A new low mileage for oil change light to come on....3231 miles...On full rotella syn

[Bug Out]

The first oil change , the light came on about 5000 miles. The second oil change light came on about 9658 miles. . Now the third oil change, the light came on after a WHOPPING 3231 miles, 12889 miles. . I tried Rotella 5w40 full syn oil... . At this rate, I wont be able to leave the driveway and the light will come on. . I just read the "new 2013" are supposed to go 15K before a oil change???I dont wanna laugh, but I sure hope Fred ain't BS'ing everybody with that claim... .

Anyhow, my new CTD reminds me of the HOT looking gal everybody always wanted. . She looks good, runs good, tows good and she rides good, but damn, I sure have to pat her or the fart box a lot more then the last gal!!!

I'm going to have a sample of the oil checked to see if its really needed to be changed or if something else is going on... If it is in need of change, I'm going to have to seriously give some thought to trading down or just come to grips with the fact that I bought a expensive driveway statue until towing is needed... .

In the mean time, Mizz Hot stuff is going back to dino oil 1/2 cost. . LOL

 

[Cummins12V98]

My 11 went 7,500 miles and changed it at 15K now with almost 20K the change oil light is on. The reason is I have been parked in one spot for two months and not a lot of freeway driving. I am using 100% Synthetic 15/40 AMZ/OIL.

 

[HBarlow]

Your engine's computer has no idea what brand or type of oil you're using. Oil condition is not monitored by the ECM. The service oil light is illuminated when a complex algorithm determines that the duty cycle the truck has seen since the last reset suggests the oil is contaminated.

A short interval like that suggests you are using the truck for more short trips than highway cruise and/or towing. If that's accurate you may be setting yourself up for disappointment with CELs caused by soot accumulation.

I know it must be aggravating after spending a small fortune buying one of the new trucks but thanks to the economic punishment agency and the nearly impossible emission limits imposed on the manufacturers, the trucks will perform better if used for towing and longer highway drives.

 

[Bug Out]

Harvey, thats why she'll sit till I have work for her. . I had much bigger plans last year thinking the "economy" would start humming In jan of 2013, but thats not gonna happen. . My bad as they say. . I have a gasser P/U I bought for to/from work etc. .

 

[HBarlow]

My truck sits lonely in my barn also and my like new HitchHiker fifthwheel has not been out in over a year. It's not fun to drive a large heavy vehicle that gets maybe 15 mpg empty and 10 pulling my trailer with diesel fuel at near $4/gallon.

Unfortunately, our economy is going to sink even further this year than it has already. We'll be lucky if we're not all riding bicycles by the end of this four years.

 

[Bug Out]

I know the feeling. If I had a crystal ball and could see 6 months ahead,(bought it in late June 12') I honestly would have kept my 05' 3500. I figured fuel to be back down around 2. 50 gal in summer of 13', and we had planned to go from Az to Ny, Niagra falls and dribble down the east coast, DC, some war monuments, etc etc. . Then come back on I-10. . At 3. 50+, NOT!!!! I have a hard time paying what I do for a almost non-flammable fuel... I was going to trade back down to a 5. 9 today(local dealer has a 06' 4d 4x4 6spd with 54K on the clock ) but they want 32K... I'll leave the driveway Queen where she's at... . If you know anybody who has a 2002-2005 2500 or 3500 single rear 6spd 4x4 CTD with less then 100K (in great shape)on the clock who wants to deal, let me know. .

 

[Rattler]

I have owned my "new to me "2011 since late May of 2012. I have changed the oil 3 times so far. It has always been 3700 to 3800 miles till the light came on. Some of my driving was towing long hauls, some 15 miles to work. It didn't really seem to matter.

 

[Bug Out]

WOW!! I thought maybe it was my driving... . One thing is for certain, back to dino oil she goes at this rate... .

 

[Tryingit]

Ha! I have you beat mine went on at 2,900 miles (lot of local driving). I average about 4K between oil changes. As such I will never use a full syn oil. I hardly drive my truck now that I'm retired but with these diesels prices thats not such a bad thing. My o4. 5 wasn't that much better (fuel mileage) the way I drive so I don't feel too bad.

 

[Bug Out]

Holy crap... My condolences... I actually tried the syn rotella hoping maybe somehow it would hold the dirt particals better and the oil light would give me more time... Fat chance. . My 05' 3500 6spd got awesome mileage if I kept the rpm's at or under 2k. . I would get 17-20 and a solid 20 on the highway EMPTY,at 2000rpm/62-64 mph. not pulling a load. . Once it was pulling the 16. 5K 5th, down to 8-10 MPG she went. Most of my driving is city now.....

 

[Bill Stockard]

I hardly drive my truck now that I'm retired but with these diesels prices thats not such a bad thing.

Yep, I know what you mean. I've burned more diesel fuel in my Kubota tractor than my truck this past year. I filled my truck's fuel tank only twice the whole year of 2012.



Bill

 

[Bug Out]

Well, just got back from Wally world. . Chevron delo is the cheapest I could find, under $12 a gallon. . Even wally oil was more. . So thats what she's gonna get. . Or more commonly known now as my "Driveway Statue". .

 

[HBarlow]

Oils change with new govt. requirements and refining changes but a couple years ago a comparison test in TDR magazine ranked Wal-Mart's house brand diesel motor oil as best. I wouldn't be afraid to use it in my truck.

 

[jgillott]

Yep, I know what you mean. I've burned more diesel fuel in my Kubota tractor than my truck this past year. I filled my truck's fuel tank only twice the whole year of 2012.

Bill

Wow... . I felt guilty only putting 10K on my '07 last year. At the rate '13 is starting, I probaby will not get anywhere near that this year.

 

[EDankievitch]

My 2012 was begging for oil changes at 2200 miles and DPF Re-Gen's every 3/4 to 1 1/2 hours and the oil was loaded with fuel. Seems that I had two bad injectors that were leaking. A week in the service shop and two new and the Re-Gen cycles are now about 2-4 houurs apart I'm no longer making oil the wait is on to see when the next oil change is requested, the first one was requested at 2500 miles but it had about 860 miles on it with the leaking injectors. Oh I should add that there is a new Flash for preformance/ EGR cycle and MPG improvements. I had it done when the truck was in and the EGR does not fludder like it use to almost never opens now when engine is ideling.....

 

[Bug Out]

If my oil shows too much fuel, I'll take it to the dealer. . I wonder if Cummins would do the work, or does it have to be ram/Dodge?

 

[JLeake]

My first oil change on my 2011 was at roughly 4,000 miles, and I was not impressed. Second one was at 7,500 miles, the third at 7500, and I am still waiting for the next one to "pop up". I drive it to work on a very circuitous route through the hills that is just shy of 19 miles as well as tow with it and long trips. I also found that when my mileage drops and does not recover, a quick run over a 2,000 foot elevation gain pass nearby at high throttle settings seems to help alot. It does appear that the 2011's want to be warmed up thoroughly most of the time... .

 

[SHobbs]

Mine pops up about every 4k miles, currently have 17,878 on the truck. All my driving is 30 miles or more one way running 70mph and I am not easy on the throttle. No short trips and some towing from time to time. Last time I changed it with close to 16k miles at that time I sent a sample to Blackstone, I wanted to see just what was going on, be it fuel, soot or whatever. I am running Rotella T non synthetic. Not really seeing what is driving the light to come on at 4k miles but, according to Blackstone that change interval is tossing good oil out. Next change will be at 6k and a sample sent off to see what changes.

Fuel % was <0. 5
TBN was 6. 7
Insolubles % 0. 2

 

[HBarlow]

If my oil shows too much fuel, I'll take it to the dealer. . I wonder if Cummins would do the work, or does it have to be ram/Dodge?

There is very little a Cummins dealer can do on late model HPCR Cummins-powered Rams other than bolt on parts. Cummins engines used in the Ram platform use altogether different software. Cummins dealers don't have compatible software so they are not able to plug in and diagnose.

 

[Tryingit]

Yep, I know what you mean. I've burned more diesel fuel in my Kubota tractor than my truck this past year. I filled my truck's fuel tank only twice the whole year of 2012.



Bill

I actually used my truck for almost two years for commuting a round trip of 46 miles. Mostly highway and some city driving nothing extreme. I've always had 4K oil changes. But Between me and my wife we were spending about a 1K a month for fuel. That's a big chunk of change. Now I usually only put 75 dollars at a time to ease the monthly cost... .