Oil Change... by Mileage or Time..

[dvieira]

since I retired last year, and was driving 66 miles home/work/home, now my truck is parked in front of house, i drive it probably once a week, BUT curious as to the engine oil, when i changed oil, {9-15-19} mileage was 203494, and now it's 204317, i use Royal Purple, anyhoo, wondering if I use mileage to determine to change engine oil, or do I go by the time period. {months etc}...

Thank You, dave

 

[Tractorat]

Ive been told to not let it go more than a year. I use Red Line.

 

[HPSimpson]

I do my mileage because i tow a trailer, average out to be twice a year.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Take a sample and send it to BlackStone.

 

[Joe Mc]

I typically change every 3-4k depending on how frequently / how long I drive, try to not let it go more than 4k, I use Rotella 15/40. My rule of thumb, although I've never had to go this route due to my driving frequently, is change it once a year if you don't get 3-4k on it. What I understand is as you drive the oil reaches operating temp, then after shutdown it cools and collects a wee bit of moisture due to heat/condensation, once you drive it again it reaches operating temp and this "wee bit of moisture" gasses off/out of the crankcase. What I've learned is the key here is how long you drive it after operating temp which can depend a lot on outside air temp and % humidity. If you only drive once a week and only for a few miles or 10 then it goes thru the cool down cycle and then you drive a short distance again, it never really gets run enough to "pass off" the "wee bit of moisture" and as we all know water and oil don't mix too well. So, best bet change it once a year. If you don't drive it much anymore before you change the oil (that once a year) make sure you drive it till it reaches full operating temp then go an extra 20 or so miles without stopping, then change the oil while its hot. I hate doing a "hot" oil change but with the little you drive it's best to do it this way as any "wee bit" of moisture should be gassed off and then you know you have nothing but oil in the crankcase. Hope this helps.

 

[Iron Duke II]

https://www.royalpurple.com/consumer/why-synthetics/
With Royal Purple full synthetic motor oil, feel free to change your oil every 12,000 miles, or 12 months (whichever comes first).

 

[GAmes]

Change it when the oil analysis comes back as needing replacement. I'm currently changing oil at 30,000 miles with a filter change at 15,000 miles. My oil filter is a duel element bypass type filter (Fleetguard LF9028) My samples come back as good at 30k, by the way. I only change it because it is so black. In the past, using a common Fleeetguard LF 16035 I have sent in 10,000 mile samples that came back as continue use. It isn't about which brand of oil you use for extended drains, it is the filtration. It also doesn't matter if it is synthetic or conventional. Oil doesn't wear out, but it does get contaminated by dirt and metal particles, and some times fuel or coolant. To me, that is the selling point of sampling, it gives you a heads up if the air filter isn't efficient, if you have an internal part going south, if an injector is leaking or if a gasket has failed. It takes a long time for the additives in modern oil to dissipate and most diesels use enough oil that keeping the crankcase full replenishes those additives. OTR engines with bypass filtration go hundreds of thousands of miles between drains. At any rate, changing oil based on mileage or time is a waste of time and money.

 

[SAndreasen]

I was going 15000 miles with oil analysis every time never had a bad report . I would change it once a year at least even if you are not putting many miles on

 

[fest3er]

... It isn't about which brand of oil you use for extended drains, it is the filtration. It also doesn't matter if it is synthetic or conventional. Oil doesn't wear out, but it does get contaminated by dirt and metal particles, and some times fuel or coolant. ...

In fact, lube *can* wear out. Conventional oil can thicken as the lighter components evaporate; synthetics have a much narrower range of molecules and suffer muhc less from volatility. All lubes can suffer from shear, though synthetics are often less susceptible to it. The additives in lubes do deplete over time; specifically, those that counter the acids of combustion are used up over time. Changing the filter and adding makeup oil can be enough to replenish additives.

But you are right WRT filtration. A good full-flow filter will filter down to around 12 microns at 98% efficiency. A good bypass filter will filter down to around 2 microns at 98% efficiency. 12 microns is still a *little* large; 2 microns is definitely smaller than the thickness of the oil bearing.

Before 60k, I changed the engine lube and filter in my '98 around every 12k miles, as Dodge instructed. At 60k, I installed a bypass filter unit in my '98 and filled it with Amsoil Diesel & Marine 15W40. I did not again drain the oil until 290k; I changed the full flow filter every 12k and the bypass filter every 24k and added makeup oil. The truck is still my daily driver at 325k, though these days it's a good year if I put 5k on the odo.

Generally speaking, use a good synthetic and change the engine lube at least once a year in the spring; during winter, heat expansion and cold contraction can draw significant water vapor into an engine where it condenses and can cause rust. Otherwise follow the lube mfr's directions. For example, Amsoil says change the lube and filter 25k miles or once per year (pre-DEF), whichever comes first, provided you use Amsoil filters; otherwise change the filter at 12k and add makeup lube.

 

[SAndreasen]

Cut a wix apart and I wasn’t impressed with it

 

[HPSimpson]

Next time cut a Fleetguard and see the difference!

 

[Cummins12V98]

Try cutting apart a Donaldson Blue or AMZ/OIL that's the same thing.

 

[Timd32]

At 823 miles I'm not changing that Royal Purple. Just my opinion.

I have done the oil analysis deal as well, you can run these pretty long past any duration spec in miles or hours or months.

Check out Easy Vac they make that vampire sample pump so you can pull it from the top of you like. Or just run it and if it bothers you change it for piece of mind.

 

[SAndreasen]

Next time cut a Fleetguard and see the difference!

I have and they at Least have a decent seal between the filter and the head so the oil actually has to go through the filter

 

[gcorron]

I'm in the same boat. Since I retired my vehicles get very little mileage on them. I have a 91 Volvo 240, and the 97 Cummins. I doubt if either get 3k on them annually.
I've been using Amsoil in them for years. The truck was purchased new by my brother and he used Amsoil from the first oil change.
I change both annually, but I'm willing to bet it wouldn't be necessary if I sent in a sample. We used to do that with big generators (75 gallon sumps) and never had any problems.

George

 

[C M McCormick]

I chance mine what ever comes first, once a year, 5,000 miles or 100hrs.

 

[Wiredawg]

In addition to changing oil by time and mileage, yearly or 15K miles, I think it's important to drive everything at least an hour on the highway every week to get fluid temps up and at pressure to maintain seals.

I'm retired too and make things to do to achieve this. With this Covid 19 mess, we go on 2 to 4 hour drives every Sunday in the country with our dogs. Beautiful scenery, change of pace, AND puts miles on the fleet.

Anyhoo, just another method of maintaining multiple vehicles.

Please let us know what you decide on doing.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Cummins12V98]

IMHO the best way to do a sample is this. On top of the oil filter mount there is a 1/8" pipe plug. Remove that and insert a brass fitting with a barbed end and slip a 3' pc of poly tubing over the barbed end and place other end into the oil fill hole. Start the engine and let it run for a couple minutes to be sure nothing will contaminate the sample. Now pull hose out of oil fill hole and insert into collection bottle. WaLa the perfect way to take a sample!

 

[GAmes]

In a "couple minutes" the majority of the oil would be pumped out of the engine. That pipe plug is directly on top of the filter opening. When my engine is cold the idle pressure at that fitting is about 75psi. I like my oil sample method better.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product/dodge-ram-cummins-drain-valve-fg7b/drain-valves

 

[gcorron]

That's been on my truck for over 20 years! Thanks to Geno's for that product!

George