Oil change interval for 2012???

[mwilson]

A little help needed for my Cousin in New Mexico...

Purchased a 2012 CTD 2500 4X4 Auto when he arrived out there 2 months ago. Dealer says that oil was changed at purchase.

Change oil message on now at the 2900 mile mark. Slow speed driving. He wondered if dealer had reset the monitor when he bought it. I seem to recall some pretty short drain intervals in previous discussions.....

Can 2900 miles be legit??? He said the oil was pretty black but I told him that was the nature of the beast. Don't assume that it was not changed just because of that.

What should I tell him??? I converted him over from Fords so I don't want to let him down now......

Mike.

 

[mwilson]

No books came with the truck, when I get a minute I will hook him up with a downloadable owners manual from the RAM website.

 

[AH64ID]

Tell him to change it, it could be legit and the only way to know for sure is to change it. Oil is cheap, fuel in the oil (main thing driving the light in '12) isn't.

 

[Alan Reagan]

That's a little soon. Your guess that they didn't reset is probably right. Take it it back and tell them to change it and reset it. That way you are sure.

 

[mwilson]

Thanks John, that's what I could not recall was the fuel dilution....I was trying to get stock orders in while he was texting me so I threw out the S.O.S....

He must have a fair amount of idle time I would think.

Will advise to perform an immediate change of oil, and possibly add a few new habits as well.

 

[mwilson]

That's a little soon. Your guess that they didn't reset is probably right. Take it it back and tell them to change it and reset it. That way you are sure.

Yes, I'll see if he can get the dealer to do this. If not I know that he will change it right now if I tell him that it must be done. Maybe it will go a little farther next time.

Thank you!

 

[AH64ID]

Odds are that it wasn't reset, but I can tell you that the dealership won't know so it's simply safest to change it himself.

Driving habits are huge in oil life for the 07.5-12's, and 2900 isn't out of the realm of what I have seen.

 

[Larry Willard]

I had an '08 and never had it come on in that interval, and I used it as my daily driver to work 5 miles. If it was changed my guess is they didn't reset it properly, but if it were mine I would change it now just to know what I had.
Larry

 

[Camperman]

I generally see 42-4400 miles on an oil change. Truck is stock. When in doubt, always change fluids. Oil changes are cheap insurance, IMO.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Mine just chimed with just over 7,500 miles 3/4 towing miles.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

I get longer intervals than that, but I am almost all highway driving and most of them time pulling something.

My oil is black after the first start when I change it, so no help there.

If it were mine I would change the oil. Oil change at home is a lot cheaper than an engine problem. You can't hurt anything by changing oil, so why not be safe and have the piece of mind.

 

[Brocky]

I would also add 1 quart of Lucas Oil Stabilizer!! I add it to everything I have in addition to running Shell Rotela T 15-40. Got 125k (25k towing) out of my 6.0 Power destruct before I traded it with NO problems.

 

[SSchang]

That's probably right. Driving my 2011 around town, it called for oil change many times around 3000 miles.

 

[Bug Out]

My 2012 dually with 4:10's wanted the oil changed every 2-4K city driving. drove me nuts. 2013 with DEF every 10-13K oil change.

 

[Wygate]

My 12 has seen one change at 5500 rest have been closer to 3k since the day she left the lot. Even w/ 8 k of strait towing crops country.
Just had a flash done, fingers crossed.

 

[EDankievitch]

My 2012 would scream "Change My Oil" every 1800 miles and when I would it would be loaded with fuel. I was told that I wasn't using the truck as it was designed to be used... Some how I don't see how a truck driving well over 650 miles a week both towing and not towing not being used as designed. The Emmissions systems on the per 13 trucks suck the engine was so poorly tuned there was No way to get it to run right. After a yearI convinced my local dealer to take it back. Now I've got a 2013 with the DEF system and loving it. well over 10,000 mile oil changes with no fuel in the oil. The money that I'm saving on the oil alone has off set the additional cost the truck set me back. My advice cash that 12 in run away from it as fast as you can. Get a used 13 or newer you'll be very happy.

 

[Cummins12V98]

My 2012 would scream "Change My Oil" every 1800 miles and when I would it would be loaded with fuel. I was told that I wasn't using the truck as it was designed to be used... Some how I don't see how a truck driving well over 650 miles a week both towing and not towing not being used as designed. The Emmissions systems on the per 13 trucks suck the engine was so poorly tuned there was No way to get it to run right. After a yearI convinced my local dealer to take it back. Now I've got a 2013 with the DEF system and loving it. well over 10,000 mile oil changes with no fuel in the oil. The money that I'm saving on the oil alone has off set the additional cost the truck set me back. My advice cash that 12 in run away from it as fast as you can. Get a used 13 or newer you'll be very happy.

Totally opposite experience with my 11HO Dually. Blackstone tests with less than .05% fuel dilution.

I am sure my 15 on order will be better.

 

[Wygate]

Forgot to add that I send my oil out also, so far it has been below the 5% that Cummins allows, 3-4% range, telling me the algorithm is doing what it should.
Was called in for a flash last week, hope it fixes short oil change and is giving me me power back. O2 change (warranty) took all the juice out of her.

 

[EDankievitch]

My 2012 truck would over flow my 16 Qt oil drain pan at each oil change... My 2013 gives back 11.5 qts at each oil change. and with a 10,000 mile oil change I've saved enough that I'm running the synthetic Rotella oil and still saving money. I miss my standard cab and G56 transmission but love the power and Mpg's the 13 gives every day.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Really depends on how they are used! I have about 7,800 on this oil and it is exactly on the full mark.