Like vertebrates have cartilages in between their bones to prevent them from rubbing against each other and getting damaged, cars have engine oils. All engines like the 6.4 Powerstroke need a certain amount of oil to keep the engine running smoothly. So, how much oil does a 6.4 Powerstroke take? The engine needs 15 quarts of oil.
The 6.4 Powerstroke can use both conventional and synthetic types of oil. But some differences between them cause consumers to choose synthetic oils over conventional ones. These are:
| Attributes | Conventional oils | Synthetic oils |
|---|---|---|
| Drain interval | Typically up to 5,000 miles | 7,500-10,000 miles or more |
| Acting as cleaning agents | Acts as cleaning agents | Often has superior cleaning capabilities |
| Additives | Contains additives for engine protection | Contains advanced additive packages for enhanced performance |
The viscosity of the engine oil is as important as its type. If you live in a place with moderate weather conditions, using the 15W40 oil is a good idea. But for colder conditions, you should use 5W40 oils for lower low-temperature viscosity.
How Much Oil Does A 6.4 Powerstroke Take?
For an engine to perform at its very best, it needs a certain amount of engine oil. The oil lubricates the engine parts so that they don’t come into direct contact with each other and get damaged. This oil requirement varies from one engine to another.
The ideal oil requirement for a 6.4 Powerstroke is 15 quarts. When converted to a metric system, this amounts to about 14.2 liters. Now, what happens if there is less than the aforementioned amount of oil in the engine?
As an engine works, its parts are in perpetual motion. And these parts are situated near one another. So, when they move, they constantly rub against each other.
As most engine parts are made of metal, this never-ending rubbing causes them to heat up. As a result, they are worn down and the damages keep piling up. Engine oils exist to prevent exactly this from happening.
As the engine runs, engine oil moves in between the engine parts to lubricate them. As a result, the parts don’t come in direct contact with each other. The lack of direct contact causes less heat to be produced and the friction is also less.
Because of little to no friction between the components of the engine, they aren’t worn down as fast as before. This ensured the durability of the engine as well as its parts.
When there’s not enough oil in the engine, the parts don’t get proper lubrication. The components of the engine grind against each other. As there is no oil to prevent direct contact all the time, some parts get inevitably damaged.
But what happens when you put too much oil in the engine? This scenario is equally bad as not having enough oil. If more oil than the required amount is put into the engine, the components come under immense pressure.
The parts of a 6.4 Powerstroke are not designed to handle the pressure of more than 15 quarts of oil. So as the amount of oil increases so does the pressure. This results in the components malfunctioning and the engine falling apart.
Also, having more oil than necessary causes the crankshaft to aerate the engine oil. This creates foam in the oil. These foams are a hindrance to the lubrication process of an engine.
What Type Of Oil Does A 6.4 Powerstroke Take?
The type of oil used in an engine greatly influences its performance, and the 6.4 Powerstroke from Ford is no exception. Ford’s 6.4 Powerstroke uses both conventional and synthetic oils.
There are distinctions between conventional and synthetic oils that guide many in their choice. For starters, synthetic oils often offer longer drain intervals.
The drain interval of a 6.4 Powerstroke is up to 5,000 miles with conventional oils under ideal conditions. In contrast, synthetic oils can extend this interval to 7,500 to 10,000 miles or more.
Contrary to a common misconception, conventional oils do contain additives. They offer essential protection and lubrication. However, synthetic oils often come with more advanced additive packages, frequently rich in components like zinc and phosphorus. These additives create a protective film over engine parts, reducing wear and enhancing performance.
Both oil types have detergency properties to keep the engine clean. Yet, synthetic oils often shine in their ability to resist sludge formation and maintain cleanliness. Their advanced formulations not only lubricate but also help in preventing deposit buildup. If deposits do form, the detergents in synthetic oils can help in cleaning them, promoting engine longevity and the durability of its parts.
What Viscosity Should A 6.4 Powerstroke Oil Have?
The viscosity of an engine oil plays an extremely important part in the performance of the engine. The ideal viscosity of a 6.4 Powerstroke engine oil depends on the conditions the vehicle is being driven in.
Let’s first talk about what oil you should use for winter conditions. The best oils for winter conditions are the ones that have a lower low-temperature viscosity. Because in colder weather, the thicker oil becomes restricted in its movements.
As a result, it can’t reach between the nooks and crannies of the engine to protect its parts. So, the parts suffer from a lack of lubrication, which causes them to rub against each other. As you know already, this is detrimental to the engine’s health.
On the other hand, engine oil with low viscosity in lower temperatures will have no problem reaching between the engine parts. So, the engine components will always have lubricants over them no matter how low the temperature is.
With that in mind, I would suggest you use 5W40 engine oil if you live in colder climates. Because of the very low viscosity of 5 in lower temperatures, lubrication will not be an issue.
Now, let’s discuss what happens if you live in an area where the temperature is a bit warmer. In warmer climates, you don’t need to worry about lubricating your engines in low temperatures. What you need to worry about is the engine oils evaporating due to the heat.
The problem with thinner oils is that they are prone to being volatile in higher temperatures. So, for warmer climates, you need thicker oils to lubricate your engine. The best oil to do so is the 15W40 oils.
Despite having the same high-temperature viscosity, the 15W40 is thicker than the 5W40. Which ensures the oil won’t evaporate while also providing a thick layer of film over the engine parts.
How To Measure The Engine Oil Level?
Other than measuring the mileage, you can manually measure the level of oil in 6.4 Powerstroke. There are two ways to measure engine oil levels. You can either use a dipstick or an electronic oil tester for this purpose.
Between the two of them, using the dipstick is the better method. Handheld oil testers aren’t always accurate. But dipsticks always give you the correct level of engine oil.
How to Check Your Engine Oil Level & Read an Oil Dipstick >> Check out the video below:
Indicators That The Engine Oil Level Is Low
Sometimes the engine oil needs to be changed before it reaches its required mileage. But people often don’t know that their engine oils need changing and suffer afterward.
Certain signs indicate the engine oil has expired. These are:
- You can sense the strong smell of the oil burning
- The oil becomes murk and coarse
- The vehicle can’t perform at its peak
- Weird noises start to come out of the engine
- The oil pressure indicator light turns on
How To Change The Oil In A 6.4 Powerstroke?
Although you can change your oil with the help of experts, it is best if you know how to change a 6.4 Powerstroke oil yourself. It will save you precious time and money, especially if you need to change oil urgently.
The steps to changing the oil of a 6.4 Powerstroke are:
- Parking the vehicle on a flat surface
- Using the dipstick to check the oil level
- Removing the oil fill cap of the engine
- Removing the oil filter cap
- Placing the drain pan underneath the drain plug
- Draining the engine oil entirely
- Reinstalling the drain plug
- Installing a newer oil filter cap and O-ring
- Fill the engine up with engine oil
- Starting the engine and keeping it that way for some time
- Finishing up by shutting the engine down and checking the level of the oil using the dipstick
Check the detailed step-by-step guide for replacing the engine oil of a 6.4 Powerstroke.
frequently asked questions (FAQs)
1. How Often Should You Change The Fuel Filter On The 6.4 Powerstroke?
The fuel filter of the 6.4 Powerstroke doesn’t need to be changed as often as the engine oil. You can change the fuel filter every third time you change your engine oil. You can also change it every 15000 miles, whichever one suits you the best.
2. How Many Miles Do 6.4 Power Strokes Last?
On average, a 6.4 Powerstroke from Ford lasts between 150000 to 200000 miles. But this is the mileage you get with the minimum of service. If you service the engine regularly, it’s not unheard of for a 6.4 Powerstroke to reach more than 450000 miles.
Final Words
The diesel engine takes 15 quarts of engine oil, preferably synthetic. Synthetic oils don’t need regular draining and also clean the engine.
The ideal viscosity of a 6.4 Powerstroke is either 5W40 or 15W40 depending on the weather. The oil level can be changed using either dipsticks or electronic oil testers.
Get more details ford oil capacity in these posts:
You are right, all oils have additives that protect the engine.