What Oil do you use in your cummins?

[Parish]

Amsoil 15w-40 , amsoil ea filter, & fs2500 bypass. Got 39,720 mi. using oil analysis. 01' 2500 4x4, Edge Comp, egt,boost,fuel gauges, 4" turbo back exhaust,S&B air filter.

 

[steved]

I was reading KCraft's post and forgot I always add lucas to my fuel too... helps the VP and LP lubrication.

Google "Diesel Fuel Additive Study" and you will see Lucas does nothing for lubrication.



Although, I will add it has improved my mileage every time I used it, the additive study is scientific numbers.

 

[steved]

i use john deere 15/40 and lucas additive. lucas is the key!!!

Lucas Oil Additive is nothing more than a thickener, it adds nothing beneficial to the oil... this has been hashed out on the oil forums many times. They have VOAs of Lucas on Bob is the Oil Guy.



I would suggest you research it some, and draw your own conclusion.

 

[steved]

Heart broken when Rotella 5W-40 went to CJ, Now its out of there. The Rotella 5W-40 Synth shows only half the TBN properties the Royal Purple CI-4+ 15W-40 has.



So Royal Purple from now on or until they go CJ.



Mac

The lower TBN numbers are proving to not be an issue when running ULSD...



If you look at some UOAs, you will see the TBN drops very slowly when using ULSD and CJ-4 oils... I have my own UOAs and some changes out to 20k... TBN was still above 6, and anything over TBN=2 is serviceable.

 

[steved]

I have a bunch of UOAs on CJ-4 Rotella, and it shows very good wear numbers. The only thing I noted is that it doesn't seem to like heat, and will "boil off" causing the oil to increase in viscosity... and its not thickening because of soot because I have a bypass and insoluables show up at 0. 4% or less. Under "grocery-getter" duty, the oil looks fine, but heavy towing and long-duration high RPM/high EGT runs will yield funky UOAs (but still very acceptable wear numbers). And it only seems affected by my 3rd gen truck as my dad is running the same oil doing similar things with his 2nd gen and the oil never changes like it does for me.

I switched to Scheaffer Series 9000 5w40, and while the first UOA wasn't stellar, it was the first UOA on oil with almost 20k, and it has not been changed. I was a little disappointed, but I have been told to run it, and resample because its due to changing oils (both brand and type). My first UOA from the Schaeffers:

#ad


The Cummins are fairly easy on oil, and as long as you use a brand name and do even somewhat routine changes, the oil is probably not even "bad" when most change it.

What Wayne has done with Amsoil (80k on the "same" oil), could be done with regular dino. As long as you keep it clean, and verify the oil is serviceable with UOAs, there is really no reason for frequent changes other than to have that warm fuzzy feeling. I had 30k on Rotella at one point (with bypass filtration), and it was completely normal in all aspects for 30k oil and still very serviceable. Oil technology has really improved, and that's both synthetic and conventional oils.

When choosing oil, it boils down to researching what works and what will give you that warm fuzzy feeling... if that's running a $50/quart full-synthetic on 500 mile changes, so be it. It all boils down to what makes you feel good.

At the end of the day, these engines will outlast most owners with minimal maintenance between trades... just look at JHardwick (that poor truck)...

 

[REckard]

"... just look at JHardwick (that poor truck)... "



Please explain?



Also, I agree with your assessment of dino oil vs syn. The only place I run syn is in the transmission/transfer case (ATF+4). I run conventional oil and change every10k because it is in the middle of the service schedules and it is easy to remember that when the odometer turns to 0000 its time for an oil change.



The amount of money spent on oil changes in these pickups is unreal. When I see people running sythetics and changing every 5k while the service manual says 7500-15000 on dino I feel sick.



Like you said it is what ever makes a person feel good.

 

[steved]

"... just look at JHardwick (that poor truck)... "



Please explain?

Between the errant RF, 20k oil changes, and 480k+ of seat time... I feel bad for the truck... :-laf



only 300k more and I'll catch him!!

 

[macdaddy]

I have a bunch of UOAs on CJ-4 Rotella, and it shows very good wear numbers. The only thing I noted is that it doesn't seem to like heat, and will "boil off" causing the oil to increase in viscosity... and its not thickening because of soot because I have a bypass and insoluables show up at 0. 4% or less. Under "grocery-getter" duty, the oil looks fine, but heavy towing and long-duration high RPM/high EGT runs will yield funky UOAs (but still very acceptable wear numbers). And it only seems affected by my 3rd gen truck as my dad is running the same oil doing similar things with his 2nd gen and the oil never changes like it does for me.



I switched to Scheaffer Series 9000 5w40, and while the first UOA wasn't stellar, it was the first UOA on oil with almost 20k, and it has not been changed. I was a little disappointed, but I have been told to run it, and resample because its due to changing oils (both brand and type). My first UOA from the Schaeffers:



#ad




The Cummins are fairly easy on oil, and as long as you use a brand name and do even somewhat routine changes, the oil is probably not even "bad" when most change it.



What Wayne has done with Amsoil (80k on the "same" oil), could be done with regular dino. As long as you keep it clean, and verify the oil is serviceable with UOAs, there is really no reason for frequent changes other than to have that warm fuzzy feeling. I had 30k on Rotella at one point (with bypass filtration), and it was completely normal in all aspects for 30k oil and still very serviceable. Oil technology has really improved, and that's both synthetic and conventional oils.



When choosing oil, it boils down to researching what works and what will give you that warm fuzzy feeling... if that's running a $50/quart full-synthetic on 500 mile changes, so be it. It all boils down to what makes you feel good.



At the end of the day, these engines will outlast most owners with minimal maintenance between trades... just look at JHardwick (that poor truck)...

Steved... .



My exact reason I wont run that garbage. "It doesnt like heat". I run my 325/610 hard for 22 hrs with out shutting it down during summer when traveling from los Angeles to Mount Vernon Wa driving straight through.



It's too unstable. We have tested the CJ stuff under very severe conditions and have found the same results you found. Without getting into a big debate (which has been more than covered) the CJ oil is fine without being subjected to severe service.



Incidently you can run CI4 oil with a after treatment (part trap) with very little negitive impact to it the (Part Trap). It only increases the number of cleaning cycles, but you didnt hear that from me. And thats only if the motor has significant blowby.



Tests at our motor research lab on site where I work. I wont say where.



Cheers



Mac

 

[steved]

I would not hesitate to run cj-4 rotella again. While it might not like heat, it doesn't show that in wear numbers.



My UOAs of rotella, even those "bad runs" still have wear number that look as good as any synthetic...

 

[nickleinonen]

i need to buy some more oil soon as i am all out. . kinda sucks now that standard rotella t cost $5/liter up here i use to pay the same for synthetic, which now is almost $10/liter.

i need to see if i can scam a deal from some of the suppliers at work

 

[TSham]

Thanks for the info its been very informative.

 

[GaryOwen]

Been using Rotella on my 03 since I got the truck with 79k miles. Been using CJ Rotella for the last 300k miles or so (now have 513k miles total). Been using 12k mile oil change intervals and getting occasional UOA's.



As Steved noted it runs a bit high on viscosity, but has very good wear numbers. My viscosity numbers with CI Rotella was near the upper limit also though, but are slightly higher with CJ.



Gonna keep running Rotella CJ dino until I see some reason to change.



Gary

 

[TSham]

tsham

What does anyone think about the advantage of running synthetic for the turbo lubrication ?

 

[CBloom]

99 3500 2wd fass

synthetic rotella 5w-40w 10,000 mile interval more or less would go longer with a bypass filter

 

[macdaddy]

Been using Rotella on my 03 since I got the truck with 79k miles. Been using CJ Rotella for the last 300k miles or so (now have 513k miles total). Been using 12k mile oil change intervals and getting occasional UOA's.



As Steved noted it runs a bit high on viscosity, but has very good wear numbers. My viscosity numbers with CI Rotella was near the upper limit also though, but are slightly higher with CJ.



Gonna keep running Rotella CJ dino until I see some reason to change.



Gary

Gary... ... ... .



Do you have the original NV 56 Honey?



Mac

 

[mattk50]

Delo 400 since new

 

[WCounts]

I'm currently using Delo 400 CI-4 . Quite a few oil companys like Castrol and Penzoil are bringing out CI-4 oils. It soon shouldn't be hard to find CI-4 oils.

Billy

 

[ZBrooks]

Valvoline Premium Blue 15w-40

 

[GaryOwen]

Gary... ... ... .



Do you have the original NV 56 Honey?



Mac

Original NV5600. Been using either Pennzoil Synchromesh or Amsoil (mostly Amsoil).

 

[wild4stangs]

Amsoil Heavy Duty Marine oil 15W-40