Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
UPDATE: Turned this into a poll. When you change your oil, do you do change your filter from above or below?
3000 miles and did the first oil change. I did all my own oil changes on my 96, 97 & 2004. 5 too.
In the past I've always just removed the tube from the airfilter box and the turbo and then removed the filter by hand using a terrycloth rag to get a good grip. I can control the mess easier and oil doesn't come down in my face.
When I went to drain the oil the drain plug was very loose. Took almost no effort to loosen. BUT when I went to remove the filter the factory had it on so tight that I HAD to come in from the bottom and use the appropriate filter removal tool. Even in doing this it took all my strength (I'm a big guy) to get this thing loose. Has anyone noticed them ultra tight from the factory?
I went with Rotella 15w-40 CI-4 Plus. Don't flame me but I had an old Fram 3976 (3796?) filter and used that too.
Anyway -- I went to Walmart and I saw they have CI-4 Plus rated Rotella 5w-40 Full Synthetic for $13. 95 per gallon. The dino Rotella 15w-40 was around $7. 50 per gallon. So the difference was $42 vs. $22. 50. I can afford that.
So the question is -- is it worth it on these engines to even bother with synthetic? Some say that oil changes are more important than what you use, assuming the viscosity (5w-40 or 15w-40) and the ratings (CI) are met. Are these engines so robust that the benefits of synthetics are wasted on them? In gasoline engines with all the aluminum, dissimilar metals and sensitivity to friction, synthetics are really a bonus. But with these engines assuming you do oil changes often are you really going to see much in the way of reduced wear or fuel economy?
What is the conventional wisdom with these engines on this issue... . ???
3000 miles and did the first oil change. I did all my own oil changes on my 96, 97 & 2004. 5 too.
In the past I've always just removed the tube from the airfilter box and the turbo and then removed the filter by hand using a terrycloth rag to get a good grip. I can control the mess easier and oil doesn't come down in my face.
When I went to drain the oil the drain plug was very loose. Took almost no effort to loosen. BUT when I went to remove the filter the factory had it on so tight that I HAD to come in from the bottom and use the appropriate filter removal tool. Even in doing this it took all my strength (I'm a big guy) to get this thing loose. Has anyone noticed them ultra tight from the factory?
I went with Rotella 15w-40 CI-4 Plus. Don't flame me but I had an old Fram 3976 (3796?) filter and used that too.
Anyway -- I went to Walmart and I saw they have CI-4 Plus rated Rotella 5w-40 Full Synthetic for $13. 95 per gallon. The dino Rotella 15w-40 was around $7. 50 per gallon. So the difference was $42 vs. $22. 50. I can afford that.
So the question is -- is it worth it on these engines to even bother with synthetic? Some say that oil changes are more important than what you use, assuming the viscosity (5w-40 or 15w-40) and the ratings (CI) are met. Are these engines so robust that the benefits of synthetics are wasted on them? In gasoline engines with all the aluminum, dissimilar metals and sensitivity to friction, synthetics are really a bonus. But with these engines assuming you do oil changes often are you really going to see much in the way of reduced wear or fuel economy?
What is the conventional wisdom with these engines on this issue... . ???
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... messiest oil change I've done in years. :{
By the way Dino Rotella is $6 a gallon (case of 6) at Costco. Oh by the way I always go from the bottom-I have a lift in my garage.
