New Cummins engine oil

[LPChristensen]

When my truck hit 2000 miles, I had the engine oil changed, as several TDR members have done as well. I thought/assumed as others have, that there is bound to be metal shaving, dust, dirt and whatever, even in a quality engine like Cummins, built on a quality assembly line. A few days ago I was at a diesel shop looking for Stanadyne diesel fuel additive and I was talking to one of the guys at the counter. The conversation got around to oil and oil changes and I tell him that I changed my oil a couple of weeks ago at 2K miles. He say, "big mistake", that the Cummins leaves the factory with a synthetic oil that is meant to be in the engine for 15,000 miles and unless I replace the old oil with the same synthetic oil the Cummins uses, I might not be too happy down the line. I went home and got out my trusty service manual and see nothing about synthetic oil unless I use the truck in the arctic area (page 193), and South Texas is pretty far from arctic conditions. I did notice one other thing. When I was reading about maintenance schedules, for A and B, the manual says that "Note: Most vehicles are operated under conditions listed in Schedule "B". (page 349) So it looks like most of us should get our oil changes every 7500 miles and the stuff the DC was putting out about the 15 K oil changes is pretty much hype. Does the the mighty Cummins leave the factory with synthetic oil? And if it does, which I really doubt, is it a "big mistake" to replace it with regular API Service CI-4 oil? Thanks, in advance, for putting my mind at ease.

 

[MMeier]

First I've heard of that one!!!

 

[Scrappy]

Syn.

New one to me too, Synthetic is supposed to be more slippery than conventional oil, therefore you aren't supposed to run it until the engine is broken in. The synthetic will not let the parts "wear in".

 

[Steve M]

I don't know what the ISBe comes with but, I've owned four Cummins powered Dodges from '95 to '03. This one sure looked and felt like synthetic oil at the first change at 7500. I put Shell Rotella back in and all is well. I'm not going to worry about it.

 

[ralphr]

I thought Iv'e read that cummins does not recomend using any synthetic oil in the ISB??? Mabey differant in big rigs? or mabey the "mechanic" you were talking was just blowing smokeOo.

 

[lschultz]

I think he was blowing smoke up your --- or he did not know what he was talking about. I think they put Vavoline Premium Blue in at the factory. Thats what I used till I got it broke in. I'm running Amsoil 15w40 in it now. I used Delco 400 15w40 in my 91,95,98,00 before I went to Amsoil. I don't think they put syn. oil in them from the factory.

 

[SilverFox]

I vote for blowing smoke...



However, I'd like to hear from one of the guys that really knows. I put Rotella in at 5000 miles at a camp ground in CA. Yes I got permission form the manger after I showed her the water proof mattress cover I bought to make sure no drips hit the ground. Got rid of the oil at the local NAPA store. Won't say what I did with the filter

 

[JohnSS]

On the Cummins site they have a faq about engine break in. Here is the link:

http://www.cummins.com/na/pages/en/....cfm?uuid=44F01326-FC52-11D3-984A0004AC33EA57

 

[adsharpe]

Go to the website and find "contact us". Ask the Powermaster and he will tell you that they DO NOT factory fill synthetic.



I have the email but too lazy to quote it. :--)

 

[ttreibel]

I vote also for blowin smoke.



I have heard you want to run Dino oil in these RIGS until 30K. The reason being explained to me is the rings need to properly seat and Synthetic is just to slippery.



That being said 2K seems awful early to be doing the first oil change. With the 1 ton and schedule B I think the manual says 3750 is the first oil change. I am using the 7500 change interval and the oil that came out last time still looked amazingly clean.



I am almost to 15K when the oil change and fuel filters will get swapped out. I use Delo 15-40 will probably switch to Valvoline Premium Blue at 30K after the Break-in Period.



I needed to add oil twice before my first change but this time the dip stick still reads full so maybe the rings have seated themselves.



And for those darn factory filters on tight!

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by LPChristensen



A few days ago I was at a diesel shop looking for Stanadyne diesel fuel additive and I was talking to one of the guys at the counter. The conversation got around to oil and oil changes and I tell him that I changed my oil a couple of weeks ago at 2K miles. He say, "big mistake", that the Cummins leaves the factory with a synthetic oil that is meant to be in the engine for 15,000 miles and unless I replace the old oil with the same synthetic oil the Cummins uses, I might not be too happy down the line.

Wonder why this genius worked behind the counter at a diesel shop when he doesn't know what he is talking about. I bet he even suggested you use transmission fluid in your fuel system . It is a great idea to change oil and filter within the first 1-2K miles. You never need to run synthetic in your CTD. If you have any questions about your CTD ask the guys on the TDR.

 

[champspa]

well I'm still happy and have 148k on mine. the breakin oil came out at 4k

 

[Tony T.]

I made it a point to ask at the dealership if I needed to use any specific type or brand of oil when I bought the truck new. You know like Mopar brand. Their reply was any good multigrade oil. I change mine every 5000 miles use Chevron Delo 400 multigrade 15w-40. Even sent a email to Cummins about the brand I was going to use, they said the Chevron was a good oil. Nothing ever said about using a syntheic oil.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

I have done some minor research on breakin. Do what the book says was the final consensus. Some manufacturers put in a special break in or ring seating blend and its best if left in the engine. If you try to outsmart the guys that build it youll only be counterproductive.

 

[Pit Bull]

Dodge/Cummins does not use any special breakin oil from the factory.

 

[dieselpilot1969]

If I make anyone mad or offend anyone I appologize but I have to say this, How in the heck can putting sythetic oil in an engine screw it up, it just seems that less friction in a motor is a good thing provided that it is givin adequate time to wear in, I mean from what I hear about oil annalysis that all the things dino oil ends up with over time and synthetic winds up with less of like (silicon and soot) is also a good thing! I'm not knocking dino oil, just the notion of synthetic being bad for a motor!

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by dieselpilot1969

If I make anyone mad or offend anyone I apologize but I have to say this, How in the heck can putting synthetic oil in an engine screw it up, it just seems that less friction in a motor is a good thing provided that it is given adequate time to wear in, I mean from what I hear about oil analysis that all the things Dino oil ends up with over time and synthetic winds up with less of like (silicon and soot) is also a good thing! I'm not knocking Dino oil, just the notion of synthetic being bad for a motor!

Your right synthetic is great after "break-in". The reason many continue to use Dino is cost and how long they plan on keeping the truck. Example - my truck is stock, only drive around 18K miles per year, figure I can do oil and filter with Fleetguard and Rotella and the truck will fall apart before I can wear out the CTD. Everybody has different requirements so that is why members use different oil. Trust me it is not because they have not gotten all of the facts and not had a chance to make up their own mind. Also requirements change. If I started driving 5K miles a month, I would look into synthetic and bypass filtration, saving me time and money in the long run. But we do love to :-{} discuss the reasons why :-laf

 

[ralphr]

break in

also, from what I've noticed, break in varies greatly depending on who you are, what is your driving habits, what do you haul/tow, where you live , etc..... personally I noticed that my old 99 "broke in" at about 35K miles. nothing specific, but by the seat of my pants, one day I was driving down the road, and "bang" it changed and I was convinced that it was now "broke-in". prehaps one of the reasons for the long break in period was that after 12K miles I started using synthetic motor oils, mabey if I had waited until 18 or 24 K miles it would have broken in sooner.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I also vote for the blowing smoke theory. As a side note, When a friend bought a new Kenworth the dealer said it would have synthetic throughout the power train with the exception of the 8. 3 Cummins .

 

[PhilMorrell]

I'm new, so hello, and this is a great site.



Cummins says not to use synthetic until after breakin in their FAQ's page (question #23).

Is it OK to use synthetic oil with my Cummins engine?





Cummins recommends that you not use synthetic motor oil during the break-in period of 5000-20,000 miles, based on the type of driving, to allow proper seating of the piston rings. Beyond that mileage it is OK to use synthetic oil.