When to Change the Oil

[Cliffman]

I did a search prior to creating this thread. Got nutten for pulling heavy

My question is if you pull heavy should you stick to the 15k intervals?

 

[SnoKing]

I did a search prior to creating this thread. Got nutten for pulling heavy

My question is if you pull heavy should you stick to the 15k intervals?

Only if you hit 15K before 6 months!!!!!!!!! RAM calls for a ridiculous low time interval of every 6 months or 15K. Average person will hit 6 months before 15K.

 

[6V92TA]

honestly, I change the oil every 6 months, which is maybe 7 or 8000 miles of driving for me.
Cummins seems to stress that 6 month time interval on any engine they manufacture.
what you read for Ram as a service interval mimics what Cummins says.
every 6 months, 15000 miles or 500 engine hours seems to be the standard Cummins recommended interval

 

[SyN]

I agree: Every 6 months is a good rule of thumb or every 8K miles since the motor is worked decently hard.
If you run a name brand synthetic: you might push it to 10K miles but I wouldn’t go much more.

Just my opinion.

 

[JR]

I don't pay attention to the 6 month recommendation. Thats all it is as Ram does not know how people will drive their trucks. If you drive short distances, light loads, etc. where the engine doesn't regularly get up to operating temps the 6 month rule may be a good idea.

FWIW every single SCR equipped Cummins powered crane I've operated - wether it be a Grove, Manitowoc, Terex, or a Tadano - with either the 6.7 or 8.3 engine calls for oil change every 500 hours or annually.

Here is my last oil change on my 2014 - 14k miles and change/9+ months .

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/attachments/030218_1912-1-pdf.101794/

No traceable water, fuel dilution, next to no soot # and excellent remaining tbn and viscosity.
Could have easily went longer but good enough for me. Judging by my current mileage my next oil change interval of the same mileage will be pushing an additional 1-2 months. No big deal. All depends on your usage.

 

[sag2]

Change it per the oil change indicator. That is why it's there. Everyone drives differently and it is specific to your driving habits.

 

[kthaxton]

In my experience, the indicator does not calculate the time (months) since the oil change.

 

[SnoKing]

As far as I know, no where in the owners manual does it reference the oil minder.

 

[Cummins2014]

In my experience, the indicator does not calculate the time (months) since the oil change.

Its 15K or 6 months which ever comes first. As far as I know there is nothing that states how the truck is used. for me its every six months, never get close to 15K.

What I do think is its bad advice not to follow the owners manual. Yet every thread about oil changes we get the year think or whatever.

 

[JR]

What I do think is its bad advice not to follow the owners manual. Yet every thread about oil changes we get the year think or whatever.

I'm certainly not telling anyone what to do, but the owners manual is a conservative recommendation that covers a very wide variety of driving conditions. The way some people drive their trucks - short, unloaded trips- the 6 month suggestion is likely a good one and Ram realizes this.
If anyone is interested I can take a few pictures later today of service manuals where Cummins says 500 hours/ annually.

 

[Cliffman]

Looking through the manual I see nothing about heavy duty use. Only if you are running over 5% bio-diesel should you change sooner.

 

[JR]

My question would be what do you consider heavy. These engines are built to work. Unless on the extreme end of the spectrum it's difficult to break oil down in the specified intervals .

 

[SyN]

This his how I was told the Ram OLM system works via my Service Mgr.
Was shown this with my first Ram in 2014.

https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/understanding-ram-service-indicator-lights-by-brent-minderler

 

[SnoKing]

I'm certainly not telling anyone what to do, but the owners manual is a conservative recommendation that covers a very wide variety of driving conditions. The way some people drive their trucks - short, unloaded trips- the 6 month suggestion is likely a good one and Ram realizes this.
If anyone is interested I can take a few pictures later today of service manuals where Cummins says 500 hours/ annually.

FCA/RAM warranties the engine, NOT Cummins! So it does not matter what Cummins says about engines they warranty.

 

[gsbrockman]

Its 15K or 6 months which ever comes first. As far as I know there is nothing that states how the truck is used. for me its every six months, never get close to 15K.

Actually........it states 15,000 miles OR 6 months OR 500 hours.....whichever occurs first.

 

[Cliffman]

My question would be what do you consider heavy. These engines are built to work. Unless on the extreme end of the spectrum it's difficult to break oil down in the specified intervals .

Pulling a 15K 5er...

 

[Cliffman]

I don't pay attention to the 6 month recommendation. Thats all it is as Ram does not know how people will drive their trucks. If you drive short distances, light loads, etc. where the engine doesn't regularly get up to operating temps the 6 month rule may be a good idea.

FWIW every single SCR equipped Cummins powered crane I've operated - wether it be a Grove, Manitowoc, Terex, or a Tadano - with either the 6.7 or 8.3 engine calls for oil change every 500 hours or annually.

Here is my last oil change on my 2014 - 14k miles and change/9+ months .

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/attachments/030218_1912-1-pdf.101794/

No traceable water, fuel dilution, next to no soot # and excellent remaining tbn and viscosity.
Could have easily went longer but good enough for me. Judging by my current mileage my next oil change interval of the same mileage will be pushing an additional 1-2 months. No big deal. All depends on your usage.

What about your first oil change? What was the mileage and did you do a report?

 

[JR]

FCA/RAM warranties the engine, NOT Cummins! So it does not matter what Cummins says about engines they warranty.

I understand in this day and age everybody is afraid to make decisions based on rationale, experience, and common sense.
If you think changing your oil every 6 months on the button will prevent your engine from mysteriously grenading then by all means, change it every 6 months. I'm just informing you what Cummins says is safe and acceptable for their engines.

 

[JR]

What about your first oil change? What was the mileage and did you do a report?

No sir, I bought my truck used.
I do an analysis annually so I have a good baseline of my engines health. I plan to keep this truck long term and would like to catch any potential issues as they arise, OA is a good economical way to do so.

 

[6V92TA]

FWIW the oil change interval is based on heavy duty use as there is no such thing as light duty use in the world this engine was designed to operate in.. basically we all have an industrial engine in our truck, whose usage was never intended to be driving to the grocery store.

it only costs 50 bucks to change the oil in these engines. isn't easy enough to just follow the schedule and not concern yourself with all the other stuff?