020—In a time of newly developed, redesigned high-tech engines with smaller displacements, Ford recently released a supersized 7.3-liter pushrod V8 for its Super Duty trucks.
The automaker was going for a durable, serviceable and capable engine, according to a writeup in Road and Track—even if it differs from industry trends elsewhere.A recent article in Ford Authority says that Ford also worked on the engine's oil management to extend its drain interval. That recommended interval is 10,000 miles for the 7.3-liter engine. Ford Authority notes that the former Super Duty engine, a V10, had a 7,000-mile interval, and the longer mileage between changes should appease fleet owners.
The change interval isn't a crazy stretch, especially with today's synthetic oil offerings. But consider that many users will put lots of stress on the workhorse engines, perhaps putting them in the "severe" use category that appear in owner's manuals.
The 2020 Super Duty owner's manual says that 7,500 to 10,000 miles is the recommended interval for "normal" driving conditions. "Severe" is listed at 5,000 to 7,500 miles, while driving under "extreme" conditions leads to a 2,500 to 5,000-mile interval. Extreme is defined in the manual as "maximum load or towing and extreme hot or cold operation."
Images: Ford
