Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Synthetic Oil Change Interval

[rblomquist]

Looking for feedback (miles safely run between changes) from folks that are doing/have done analysis using synthetic oil and DO NOT have a bypass system.



I switched to amsoil 15-40 5k ago, did an oil change today and will be sending in a sample tomorrow. I figured 5k was a way overly safe 1st change out/sample on synthetic so I plan to take it from here and move up based on sampling and what you guys have experienced.

 

[CumminsPuller]

When I got my truck I switched to the same oil as well. Satrted pulling smaples every 5k or so. Got tired of pulling samples and missed working on my truck so I just said I would do it a 15k with a filter every 7500. Samples after 15k said oil was still good and keep running it. But if a guy can't change his oil on the mighty cummins once in a while, what is he going to have to do to it other than put it in his will. :-laf 243K on the truck now and runs like a top.



Jason

 

[boydo]

I run Redline 15-40 and change filter every 5000 km and change oil every 15000 km. Haven't sent in a sample lately but my last was more than acceptable.

 

[motohead84]

I ran royal purple with a KN gold Filter. It dynoed at about 5 HP gain, not much, but it ran a whole lot cooler. I changed every 5000 miles. Never did a sample and had no problems with oil related systems. i started running Royal Purple at about 80,000 miles, and ran it up until i just sold the truck at 124,000. Only complaint was paying $6-$7 per quart and $12 for the filter. Made for a costly oil change. Oh well.

 

[snowracer69]

I just sent in my first sample ever yesterday. Oil had 9500 miles on it w/ the filter changed at 5k. First filter was a Mopar the second was a Fleetgaurd stratopore.



Engine has 101,860 miles on it, and had 100,540 when sample was taken (have been waiting 3 weeks for Geno's delievery).



We'll see what happens. I plan on sampling againg soon.



Josh



Forgot to add, I run Schaeffer's 7000 15w40 synthetic. Have ran it for about 23k now. I get it for $67/6gallons. :-laf Big discount at work because we buy about 50 cases/year (tractors). I normally got 10,000 on the oil w/ a filter change at 5. I run my pickup hard too, but it never uses a drop of oil in 10k miles. I'll let you know what my analysis comes back.

 

[rblomquist]

Dropped my sample off today. Hopefully, the lab will have my results back in a few days.

 

[rblomquist]

I've sampled previously about 6 times. Four of those 6 showed a copper # of "2", the other samples came back at "1".

 

[dezeldog]

Oil

On my 2nd gen I'd change filter at 5k and 10 and oil and filter at 15k with sample. always came back " change at normal interval" Truck had 292920 when I soldit.



Jim

 

[snowracer69]

Before I always ran Delo 15w-40, and I believe my Grandpa ran the same (bought it from him). I know he didn't run synthetic, so he probably just ran whatever the local lube place had in stock... he did however have it changed religiously every 3000 miles... I'm kinda lax... more of a "whatever" approach, so I went to the synthetic, and so far, so good.

 

[JJW_ND]

6K filter and 25K oil change

I have ran over half a dozen 24K oil change intervals on Amsoil 15W40 (2 intervals), Amsoil 5W30 (4 intervals), and now Delvac 1 (first interval).



I have had only one sample come back recomending change the oil and it was right after I had the headgasket and a few other gaskets changed.



I had one interval of 5W30 get iron over 100 ppm;, one sample of 15W40 had the oil just drop out into the 30W.



I ran the Microglass filter until the current Stratapore came out. Change filter, sample every 6K and dump at 24K.



Unless on is extremely overfueled (and uses it!), or you put very few miles on per year (maybe less then 10K), 20K changes should be no problem. I bet many trucks that put allot of highway miles on could get 12 - 18K out of good Dino oil. These engines are very easy on oil and clean burning... . soot is almost none existent.



Most of mile were on highway with 50% heavy towing (petal to the metal). The last 40K the truck is in retirement.



jjw

ND

 

[MDale]

I just got my first oil analist and showed a high copper content #47. This was the first time running Rottella syn. 5w40 and my truck has 105,000mi. Does anyone else have copper problems?

 

[rblomquist]

I just got my first oil analist and showed a high copper content #47. This was the first time running Rottella syn. 5w40 and my truck has 105,000mi. Does anyone else have copper problems?

Something sure looks wrong (to me) with that # compared to the copper #s I've always got back. All of my previous samples have been from Delo runs though. I'm not an anaysis guru though so maybe 47 is ok? Did the lab come back with any comments?



I think if it were me and I didn't hear from anyone that their copper #s are close to that I'd run the absolute minimum amount of time on the new oil and send in another sample (get the min run time info from the lab your using for your analysis). Maybe the sample got contaminated at the lab or something but I'd be more inclined to believe that if it were Silicone or something that could easily fall in and foul a sample.



Look at the bright side, if something is going south you just caught it before it took out a lot more than itself. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that it's either "normal" for that type of oil or it was a freak result at the lab.



Rich



p. s. According to the explanation on my CTC lab reports Copper comes from bushings, bearings, thrust-washers, friction plates, oil cooler, and additives in oil.

 

[RoryTek]

Running Amsoil 15w-40 with bypass setup and this is my schedule, every 7k change full flow filter at 14k sample and at 21k change bypass filter. My samples always come back clean I have 190k on the truck and 160 of that has been with Amsoil. Also have over 100k on the same oil. I drive it like I stole it.

 

[rblomquist]

Rory,



On this poll/thread we're looking for folks that do not have a bypass system.



Thanks for rubbing in your 100k on the same oil though

 

[rblomquist]

Just got my results back and everything came back normal. A few items I got data results on that were different (both ways) before switching to the Amsoil:



Lead came back at 7 which was usually 3 on the last 2 samples.



Copper came in at 3 which was 1 more than the last 5k sample using dino.



I got a 1 this time on Boron which I'd never got a return on previously.



Aluminum came in at 2 which is 1 lower than previous tests.



Calcium, magnesium, phospherous and zinc all came back stronger hits than with dino (more of them in the amsoil pkg I presume).



Viscosity split the differnce between the last 2 dino samples.



At this point and time I've got to make a decision on what the next interval to run (then test) is.

 

[GLASMITHS]

I have always changed my oil at 5-7k regardless as to what type was in use. Currently I use Vavoline 5W40 Prem blue Extreme syn. The reason is the moisture here in the South. No matter what the mileage is, it goes at 6 months. The full flow filter does not remove moisture - Same for transmission



I did take care of that today though. Installed my Oil Guard bypass filter. So I will probably extend the oil change out to 15K, depending on the time limit. It takes 2 qts for bypass.

 

[rblomquist]

I have always changed my oil at 5-7k regardless as to what type was in use. Currently I use Vavoline 5W40 Prem blue Extreme syn. The reason is the moisture here in the South. No matter what the mileage is, it goes at 6 months. The full flow filter does not remove moisture - Same for transmission



I did take care of that today though. Installed my Oil Guard bypass filter. So I will probably extend the oil change out to 15K, depending on the time limit. It takes 2 qts for bypass.

Just curious but are you baseing that 6 month change out for moisture on hard data (i. e. analysis) or is that the norm down there? Again, just curious.

 

[GLASMITHS]

Just curious but are you baseing that 6 month change out for moisture on hard data (i. e. analysis) or is that the norm down there? Again, just curious.

I am basing it on the fact that all the oil change intervals in the owners manuel is so many miles or 6 months. Ofcourse conditions have to be considered also. But to my knowledge, never more than 6 months. No to my knowledge this is not the norm. What I am getting at, is that I feel that Cummins is smarter than me, so they say 6 months, so it is just an individule thing. We do what we feel is best. The moisture is a problem. However, if you drive like Jason :-laf j/k, he runs full tilt on the interstate LOADED so moisture shouldn't be a concern to him. If you pull a lot perhaps that would not be a concern, but it is to me.

 

[rblomquist]

I am basing it on the fact that all the oil change intervals in the owners manuel is so many miles or 6 months. Ofcourse conditions have to be considered also. But to my knowledge, never more than 6 months. .

Nobody can knock you for doing it your way, after all it's your truck and you can't go wrong doing it more often. Out here, we don't have a big problem with moisture other than we don't have any