Oil change, only 3k between

[Wygate]

OK so I have close to 6500 on my 12 Mega Cab. First oil change indicated at 3400, figured it was due to the break-in thing. Now it just came due again. I watched the last post I saw about this issue didn't see any "fix".

Always use EXH brake & tow/haul, keep it out of 6th unless on freeway's, not towing much yet, got about 10,000 miles to do soon.

I am guilty of some grocery getting, try to make sure she gets up to temperature and use high idle as much as I feel safe to not loose the truck. That said I know diesel engines don't much care for on/off cycles but I don't remember RAM making me sign saying the truck will not tolerate any driving except towing. Do to my upcoming move I had to sell my 2 door huntchback, so this is what I have.



My 09 didn't act like this? Same driving habits?



Anyone figure something out on this front. I don't mind oil changes, but would like to stretch them out to maybe 6k

$70 every 3000 will get expense!

 

[Hoefler]

Normal, your grocery getting and the idling will cause short oil service.

 

[Wygate]

I get that I am the cause, last I remember there are no shortage of commercial trucks doing far worse.
Tow trucks, power company trucks to name a few that will see extended idle times.
I go right to high idle w/ EXH brk on whenever feasible?

No way fleet manager's would keep there job's if they introduced a new fleet that could only be driven long and hard 100% of the time.
Are the CC's really that different operationally.

Is it really better to shut down and restart? I have spent over 22 years around big and small diesel engines (operator) and working on just about anything on my time. I have yet to meet a tech that prefers shut down over idling for short term off cycles.

Weren't we all taught not so long ago that start up is by far the hardest thing we can do to an eng.
I understand the emissions have changed 10 fold, but dose that change the basic theory?

I know we all have hashed this out many times, my point is where dose it say if you don't tow for a living don't buy one. I can live w/ oil change intervals as they are cheep compared to buying a $50/60k truck to leave it parked unless it is working.
Just looking to see what you guys are doing w/ you're rigs that is realistic

 

[Cummins12V98]

Do not warm it up, start and drive. Do not idle, shut it off. Both are helping to cause earlier oil change intervals.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Does the 12 have a real sngine brake or exhaust brake? I would think that the use of exhaust brake would have to contribute to dirty oil. Don't have any idea how the truck comes to the conclusion that the oil needs changing, does it have internal analysis? I'm still trying to learn about the 06. Just interested in this problem. bg

 

[AH64ID]

Cummins has put out a bulletin for all of their engines, they don't want to see idle time when at all possible.

Use of the EB on a cold engine will contribute to dirtier oil, but not in a manner the ECM will pickup.

The folks I know that have them and don't idle are getting good life out of their oil, well good for a EGR/DPF vehicle.

 

[Wygate]

Does the 12 have a real sngine brake or exhaust brake? I would think that the use of exhaust brake would have to contribute to dirty oil. Don't have any idea how the truck comes to the conclusion that the oil needs changing, does it have internal analysis? I'm still trying to learn about the 06. Just interested in this problem. bg

EXH brk not internal,
as for change intervals it is all magic, computer sees different things happen, based on potential of oil dilution, them makes an educated guess that it needs changed. Lots of info must have been gathered to come up w/ a program to do this!

 

[Wygate]

Cummins has put out a bulletin for all of their engines, they don't want to see idle time when at all possible.

Use of the EB on a cold engine will contribute to dirtier oil, but not in a manner the ECM will pickup.

The folks I know that have them and don't idle are getting good life out of their oil, well good for a EGR/DPF vehicle.

Would love to see that bulletin, that would help burn that through the rocks my wife says I hold between my ears

As for the EB on for cold start, I am under the belief that it was a good thing, gets temps up faster, thus helping overall for that morning.

AH64ID, you any where near I90, heading that way soon

 

[EDankievitch]

Oil change notice is based on Re-gen cycles the more short trips the more it will go into re-gen the sooner it will ask for oil changes.

 

[AH64ID]

Would love to see that bulletin, that would help burn that through the rocks my wife says I hold between my ears

As for the EB on for cold start, I am under the belief that it was a good thing, gets temps up faster, thus helping overall for that morning.

I will see if I can find it again. I read it a few years back, and foolishly didn't save it.

It does get up to temp faster, but it can create additional blow-by mainly of soot.

My "dumb" EB is a little different as it's a one setting fit's all but I noticed increased soot in my UOA when I used the EB to warm the engine up. I suspect the other 5. 9 EB's that have the variable orifice like PXRB and BD are worse than my fixed orifice Jacobs. The ECM can modulate the turbo and probably holds less back pressure at idle on a 6. 7, but I still would wait until the coolant is at least 60°F (At least that's the number I use). I do prefer to just fire and drive it easy once there is good oil pressure.

AH64ID, you any where near I90, heading that way soon

About 8 hours south... .

 

[sag2]

Do not warm it up, start and drive. Do not idle, shut it off. Both are helping to cause earlier oil change intervals.

This is perhaps the best advise. Where you live the temps are fairly mild. So start it up, wait 10 seconds or so if it is really cold outside and just drive it. The EB will help it warm faster, but don't sit there and let it idle on the EB to warm it up. If you want the heat faster, use the block heater instead and you will get heat faster and help oil life. But by far the biggest contribution to short interval is the driving habits, ie. cold starts, short drives with no load, and never getting to operating temps.

 

[Wygate]

This is perhaps the best advise. Where you live the temps are fairly mild. So start it up, wait 10 seconds or so if it is really cold outside and just drive it. The EB will help it warm faster, but don't sit there and let it idle on the EB to warm it up. If you want the heat faster, use the block heater instead and you will get heat faster and help oil life. But by far the biggest contribution to short interval is the driving habits, ie. cold starts, short drives with no load, and never getting to operating temps.

Sag,
The cold start warn up is my biggest crutch, I had this driven into me for a long long time, 140 is the magic warn up number. I was taught to never put a load on an eng until that temp was met. Would even have my onboard mechanic's give me a good swat to the head if I didn't follow that rule
That aside I do use the block heater when it get in the freezing temp area, but still would use the warm up to go w/ that.

Guess I have a habit to change!

The grocery getting is almost always done after a 15/19 mile drive to town on a secondary hwy w/ 45-60mph the bulk, trying to keep 1900 rpms as 4x4 Bob has suggested, not as bad as I could be doing to her I guess. This will be over soon enough as I will be moving back to MI. A place that you can see 15 to 20 cars and trucks running in any given parking lot while in the store you will only see 5 people

Thanks guys this was the kind of info I was hoping for, real world facts, backed by first hand experience!

 

[AH64ID]

In reading thru the info on quickserve it has been updated since I last looked.

3-5 minutes idle time is recommenced on a cold engine, but excessive (10 min) idle time needs to be avoided below 160° coolant temp.

In warmer months I would idle it long enough to get oil pressure and slowly drive until you get some temp. In colder months the 3-5 minutes is more realistic, high idle is advised but nothing is mentioned about the exhaust brake.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Start and drive! Just don't hammer it right away. 368K on my 98 12V never have let it idle. Very tight engine, at 5K the oil is dark not black.

 

[Wygate]

In reading thru the info on quickserve it has been updated since I last looked.

3-5 minutes idle time is recommenced on a cold engine, but excessive (10 min) idle time needs to be avoided below 160° coolant temp.

In warmer months I would idle it long enough to get oil pressure and slowly drive until you get some temp. In colder months the 3-5 minutes is more realistic, high idle is advised but nothing is mentioned about the exhaust brake.

First is the quickserve a Dealership or private shop service? Just wondering if I can partake in that info and much more.

AH64ID thank you, I have been waiting for PRINTED numbers on idle times for a long time, seems everyone likes to say no prolonged idling but then offers there opinion on how long that is. Assuming that those numbers are backed by data and real world testing.
the emissions part of this truck have been frustrating to say the leased. Don't get me wrong 800 lbft is unbelievable just have to absorb that yucky pill that is change.

 

[sag2]

Your owners manual has no warnings about warming up the engine. To let it run longer than it takes the oil pressure to come up is not only a waste of fuel, it is much harder on the engine than driving it. Loading the engine and drivetrain brings the parts up to normal operating temp as quickly as possible. The new vehicles do everything possible to bring things up to operating temp as quickly as possible. That includes transmission HEATERS for cold temp operation.

Start it up and drive it.