how often on oil change.. actual

[EricBu12]

Have almost 4k on new 09 . . Had one oil change at 1900. . Now overhead is saying oil change is required... These new 6. 7l. . Is it more imperative to change when it says or can I reset timer and do 5k like I always have?

 

[Simplysmn]

I do anywhere from 5 to 7 thousand before changing oil forget every 3 that's just a money maker for Dodge

 

[pwr2tow]

Have almost 4k on new 09 . . Had one oil change at 1900. . Now overhead is saying oil change is required... These new 6. 7l. . Is it more imperative to change when it says or can I reset timer and do 5k like I always have?

If you forgot to reset the oil change indicator when you changed oil then it still recognizes the first 1900 miles and doesn't know you changed it already. So you should still have at least that first 1900 miles more before changing the oil again.

Manual says 7500 miles and UOA support this.

I personally would run it longer.

Which oil did you change it with? I guess either way, conventional or synthetic wouldn't matter since the factory done their data approval with conventional oil.

 

[sag2]

On a 6. 7 because of the fuel that is going to get into the crankcase from normal emissions operation you need to follow the oil change light (preferred) or oil sample, not any time or mileage in the owners manual. Now let me clarify. The time and mileage in the owners manual is the maximum, assuming no light has come on yet, but chances are for most drivers this is not going to happen.

If the light comes on at 3,500 miles and you ignore it and drive it to 7,500 you will probably have around 10-12% fuel dilution in the oil, exactly what the manufacturer is trying to keep you from doing. So before you ignore the light, understand what you are doing and use sampling to verify the lubricant condition. Trying to be smarter than some engineer that is "just trying to be a money maker for Dodge", might just prove you right. They are going to make a LOT of money off you when YOU get to buy that engine!

And don't think you can outsmart them either, because the controller also keeps track of the oil change light, and it better match pretty close to your oil change records.

 

[odinjunior]

I Changed my oil on Friday for the second time at 8900 miles. I never got the oil change indicator and have never done a reset. Book says only reset if the indicator is on.

What would cause that much fuel dilution in such short mileage?

 

[jelag]

Sag2

We have an 08 that now has close to 100K on it... . 5500 BTW... we drive it like we stole it and have not felt or seen the re-gen process... we now go 10K between oil changes WITHOUT seeing the change oil indication... each time we have it serviced we reset the clock... can we assume that since the indicator is not going on... and everything seems good... . that we're ok with that long interval???

Thanks

 

[pwr2tow]

On a 6. 7 because of the fuel that is going to get into the crankcase from normal emissions operation you need to follow the oil change light (preferred) or oil sample, not any time or mileage in the owners manual. Now let me clarify. The time and mileage in the owners manual is the maximum, assuming no light has come on yet, but chances are for most drivers this is not going to happen.
If the light comes on at 3,500 miles and you ignore it and drive it to 7,500 you will probably have around 10-12% fuel dilution in the oil, exactly what the manufacturer is trying to keep you from doing. So before you ignore the light, understand what you are doing and use sampling to verify the lubricant condition. Trying to be smarter than some engineer that is "just trying to be a money maker for Dodge", might just prove you right. They are going to make a LOT of money off you when YOU get to buy that engine!
And don't think you can outsmart them either, because the controller also keeps track of the oil change light, and it better match pretty close to your oil change records.

But what he said he already changed the oil and forgot to reset the computer. So the computer thinks he has 4,000 miles on this oil change when in reality he only has 2,000

So I would just reset the computer, drive a few more thousand miles, change oil, reset computer. Live life, be happy.

 

[Newt]

I've heard all of these stories about the change oil coming on at short mileage. I've got ~4300 miles on my 09, about 800 of them towing 13,000#, no messsage yet

Newt

 

[Jim W]

Before I did the mods to my truck the oil change required light would come on anywhere from under 2000 miles to 6000 miles. This would occur under the following conditions. Winter driving with some idling engaged (High Idle set) 2000 miles. Camping season I could go as high as 6000 miles when pulling my 5er and a lot of highway driving.

From what I understand about this process. The more you work the truck and drive at highway speeds the engine oil will not see as much diesel fuel (complete burns will occur) and soot returning to the combustion chamber through the charge air in take (EGR). With city driving there are a lot more stops and starts and low speed driving. The engine will see more contaminates becoming entrain in the oil such as soot and diesel fuel.

I would all so notice that the engine oil level would increase a little on the dipstick over time. By the time of my oil change required light would come on the dipstick would be out of the safe zone.

For all of the newer members on this forum I would do a search of the magazine articles on 6. 7L oil change indicator. I believe this was around issue 56 or 57 the whole operation was explained.

 

[Hoefler]

I change mine every 7,500 miles. Never get the oil change message till about 8,500 miles. When I had the turbo replaced, I had a oil change message by the time I got home, about 60 miles. I had changed the oil 1500 miles before the work done. Called the dealer, they said clear it and drive it. I have had no issues with the engine or the exhaust system since, about 25,000 miles ago.

 

[tempforce]

i've only had the oil change light come on once. about 1200 miles after the oil was changed. i stopped and did the reset. i changed the oil at the next regular interval. no problems.

if there was fuel in the oil, the light would of come on again.

cc

 

[pwr2tow]

i've only had the oil change light come on once. about 1200 miles after the oil was changed. i stopped and did the reset. i changed the oil at the next regular interval. no problems.
if there was fuel in the oil, the light would of come on again.
cc

Correct and incorrect.
Yes to resetting if you forgot to reset at oil change if you have only driven a few miles.

Incorrect about the fuel in oil. There is no specomator (spelling) used to monitor oil. There is an alithogram used to determine when oil should be changed. Such as idle time, regens, miles driven, throttle position, load, etc. etc. the onboard computer uses to determine when an oil change should be expected.


You could dump a gallon of fuel through the oil fill hole and the computer wouldn't know the difference.

 

[Wygate]

When I had my issues I talked to Cummins directly a few times, the one thing I got from them that pertains to this post is that they only allow for a 5% fuel oil dilution. Most have now way to find this out accept send it out and have it tested. Knowing this it is much easer to change the oil if you suspect and issue and spend the few bucks to change the oil then risk the worst.

 

[EricBu12]

first oil change was at 1900 miles at dealer. . I assume they did the reset. So do I follow what the truck says and do a change?. . Have 400 now and want to go to 7500 which will be 5600 miles on the change. I drive enough that the engine does get warmed up but it has been 20-30 deg lately.

 

[Jim W]

first oil change was at 1900 miles at dealer. . I assume they did the reset. So do I follow what the truck says and do a change?. . Have 400 now and want to go to 7500 which will be 5600 miles on the change. I drive enough that the engine does get warmed up but it has been 20-30 deg lately.

Yes, I would change the oil NOW. Please refer to this article in TDR Issue 65.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...hives/216142-tdr-issue-65-cummins-column.html

This is by far the best explanation I have seen to date.

To me oil is a lot cheaper then a $7,000 to $8,000 engine.

Just my $0. 02

 

[Garlic]

I get the oil sampled at every oil change. Yea it adds cost per mile to your total, but, With the fuel dilution issues the 6. 7 has I wanted to be sure that extending it would be to my long term benefit. It has. 5% fuel dilution is the red flag, currently it has been around 3 - 4%, with in the limits of this engine. Wear metals are all normal or low, Insolubles (spl)(soot and dirt) are low, viscosity break down seems to occur around 4,500 mile with my driving habits. Currently I am running 5,000 mile services and watch my oil reports closely. Valvoline premium blue synthetic and a fleetguard stratopore filter. 40,000 on the clock. Got no issues.

 

[Jim W]

One more thing that I forgot to mention, is then you reset the over head display. Just sit in the dealer lot and reset the oil change indicator per the O and M guide in the truck.

Then you will know that the over head has been reset. Then you can see how many miles between oil changes that you are really getting with piece of mine.

Good luck.

 

[tempforce]

besides doing the key reset, i also set the overhead, miles traveled, to zero. so i remember how may miles i have on the oil without digging up receipts.

 

[jheier]

I tried to have the dealer change my oil at 3,000 miles and they sent me away. I took it in again at 5,000 and they did not want to change the oil again ,they told me to bring it back at 7,500 miles. They did the oil change only because I told them I was going on a 4,000 mile round trip vacation.



I had the dealer change the oil again at 12,500 and then again at 19,000 miles. Approximately 1,500 miles after the oil change the change oil light came on. I was in the middle of another 4,000 mile round trip. I was not really concerned until I read this post. I guess I'll be taking the truck in for another oil change before my next trip.



I started to follow the recommended oil change intervals set by Chrysler in the owner handbook after the dealer refused to change the oil every 3,000 miles. I just figured that the dealer forgot to reset the oil change meter last time.



Now should I be concerned I may have damage my engine? Will my premium extended warranty cover it a damaged engine?

 

[sag2]

So how many times total has your oil change light been on? Just once? If that is the case you are good to go. Most likely the dealer didn't reset it at 19,000 and it came on based on 9,000 since the change before that assuming the dealer reset it then.