How often do you change your oil?

[Nate]

Do any of the Dodges have hour meters or you guys installing them?

I think this is by far the best way to change engine oil (by hours, I mean). I don't do it, but I still think it's the best way.



Ryan

 

[mwhals]

Do any of the Dodges have hour meters or you guys installing them?

There is an hour meter on the overhead display for the trucks in which it is installed.



Mark H

 

[rbattelle]

I'm not sure what mwhals is reffering to, but the odometer has an hourmeter display. Cycle it to read odometer (not trip), then insert key and turn to RUN. Depress the trip reset button and hold until the odometer displays "hr XXXX".



Ryan

 

[klenger]

... but the above only applies to the 3rd gens.

 

[JohnsonG]

10k with filter change out a 5k, amzoil...



If i tow it is a real light single car trailer with the boys v-6 powered race truck on it. mostly got it for the power and better milage over my 75 crew cab 454 chevy...



I would imagine i'd change it more often if I was working it harder towing an rv trailer...



g

 

[JHardwick]

I change mine every month whether it needs it or not, LOL. That's usually 12,000-15,000 and have gone 18,000. Oil samples have always come back good ... ... ..... 225,000 miles and no worries here!

 

[Gray 5.9]

every 10,000 with delo 400, lucas synthetic additive and purolater filter. Now at 91,566

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

every 10,000 with delo 400, lucas synthetic additive and purolater filter. Now at 91,566

Do your truck a favor and don't add the lucas additive to a perfectly formulated oil. Here's why: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

 

[DaveHess]

Dave, If you're using Mobil Delvac 1 5W/40 you can go waaaaay past 7500 miles. I know we all have our own comfort level but there's no way that oil is used up at the 7500 miles mark.

I would still be using Mobil Delvac 1 if it were more available. . but it's tough to find without going mail order. I'm now running Rotella Syn 5W/40 (not up to delvac spec's) and at 18K it still looks good.

Mike

Mike, Thanks for your input here. You are the second TDR member to tell me that. I think JJW has gone 20,000 on his Delvac 1 but don't quote me on this. My initial concerns were concerning warranty but the more I get into this truck and my desire to tweak her a little, the more inclined I am to proudly say I am my own warranty station! With that said, I think I am going to stretch the Delvac 1 out and depend on oil samples to keep me informed as to when to change. The oil change cost me about $105 to switch from Rotella T to Delvac 1. To appease my "comfort level", I was considering changing the oil once a year and filter every 3,750 miles. Any thoughts there??? Thanks again. Dave

 

[mhenon]

There's a lot of strategies when it comes to oil change intervals. . as you've read on this thread.

If you changed filters every month (I'm assuming 3750 miles per month) by the end of the year you would have replace 12 quarts (liters?) and that constitutes a complete change. So there would be no need to ever dump the oil from the crankcase. You could continue doing this forever.

I did just that for the past 4 years when we were full-time RV'ing. Never had to climb under the truck and get rid of used oil.

Now that I'm approaching 100K miles on the engine i'll go ahead and dump it and start all over. i guess that's my comfort level... top up with fresh oil every month and dump it every 100K.

Todays engines and oils are not what our fathers where using. A well broke-in Cummins engine should burn off little oil or by-pass any fuel into the crank to pollute the oil. If it does you have mechanical problems.

anyway, with a quality oil and mechanically fit engine you can go a long ways between changes.

Mike

 

[DaveHess]

3,750 a month! Wow. I haven't put that on in 6 months. We put one big trip on each year and then the truck does little trips. Pulling our 29' Jayco TT. I think I am going to stick to the 1x a year oil swap with filters every 3,750. BTW, how do you do oil samples without making a huge mess?????

 

[BuzzP]

I change my oil & filter every 3,750 when towing my fifth weel and 7,000 when around town.

 

[mhenon]

3,750 a month! Wow. I haven't put that on in 6 months. We put one big trip on each year and then the truck does little trips. Pulling our 29' Jayco TT. I think I am going to stick to the 1x a year oil swap with filters every 3,750. BTW, how do you do oil samples without making a huge mess?????

Guess that would be alot for the average Joe. We do that, and more, all the time. I have friends that haul hay and cattle for living and they think my mileage is light-weight.

Anyway, I was just trying to make the point that your oil is going to be fine whenever it is you decide to dump it. You'll more than likely be tossing perfectly good oil.

Mike

 

[2-ND TIME]

oil changes

You should change your oil in the first 1000 km's ( 600 Miles) in order to remove the metal from the machineing process. The 6 to 10 micron size are the worst. You should also change the none filtered oils in the rest of the items in the first 1000 miles. You will be very surprised how much metal is in the items.

 

[BillDriscoll]

about every 5000 which is about 150 hours. Never really thought about it until this thread, now I may streach it a tad more.



BillD

Pensacola Fl

 

[mhenon]

The key here is "well broke in" engine. I didn't switch to synthetic oil 'till 20K miles. It wasn't quite broke in yet but it had a load on it for 18K of that 20K.

Mobile Delvac 1 5W/40, in my opinion, is one of the best diesel engine oils on the market. If you're adding a quart of fresh oil every 2 or 3K miles I just don't see it wearing out with normal use... ... ever!

Mike

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

The key here is "well broke in" engine. I didn't switch to synthetic oil 'till 20K miles. It wasn't quite broke in yet but it had a load on it for 18K of that 20K.

Mobile Delvac 1 5W/40, in my opinion, is one of the best diesel engine oils on the market. If you're adding a quart of fresh oil every 2 or 3K miles I just don't see it wearing out with normal use... ... ever!

Mike

Mike,



You're exactly correct. With additional make up oil of D1 every 2-3K miles the oil would probably never deplete its' additive package. Couple that with a bypass filter to keep the oil clean and you have a real good chance of not having to ever change oil. As long as there is no contamination (fuel, coolant, etc... ) in the oil, D1 is dang hard to beat. D1 is one of the best, if not THE best HDD oil on the market. As always, a UOA every 10K miles will assist in knowing what shape the oil is really in to see how long you can go on drain intervals.

 

[DaveHess]

Guess that would be alot for the average Joe. We do that, and more, all the time. I have friends that haul hay and cattle for living and they think my mileage is light-weight.

Anyway, I was just trying to make the point that your oil is going to be fine whenever it is you decide to dump it. You'll more than likely be tossing perfectly good oil.

Mike

Hey Mike! I hope you didn't think I was being mouthy towards you! If you did I sincerely apologize. I appreciate the input you provided and I take all opinions into consideration. So, thanks as you've given me pause on MY oil change startegy!

 

[mhenon]

Hey Mike! I hope you didn't think I was being mouthy towards you! If you did I sincerely apologize. I appreciate the input you provided and I take all opinions into consideration. So, thanks as you've given me pause on MY oil change startegy!

No. . not at all. We just live a long way from anything and I forget not everyone puts 3K to 5K miles on their rig every month.

Mike

 

[posey-smoker]

I change my oil every 30K. I use AMSOIL Heavy Duty 15W40 Series 3000 oil. I change my filter every 10K. Use the Fleetguard Stratapor filter.