What the heck??? "Oil Change Required" message?

[Champy]

Got out of work today..... 20deg; cold; etc... . Started up my new 2009 2500 QC CTD pickup... ... . bing-bing. Overhead consol has notice "Oil Change Required... . See Dealer". My truck only has 2700 miles - TOTAL!! What happened to the 7500 mile oil change intervals? So every 3k miles I'm forced to change oil?



Is this normal?

 

[Jim W]

This is typical I use to get between 2500 and 3000 miles. This all depends on your drive style and how much idling you do. If you drive on the highway all the time and work the truck hard then you could get 7500 between changes, but if you do city driving and travel short distance then 2500 to 3000 miles.

Remember that soot and diesel fuel is entering the engine oil do to the emission controls this is why the oil change is required now.

I would do a search on this site looking for oil changes on 6. 7L engines.

Good Luck.

Jim

 

[hwkdrvr]

Champy,

Jim W is correct. The system on our trucks uses a number of different factors in determining when to change the oil. If you have been doing a lot of city driving, expect to get between 2-3000 miles. Now, if your a fan of keeping the original oil in there for 5K - for break-in purposes - Just turn the key until your dash lights come on, press the gas pedal 3 times (2 seconds each press) and turn the key back to off. This will reset the oil change monitoring system. My advice - Change the oil. In fact, change it every 3000 until 15K and then sway to Amsoil and change it every 7500 after that. Just my . 02cents.

 

[Champy]

Ok... ... ... guess an oil change is coming my way... . First one is free from the Dealer anyhow. What happens if I just keep driving it without resetting the console display? Does it de-rate into limp mode or something?

 

[sag2]

What happens if I just keep driving it without resetting the console display? Does it de-rate into limp mode or something?

Yes, if you run it long enough, but not from the engine controller, from the scored cylinders.

 

[Champy]

Yes, if you run it long enough, but not from the engine controller, from the scored cylinders.

Well I didn't mean run it "forever" without changing the oil... ... . but a couple of weeks shouldn't hurt - right?

 

[pwr2tow]

I would reword that as a couple hundred miles as some put on thousands of miles in a couple weeks.

 

[sag2]

Yes, the light comes on about 500 miles before you actually need the change. It wouldn't make sense to have it come on, then the next 10 miles cause damage.

 

[Champy]

Well..... took the truck to my local dealer for the oil change. Now I think they over filled it. The dipstick is showing an oil line about 1/4" higher than the "Safe" marked area. Should I leave it alone; take it back; or drain some oil myself? From now on I should probably just do it myself ... .....

 

[seafish]

My opinion only... don't worry about a 1/4" above safe. However,maybe check it first thing in the morning, and if STILL more has drained down, think about taking it back and make them do it right.

Once on my 5. 9L when the dealer lube monkey overfilled it, I had a strange, strong and bad odor come into the cab while driving around town after picking it up. I decided to check the level after letting it sit for 15 minutes, and it was over 3/4" above the top mark. #@$%! Called the dealer up, told em what was going on, and they had me drive back and drained some out till it was just at the mark... smell was gone!!!

Still, I wouldn't worry about just a 1/4" over...

 

[Jim W]

Well..... took the truck to my local dealer for the oil change. Now I think they over filled it. The dipstick is showing an oil line about 1/4" higher than the "Safe" marked area. Should I leave it alone; take it back; or drain some oil myself? From now on I should probably just do it myself ... .....

Well this is why must of us change our own oil. The truck needs to sit at least a half an hour to draining with the oil pan plug removed. The dealer and oil or change shop will not let the truck sit that long. With the redesign to the CCV filter (I believe for the 6. 7L) and being a closed system it takes that long for all of the oil to drain out of the top end.

The other thing that most dealers do not do is grease the front drive shaft like the instructions state to do at every oil change.

When the dealer was doing mine I would always be over 1/4 past the safe mark. Then as the truck was driven the oil level would increase as I put miles on the truck.

I now do my own oil changes for under $50.

Just my $0. 02

 

[Champy]

Checked it again this am... ... and its only about 1/8" above the SAFE marker. I'm guessing to leave it alone and as noted, begin doing my own oil changes as well. Thinking of also installing a Fumoto valve to help in the process.



Thanks

 

[Champy]

... The other thing that most dealers do not do is grease the front drive shaft like the instructions state to do at every oil change... ... ...

Any specifics on doing this? Any special type of grease / zerk locations?



Thanks