Several diesel-powered trucks throughout Ford’s automotive history have been equipped with the same 7.3-liter V-8 Power Stroke engine. To keep this engine, and the Ford truck it powers, running for as long and as smoothly as possible, it’s important that you’re aware of the engine’s oil capacity.

You can find Ford’s 7.3-liter V-8 Power Stroke diesel engine in a number of their trucks, including the F-Series, E-Series, Excursion, and LCF pickups. If you own any of these powerful pickups, you can help to keep your maintenance and repair costs as low as possible by learning to change your own oil at home—but in order to do that, you’ll need to check your owner’s manual to find out what type of oil you’ll need as well as the engine’s oil capacity.

In the event that you’ve lost or misplaced your Ford’s owner’s manual, you’ve come to the right place. Here to let you in on everything you need to know about Ford’s 7.3-liter V-8 Power Stroke engine, including its oil capacity, is

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Ford 7.3-liter V8 Power Stroke engine oil capacity

First things first: just how much oil does a Ford truck need when equipped with a 7.3-liter Power Stroke V8 engine?

Regardless of whether you’re driving a Ford Excursion or a Ford F-Series pickup, all models paired with the 7.3-liter V-8 Power Stroke engine will have an oil capacity of 15 quarts or 14.25 liters. Keep in mind that your

engine’s displacement

—the 7.3-liter volume its cylinders take up—is not the same as your engine’s oil capacity, which refers to the amount of oil you’ll need to complete an oil change.

These numbers represent very different qualities of your Ford’s engine and should not be thought of as being interchangeable.

What kind of oil does a Ford 7.3-liter V-8 Power Stroke engine need?

Ford recommends the use of Motorcraft 15W-15 synthetic blend motor oil or 15W-40 heavy-duty diesel engine oil in all of its models paired with a Power Stroke 7.3-liter engine.

But what exactly does that mean? The numbers in the oil grade are a reference to its viscosity—how thick it is—at any given temperature.

The “W” in the grade name refers to winter, while the 15 preceding it tells us that the oil has a low viscosity at 0°F. That being said, this oil type is mainly only used for diesel engines, as it has a higher viscosity than oil used in non-diesel engines. The 15 at the end of the grade, then, suggests that the oil is also relatively thin at 212°F—the normal operating temperature of most engines.

All in all, this just means that this oil type will function well within Ford’s 7.3-liter Power Stroke engine regardless of weather conditions, making it ideal for year-round driving, even in colder climates. The lowered viscosity rating also means that the Power Stroke engine will experience less wear and tear, thereby lasting longer.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change the oil on a Ford 7.3-liter Power Stroke engine

Now that you know how much and what kind of oil you’ll need for your Ford 7.3-liter Power Stroke engine, it’s time to

change your oil and filter

Or is it? Ford recommends that its diesel engines should have their oil changed every 5,000 miles. If you’re driving your pickup less frequently than most drivers, however, you can likely use a six-month barometer when determining how frequently you should be changing your oil.

That being said, you should be performing regular oil checks—about once every month or so—to keep your Ford pickup running as smoothly as possible. Similarly, you’ll want to keep an eye, ear, and nose out for any of the following signs that your oil might need to be changed ahead of schedule:

Motor oil is dark brown or black

Motor oil feels coarse or gritty

Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine

New smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning

Changes in your vehicle’s performance

MORE:

How to build a custom Ford F150

How to change your oil and oil filter

Thankfully, there’s nothing special, unique, or difficult about changing the oil in a Ford Power Stroke engine. Before getting started, however, you’ll need to gather all of the necessary materials to complete your oil change, including a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench designed to remove the old oil filter. You’ll need to grab a replacement oil filter and 15 quarts of your preferred premium 15W-15 or 15W-40 full synthetic heavy-duty diesel engine oil.

Allowing your engine to idle for a few minutes before starting the oil change process will allow the old oil to reach its normal operating temperature. This will allow the oil to drain more quickly. Once you’re all warmed up, it's time to shut off the engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps:

Remove the oil fill cap

Get underneath the engine and remove the oil drain bolt and washer, draining the old oil into the drain pan

Remove the old oil filter and continue to let the oil drain

Install the new filter

Replace the oil drain bolt using a new washer and tighten it to 29 lb-ft

Refill the engine with your new oil and replace the fill cap

Using your dipstick, check to make sure that you've replaced enough oil. Once you’re done, you should allow your Ford’s engine to idle for a few minutes, all the while checking for any oil leaks that might indicate you need to tighten your drain bolt further. If you’ve done everything correctly, your dashboard’s

oil pressure light

should turn off.

Finally, you’ll want to empty your old used oil into a sealed container. You can deliver this to your local recycling center to be properly disposed of—do not empty your old oil onto the ground or into a garbage bin!

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Changing your own oil at home is an easy way to save time and money on your Ford’s maintenance costs, but did you know that you can also save time and money when shopping for your Ford car insurance coverage when you download the

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