What oil is in your Cummiins today ?

[Cummins2014]

I changed mine yesterday, about 8 months and 5,000 miles........couldn't believe how bad the oil looked after that short of time. It was a black, nasty, smelly mess....yuk! Did the oil filter through the fender with Geno's filter cap, too easy, didn't even get my hands dirty.

Sam

Only way to go with the filter cap, no more of that nonsense taking off the intake hose. Changed my oil both ways ,and by far a better way thru the fender well .

 

[Cummins2014]

Thanks!! much appreciated!!

I've only got 306 hours but its been over 6 mos so i guess I'm in the every 6 mos category.......

Same here, not enough miles, just every six months. I run Rotella 15-40. IMO their is no benefit running expensive synthetics to just dump it out every six months with no excessive miles.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Daily Driver? Change it before 15,000 due to possible fuel dilution. Especially if it's the first change"

13 and newer trucks don't have that issue like the earlier 6.7's did.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Only way to go with the filter cap, no more of that nonsense taking off the intake hose. Changed my oil both ways ,and by far a better way thru the fender well .

How long did you wait after draining the oil to remove the filter?

 

[Cummins2014]

How long did you wait after draining the oil to remove the filter?

This last time overnight , and no mess. IMO it is also easier to start the filter back on from the bottom, then from the top reaching down, to me its awkward from the top . And yes I added 12 quarts, and it was right AT the full mark, did not save the 8oz.

 

[Cummins12V98]

" And yes I added 12 quarts, and it was right AT the full mark, did not save the 8oz. #ad
"

Did not ask you that. But since you commented, you can see how there is easily 8oz left in the pan.

To ME it just looks like a mess waiting to happen thru the fender. Did you prefill the filter before installing?

 

[Cummins2014]

" And yes I added 12 quarts, and it was right AT the full mark, did not save the 8oz. #ad
"

Did not ask you that. But since you commented, you can see how there is easily 8oz left in the pan.

To ME it just looks like a mess waiting to happen thru the fender. Did you prefill the filter before installing?

Did you not see the smiley face, this oil changing is not life or death here

I do see how the pan is made, and how you think there is 8 oz of oil left, it does not concern me in the least if there is some left in there. so be it. It shows full on the stick, and thats all that matters to me. Between oil changes there is no real loss of oil, and no need to add any. It would not concern me if I was to get a quart low between oil changes as long as it was in the safe zone. I am not going to deal with 8oz. of oil left over, see no reason.

I think what you fail to realize is how easy that filter caps makes changing the filter. . Yes of course I prefill the filter, and can fill it as much as I want to a point, using the cap. With no mess. The two times I changed my oil going from the top my concern was always not getting to much oil in the filter ,and spilling it while reaching down in there to replace, possibly tilting it too much.

To each his own, you make it sound like a piece of cake going from the top. I didn't ,and will never do it that way again IMO its nonsense they made some of this maintenance items on the Cummins pretty awkward . I guess I was a bit spoiled on my old 7.3. Fuel filter, and oil filter were easily accessible .

Bottom line here as said I have done it both ways on the oil filter, and unless you have tried it thru the fender well ,well there is no way you know what could be easier. What I did the first time thru the fender well is I used plastic wrap to do it just to see how hard or easy it was capping off the filter removing ,and replacing. It was fairly simple, and what made me decide to buy the filter cap from Geno's.

 

[Cummins2014]

" And yes I added 12 quarts, and it was right AT the full mark, did not save the 8oz. #ad
"

Did not ask you that. But since you commented, you can see how there is easily 8oz left in the pan.

To ME it just looks like a mess waiting to happen thru the fender. Did you prefill the filter before installing?

To add here . Talked to a service tech at the dealership where I bought the truck. They remove the filter from the fender well, and how they do it is they drop it down, take a rag ,stuff it in the hole of the filter with their finger in there sort of sealing it, and pull the filter out with no mess to speak of. Makes sense, but have never tried it. The cap is just to easy not to use.

 

[Ram4Sam]

How long did you wait after draining the oil to remove the filter?

I didn't wait much at all. I grabbed a ratchet and a drain pan, dropped the plug and let it drain. Then went after the filter, it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes after I shut off the truck. It probably only took me five minutes to remove the old filter, fill the new one with oil and install it, and that is with stopping to pet the dogs (who were helping me) once or twice...... The cap makes it real quick and easy........

Sam

 

[Cummins2014]

I didn't wait much at all. I grabbed a ratchet and a drain pan, dropped the plug and let it drain. Then went after the filter, it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes after I shut off the truck. It probably only took me five minutes to remove the old filter, fill the new one with oil and install it, and that is with stopping to pet the dogs (who were helping me) once or twice...... The cap makes it real quick and easy........

Sam

IMO if you have never used the filter cap, I can see where one would think its harder going thru the fender well. Some report there are hoses in the road, its snug coming thru there , but doable , and with the cap there are no worries about any spills. Pretty sure a lot of the places that do change oil they just dump the filter sideways, and let it drain on that pan below, that just drains off the bottom of the truck. There is no way they are going to spend the time removing the intake hose from talking to techs .

 

[Newsa]

"Daily Driver? Change it before 15,000 due to possible fuel dilution. Especially if it's the first change"

13 and newer trucks don't have that issue like the earlier 6.7's did.

Fuel dilution is much reduced in the 2013+. But can show (and does show)up in UOA's of daily drivers.

If water can show up in the oil, so can fuel.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I didn't wait much at all. I grabbed a ratchet and a drain pan, dropped the plug and let it drain. Then went after the filter, it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes after I shut off the truck. It probably only took me five minutes to remove the old filter, fill the new one with oil and install it, and that is with stopping to pet the dogs (who were helping me) once or twice...... The cap makes it real quick and easy........

Sam

I was asking because I got in a hurry ONCE with the engine hot while draining and started to loosen the filter and oil started draining out the top instantly. That is why I wait to remove the filter. I guarantee anyone having the Dealer do a oil change is leaving with oil where you don't want it. I guess I would like to actually in real life watch someone loosen and drop their filter and install this cap then do it all in reverse and screw the filter on from the fender well.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Did you not see the smiley face, this oil changing is not life or death here #ad
" Yes I did and I was kidding also! I gave you a

 

[Cummins2014]

I was asking because I got in a hurry ONCE with the engine hot while draining and started to loosen the filter and oil started draining out the top instantly. That is why I wait to remove the filter. I guarantee anyone having the Dealer do a oil change is leaving with oil where you don't want it. I guess I would like to actually in real life watch someone loosen and drop their filter and install this cap then do it all in reverse and screw the filter on from the fender well.

I believe TooTall did a video either here or the Cummins Forum, pretty straight forward.

Do I see someone actually leaning towards going thru the fender well, a little tired of removing parts ?


On edit, there is a video on it here by Too Tall

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Do I see someone actually leaning towards going thru the fender well, a little tired of removing parts ? #ad
"

Every vid I have seen does NOT show the removal of the cap and the actual raising the filter up to thread it on with one hand not spilling the pre filled filter oil.

 

[Cummins2014]

"Do I see someone actually leaning towards going thru the fender well, a little tired of removing parts ? #ad
"

Every vid I have seen does NOT show the removal of the cap and the actual raising the filter up to thread it on with one hand not spilling the pre filled filter oil.

Its pretty easy as I have said . It pretty much stays straight when pushing it up thru there to screw on , it doesn't have much room to tip, but I guess if you filled it right up you could spill. I fill about 3/4. It pretty much finds its way home when screwing it back on . Honestly I don't remember if I got both hands on it or just one to screw it back in . It was nearly six months ago, will be ready for an oil change right after the holidays, will pay more attention to the process. I do know one thing ,and I will repeat, I will NEVER go thru the top again

I'm retired, and in no rush when I do these service items. So if its a time interval thing for you I'm the last one to ask about that.

 

[DonR]

Since the first 5 oil changes are free I've been letting the dealer change the oil and filter but I do take 12 quarts of AmsOil OE15W-40 with me. For those that aren't aware AmsOil offers a preferred customer deal that knocks about 25% off the cost. Good deal for $10 per six month membership. There's a distribution center in Orlando about 40 miles from me so if I order on-line in the morning I get it the next day by UPS. The last case I ordered was something like $86 with tax and shipping. I run AmsOil in my 4 vehicles, a motorcycle and UTV so the discount really helps.

Don

 

[gofastman1]

Im with Don, i have a membership and i have 4 vehicles using amsoil, wouldn't run anything else. Once i went to a seminar with amsoil in Ga 10 years ago or so, very informational, and the live tests they did right in front of you during the seminar was the selling point for me. If you are skeptical like i was, find where they are doing the next seminar, go to it, then you will have the facts yourself like i did. Everybody has there opinion on this site what is the best oil, im not selling anything, but I did my research and got the facts i was looking for, to make my decision.

 

[moparnut72]

I did my first change awhile ago before I knew very much about these trucks. I came down from the top on advice on another site. Wrong, too much stuff to tyake off and too much chance of contamination getting into the turbo. I now go through the fender, no problem. It does make a mess, didn't know about the top. I just figured good rust prevention. Also against my better judgement, I didn't prefill the filter because it would just add to the mess. I watched the gauge and evic on start up. Instant pressure. I am guessing the filter is downstream of the flow. I don't worry about it anymore.

My wife's former Durango with the Pentastar V6 has the filter canister on the top of the engine. On the first change there was no oil in the canister when I removed the filter cartridge. So I think this engine has the same setup. Even if you pour oil into the canister it will just drain back into the crankcase anyway. So I think the engineers are way aheaad of us.
kk

 

[gofastman1]

"I paid extra to get the actual factory fill (I assume they put it in)".

This is why i don't let NOBODY change my oil, I don't like the idea of assume they put oil in it, tightened the plug to spec, didn't cross thread the drain plug or filter.
I sleep better knowing it was done right, BY ME. if i messup then it s on me alone, if they mess up, "Oh we didnt do that" crap.