oil

[CumminsE263]

Im sure this has been talked about before ,but im not good with the search. These motors can last 200 plus with out changing the oil. My first two oil changes I purchased the oil and filter from the dodge dealer. It cost me approx $80 What do you guys recommend without getting to crazy to save a little and have a equal product. thanks Jeff

 

[JBallou]

I hope that you don't really mean that the motor can last 200,000 miles WITHOUT the oil change, if so we need to talk.



Go to Genos for filters and use what is available for oil in your area, cash and carry. Use the 15w-40 weight oil as a guide. Delo is what I use, easy to find, decent price, decent oil.

 

[Red_Rattler]

I second Genos, I always order 4 oil filters and 2 fuel filter to maximize the shipping costs. Also when I get a chance I go to the local Diesel truck dealer and I get the fleetgaurd filters there for the same price as well. About the 200k claim, thats not gonna happen, my truck gets change every 6500 and fuel filter every other time. You can buy oil anywhere as long as its rated for a diesel, I use Shell Rotella T.

 

[snuff]

i use shell rotella full syn, as for oil filters, strapore or donaldson edurance

 

[JDiepstra]

Im sure this has been talked about before ,but im not good with the search. These motors can last 200 plus with out changing the oil. My first two oil changes I purchased the oil and filter from the dodge dealer. It cost me approx $80 What do you guys recommend without getting to crazy to save a little and have a equal product. thanks Jeff

Jeff, can you clarify? 200,000 miles without an oil change? But you have already don't yours twice? Just trying to get the right info before I give my 2 cents.

 

[DerekW]

buddy i think you have been paying waaaaaayyy to much attention to the fs-2500 ads in dieselpower mag. but its your engine do what you want but be forewarned part of the reason for changing oil is to replenish detergets in the oil these not only keep your engine clean and effiecient but prevent sludge in you engine. im sure hope your not serious. if so, sucks for the next owner when you have to sell or yourself. oh and btw if it dies on you its 15,500 for new cummins

 

[RMcKinney]

I second the Rotella but I use Baldwin or NAPA Gold for filters.
Rex McKinney 1995 stock with 255000 miles.

 

[1smoknC]

i use rotella t 15-40w and change every 5k... .

 

[Bernie]

Valvoline

I use the Valvoline Premium Blue oil. Cummins approved right on the bottle, so your 100k engine warranty is in tact. A little more than the Rotella, but it is the same oil that Dodge and Cummins sell as their own.

Engine Oil



I came to this conclusion after a TDR print article on oil. It was a two part, where the first part was performance numbers. This let you pick a favorite for your conditions and use. Next issue they told the brand names to go with the data, so you chose independent of brand bias. Great idea!!



If I remember correctly the Valvoline Premuin Blue Extreme Synthetic and another synthetic ($$$) had the best performance test numbers and the Valvoline Premium Blue (standard oil) had the next best performance test numbers. I went with the standard because of cost, and I change every 7500 miles so the synthetic is probably overkill for me.



Another good resource is Bob is the oil guy:

Bob Is The Oil Guy



Set some time aside for that one. More info on oil than I have ever seen.

 

[GaryOwen]

I know of a Buick V-8 that went 130k without an oil or filter change and was still running good. Friend of mine bought it and immediately changed the oil. The previous owner (a widow) had always used 30W non-detergent oil. The guy had to poke a screwdriver through the sludge in the bottom of the oil pan to get it to drain. He used 30W HD oil - big mistake - cleaned the engine, but it leaked like a sieve. He had to rebuild engine.



If a Buick can go 130k miles w/o an oil change, surely the Cummins would last 200k w/o an oil change. Some oil would have to be added during the period, so that would freshen up the oil a bit. Engine should last a million miles with proper oil changes, so you would be reducing the life by at least 80%. BUT, I sure wouldn't try it with mine!



I use Fleetguard Stratopore from Geno's, Shell Rotella, and sample the oil occasionally to see how it is doing. Change oil every 10 to 12k miles as recommended from oil analysis results. Have 421k mi on the 03 so far.



Gary

 

[TimothyLong]

I use the Valvoline Premium Blue 15W-40 in mine along with Fleetguard Stratapore filters. I change my oil every 6K and the fuel filter every other oil change. This was per a Fleetguard Tech who recommended that interval no matter what type of driving you do. Do the same with my wife's '04 2500 too.

As for the 200K oil change thing, I seem to recall that was an engine test done by Valvoline using the Premium Blue in a Dodge Ram. They had a trailer hooked up to it and drove it for 200K without changing the oil to see if the oil would hold out. It was for done promotional purposes only. Valvoline does not recommend waiting 200K to change your oil.

 

[KcoleKennyc]

Figure what oil and filters would cost and price a new engine. Which is cheaper?

 

[EArp]

I like the old school Delo 400 (CI4+) and the stratapore fleetguard filters. I bought enough Delo before they stopped selling it to last forever!

 

[Blu-meanie]

I just found 10 gallons of that Delo at Napa.

 

[10-9jc]

I second Genos, I always order 4 oil filters and 2 fuel filter to maximize the shipping costs. Also when I get a chance I go to the local Diesel truck dealer and I get the fleetgaurd filters there for the same price as well. About the 200k claim, thats not gonna happen, my truck gets change every 6500 and fuel filter every other time. You can buy oil anywhere as long as its rated for a diesel, I use Shell Rotella T.

Are you sure you don't mean "minimize" the shipping costs?



~

 

[berman2000]

its all in the earl.........

amsoil here. expensive, but makes me sleep a little better at night, thats when i'm not fighting with my jack russells over matress space!:-laf