Synthetic or regular oil

[jbritsch]

I'm hearing synthetic oil is the best to use, but some say just use the regular oil and change it regularly. Also if I used synthetic oil how often would I have to change it?

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2001, 2500, automatic
30 ft 5th wheel trailer
Jim B. Pgh. , Pa.

 

[BV]

I run the regular oil since synthetics are a little pricy and to really benifit from them you should run a bypass filter (more money) and extended oil changes which could void your warranty. I change it according to the Maintenance Schedule in the owners manual - Not sure about the 2001 but 1999 sets the oil change at 3750 or 7000 depending on use so I picked 5000. Whatever you decide, please wait for 10-15k or more so that the engine has time to break in before you go to synthetics. Another thought is that Cummins said it has a 400,000 mile life on regular oil and I know it won't sit in the driveway that long so I will let the next buyer worry about it. One the other hand my factory warranty expires late this year and my mind could change. IOW - It's a personal choice.

 

[Dane]

Oh no, the oil question! Here we go again... Please put on your boxing gloves before replying #ad


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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

[Wiredawg]

Yep guys, seen these beat around before. As of today, I'm sticking with Rotella 15W40 every 5K miles. I am however going to buy a MagHytec and replace the rearend oil with synthetic oil. DC recommends it for heavy hauling.

Wiedawg #ad




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2000 4X4 SLT QC 8' bed; 6 spd, 3. 54 ; BD exhaust brake and 4" exhaust syst; TST PM2; Airlift Super Duty rear air bags; RS 9000 shocks; pyro/boost gauges in 2 gauge a-pillar mount; back preasure gauge mounted under dash; KN air filter; Brown's Welding brush/grill guard, rear bumper & headache rack; nerf bars and aluminum roll top rear cover, Warn front receiver and Hadley air horns, 20K Reese hitch.

 

[Mr. B]

I have done both.
oil changes cost me $28. 00 at GoodYear (DELCO 400)
AmsOil is around $110. 00@ 15q
if you do oil Analizing you can prolong oil changes almost indefinitly at a cost of (1x$30 filter every 30K miles and 2x$15 filters every 30K + 275. 00 for the Duel remote filter system. ) =,s $440. 00 for the first 30K miles and $50. 00 every 15K after(Oil analizing/ filters added oil)or $695. 00 + AmsOil licence for 105k miles.
Delco change for me is 28. 00@ 5k ='s 700. 00 @ 105k miles
NOTE* Most trucks will last 4-500k miles with normal oil changes. A few have lasted 1million miles. ? how many miles will you drive before the Dodge body rots off or diesel becomes $5. 00 a gallon.
If you want my dual remote system and extra filters you can have them at 1/2 my cost.
Mike B.

 

[Okie-Go]

I use rotella t every 3000 miles. I can afford that better than a new engine, I change it myself and take used oil to a recycle center, that helps on the cost. As far as teh rear cover, my partrs guy a dc said it would void warranty. gonna make a post and see what happens.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[Evan A. Beck]

IMHO, regular oil is all you really need. Synthetics seem like a waste of money, for not much of a gain. I use all regular oil in my truck, as I can't see spending the extra money. I do my oil changes every 10K, and use Valvoline PB 15W40.

Interestingly, I was talking to some Cummins techs I know, and they have seen Rams come in with 500, 600, 800K on them... NONE of these trucks had synthetic lubes. That's evidence enough for me. An oil change should cost no more than 30 bucks at the most for these trucks. With synthetics, you can triple or quaduple that. Even if you have to change the regular oil TWICE as much, the cost difference is still pretty big. For how much of a gain? Little, if any.

Just my $. 02...

 

[K_Arts]

Let me ask you guys this. First off I am running Amsoil 5w30HDD along with the BMK-15 Dual Bypass. . and love both of them.

Though the other day when I was at my local Cummins shop, I got to talking oil with the sales guy and he told me not to run a full synthetic. He said that through the R & D that Cummins has ran, the results showed that a full synthetic oil can actually harm the 24v ISB. Is this true? Should I dump my synthetic and just start using normal oil?

Thanks

Kev

 

[drawson]

Kev, I read alot of this stuff about synthetic oil in the Cummins until Cummins came out with there own Syn. oil.

 

[Cooker]

Ok my turn.

I have done a lot of reading regarding this topic and here is what I think and how I am servicing my truck:

I change my conventional oil every 3000-4000 miles depending on my driving conditions on the oil. I feel this is is the best alternative for our trucks, UNLESS you are in extreamly cold climates, then I feel the synthetic would be a necessity.

IM personal O, the synthetic engine oil is too expensive for the negligible benefits from it, in the engine. I'm not doubting that the syn oil may have less wear, but realistically we have to consider how long we plan on having the truck. Mine has 80,000 on it now. On average lets says the Cummins will last AT LEAST 300,000. I drive about 35,000/year, so by my calculations this truck (motor) will last me (using a minimum life expetancy) another 6 to 7 years. I've never kept a vehicle that long yet.

One other issue, I was taught that oil itself doesn't wear out (the additives do) but it becomes contaminated. So if you want to run syn oil IMO it is best to run a bypass filter setup to get the maximum useful life out of the oil

All this aside, not to mention here in Michigan they use so much **** salt on the road, the vehicles rust out before the motor or drivetrain dies anyway.

This is my logic and I'm comfortable thinking this way and servicing my truck this way. You need to do what YOU feel comfortable with, after all it's your money.

Sorry for the caps, should have been italics I guess.

Ryan

 

[Cooker]

K_Arts,

The Cummins guys at my shop told me the same thing about a full syn. Their R&D has found no significant benefits to using a full syn in the Cummins. Hmmmm... . It has to make you wonder?

Ryan

 

[madams]

I'm sure the z'am-ers will jump all over me for this . . but I still live in the US . . so here goes.

I agree with cooker . . its the contaminates that force us to change the lube. But I can't see the need for the bypass system.

Are our fleetguards that bad? Once we've done our first filter change the others are not that hard to remove right? No need to drop the oil to change the filter . . right?

Why don't we skip a change, change only the filter with make up oil @ 3-4 k. Then the full change @ 7-8k . . extending the drain interval.

This helps the environment, saves us a few buckaroo's, and we get the contaminates out prior to any significant oil breakdown with a fresh filter.

What's the drawbacks?

 

[tlippy]

I'm sure happy to see the above posts. Last year you would have had 4 guys peddling Amsoil trying to convince you to use their product and then try to justify the cost with testing and extended oil changes. The Sence of Reason has decended upon us!

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99' Quad 4x4 A/T LB 3. 54 30K Miles.
26' Terry w/slide 7500GVWR
"KISS your truck and it will be forever faithful"

 

[Deezal Man]

Jim,
As you can see, the petro boys immediately stepped up to the plate to defend their father's oldsmobile.

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98. 5' 24v 2500 Auto/3. 54 4x4 SB QC 285-75-16's on Alcoa's. Everything but leather. PIAA 1200's, AMSOIL dual filter relocation system, Smittybuilt Stainless Steel Nerfs, Rhino Liner(Junk), K&N air filter(For Sale)15 year AMSOIL dealer. Time permitting, Soon to include Ultra-lite Pyro,0-50lbs boost, Trans temp in the pillar. Rancho 9000's with in cab adjustment.

 

[drawson]

Here some back ground on by-pass oil filters... . The full flow filter has to be able to flow enough oil to take care of keeping the oil passages full and under pressure. The smallest filtering size for full flow is 7-20 microns on quality filters. Bypass filters only flow a small amount through them and they don't have to worry about total flow to keep the crank off the bearing. The good by-pass filter filter as small as . 5 micron. All the big rigs have a by-pass filter system on them and they run extended miles between changes on what ever oil floats there boats.

 

[Cooker]

I don't think I'm necessarily defending petro oil, but merely expressing the logic behind my use of conventional.

I feel the syn is good oil. I use it in my diffs, but I cannot justify the added expense of a "better?" engine oil (which gets changed on average 5 - 10 times for every one diff fluid change) in a truck that will already run 300,000-500,000 miles.

 

[jbritsch]

Originally posted by Wiredawg:
Yep guys, seen these beat around before. As of today, I'm sticking with Rotella 15W40 every 5K miles. I am however going to buy a MagHytec and replace the rearend oil with synthetic oil. DC recommends it for heavy hauling.

Wiedawg #ad
Can you tell me a little more about this MagHytec your going to buy? What is it? I'm pulling a 7000lb trailer.

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2001, 2500, automatic
30 ft 5th wheel trailer
Jim B. Pgh. , Pa.

 

[jbritsch]

Thanks Guys!

 

[illflem]

If you have the patience read this. Seems like Mobil 1(or it's new equivalent) is the one to use $4 /qt though,I'll keep using Delo.
I think MGM's on vacation,that's why no one is jumping in for Amsoil.

 

[HC]

If you have the patience read this. Seems like Mobil 1(or it's new equivalent) is the one to use $4 /qt though,I'll keep using Delo. I think MGM's on vacation, that's why no one is jumping in for Amsoil.

I'd never try to replace MGM in this discussion, but perhaps I can entertain the audience until his return... #ad

First, for any newbies, NEVER use Mobil 1 - it is not rated for the Cummins diesel. But you can use it's kissin' cousin, Mobil Delvac 1 (the "diesel" version of Mobil 1). The thread on noria.com was discussing Amsoil vs. Mobil 1 in gasoline engine applications - much of what was said does not apply to our diesel application, although some of the discussions about marketing hype are worthy of careful consideration. The Delvac 1 will probably run $5 to $6 per quart.
I figure I'm spending less than $0. 01 per mile on synthetic oil, and that includes filters, analysis, etc. Yep, I could probably cut costs by going to regular oil, but, I'm more comfortable with cold starts and more comfortable with hot shutdowns (turbo) using synthetic. For me, that comfort is worth $0. 01 added to the other costs of ownership; some others feel differently, and I'm OK with that, too.

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2001 ETH, QC, LWB, 4WD, 3. 54, SPA Pyro & Boost, K&N RE-880 w/foam pre-cleaner, ARE Z-series Cab-high shell, Rear ARB locker, and all kinds of synthetic fluids...