Observations on My Diesel

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by T3/T4 Hybrid

I always like reading oil threads. It has an entertainment value.


bsmith0404 Im in the same thought as you. If you want to know how your oil has worn over a certain driving style and period of time then send the oil off to be tested! Black Stone Labs is one of the best. I hope this link doesnt get nuked for the free kit. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php Once you get the results back then you should service your engine correctly, no matter the manufacturer, so you get the most miles for the least amount of dollars.

If you want to be a real nerd on oil look up Bob the Oil guy forum. Lots of good information!

Blackstone Labs does a great job and the info they provide is pretty amazing. You'd be surprised what you can learn about your truck and your oil from their analysis. Bobs the Oil Guy is some entertaining reading and some good info as well.

[dcg9381]

Originally Posted by old timer

Because of the turbos synthetic would work best. My owners manual says to change the oil when the computer says to do it.I was quoted a price at the dealer of $170 for full synthetic. Will do a tire rotation and have them show me a couple things I am not familiar with.

I think the Dodge manual says to follow the computer / maintenance schedule unless used for towing, etc...

The way to stop guessing is probably an oil analysis...

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by dcg9381

I think the Dodge manual says to follow the computer / maintenance schedule unless used for towing, etc...

The way to stop guessing is probably an oil analysis...

...and Blackstone Labs is the best.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by T3/T4 Hybrid

I always like reading oil threads. It has an entertainment value.


bsmith0404 Im in the same thought as you. If you want to know how your oil has worn over a certain driving style and period of time then send the oil off to be tested! Black Stone Labs is one of the best. I hope this link doesnt get nuked for the free kit. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php Once you get the results back then you should service your engine correctly, no matter the manufacturer, so you get the most miles for the least amount of dollars.

If you want to be a real nerd on oil look up Bob the Oil guy forum. Lots of good information!

X2 to this! We went through this with Blackstone checking for extended oil change intervals, when the 10,000 mile report came back and stated still very good and try for 12,500 miles the next time.

Well I am very happy to just change every 10,000 miles.

Keep in mind oil doesn't loose its lubricating ability over time, but the additives get depleted and acids start to form. Without an oil analysis you are just guessing, and likely wasting oil, time and a natural resource for no reason. I likely could have gone 15,000 with a filter change at 7,500 and one qt of fresh oil. I use about just over a qt. at 10,000 miles. Many new diesel owners freak as the oil is BLACK very soon, just soot and natural, makes it easier to read the dip stick.

Newer diesels will start to suffer from fuel dilution which is not a good thing, not so much an issue with older diesels.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Newer diesels will start to suffer from fuel dilution which is not a good thing, not so much an issue with older diesels.

The cause of the fuel dilution is the additional dump of fuel to clean the DPF. There was only a couple years for each manufacturer that did this. The new ones that do a regen cycle with DEF use a 9th injector in the exhaust system so that is no longer an issue. I if I remember correctly the years of concern are 2007-2010, but not necessarily all 4 years, different combinations of the years for different brands.

[old timer]

My information center said that the oil was ok then later that same day it said change oil soon. The DEF says the same thing. So ok means nothing. Hope there is something they can do to get me a %age instead of ok. I don't like to do a health report because I am not sure where and how much information goes back to Ford. It's none of there business how I drive my truck or where I've been.

[T3/T4 Hybrid]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

X2 to this! We went through this with Blackstone checking for extended oil change intervals, when the 10,000 mile report came back and stated still very good and try for 12,500 miles the next time.

Well I am very happy to just change every 10,000 miles.

Keep in mind oil doesn't loose its lubricating ability over time, but the additives get depleted and acids start to form. Without an oil analysis you are just guessing, and likely wasting oil, time and a natural resource for no reason. I likely could have gone 15,000 with a filter change at 7,500 and one qt of fresh oil. I use about just over a qt. at 10,000 miles. Many new diesel owners freak as the oil is BLACK very soon, just soot and natural, makes it easier to read the dip stick.

Newer diesels will start to suffer from fuel dilution which is not a good thing, not so much an issue with older diesels.

Im going to change out the oil in mine every 7500. I don't see the need to do it any sooner and on the third oil change I'll send in a test sample just to be on the sure side. Plus the dealer threw in oil changes for life on the purchase of my truck at the 7500 mileage interval. It's win win to me.

[LittleJoe]

Originally Posted by sw342

My Ram diesel supplement states 15K miles, 6 months, or 500 hours. Whichever comes first. I only put on about 7k a year so I change every 6 months. My old 2004 Ram Cummins was every 7500 miles. Changing every 3-5000 miles is just throwing good oil away.

This is 100% correct.

IF truck is one of the tweeners before SCR and diesel exhaust fluid , that can make oil if run too far out of recommended parameter usage then I can understand more frequent change/monitoring.

[LittleJoe]

Originally Posted by dcg9381

What are you guys paying for oil and (fuel) filter changes? What I'm reading on the Cummins is that it varies greatly - anywhere from about $200 to someone that was charged $400. (I know it may vary between makes/models/years)

Debating if I just start doing it myself - the change interval is high enough, but the oil filter is a bit of a pain on the newer Dodge... I haven't looked at what's required to replace the 2 fuel filters - I assume there is some sort of pre-prime procedure from the lift pump that hopefully (unlike my VW diesel) doesn't require special software.

Check out Geno's garage.com for your RAM service needs. The filters are all OEM and MUCH better priced than dealer.Should be able to do both fuel filters and oil change with 5/40 T-6 and air filter for less than 150.00 if you service it yourself

[jje1960]

I'll just stick with changing when the computer tells me, IMHO not going to try and outsmart the engineers that designed the thing. JS

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by jje1960

I'll just stick with changing when the computer tells me, IMHO not going to try and outsmart the engineers that designed the thing. JS

Same here while it's under warranty.
Must have been when T6 first came out, and I was still working, I asked a friend in the Lubes Dept "just how good is that T6?" He said one of the lubes gurus told him it was probably good for 20,000 miles. I sure wouldn't do that under warranty, and afterwards only with regular analysis'.
I've pored over monthly lube analysis' for compressor lube oil sets, and to prevent employment flashbacks, I'll just change when the all knowing computer tells me to.

[DiverB]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

X2 to this! We went through this with Blackstone checking for extended oil change intervals, when the 10,000 mile report came back and stated still very good and try for 12,500 miles the next time.

Well I am very happy to just change every 10,000 miles.

Keep in mind oil doesn't loose its lubricating ability over time, but the additives get depleted and acids start to form. Without an oil analysis you are just guessing, and likely wasting oil, time and a natural resource for no reason. I likely could have gone 15,000 with a filter change at 7,500 and one qt of fresh oil. I use about just over a qt. at 10,000 miles. Many new diesel owners freak as the oil is BLACK very soon, just soot and natural, makes it easier to read the dip stick.

Newer diesels will start to suffer from fuel dilution which is not a good thing, not so much an issue with older diesels.

X3 on Blackstone Labs! I change my oil in my 3500 every 15,000 miles and just change my oil filters every 5,000 miles and my Blackstone report always looks good. I change oil every 10,000 on my other 2 diesel vehicle's and use Blackstone on everything I own for peace of mind as well as resell value for the next owner