2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Maintenance schedule

[RussW1911]

OK, You here about the engines that go 200k and more with no major problems. Then you hear about the 10k and dead 14k and dead. I am at 16k on 2002 and no probs so far except for my 3rd gear synchros. What type of schedule is everyone using? How is it working? Thanks for the info. Russ

 

[Sticks]

Recommendations - Get a fuel pressure gauge number one quick.



I still do all my maintenance on the 3000 intervals. I follow the manual, but all my steps are 3k, not 3750, or 7000. Dino oil is cheap, and frequent changes on everything is cheap insurance that the engine will live longer. I do all the work myself, and buy my supplies from anyone but the dealer. The last set of filters came from Cummins Rocky Mountain. Genos also has real good prices.

 

[illflem]

203k

I started out with 3k oil changes but by doing oil analysis in increasing increments found that the Delo oil was still good to go at 10k, figured 8k was a very safe interval and the tests have shown it is. Can't imagine going back to changing oil every other week.

With a FP gauge I go 25 k on the fuel filter, the change interval can vary with the fuel, you might go only 10 miles before it clogs or 50k, without a gauge you're just guessing.

50k on dino diff and trans fluid.

Filter minder indicates when to service the airfilter, 80k is average.



My feeling many folks here way overservice their rigs.

 

[RussW1911]

Thanks for the input

I have been following the owners manual except for the interval. I have been doing service at 3000 since the engine is still new. Using the Valvoline blue for the Cummins. Have had good luck with the WIX Oil, fuel, and BHAF. Any thoughts on these filters? I want to switch over to all synthetic oils in everything, but I have heard that amsoil is hard on seals. That is just what I was told, can't say it was a reliable source. He was a service tech at a dodge dealer. Who is a good source of the dino/dilo oil? The Fuel pressure, EGT, and Boost guages are in the works. I know how important the FP guage is. any thoughts on which FP guage to go with? Thanks for the info.

 

[GMocanu]

Re: 203k

Originally posted by illflem



My feeling many folks here way overservice their rigs.

I have to agree. Read this board to much and you'll come away with the feeling that these engines will fall apart if you're not maintaining them on a weekly basis. I don't see how under normal driving conditions changing the oil every 3k is any better than changing the oil every 7. 5k esspecially given the high quality of the oil that is used.



Now I do have a question about the length of time that oil can be left in the engine. I've read from 3 months all the way up to a year. For many here time is not an issue because of the miles that many of these rigs are driven in a year. This however is not the case for me. I have a service van for my bussiness and my truck is mostly driven for pleasure. My Dodge gasser that I had before my CTD had been driven less than 8k per year for the last 3 years that I had it. So you can see that a 7. 5k oil change would be about a years time. I used a 5k oil change that made it about 8-9 months that the oil was in the truck.



I drive my CTD more because I love driving it but at most I'm only going to put about 12-15k miles on it in a years time. I'd love to use Amsoil but if time is the limiting factor for my oil changes then the cost of Amsoil just doesn't seem worth it unless it can stay in the engine for at least a year. My previous truck had been known to sit for more than a week without being started. I doubt that this one will but you never know. I do plan on keeping this truck for a loooong time. I don't care for the new quiet engines so I want this one to last.

 

[JJW_ND]

These engine burn very clean

I agree with Bill on the dino oil. I ran 6K changes on dino oil. Switched to synthetics at 60K and up the changes to 24K. No bypass, just a new filter every 6K. I have sampled every 6K starting at about 20K. I hotshotted for the first 190K (extreme pulls, over loaded, arctic winter driving). I have never had an oil sample show the oil breaking down, wearing out, or over loaded with contaminents or SOOT. NEVER! Even out to 26K with synthetic.



I have also seen the condition fo the head, cylinder walls, rocker arms after 200K miles and these longer oil drains. I would guess it was as good or cleaner the a 3K oil change truck.



Those of you changing at 3K, why don't you change the tires at 10K. There are relatively cheap. It would be good insurance to prevent a blow out or tire failure. You don't becuase you can see many more miles of useful life yet! The same applies with oil. Grab a sample if you need proof. Todays oils are awsome. Our Cummins engines run extremely clean.



Rather the push synthetics, I think dino oil such as Delo or Rotella changed ever 6K if you drive less then 2K per month should be the more conservative. The 3G oil change is 7. 5K on the severe side and 15K for normal driving. If you run more then 2K per month even towing or heavy hauling I would change the filter (Stratapore LF3894 is one best) ever 5K and oil at 10.



Any engine falure resulting from a leaking injector, antifreeze leak, etc will do its damage in 3K or less miles. This is were a oi sample ever 10K or more would be more benificial the dumping the oil ever 3K.



JMO



jjw

ND

 

[illflem]

Re: Thanks for the input

Originally posted by RussW1911

Have had good luck with the WIX Oil, fuel, and BHAF. Any thoughts on these filters?

Most all of my 200k were on Wix fuel and oil filters until very recently when I got a bunch of Fleetguards for free. For air I use K&N.

I want to switch over to all synthetic oils in everything, but I have heard that amsoil is hard on seals.

Not true. What causes leaks when changing to synthetic is the syn oil cleaning out dino oil gunk that was plugging the leaks. This is mainly a concern on high mileage rigs, no need to worry on yours.

 

[Rman]

Bill,

How often do you service your K&N filter? I have a aFe megacannon, and have put about 15000 miles on it so far. The filter minder hasn't moved at all, and well the filter looks pretty dirty even with the outerwear on it.



I've heard that these type of filters filter better when they're "dirty", and that cleaning then all the time is not worth the time or money.

 

[illflem]

I've been going every 80k even though the minder hasn't moved.

In a little over 200k I've only serviced it twice!

In fact I've only opened the airbox twice. I live in a dusty agricultural area on a dirt road, if you live in a city I'd venture to say 100k would be very safe.

As long as the minder isn't getting pulled down and the turbo is clean there's not much more you can ask for.

 

[Steve Campbell]

Illflem...

you stated... "I started out with 3k oil changes but by doing oil analysis in increasing increments found that the Delo oil was still good to go at 10k, figured 8k was a very safe interval and the tests have shown it is. "



What % of "allowable" were you on things like ... . soot... . at that mileage?



I ran some Kendall to 15,000 with a bypass filter; all of the wear metals were great and I had not reached 50% of allowable on things like soot!