Oil and Oil filter

[KevinLange]

Hi all new to the TDR. This is my first diesel truck and I was wondering what is the best oil and filter to use on my truck? I have a 2002 HO engine, any help would be appreciated.

 

[RT66DOC]

Welcome to TDRLand. Most use Fleetguard filters. Get 'em mailorder from Geno's.



Oil? Many opinions: Delo, Rotella, Delvac 1 (aka "Truck & SUV" at Walmart), Amsoil, plus others. Not Delvac 1300. Periodic oil analysis is a good idea.

 

[Truckie]

Welcome aboard. The best friend you will find here on this site is the search function. There are days worth of reading about which oil and filter to use, and can lead to some pretty good wars around here.

I use the Fleet Guard filters from either Genos or the Cummins dealer. As far as oil I use Shell Rotell. I think I spelled it right. Forgive if I did not.



Mike

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

I use Fleetguard filters also. I have been using Shell Rotella T with no problems, (128000 on my 96, doesn't use a drop), but figured I'd try Delo 400 this time.



Jim

 

[klaybus]

FleetGuarrd & Delo..... 77k miles FWIW



Clay

 

[Grizzly]

I like Delo 400 and Fleetguard. I believe I have already welcomed you on a previous Tread, if not then, WELCOME. After I reach 20K miles I will most likely switch to Amsoil.

 

[SHobbs]

Fleetguard stratopore and Delo400 15w-40 every 6k. 156,000 so far.

 

[Jengle]

Fleetguard from Geno's and Mobil 1300 Delvac Super 15w-40. Change every 5k. Tried Rotella T, got a sound just like the injector knock, switched back to the Mobil, and it has been quiet since. 63k and counting.

 

[MKinner]

I think one thing we all can agree on is using Fleetguard filters, LF16035. I as well switch to Amsoil 15W40 and will be hitting the 10,000 mile mark on it this week. It will be my first extened drain interval, so I am curious to see what my oil sample will say... Oh, BTW, welcome and don't forget to blink yours eyes when researching the threads. #ad

 

[RT66DOC]

I've been using Delo - no problems but I'm switching all our vehicles to Amsoil next time. It's kind of a screw the big four protest thing. :-laf

 

[KevinLange]

Thanks to all for the help, i'm sure this site was money well spent.

 

[cruiser_2]

well folks I use Rotella 15W-40 and Wix filters (wix also makes filters for Dodge, Cummings, Ford and most other major manufacturers) Brother was employed by cummings and got most of their filters for the Cummings Plant in Columbus IN from Wix plant in Cookville, TN. Brother was materials manager for plant. Ya'll are right can't beat a Fleetguard, but Wix is more easily purchased and costs about the same, and if you look int the Amsoil literature, wix is the best filter on the market. I have 456,000 miles on my 98 and still going strong. I use it as a daily driver work truck.



Oh byt the way you were right, the information in this forum and magazine is more than worth the price of admission. Wish I would have found this place earlier.



John

 

[Ncostello]

well folks I use Rotella 15W-40 and Wix filters (wix also makes filters for Dodge, Cummings, Ford and most other major manufacturers) Brother was employed by cummings and got most of their filters for the Cummings Plant in Columbus IN from Wix plant in Cookville, TN. Brother was materials manager for plant. Ya'll are right can't beat a Fleetguard, but Wix is more easily purchased and costs about the same, and if you look int the Amsoil literature, wix is the best filter on the market. I have 456,000 miles on my 98 and still going strong. I use it as a daily driver work truck.



Oh byt the way you were right, the information in this forum and magazine is more than worth the price of admission. Wish I would have found this place earlier.



John

That's Cummins... not Cummings. No "g" in there.



Why would Cummins Inc buy WIX filters when Fleetguard is in-house? Isn't Fleetguard and Cummins very closely related?

 

[kelly4463]

Fleetguard and Amsoil hear

 

[BK]

Fleet Guard 4-2-1 kits from Geno's (good savings).

Been using Castrol RX Super 15w-40for diesels, doesn't have the Shell funny smells when running.



Now that Mobil 1 has their Truck / Diesel / SUV synthetic out and around here I'll use the 5w-40 this winter. It's twice the price ($20/5qts container) of using the Castrol dyno oil ($1. 80/qt), but now I don't feel bad leaving it in all winter for 6K miles.

 

[BK]

That's Cummins... not Cummings. No "g" in there.



Why would Cummins Inc buy WIX filters when Fleetguard is in-house? Isn't Fleetguard and Cummins very closely related?

Yes Cummins owns Fleetguard, more correctly: Fleetguard is a subsidiary of Cummins.



From Fleetguard's news page from a recent article:

"Fleetguard Inc. , headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. , is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cummins Inc. and is the world's leading manufacturer and specialist of filtration and exhaust products and systems for diesel engines "



From a corporate research indexes:

"Fleetguard, Inc. is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of filtration products and exhaust systems for heavy-duty diesel equipment, and makes engine components for many of the major OEMs in America. Originally founded as a spin-off from Cummins in 1958, it began with just two staff members who sewed cloth bag filters by hand. "



I tried WIX when I first purchased my ISB power Dodge,and there were burs and shavings on the threads, threw that sucker away. And it just wasn't built the same. The plate with the return holes was much different, the Fleetguard had many many more larger holes.



DC dealers want an arm and a leg for the filter products for our Cummins. But arms and legs are in short supply since that's the cost of fuel now.



At one time I had seen a list of approved filter for the ISB/Dodge application, as to retain your warranty. WIX wasn't on there at the time, neither most others. Just DC and Fleetguard and one other which I can not remember. Maybe someone else does.



Geno's has a nice package deal on real Fleetguard filters.

For less than the cost of 4 oil filters at the dealer, or the cost of one fuel filter and one oil filter at the dealer, I get 4 oil filters, 2 fuel filters and one air filter from Genos.



Call of Visit Geno's and protect your investment and buy a Fleetguard 4-2-1 kit for your year truck.

 

[BK]

DC TSB, approved oil filters to keep your warranty.

HA , found it. . TSB...



http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2001/09-004-01.htm



This TSB lists the approved p/n's and manufacturers of oil filters for the Cummins/Dodge ISB. Read it for more details, but here's some clippings:



Direct DC Comment on TSB:

"DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE OF OIL FILTER NOT APPROVED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER MAY NOT BE COVERED BY THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY. DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING OIL FILTERS. DO NOT USE ANY OIL FILTER CONTAINING NEOPRENE. "



PartNumber / Manufacturer

05016547AC / Mopar

LF3894 / Fleetguard Stratopore

LF3552 / Fleetguard Microglass

LF3949 / Fleetguard Cellulose

3937695 / Cummins Cellulose

FL896 / MotorCraft Cellulose

L45335 / Purolator Cellulose

PF1070 / AC Delco Cellulose







Comment from the TSB posting:

"What does this TSB mean?

If you use one of the filters in this list, you will not have to worry about warranty coverage of an oil related engine failure. If you choose to use another filter that is not on the list, DC will (justifiably) make you pay for repairs if a piston cooling nozzle becomes clogged by a piece of filter material. Some filters have disintegrated resulting in severe engine damage. When this happens, you must seek compensation from the manufacturer of the filter (numerous reports of Fram failures have surfaced recently, and Wix filters damaged some 1st Gen engines back in the 90's). If the manufacturer is standing behind their product, they will pay for the repairs. GOOD LUCK! Is saving a few bucks on an oil filter really worth the risk of a $4000 repair bill? Your decision... "

 

[cruiser_2]

Hi Ncostello... they also have ownership in Wix, in Onan, Fleetguard and many other companies related to their business. Many things are packaged differently for the consumer whereas when you buy things for production it doesn't have all the fancy packaging. I guess they may be able to get filters cheaper at Wix with fewer transportation costs. They use Wix filters exclusively in Onan generators... why wouldn't they use Fleetguard??



Sorry about the typo... I think faster than I can type and didn't catch that one.



I guess the more important thing is not that each of us have their own preference for oil and filters, rather that the oil and filter are changed at regular intervals and a good idea is to have oil sampling done routinely to see how your engine/transmission/ or whatever is not generating metal from fatigue of parts. Only routine testing will determine the overall change and deterioration over a long period of time.



John

 

[BK]

I can't find ownership of Wix by Cummins.

The Parent company that I can trace Wix to is DANA, wholey owned.

I can't find any ownership of DANA by Cummins.



Wix was founded in 1939 by Jack Wicks and Paul G. Crawshaw.

1979, DANA bought Wix.

Only two ownership events I can find and find backup for.



I agree on the Onan, well known, but there doesn't seem to be a trace line over to Wix from Cummins. Wix did a little work directly with Ford on EOM stuff.



DANA, who owns Wix, also owns Clevite who makes after market engine parts, they make replacement aftermarket internal parts for the ISB. But still can't find ownership through those lines either.



The one project I can find reference to is that Onan at one time designed or specified their own filters, "Onan branded filters" and they used WIX (which does OEM work) to manufacture them.



Why? Probably was cheaper than having Fleetguard build them. It's called outsourcing. It's like GM owning Delco and Delco selling electronic systems and parts to Ford who owns Visteon, it happens in the industry. The same thing with axles... . they're all buying from each other at different times.



I agree that there are choices and we will all have our own preferences.



The oils are the best example, so many that will work... and so many designed for the application with documented approvals and ratings. So pretty safe here.



But items such as warranty coverage on a very expensive engine is important to most (and me).



So while we all have our preferences, our choices should be made with all the facts on the table.



The DC TSB is an important piece of information if your not your own warranty station.



If you use a filter not on the DC list of approved filters, don't cry if they deny warranty when the bottom drops out of your engine.

The list is reasonable, they have a few aftermarket very common well known brands.



For me, I wont bother saving the few bucks on a $10K engine by going cheap on the filter. But that's me. I get a good enough deal from Geno's 4-2-1 kit.



Fact: Many DC dealers use every trick to deny warranty. DC circulates memos of things to look for. There has been so many rants on this site and other Dodge Ram sites about this. Including taking the time to looking for signs if a box had been installed and removed before it was brought in for warranty repair. To denying warranty to Jeep owners because there's is some mud on the firewall.



My thought: So why give them another excuse?

 

[cruiser_2]

I have been using WIX for 450,000+ miles no problems and last oil analysis shows some wear, but not appreciable. No small residual metal flakes in drained oil when magnet run through. Filter shows normal accumulations of particulate matter when opened up and inspected ( you can buy an oil filter cutting tool at Aircraft Spruce and Specality and open filters without getting other stuff in them and see just what you are filtering and what the filtering media is. ) Do that every oil change, just like in Aircraft.



Yes many dodge dealers will do the best to deny warranty on ANYTHING. That's why I'll never own another dodge. I'll keep this one till the darn thing completely falls apart, I figure I have another 300,000 miles left. What people fail to realize is that the mechanics in a dealership don't get paid Squat for warranty work. Usually less that half the actual time they spend working a problem. Chrysler/Dodge is even worse. Mercedes though is rather generous with its time allowance. That's why a mechanic in a dealership learns all the little tricks about the vehicles, then goes out on their own to make better money. That's why most warranty work is so poor. Nobody wants to do it and they make every effort and excuse to deny a warranty claim.