Ok, so I was wondering how many miles everyone went before changing their oil and what oil they are using? I have read the owners manual and it has different numbers for different driving conditions. One of them says you can go 15,000 miles before your next change..... Kind of long for me. I do go about 7,500 though. Thanks for your input!!!

James


"Peace Through Strength" - Ronald Reagan

 

I do 5,000.

Easy to remember.
Somehow it usually ends up closer to 6K though.


phox

 

I change the oil filter every 3k, and change oil every 6k.

 

Stratapore, rotella every 7500. Water separator every every 2 oil changes.

 

rotella and mobil 1 filter every 3k.

 

Rotella + Wix = 5,000 =

 

Sorry, I just had to chime in. I'm no enviromentalist but shouldn't we all make an effort to use oil responsibly? Most people agree that dyno and synthetics have come along way in the last 25 yrs, why don't we use them to there full potential? IMO the earliest that oil should be changed is between 5 and 6K. I will typically run it to 6 or 7K. Synthetics, excluding long interval types, should go to around 10K. Get an oil analysis at your regular change if your not sure. I realize most of us are getting 15 mpg and going through fuel like crazy, but why not conserve and reduce some waste where we can? Save a few bucks too.. Just my too sents

 

i use valvoline oil with fleetguard filter. every 6-7 thousand

 

Chevron Delo 400 oil filter and fuel filter every 5000 miles

 

Delo/stratapore every 5-6K, fuel filter every other change.

Oil changes are cheap and good maintenance for the engine.

 

IN the owner's manual for your '02, the OCI are 7500miles for "normal" and 3750 for "severe service". The definiton of severe is "using your truck as a truck".

Seriously, the 15K oil changes are only for the 2003+ trucks with the common rail fuel system.


Oil change intervals should be based on usage profile. If you do exclusively short trips, then shorten it-- maybe 3500 or so. If you tow really heavy all the time, maybe only go 5K. If you cruise empty on the hwy most of the time, 10K is probably doable.

If you start BOMBing the truck, you will soot up the oil much quicker, and you should consider shortening the OCI.

Light load hwy miles are the easiest miles a vehicle can ever see. If this is all you ever do, you could probably 15K plus on a change, even with dino oil.


Any CH-4 or better rated oil will work fine. I prefer Delo 400 or Delvac 1300 over RoSmella for dino oils, but just for the smell. If you have the money, try some Redline, Amsoil or Royal Purple and I think you'll be duly impressed at the noticeable improvement in how the engine behaves-- you can "feel" it; it will act like a happier engine. Your wallet will likely not feel the same joy, as a good syn is not cheap.

I think that the Fleetguard oil filters are worth the extra money. They are extra thick in the cases, and have a fantastic filtration media. Mobil 1 filters are also very good, imo. I'd also consider a Wix/Baldwin and a Purolator. Those are the only filter's I'd run; no K&N or Fram oil filters. Frams are junk and K&Ns don't filter that well.

h

 

Thanks for all the input. I am a college student who travels to a fro to class and the long trip home (I-75 south!!!!) with some minimal towing with regards to what ya'll are towing. I think I am doing the right thing by waiting it out as long as possible, never over 7500. What about a remote oil filter, or one of these stainless steel jobs that you pay about $100 for and just clean it every oil change?



James

 

The cummins manual recommends 18K for easy usage for our engines. 12K and 6K for heavier dutys (when using stratapore filters). I change mine at 5K. It is easy to keep track of and $30 for oil and filter is worth it.

A SOAP sample would certianly be the best way to know when your oil NEEDS to be change. But your looking at 25 bucks a wack. So I can either test it every 5K or change it for about the same price. Besides that I think I should be crawling under her just for general mx reasons at least every 5K.

Randy

 

I was actually going by the Cummins service interval 7500. Granted: dodge probably has a reason to say 3000 miles, but I suspect it has something to do with their pocket book. I buy my fleetguard's by the case ($230 for 12 lube and 6 water-fuel). Its worth it to me. The media is superior and the lowered pressure improve filtration while reducing restriction - makes happy squirters and cooler pistons.

The best argument is backed up by oil analysis.

I know the 3rd gen common rials are engineered to achieve the longer service intervals, but really aught to get some hard facts to support such an interval.

Thermal extremes I think are what have the greater impact on lube service life. Turbo and below freezing weather will break down those polys pretty **** quick. Air filtration and many other things which I'm sure have been beat to death elsewhere on the forum, so I'll stop here...

BTW... The comment about rotella being a rosmella is absolutely true. I just try not to be down wind... For those who ask me about it, I just tell them my truck enjoys budweiser

 

I usually go 12-17K miles between change intervals using Schaeffer's Supreme synthetic blend oil, which is about $3 a quart, with the Fleetguard StrataPore filter. Samples that have been analyzed at this length, have always come back excellant, even through the winter months with lots of cold start-ups.