Oil change

[johnharris]

I have a 2020 3500 HD Ram and would like to know how often to change the oil? I have not changed it yet and have 6,000 miles. I think they used synthetic oil from the factory and my indicator says I have 57% left. I have always changed my oil at 4,000 mi intervals with regular oil.

 

[Tuesdak]

Once a year (best done after the summer heat) or when your indicator says to change it. Do you have a free first oil change offer from your dealer?

Note the different grade of oil this engine requires over older 5.9's and 6.7's.

If you have any discomfort running over 4000 miles do a Used Oil Analysis. Your Owner's manual gives you the maximum life of the engine oil. Offhand can be up to 15,000 miles. Again you need a good oil filter to make it that far.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

I have a 2020 3500 HD Ram and would like to know how often to change the oil? I have not changed it yet and have 6,000 miles. I think they used synthetic oil from the factory and my indicator says I have 57% left. I have always changed my oil at 4,000 mi intervals with regular oil.

There is a maintenance guide in the owner's manual diesel supplement that gives all the intervals and requirements, suggested oil to use and filters to use.

 

[GSykes]

The information you are looking for is in the diesel supplement for your specific year, as Ltngdrvr stated. Friend of mine has a 2019 and his oil type/requirement is different than mine.
In my supplement book it states to change oil every 15,000 miles, 500 running hours or six months. Which ever one of those come first.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Dump it soon. Run 100% synthetic. I like AMZ/OIL Signature Series with their oil filter or same filter in Donaldson.

After that go by what the computer tells you. Not sure it your truck has a time limit like 6 or 12 mo. Follow that or get a oil sample to prove exceed time the oil is okay.

 

[Topzide]

@johnharris , Congrats on the new truck! Your maintenance schedule found in your diesel supplement will be your best friend while under warranty. If you haven't done so, get a log book to keep track of the maintenance and repairs done to help with warranty and posiible resale if you could stand to part with your "toy" down the road. Oil analysis can help with how long your oil stays good and how n=much longer you can run it! Just make sure to use proper grade oil since it's changed from what you'd think was needed. Enjoy these trucks!

 

[johnharris]

@johnharris , Congrats on the new truck! Your maintenance schedule found in your diesel supplement will be your best friend while under warranty. If you haven't done so, get a log book to keep track of the maintenance and repairs done to help with warranty and posiible resale if you could stand to part with your "toy" down the road. Oil analysis can help with how long your oil stays good and how n=much longer you can run it! Just make sure to use proper grade oil since it's changed from what you'd think was needed. Enjoy these trucks!

Good advise, thanks..

 

[johnharris]

Once a year (best done after the summer heat) or when your indicator says to change it. Do you have a free first oil change offer from your dealer?

Note the different grade of oil this engine requires over older 5.9's and 6.7's.

If you have any discomfort running over 4000 miles do a Used Oil Analysis. Your Owner's manual gives you the maximum life of the engine oil. Offhand can be up to 15,000 miles. Again you need a good oil filter to make it that far.

Yes, first one is free. Not use to long intervals .... but it will save$

 

[bcbender]

Well, finally changed the oil last night for the first time @ 7000mi, collected a sample to send to Blackstone, and through the fender was not too bad, but getting the Geno's filter wrench on was the most difficult part (they couldve left a way to put the extension through the frame at least..., but on the lift makes it easier I'm sure. Put in 3 gal of 5w40 Rottella T6 Syn and a Fleetguard Stratopore filter (left over from my 04). Question, OM says 12qt capacity (with filter), but after startup and check 15 min later it was in the center of the SAFE zone, is that normal on the 6.7? Also I need to reset the oil life, but haven't found it yet in the OM, does anyone know the procedure?

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Well, finally changed the oil last night for the first time @ 7000mi, collected a sample to send to Blackstone, and through the fender was not too bad, but getting the Geno's filter wrench on was the most difficult part (they couldve left a way to put the extension through the frame at least..., but on the lift makes it easier I'm sure. Put in 3 gal of 5w40 Rottella T6 Syn and a Fleetguard Stratopore filter (left over from my 04). Question, OM says 12qt capacity (with filter), but after startup and check 15 min later it was in the center of the SAFE zone, is that normal on the 6.7? Also I need to reset the oil life, but haven't found it yet in the OM, does anyone know the procedure?

3 gallons and never worry about it.
With the oil monitor showing on the EVIC, it should give you directions on pressing the arrow buttons on the wheel to reset the monitor.

 

[Rob S]

Well, finally changed the oil last night for the first time @ 7000mi, collected a sample to send to Blackstone, and through the fender was not too bad, but getting the Geno's filter wrench on was the most difficult part (they couldve left a way to put the extension through the frame at least..., but on the lift makes it easier I'm sure. Put in 3 gal of 5w40 Rottella T6 Syn and a Fleetguard Stratopore filter (left over from my 04). Question, OM says 12qt capacity (with filter), but after startup and check 15 min later it was in the center of the SAFE zone, is that normal on the 6.7? Also I need to reset the oil life, but haven't found it yet in the OM, does anyone know the procedure?

Let it set level for 30mins after shut down and it will read up to full mark

 

[gsbrockman]

Let it set level for 30mins after shut down and it will read up to full mark

This......and the above is stated in the manual, too.

 

[bcbender]

Yes it clearly states in the manual to use Rotella 5w40 synthetic (or equivalent) and the fill capacity is 12qt, so I'm good, I'll make a not of its position on the dip stick and move on..

 

[NIsaacs]

Yes it clearly states in the manual to use Rotella 5w40 synthetic (or equivalent)

Not to be picky but to be clear

My manual "recommends" Mopar or Shell 5w/40 synthetic or equivalent for operation under 0 degrees. Above that, it "recommends" 10w/30 Mopar or Shell or equivalent, no mention of synthetic.

 

[gsbrockman]

Not to be picky but to be clear

My manual "recommends" Mopar or Shell 5w/40 synthetic or equivalent for operation under 0 degrees. Above that, it "recommends" 10w/30 Mopar or Shell or equivalent, no mention of synthetic.

Buttttttttt.........the 5W40 can be used all year round, if the owner wants to.

 

[NIsaacs]

Buttttttttt.........the 5W40 can be used all year round, if the owner wants to.

Yes.

 

[Whitewolf]

Changed the oil every 15,000 on my '14 using 5W40 Amsoil. Changed the 3 filters at the same time. Plan on doing the same with the '21.

 

[Newsa]

Was wondering if anyone thinks that this article is accurate. I believe it is. That is why I have been using Amsoil Dominator 20w-50 in my truck for the past couple of years. I had one "not so good" oil analysis in the past few years, but that was because I was changing from 15w-40 to 20w-50. This 20w 50 is the only ck4 rated oil that I have found on the market.

Also have had some situations where the truck does several regens in a 4 to 6 month period causing a bit of fuel dilution according to UOA's. The fuel dilution is not evident every time, only fewer than half of the UOA's show fuel dilution. I realize that Blackstone does not have a reliable fuel dilution test because there are reports of people sending oil samples to "Blackstone" and "Oil Analyzers" that were pulled at the same time from the same pan and Blackstone fails to accurately identify fuel dilution in those identical samples.

This article says that current SAE 10w-30 oils are about the same viscosity as oils that used to he identified on the SAE rating scale as 5w-30. And it also reports that car and truck manufacturers recommend lighter weight oils not because it is good for engine longevity, but rather to promote higher fuel economy.

See article here.

https://www.machinerylubrication.co...turers recommend using thin oils to save fuel.

 

[dougsram]

Was wondering if anyone thinks that this article is accurate. I believe it is. That is why I have been using Amsoil Dominator 20w-50 in my truck for the past couple of years. I had one "not so good" oil analysis in the past few years, but that was because I was changing from 15w-40 to 20w-50. This 20w 50 is the only ck4 rated oil that I have found on the market.

Also have had some situations where the truck does several regens in a 4 to 6 month period causing a bit of fuel dilution according to UOA's. The fuel dilution is not evident every time, only fewer than half of the UOA's show fuel dilution. I realize that Blackstone does not have a reliable fuel dilution test because there are reports of people sending oil samples to "Blackstone" and "Oil Analyzers" that were pulled at the same time from the same pan and Blackstone fails to accurately identify fuel dilution in those identical samples.

This article says that current SAE 10w-30 oils are about the same viscosity as oils that used to he identified on the SAE rating scale as 5w-30. And it also reports that car and truck manufacturers recommend lighter weight oils not because it is good for engine longevity, but rather to promote higher fuel economy.

See article here.

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/518/motor-oils#:~:text=Because of the change in,) SAE 5W-30 oils.&text=In response, auto manufacturers recommend using thin oils to save fuel.

Good article with some caveats at the end about how you operate your vehicle. Extreme heat and older/worn engines certainly will benefit from a higher viscosity oil. However, a new engine might work harder with a higher viscosity oil when tolerances are tighter and thus wear the engine down faster. Higher viscosity oils also don't provide as good of initial start up lubrication. So maybe high mileage oils are one answer. For me, oil dilution has always been, until recently, my biggest concern from the regeneration process. .6 quarts of diesel fuel (5%) is supposedly the upper limit for a Cummins. Who would dump 1/2 quart of diesel in their crankcase and feel good about it?

 

[Newsa]

Good article with some caveats at the end about how you operate your vehicle. Extreme heat and older/worn engines certainly will benefit from a higher viscosity oil. However, a new engine might work harder with a higher viscosity oil when tolerances are tighter and thus wear the engine down faster. Higher viscosity oils also don't provide as good of initial start up lubrication. So maybe high mileage oils are one answer. For me, oil dilution has always been, until recently, my biggest concern from the regeneration process. .6 quarts of diesel fuel (5%) is supposedly the upper limit for a Cummins. Who would dump 1/2 quart of diesel in their crankcase and feel good about it?

Thanks for your insight.

My observation is that early 4th generation trucks have about 75% of the same parts as the 3rd generation. So, that means tolerances likely haven't been changed at least since the early 2000's. And the flat tappet valve train needs good oil film strength to prevent wear.

Since the 20w 50 that I am using is full synthetic, it likely circulates better than a conventional oil of the same multi-weight and almost as good as a conventional 15w 40.

The 4th Gen runs less egr than previous gens and as a result higher cylinder temps which theoretically means that the oil would run a bit hotter after cooling the cylinders and dropping back into the oil pan.

I run a bypass oil filter which filters out more of the soot than the full flow filter and keeps the soot accumulation from thickening the oil.... that along with the possible oil dilution that cones with an aging truck that regens more and.likely drops more fuel into the sump, enters into my calculation that going with a hair thicker multi weight is the best for my use. Ash does gradually accumulate and causes more frequent regens as the dpf ages and has less room for soot because the accumilated ash won't burn out.