What type of oil...

[sloanxx]

are you guys using in your diesels? I noticed today that of course the dealer who swore they had changed the oil had overfilled it and I think that is the culprit in my fluctuating oil pressure. Also the the oil is as black as the bottom of a coal mine, is this normal or not? My plan is rather than run the motor at all with too much oil I'm going to dump the oil and replace it with the correct amount.

 

[SEmerson]

Alot of people will disagree with this but... . I run mine about a a quart over full. (3 gallons). If it is new it will be clean for awhile but a diesel wil get blacker oil than a gasser becouse of the soot.

 

[dpope]

oil

When in dought, change it out... My wife's truck has apporixmately 60,000 miles on it. I change the oil every 5,000 with shell rotella. The oil almost looks too good to change... It's dark but not jet black. Anyway, don't take a chance.

 

[Rob Thomas]

I use DELVAC, I change my oil every 5,000 miles it's looks real good after 5,000 I could probobly go to 6-7,000 miles as some poeple do, but i'd rather be safe.

 

[socal_rattler]

Sloan,



I use Delo 400 that you can get at Walmart and Costco. For the filter, I would recommend that you use the Fleetguard filter that you can buy through Geno's, or do like me and get it from Cummins CalPacific in Irvine. DO NOT use Fram!



Keep an eye out on the posting for the SoCal meeting that we're trying to get set up. You will learn a lot talking to the guys and seeing what they have done to their trucks. The only problem is that they have a disease you will probably catch calling BOMB.

 

[sloanxx]

How much oil does this thing hold?

 

[chuck3]

10 qts in pan, 1 qt in the filter. 11 qts total.

 

[Joe Mc]

I always use Valve-o-lene Premium Blue 15-40, 11 quarts w/filter every 5k (or so).



I don't know what the deal is with dealers? When I first picked mine up it was about a quart or so high also. I guess they just dump in 3 gallons (4 quarts/gallon X 3 = 1 quart high) just lazzy I guess.



As far as fluctuating pressure I've seen some posts talking about pressure sending units going bad and stumbling for a while before just dropping out. Also, someone got a new unit for about $20 or so and it solve the fluctating. Cheap fix if it works - you could test actual pressure by taking out the sender and installing a test gauge to see if it really fluctuates. MHO

 

[almitchell]

I use the same combination at socal_rattler and use Blackstone oil analysis. Based on their suggestion, I am increasing time between changes to 7,000. Currently have 85000 miles.

 

[Mad Max]

I run 76's Royal Triton QLT 15W40 ( http://www.tosco.com/internet_pub/repository/lubes/18.html ) and stratapore filters from fleetguard. #LF3894, change it every 3,750 miles, I've done an oil analysis w/Blackstone once and they suggested the oil could go longer and to retest @ 5,000 miles. Oil's cheap in my book so I do oil changes.



Must say, for a do it yourselfer, the Irrgang Billet oil drain plug is a nice piece (available @ http://www.genosgarage.com ) .



Ps. I did my first 15,000 miles on Cummins Premium Blue 15w40 for "break-in" prior to switching EVEN TO A SEMI-SYNTHETIC like Royal Triton. (and it doesn't STINK nearly as bad as Tella' or Cummins)



Pss. I NEVER overfill my crank case, but I do keep it at the full line of the operating range. If you get your oil level too high the crank can drag in it, or the windage tossed from the crank can airerate (sp?) the oil, producing paracitic power loss to the crank and if bad enough can facilitate the oil pump sucking AIR BUBBLE FILLED OIL, NOT OIL, NOT GOOD. (if you overfill it, you just might kill it)



MaX

 

[HC]

I'm using synthetic Amsoil HDD, 5W-30, with bypass filtration. Synthetics aren't for everybody, but they work great for me partly because I'm a high-mileage driver.



Black oil is normal for a diesel. If you don't have bypass filtration, then 5k oil changes are a good compromise between the "3k" crowd and the 7. 5k recommended by Dodge (for non-severe service), and make it very easy to remember the mileage.



A "mild" overfill wouldn't make me that nervous, but a full quart overfill would be above my personal comfort zone.



Instead of dumping a whole load of oil, I suggest you change the oil filter and only put 1/3 to 1/2 quart in the new filter - just enough to "wet" the filter so that when you start up it won't take forever to get oil pressure. This will lower your level; no sense in throwing out good oil if you just have a few hundred miles on it, unless you are wanting to change brands anyway. In Dino oils, I'd go with Delo; in synthetics, I like Amsoil and Delvac, in that order. All JMO.

 

[High Voltage]

Delo 400 every 3/3500 and fleetguard filters... ... oil is cheap.....

 

[Don M]

After turning up the juice on the truck I decided to go 2500 mile oil changes. I really rag on this thing and the fuel level Im at makes some major soot.

Fleetgaurd filters were my mainstay for years then I tried the WIX until HC or someone told me about the oil filter problems with that brand. I went right back to the fleetgaurds and either: Rotella T, Delo 400, or the Premim Blue from Cummins Southern Plains.

Rotella T is what I use about 90% of the time.



Don~

 

[LSMITH]

Use whatever you can find at a price that fits your budget and is rated for your engine. You will not find a "bad" oil that is rated for your engine, they all work and will get you more miles out of the truck than the body will IMO. I went 80K on Rotella and now use Delo. Change intervals are really up to you, I have a hard time believing that a mechanically sound engine will NEED the oil changed before 5000 miles regardless of fueling levels or usage, just my opinion though.

 

[me4osu]

OIL

I agree with LSmith, just make sure the oil has an SAE rating of CH-4, and use fleetguard filters. I always use Rotella-T and change oil & filter every 5000 mi.

 

[monkfarm]

I run amsoil 15-40 (slightly slipprier then the 5-30 with fleetguard filters, i've had my oil analysis done at 12000 and they say oil is great. I can't run it past that. Just have to change it. I get my 15-40 by the 55 gal drum, quite a bit cheaper. . .

I definitely agree with Mad Max, don't overfill it.