Oil change in seldom used trucks

[BDallin]

My '95 12 valve made two 800 mi. trips (no towed) and one short trip to get inspection (3350 mi.) since oil change in 11/2020. It has been sitting the rest of the time. I used Valvoline Premium Blue (CK-4).
I assume the main concern is humidity getting sucked in and the acid content. Is the acid likely to be more than normal and would oil analysis be recommended? If it is high, can an anti-acid reduce it to normal?
I could go ahead and change it but I am getting ready for a fall trip and would like to wait until next Spring.
What do you think?

 

[Topzide]

I've been of the thinking that you change at your mileage interval or once a year. Which ever comes first. Oil sitting does start to break down after first heat cycle. As you stated, those things are working against you! Analysis wouldn't help you in the time frame. Depending on how much mileage you're planning would dictate what to do. I'd bite the bullet and change it out to avoid any damage! Going on 2 years since last transfusion!

 

[Ozymandias]

Do an analysis, it doesn't make sense to throw out 100$ in Oil for nothing.

Myself I'm not so picky, in my car at home in Switzerland that I use only for 2 months out of a year the oil is the same for the last 5 years. No big deal, as long as I pull the dipstick and it looks fine and smells good I'm okay with it.

 

[Signal73]

I never seen a engine rot out from the oil being acidic. Seriously though, even old lawn equipment that has sat for ever with old oil in it never even so much has pitted the steel oil dipstick.

 

[Timd32]

Probably fine to leave it. My 96 has not been changed in alot longer then that and I think it will be fine.

Guess I can pull the dipstick and take a look at it.

 

[AH64ID]

I would run a UOA and find out, that will also help you set a baseline for future low use intervals.

 

[GAmes]

When you do the analysis take a look at the base. I'm confident it will be well within parameters and your worries about acid build up will be put to rest.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

I have the same issue. I put maybe 200 miles a year on mine, for a 4 year period. I changed the oil twice. Now, I drive maybe 150 miles every 3 weeks. A lot of short trips.
I use Rotella full synthetic, so, I'm not so worried about breakdown. But, the short trips make me want to change at around 5,000 or around the 1 year mark. Whichever comes first.

 

[AH64ID]

I use Rotella full synthetic, so, I'm not so worried about breakdown.

Rotella is decent oil, but it should still be tested to go past 1 year. I’ve ran similar oils that wouldn’t last 2 years, regardless of miles. Without UOA it’s a gamble, irregardless of the oil used.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

I looked at my log, and I had only put 1,000 miles on it, in 4 years. The majority of the miles were from a coup!e of long trips, to haul stuff around. I have noticed lot of lifter clatter after not being used much. But, some additives took care of that.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

BTW, I used "Hot Shot's Stiction Eliminator". The engine is smooth at idle, and zero clatter on acceleration.

 

[AH64ID]

I looked at my log, and I had only put 1,000 miles on it, in 4 years. The majority of the miles were from a coup!e of long trips, to haul stuff around. I have noticed lot of lifter clatter after not being used much. But, some additives took care of that.

There are no lifters in your 06 to clatter. The Cummins didn’t use anything but flat tappets until the 2019 6.7 was released. You’re hearing something else.

I would never use an oil additive, but neither would I drive a truck an average of 250 miles a year. I consider that little driving neglect, and generally worse than too many miles. Seals, rings, actuators, etc all don’t like not being used.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

There are no lifters in your 06 to clatter. The Cummins didn’t use anything but flat tappets until the 2019 6.7 was released. You’re hearing something else.

I would never use an oil additive, but neither would I drive a truck an average of 250 miles a year. I consider that little driving neglect, and generally worse than too many miles. Seals, rings, actuators, etc all don’t like not being used.

It was either drive it very little, or sell it, and I decided not to sell it. Now I drive it again, every day. It now seems no worse for the "Neglect". I did keep it under a tarp the entire time, to save the paint. It worked. I also used a battery tender to keep batteries fully charged the entire time. These diesels are tougher than you think. Not like a gasser, sittlng for a long time. The oil and oil residue in the combustion chamber will protect it from rust. Diesels are better off sitting for months, then fully warmed u
, and left sitting another several months, rather than some sporadic driving. In any case, it seems to run just fine now.

 

[AH64ID]

These diesels are tougher than you think. Not like a gasser, sittlng for a long time. The oil and oil residue in the combustion chamber will protect it from rust.

No difference with internal rust potential gas vs diesel, and seals dry out from lack of use either way.

No engine likes to sit for long periods of time, thou it does happen.

Hopefully all is well for a long time time come.

In any case, it seems to run just fine now.

Then why are you putting additives in your oil?

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

Then why are you putting additives in your oil?

Uhhhh, because it was getting louder than I liked.. See post #10.

 

[AH64ID]

Uhhhh, because it was getting louder than I liked.. See post #10.

SMH, that has nothing to do with the oil, and certainly not from the solid tappet lifers. My question still stands, why an oil additive on an engine without hydraulic lifters, HPOP, or other oil lubed items that would make the noise you’re hearing.

You’re most likely hearing timing rattle, which is common on this generation 5.9 and also normal. It can get louder with miles as the injectors wear, but that can’t be fixed with an oil additive.

What I’m gathering is you don’t understand the workings of this engine and are applying advertisements for other engines (powerstoke with an HPOP) as solutions for your HPCR engine. You’re assuming you hear lifter noise on an engine that won’t produce lifter noise, yet keep going back to that.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Throw in a high quality synthetic oil and filter, close the hood and just drive it!!!

 

[riki5156]

I get very little driving on mine also since retirement and currently I do change all the fluids every summer but only average a couple thou per year versus the 12-15thou I used to do.All fluids look good at draining.

 

[Matt42]

So if you have a large stock of hoarded CI+ oil, would mixing in a gallon of good synthetic oil at the semi-occasional changes be a good thing? A bad thing? Or a neutral thing?

 

[AH64ID]

So if you have a large stock of hoarded CI+ oil, would mixing in a gallon of good synthetic oil at the semi-occasional changes be a good thing? A bad thing? Or a neutral thing?

What is the hoarded CI-4+ oil?