2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Oil Change Frequency....

[Guest]

How often do you guys change your oil?



Someone was saying that doing it to often was detrimental to the health of the motor because of some detergents not working til about 3000 miles, I dont buy it.



I change every 2500, keeps me warm and fuzzy with the extra fueling crammed into the engine...



thoughts, comments, suggestions?

 

[RustyJC]

Our truck spends 90% of its working life towing our 13,500 lb 5th wheel. It's pretty heavily fueled. We may go out for a 1,000 mile trip, then the truck will sit for 1-2 months with only weekend outings to keep the batteries charged. The truck will accumulate about 3,000 miles every 6 months. That's how often I change the Delo 400 and Fleetguard Stratopore filter.



Severe service recommended change interval on my truck was 3,750 miles, as I recall.



Rusty

 

[DLBurns]

I'm with Rusty here, We use our truck for towing our 31' Hitchhiker fifth wheel and maybe a few weekend jaunts here and there.

Change my oil & filter every 3,000 miles, cheap insurance

 

[GFrance]

I'm like these guys when it comes to miles driven. But I use Amsoil & until I get my dual bypass system on I change mine every7,500 miles which equalls once a year. Once I get the bypass I'll change the filters once a year & take an oil sample to see if the oil can keep going.

 

[Joe G.]

Originally posted by loganHill02

Someone was saying that doing it to often was detrimental to the health of the motor because of some detergents not working til about 3000 miles.

I think this thread is an attempt to get some information about the above. Does anyone know if oil changes being made too often causes a problem with the oil additive package?

 

[jkern]

what about conserving natural resources?? now, i am not a tree hugger by any means, but 3000 miles is a little on the light side. a company my dad used to work for serviced their fleet vehicles at 6k miles. he had 5 vehicles in his 35 years each with 130k miles plus on them and the engine was the best part when he turned them in. we change all of ours between 5k and 6k miles and have never had an engine issue in any of our trucks or cars.



why listen to the oil manufactors??? they are just trying to get you to buy their product more often thus getting more of your money when you change every 3000.



as for the oil additive, i doubt that it makes much difference, but i am not a chemist, so i really don't know.

 

[SKargo]

I'm new to the diesel world. I bought my truck with 62K miles on it. I changed it at 65K miles. I will change it at 70K miles. I purchased an oil sample kit from Blackstone labs, and will send them a sample. If everything looks OK I will extend it by 1000 miles until I find my "sweet spot".



IMO it's ridiculous to dump out good oil.

 

[Sixpack]

Originally posted by RustyJC

Delo 400 and Fleetguard Stratopore filter.

Rusty

At every 5k here!

 

[SEmerson]

I pour mine right in the fuel tank. Can't throw good oil away.

 

[rweis]

I'm with RustyJC, but use mine as a daily driver as well as tow 13k 5er once ot twice a month. Every 4k w/ Stratopore.



Bob Weis



I've never heard of too much oil changeing other than $$$ spent.



Along the oil changing techniques:

I zip tie a piece of brass window screen to the end of my oil funnel JUST IN CASE anything is in the bottle other than oil or the foil seal did not come off exactely right. Of course I assume that if it will go through the window screen it will go through the engine at least to the filter.

 

[fishjack1]

From tracking oil analysis about every 4500mi.

 

[Chipstien]

5000 to 7500 here... . whenever is convenient. As for changing too ofter being bad... ..... whoever told you that had far too many beans.

 

[Jlobaugh]

Why are you all worried about changing oil so often? I formally worked offshore with EMD's CAT's in the 4000- 6000 hp total twin screw vessels and the like. We did oil changes based on oil samples. When the lubricity numbers started to get low then we did a change. I belive this is the TBN number on the report,I don't have my last one in front of me. My last one recomends a 8000 mile change interval based on the results, based on the number it could probably go well past that. The number was still very much good for lubrication properties at 6500 miles. I suggest that one invest the time to do a couple of samples to get base info on the engine and use the info to make educated decisions . Read up on what the reports are telling you and contact the lab that you use and they can explain what the info is telling you. BTW my silcon # went down when I took my KN filter out and started running a Fleetguard just fyi. I will see about scanning a report in but tell then maybe someone can point us to the one that was posted a few months back? BTW truck is stock driven daily on the interstate and in town and I don't drive like grandma'.



Jeff

 

[John - K5AWO]

Originally posted by SEmerson

I pour mine right in the fuel tank. Can't throw good oil away.

S Emerson, I'm with you. I just use a small slow pump to run the used oil thru a 2 micron filter. Then it becomes diesel fuel and helps keep the lubricity factor right up there.



An added bonus is the the HP and torque are improved over the plain vanilla stuff California sells to Arizona.

 

[noland]

Nearly all of my driving involves heavy towing and I change mine at 10,000.

I deicded on this number by sending samples to Blackstone for analysis and increasing the interval if the results were good. According to the rusults I could easily go longer than 10k, but it is a nice round mumber so I just stick with it.

 

[RustyJC]

I've worked for a manufacturer of engines, gas turbines, reciprocating and centrifugal compressors and turbochargers in technical management for 30+ years, so I have more than a passing familiarity with oil performance validation, oil analysis and change interval determination. I offer two points:



1. I change my oil at the intervals mentioned not because of deterioration of base stock or even additive package depletion. With my relatively heavily fueled engine and long idle periods in the high humidity environment here on the Texas Gulf Coast, I'm changing the oil to get rid of carbon and sulfur-based combustion acids as well as condensation and soot. In other words, my oil changes are equivalent to "flushing the toilet" to get rid of the crap in my truck's crankcase due to its operating profile.



2. I don't know of any lubricant additive manufacturer (i. e. , Lubrizol, Oronite, etc. ) whose products are time or mileage activated. I do know that some of the detergent/dispersant additive packages require lube oil temperatures over 150-155 degF to function.



Rusty

 

[cyborg]

I need tp know, are you guys really putting your waste oil in your fuel tank?

 

[keimmmo]

I for one do. Between my two trucks I have been doing so for nearly 400,000 miles. I haven't seen any problems and feel it helps. I run about a gallon of oil to 20 gallons of fuel in the '01. 5... about half that in the '92. That way I even use most of the decent quality drain oil from gas vehicles I have in my shop!



Remember that dogging a vehicle around town can be as abusive as running the snot out of it. I run a lot of lightly loaded highway miles with some heavy loads and an occasional outing in EXTREEM dust. I change about every 5000 miles on the old '92 and about every 6000 on the '01. 5. I might stretch that a little if conditions have been good or drop it a little if the oil has had a hard life.



Steve

 

[TnLRacing]

every 5000k here

 

[cyborg]

So I would be safe running a gallon of waste 10w40 motor oil from my jeep, per tank of diesel fuel. Might even be beneficial?



This sounds too cool.