Just got a new '07, have ?'s

[JPLB22]

I just sold my '03 and bought a brand new '07 QC LB 5. 9 with 48re, 4x4 . It's been a while since I've had a brand new truck with a brand new engine to brake in. I'll take it a little easy for the first 500 miles before I start towing. Then at 1000 miles I'll change all fluids front to back. My questions are ...



1. Is it o. k. to go with redline 75w90 in the front and rear diffs that soon?



2. I started using Stanadyne right from the first tank full, is that o. k. ?



3. Is there anything else I should do for my brand new truck ?



TIA



Jeff

 

[rbattelle]

What makes you want to change to Redline? I mean, I'm sure it will be fine, but if you're worried whether it's okay to use, why not just stick with the stock fluid?

Should be fine to use Stanadyne right from the first tank. I don't see what it could harm.

Ryan

 

[JPLB22]

I can get the Redline fluid for pretty close to what the dealers around here charge for their fluid, and I feel the Redline fluid is better. The only basis I have for thinking the Redline is better is that on my first fluid change on the '03, the fluid came out looking pretty dirty. I bought the '03 with 23,400 miles on it, so I'm not sure if the previous owner ever changed out the original fluid or not. Every fluid change after the first one, I used Redline, and the fluid always came out looking very good. So I figure if cost is similar I might as well use what makes me comfortable.



Jeff

 

[BHolm]

By all means, do what makes you comfortable. I don't see any problem switching to Redline right away, the stock fluid is synthetic anyway so there is no transition from dino to synthetic to be made.



Not sure I would ever bother with Stanadyne, from what I understand that stuff is mostly diesel fuel. I've never used an additive, and never had an issue. I have never seen any quantifiable benefit to using additives either, nothing that justifies the cost.



Once you get past the 500 mile rear end break-in, I would run it as hard as you can to shorten the engines break-in. I would also keep dino in the engine until at least 30k miles. It takes that long to get these things broken in unless you tow big daily. I have found that changing to synthetic (in the engine) too soon slows the break-in and the accompanying fuel economy increases.



Enjoy the new truck

 

[DPKetchum]

Waste of money and fliuds to change anything but oil and filter that soon.

 

[JPLB22]

I was just thinking I was doing a good thing by getting rid of all of the break-in fluids? I've already got the diff fluid because I was just getting ready to do it on the '03 before I decided ( with the wifes blessing of course ) to buy a new truck. I'll just need to buy some ATF for the transmission and transfer case. But maybe it is overkill on the diffs, transmission, and transfer case, I don't know ?



Stanadyne, I figure, is cheap enough that it's good insurance.



Jeff

 

[roperteacher]

I have to disagree with the "Waste of money and fluids" post above. If you take a look at your Diff fluid that came from the Factory, it looks like Crap and UOA's have proved it IS CRAP! Cdonaldson on this forum send in a UOA on the rear diff fluid from facotry and it was about as bad as it gets. Also, if you bought an 07 ( I bought an 07 on July 10 and it was made Dec 13th 06) then it has sat a while!! Motor oil tends to become acidic as I understand it. . I see absolutely no reason not to change out the fluids at 1,000 miles. I did the same exact thing. Amsoil went into the diff, Manual Trans, and Premium blue into the Motor... Shoot, I even changed out the Power steering to Amsoil. .

 

[DPKetchum]

The diff fliud from the factory has some color do it with set lube etc. I've seen these trucks towing 90% of the time get the FIRST diff fliud chage at 100k and it didn't look much differant. So many folks on these sites are so quick to start changing this and that on these trucks sometimes its very humorous. Most folks DON"T do all this stuff to BRAND NEW vehicles and have very few issues. I believe in maintance but damn some on these sites are over the top and most don't even work these trucks like their designed to be worked.

 

[Triton]

it's been said by many who have done it including myself that from the factory, the diff. is not only low on oil but, has a lot of break-in metal in it. It very well may be able to go a long time without a change but, my vote would be to change to what ever you like. It can't hurt.

 

[DPKetchum]

There hasn't been a post I can think of since 03 early 04 about low oil in a diff. That was the EARLY 3rd generation trucks and not all of them. Mine wasn't low when I checked it. Anyhow I just fine it humourous that so many owners are so quick to start spending BUCKS on these brand new vehicles and do it themselves when some by just reading their posts would have a hard time with a lawnmower that won't run. just something thats been on my mind a few years. Thought I'd express it.

 

[Triton]

you need to get out more cause it's happening with the newer trucks also. Maybe not on this site but, there's been several posts about it.



I may not have changed my oil right off the bat but, because I changed the diff. cover I had to. While in there I saw how low it was and how bad it looked !

 

[DPKetchum]

Well I read several Dodge sites,a Ford site and one G. M. Guess I missed the posts about low fliud over the last few years.

 

[JPLB22]

I would have to agree with DPKetchum that I don't put my truck to the test every day. I tow a large travel trailer maybe once a month and a single place car hauler once in a great while. I'll also agree that most people don't change fluids and do maintenance like we of the TDR do. But what the heck !



I will be taking a long unloaded trip this weekend and I'll make sure to check diff level fluid and also transfer case fluid before I set out. I'll report back if any of those three are low. Everything that you check under the hood I've already checked and the levels were spot on.



Jeff