synthetic oil

[Kurt Henzler]

how do you if it is too soon to change to synthetic oil. i changed at 2500 miles and now have 8000 miles. i am going to change oil but do not have any rotella left only amsiol 15w40. about 5000 of my miles are towing a 5000 lb trailer.

 

[Riflesmith]

Kurt,

If it was my truck, I would go get some Rotella and run it another 5 or 6 thousand before switching to Synthetic.

 

[BillGotthelf]

I have 12300 on my 2003-most of which was pulling 14,000 lb fifth wheel. I am waiting for 15,000 to change to synthetic. Give the engine some time to break in.

 

[JCyrbok]

OIL

I waited until 20K to switch mine out as I dont tow real heavy. I went with the standard 3k changes. I changed to Amsoil 15W40HHD with a By pass at 20K, I know have 30K with no changes and good oil analysis. I think that the manual says to wait until 20K if you dont tow alot before changing.



If it were my truck I'd wait.



Hope this helps,

J-

 

[y-knot]

I like to think that the 10,000 mile mark is a pretty safe figure. If you tow alot, then you could switch with less miles, as the added load seems to break them in quicker. It is important to allow some time for full break-in, but I also like to get them on the synthetic as quickly as possible. We have had eight new vehicles in the last 16 years and all were run on synthetic, most were swithed at the 5,000 mile mark. I did have one truck that I switched to synthetic on it's frist oil change which was at 800 miles. This was a mistake, and although it did no damage, it did delay the break-in for a long time. WE run the synthetic oil in everything and they all have a different brake-in schedule. The ATV's (four wheelers) get switched after the first two tanks of fuel are run through. Compressors, after 5 hours of opperation. Lawn mowers after two tanks of fuel. And transmissions after the first filter change and band adjustment, which is 24,000 miles.