Engine oil recommendations

[DeezelDood]

I agree with what you are saying regarding " We live in a free country and each if us does what we feel is best. " I also agree there are many oils on the market that are great oils. I also agree with your desire to change your oil at whatever interval you choose, which in your case is each year, regardless of mileage.



A UOA is the very best indicator of an oils usefulness, as well as an indication of contaminants within the oil, and as indicator of normal wear patterns, abnormal wear patterns, and excessive wear patterns within the engine itself. Many large Companies use this type of procedure to determine many things, including "Drain Intervals". Personally, I have been doing this procedure on every vehicle I have owned in the past 30 years, including 4 different Dodge Diesels beginning in 1991. I have exceeded 100,000 miles and 10 years on a single oil drain, so I am very satisfied with what I have experienced over the years.

Having said this, I would NEVER EXTEND on oil drain interval, without doing an oil analysis. I also would not EXTEND oil drains without using a very good by-pass oil filtration system. I have seen large trucking Companies that have saved hundreds of thousands dollars by utilizing UOA to determine Drain intervals, as well as keeping track of how the engines are performing regarding engine wear, and contaminant levels. As far as cost for a UOA, i can get 5-6 UOA for the cost of one oil drain on a Dodge Diesel.



Best regards

Wayne: Info appreciated, though we have different philosophies.

 

[Wingate]

Mobil Delvac...

 

[Jim W]

I agree with what you are saying regarding " We live in a free country and each if us does what we feel is best. " I also agree there are many oils on the market that are great oils. I also agree with your desire to change your oil at whatever interval you choose, which in your case is each year, regardless of mileage.

A UOA is the very best indicator of an oils usefulness, as well as an indication of contaminants within the oil, and as indicator of normal wear patterns, abnormal wear patterns, and excessive wear patterns within the engine itself. Many large Companies use this type of procedure to determine many things, including "Drain Intervals". Personally, I have been doing this procedure on every vehicle I have owned in the past 30 years, including 4 different Dodge Diesels beginning in 1991. I have exceeded 100,000 miles and 10 years on a single oil drain, so I am very satisfied with what I have experienced over the years.
Having said this, I would NEVER EXTEND on oil drain interval, without doing an oil analysis. I also would not EXTEND oil drains without using a very good by-pass oil filtration system. I have seen large trucking Companies that have saved hundreds of thousands dollars by utilizing UOA to determine Drain intervals, as well as keeping track of how the engines are performing regarding engine wear, and contaminant levels. As far as cost for a UOA, i can get 5-6 UOA for the cost of one oil drain on a Dodge Diesel.

Best regards

Wayne,
I know you are quoting from your past experience with diesel engines and what the trucking industry did in the past. Unfortunately that does not apply any more with the new diesel engine emission and the EGR systems and fuel dilution that is occurring with these designs.

Like the mining industry and the large construction projects machines where the engine oil was never changed only the filters where changed every 500 hours of operation. These machines where equipped with an engine oil burn off system. Were 5% or less of the engine oil was mixed with diesel fuel and burned off during every hour of operation being replenished as need from an auxiliary tank. These are all a thing of the past due to the new emission compliant engines and their oil requirements to operate.

The problem as I see with a by-pass filter system or any oil filter; is that the filter is not able to removed the fuel dilution that is occurring in the engine oil do to the extra injector pulse of fuel into the exhaust cycle to burn off soot when the regen process takes place. This dilution of the oil will eliminate the ability of the oil to lubricate the components of the engine. Thus shortening the life of the engine and this will not be apparent until engine failure or rebuild which will occur at the worst possible moment. (Murphy's Law)

I too do oil analysis every oil change and I have seen between 1 and 3 percent fuel dilution in my oil. The 3% occurred before the truck was deleted now it is mainly less than 1% dilution but I still change every 7,500 miles.

Jim W.

 

[amsoilman]

I am not aware of the trucking industry changing there ways regarding oil analysis. I have spoken to many truckers who are still relying on used oil analysis to monitor the oil. I also believe the time will come when today's Diesel powered trucks will have longer drain intervals, like the 2013 Dodge/CUMMINS. The drain interval for them is now set at 15,000 miles. In my opinion, UOA is still a very good thing to monitor contaminants, such as dirt, water, fuel, acid etc.
On my 2010 Dodge, the fuel dilution was reported as <. 1 %-FTR and Viscosity was reported as 14. 3 cSt@100 C. Base Number was 5. 60 mg KOH/g. I had 14,000 miles on the oil at that time. I am quite comfortable with those reports.

I do respect your comments!

 

[jhenderson]

From what I understand many over the road trucks use an O. P. S. brand by-pass filter system. This unit has a heating element in it. The heater burns off fuel and coolant contamination, while the filter removes particles down to 1-2 microns. The down side is the cost and a more complicated installation.

 

[BlackBullit]

I totally agree with "amsoilman". Amsoil's OE oil would be a great way to go. Its competitively priced with all your other diesel oils, and you run it as long as your manual says.



Some thing to thing about: why would you run a dino oil in a $50,000 Truck?

 

[Bob4x4]

I totally agree with "amsoilman". Amsoil's OE oil would be a great way to go. Its competitively priced with all your other diesel oils, and you run it as long as your manual says.

Some thing to thing about: why would you run a dino oil in a $50,000 Truck?

If you are concerned with the engine warranty synthetic oil is a waste of money. The owners manual on the current 6. 7 says to NEVER Exceed 7500 mile intervals. Granted we see very few problems with the engine itself but if you are the one you will not care that you were the 1 out of thousands

 

[RustyJC]

Some thing to thing about: why would you run a dino oil in a $50,000 Truck?

Because many of the Dodge Cummins trucks have accumulated many hundreds of thousands of miles with a quality dino oil like Delo, Delvac, Premium Blue, Rotella, etc.

Rusty

 

[RJTaylor]

I have 2800 miles on my truck currently, and I switched to 5w-40 T6 Shell Rotella Synthetic (Blue Bottle) at 500 miles... no problems only advantages! I regularly start my truck in the winter here in AK at below 0, many times down at the -25/30F range... changing to the synthetic made the idle speed "hunting" disappear when first started at those temps. The reason I felt I needed to change over to syn so early was in our owners manual it specifically indicates synthetic oil when below a certain temp, I believe it was 0F. Also, I have been extremely pleased with how my new Cummins starts UNPLUGGED at -0F temps, a lot better than my old 7. 3L PS.

 

[RonD]

It's all in the Owners Manual, ask 10 people, your going to get 10 different answers on Brand, just follow the Manual on recomendations

I am ready for my first oil change on my 2010 Dodge 3500 drw 4x4, and am VERY confused about best engine oil to use. People say wait until 15K before switching to synthetic - some say don't switch at all. Owners manual is very vague except that it needs to be CJ-4. Dealership where I purchased uses a synthetic blend, another place I called uses Rotella T (non synthetic). Any suggestions?

 

[Cummins12V98]

The 2013 6. 7 will come from the factory with Rotella Synthetic in the pan!

 

[Bob4x4]

The 2013 6. 7 will come from the factory with Rotella Synthetic in the pan!

The reason for this is that they may be shipped to an arctic zone-nothing more nothing less

 

[ddown]

Actually it's Valvoline premium blue extreme 5-40 Extreme. Cummins Approved and all that goes in every engine at Cummins plant. MOPR/Ram has contract has with pennzoil/Shell no other reason to use. Before FIAT was Valvoline. any oil that meets CES Cummins SPEC 20081. Any oil that meets this is good. Delo, Rottella, Delvac, Valvoline, Many other brands. Thats all you need unless extreme climate conditions.