Serviced the ‘18 today. A few notes.

[RammerJam]

Just my answer:
1. I prefill every oil filter that it's possible to do. My BIL is a master mechanic and electrician who maintains and rebuilds mostly Cummins, but others as well. He never prefills and never has a problem, even on the 50K miles his daughter has had my former 03 Ram Cummins. In fact, I went over to his house as he was changing the oil on it, installed the dry filter, and started her up. I probably had stink eye look on my face, but remained silent as he went through the drill.

I know this supports your position more than mine, but I still choose to do it my way.

2. Upon examination of the side of a Fleetguard oil filter, it clearly shows prefilling in the step by step illustrations.

So, you will almost NEVER see me tell anyone on the TDR that my way is better than their way is for them. I can see the entire TDR, Ram and Cummins say you don't have to prefill, and I still will.

So, as long as you folks are happy installing your oil filters dry, then so am I.

Engines lose power as they age, everybody knows that. Well.... Almost everybody.

There are things that cause them to lose power over time that won't blow the engine up, like changing the oil every 500 hours whether it needs it or not, using K&N type filters and cleaning it every 1,000 hours (whether it needs it or not) using sub par engine oil, letting the engine idle for hours upon hours at a time, and many other things that damage the engine without blowing it up......

I try to avoid those things.

It's a Frog in The Beaker thing. Your engine loses power so gradually, so slowly over so much time, you don't really notice. You can hear it in a lot of older engines that are making temendous noise but aren't really going anywhere

You're drivng around with 30% less power than you had new and don't even know it.

Every truck I've ever had, people that have been in it marvel at its performance even after it's over 5, sometimes even 10, years old.

I can't get under my wife's car to change the oil so I take it to the Dealer and let them do it once a year (10k or 1 year OCI). I shudder to think (know, actually) that those grease monkeys aren't pre-filling the filter.

But that's just me. I could be wrong but somebody's gonna have to offer some evidence instead of just opinion. How could NOT pre-filling an oil filter be good??

 

[SnoKing]

I think you are onto something here

When you fill a filter you can watch what is going it. Then you have to install it. From the top you can watch that nothing else gets in it. From the wheel well with or without a cap once you start trying to raise it up and screw it in place all visibility is gone and you are operating with braille. This same issue is there if you put it on dry.

 

[dieselshadow]

I can see doing this with 1/2 full but adding one quart as "I" prefer would most likely result in oil loss.

The only oil loss I encountered was from loosening and removing the old filter. It’s completely full and hard not to have it over-run the rim a bit as evident by the pics I posted. The new filter was filled within 1/2”, no spills.

On my next oil change, I’ll demonstrate one more time. I’ll change the oil, you bring the beer.

 

[RammerJam]

When you fill a filter you can watch what is going it. Then you have to install it. From the top you can watch that nothing else gets in it. From the wheel well with or without a cap once you start trying to raise it up and screw it in place all visibility is gone and you are operating with braille. This same issue is there if you put it on dry.

I agree with you but there's a thing........

If something is going to get into the filter, it has to fall into it. Not too much is gonna jump into it.

So if you're up there disturbing stuff, then stuff might fall into it. If you leave the stuff above it alone, that stuff might not fall into it.

The area around the filter housing is kept clean. Every time an oil change is done, the housing and the area around it gets sprayed down good with Brake Cleaner and rinsed lightly with a hose. So does the pan and the area around the Front Fuel Filter. And the rear fuel filter.

Now, I'm sure there are plenty of people that work their trucks hard and mud can't help but accumulate and dry in areas it's not supposed to be in. But I'm not familiar with that environment so maybe there is good reason to go in from the top. But then there's the Turbo, so.....

I dunno, 6 one, half dozen the other

 

[Bug Out]

Okay, why the prefill when Mopar/Cummins has a method to avoid having to do this? I prefill the filters on our diesel pusher oil changes (filter takes a gallon) because that's what the manual says to do. Not the case with the 6.7 though. So just wondering why folks bother? Not trying to start anything. Just curious if folks don't trust the factory recommended method or ??

My ex father in law who had Cummins diesels in many of his farm tractors/heavy equipment , told me back in the 90's when I bought my first Cummins that is was supposed to be done that way.......Giving his years of experience I do it now to....

 

[Cummins12V98]

Okay, why the prefill when Mopar/Cummins has a method to avoid having to do this? I prefill the filters on our diesel pusher oil changes (filter takes a gallon) because that's what the manual says to do. Not the case with the 6.7 though. So just wondering why folks bother? Not trying to start anything. Just curious if folks don't trust the factory recommended method or ??

Cummins does recommend prefilling the 6.7.

 

[Cummins12V98]

When you fill a filter you can watch what is going it. Then you have to install it. From the top you can watch that nothing else gets in it. From the wheel well with or without a cap once you start trying to raise it up and screw it in place all visibility is gone and you are operating with braille. This same issue is there if you put it on dry.

That's another issue for me going thru the fender is contamination when the filter is being installed by brail.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Prefilling does no harm unless you get contamination in the clean side. On a warm to hot oil change it isn't really required as there will be enough remaining oil film to protect the parts for the 2 seconds required to come up to full pressure. On a cold engine it is probably a good idea as the oil film has had time to drain off internal part.

I always let my rigs drain overnight.

 

[lpennock]

I always let my rigs drain overnight.

Then wouldn't be a bad idea to prefill. I personally see no benefit to letting set overnight but I know a lot of people do. To me the little bit of extra that comes out is not a big issue either way.

 

[dieselshadow]

That's another issue for me going thru the fender is contamination when the filter is being installed by brail.

I’ve been a mechanic all my life. Worked on all sorts of equipment to enormous industrial turbines to tiny engines to helicopters. I work on elevators for a living now. This “install by Braille” bit is understandable to me for those who may not be all that mechanically inclined. But the nipple you are shooting for is rather large, the window is plenty big enough, and the filter just wants to go to its home. It kinda just goes into place without much of any hassle at all. It’s not as easy to change as a filter right in front of your face at a standing position, but it’s not at all that difficult. I think you’re just thinking too hard into this.

But, it’s different strokes for different folks. There’s no harm in doing it any which way a fella wants to.

 

[kthaxton]

kthaxton, NOT calling anyone a "LIAR". Next fill add one quart to your filter and let me know if you spilled any oil.

Interesting that the guy with the most miles and oil changes prefers to change it from the top.

My gosh man.....just move on. Nobody is challenging your method. You don't need to understand ours, nor do you need to challenge it, you just do yours your way. I've done it both ways and prefer through the fender, I hope you can get past this.

When I shower, I go from the top down, are you ok with this?

 

[RammerJam]

My gosh man.....just move on. Nobody is challenging your method. You don't need to understand ours, nor do you need to challenge it, you just do yours your way. I've done it both ways and prefer through the fender, I hope you can get past this.

When I shower, I go from the top down, are you ok with this?

You shower?

 

[kthaxton]

Yes but only at the factory recommended intervals.

......and my soap is the best soap.

 

[RammerJam]

Yes but only at the factory recommended intervals.

......and my soap is the best soap.

#ad

 

[AH64ID]

Let me ask this... if you prefill from the center do you know you are sending unfiltered oil thru your block/turbo? And have you have seen a contaminant report on virgin oil?

Virgin oil is not clean, which is the biggest reason I don’t prefill.

I ran a mechanical oil pressure gauge on my 05. The sender was in the block above the ECM. It read pressure from cam journal and was far enough from the pump to be a delayed reading on every start but showed when the block had good pressure. Oil pressure would build thru a dry filter faster than a 10° engine, and barely slower than a 40° motor. My annual change was in September so oil was never cold. The start sounded the same as every other start, nothing dry and no rattle. IMHO if the minimal delay from a dry filter creates a noisy start then you need a better oil, as oil should cling to surfaces after shutting down to protect the next start and clearly its not if you hear it.

So I guess my point is either don’t prefill or prefill from the outside holes only... just please don’t prefill the center port.

 

[Cummins12V98]

My gosh man.....just move on. Nobody is challenging your method. You don't need to understand ours, nor do you need to challenge it, you just do yours your way. I've done it both ways and prefer through the fender, I hope you can get past this.

When I shower, I go from the top down, are you ok with this?

You always seem to Have issues with anything I say. Maybe you should simply go to the next post.

I have no issue with going thru the fender. I simply don’t want to. I am giving my thoughts about going thru the fender. Sorry it bothers you.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I am a risk taker so I fill the center hole. I also believe AMZ/OIL is so pure it’s not an issue.

 

[AH64ID]

I am a risk taker so I fill the center hole. I also believe AMZ/OIL is so pure it’s not an issue.

Pure and clean are two different things. My Amsoil doesn’t go near the center hole until it’s been thru the outer hole.

 

[nukegm]

Pure and clean are two different things. My Amsoil doesn’t go near the center hole until it’s been thru the outer hole.

beer spray out my nose. lol.

 

[Wiredawg]

Pure and clean are two different things. My Amsoil doesn’t go near the center hole until it’s been thru the outer hole.

Damn It John, You made me belly laugh and woke up the Missus. Still, pretty funny!