ZS

I'm coming up quick on my second oil change. The first was done at a dealership when I was on the road and a long way from home - Yes it cost a lot! - first time I ever paid for such a thing, but it was the middle of Winter and I was in Regina, it was -28c & I didn't mind so much paying to have it done considering the temperature!

Well, I plan to do this one myself, along with both front & rear diff as per the manual.

Without opening up the endless debate of sythetic vs non... IF I wanted to go sythetic on this oil change (engine), what would be recommended (and WHAT can I find in Canada in a small town!)?

Also, I've read before about changing out the (auto) tranny fluid and xfer case to sythetic as well - Reccomendations on what to use for that? Is there a transmission filter on this truck that I would have to change too?

Ya I know...Syth, tranny, all that is probably not necesary, but I love my truck & I want to reward it

I'm not looking to debate IF it should be done...

OH and one last thing - Per the manual "Inspect water pump weep hole for blockage" - Can someone explain that one to me?

Thanks,
ZS

J BODY

Your 03 2500 should already have syn fluid in the diffs, don't ask me why they still recommend a 15K service interval. Personally I would just run regular gear lube in the front. It's only along for the ride most of the time anyways.

ZS

I know that about the diff's - I'll go with the mopar stuff from the dealership for that change - and I'm kinda curious to see what they look like when changed - I checked my fluid level when I picked the truck up at the dealership keeping in mind all the talk about low levels, but mine were fine - Interested to see if there is a lot of metal particles tho...

I was really asking about syth for the engine and possibly tranny & xfer...I just mentioned the diff's only so someone wouldn't say "HEY the manual says change those too at 15K!"

ZS

bulabula

I'm running amsoil HD Marine 15W-40 in the engine; Amsoil ATF in the xfer case and 5W-30 in the tranny. Delvac1 is another popular syn oil for the engine; Redline MTL is popular for the tranny. There are others too. BTW, the manual maintenance table doesn't say anything about changing tranny oil. Based on what I found in mine, I'd strongly recommend doing the diffs; syn front and rear - they're not Dana's. I thought the xfer case drain interval was something like 80k miles.

I don't live there so I can't tell you what you can find in a small town in Canada; you should be able to figure that one out going thru the yellow pages - use the telephone. Canadian Tire? They seemed to carry a lot last time I was in ONT. UPS does deliver, don't they? Or something similar? Order what you want and have it delivered. While you're at it, get a couple oil filters and a fuel filter.

HEY, the manual says to lube those tie rod ends every 6k miles! You should have done those twice by now.

At the bottom of the water pump is a weep hole; it shouldn't be blocked or clogged - no rocket science there. If the seal is going bad (or is bad), it will leak (weep) out of the weep hole.

Steve034x4

hey bulabula,
I've looked for the weep hole but can't seem to find it. I found some instructions on how to find it but still no luck.
Any hints ?

ZS - re: living in a small town in Canada - to get oil like Delvac1 look in the phone book for Mobil (Exxon-Mobile) distributors. There should be one not too far away so you can save a few bucks and buy in 4x4L bulk cases. Otherwise you might be able to find something at Wally world. I'll be doing my fluids in a few weeks and will likely go to the dealer for front and rear diffs....not sure about tranny yet. I run Delvac1 year round for the low pour point.

bulabula

Steve, the weep hole is below the pump seal. If you can't see it, and its dry, and/or no evidence of it leaking I wouldn't worry about it.

I haven't eyeballed mine, but I do take a peak under there ocassionally during my bi-monthly walk-thru's looking for any tell-tale signs.

I've heard that Wally world is selling repackaged D1 as SUV syn oil; same oil at a better price than D1. Maybe its available up there too?

kayjh

ZS, I wouldn't be as worried about the old synthetic vs non synthetic debate as much as I would worry about the service schedule you have your truck on. I believe, by the service manual definitions, all Canadian trucks should be following service schedule "A" (due to the cold temps) and as such require oil changes every 3 months or 6,000km. So you should probably be on oil change #4, not #2! If its dirty or has water in it, it doesn't really matter what brand or type of lubricant you are using (does it?).

TurboTed

kayjh- My maintenance service schedule says schedule "B" for vehicles operated at temperatures below 0 celsius, etc. "A" in my book is for vehicles operated under "normal" conditions, NOT cold dusty, pulling, etc... Also, in my maintenance record book, it says oil changes every 12000K. (Although I've been doing them at about 6000K anyway.)

ZS

TurboTed is correct - The manual is quite clear (If you note those footnotes for the California engine!). Schedule B is 12000KM oil change intervals(7500 miles). I have NO idea who would ever drive in conditions that would meet Schedule A requirements ...and those time frames are longer, not less...

In any case, thanks to everyone for their comments - I realize that the manual doesn't say to change transfer case & Tranny fluid at 24,000KM - but I wanted to look at doing that anyway. Now that winter is gone, any excuse to do some work on the truck I love so much is a good enough reason for me!

bulabula made a comment about tie rod ends every 6K miles & suggested I'd missed on that - My book says 7500 miles (12000 km) - and was done at my first (12000KM) oil change so I don't think I missed any!

Nobody answered one question though - IS there a transmission filter that I would need to change if I changed the fluid (48RE)? Also, how about gasget - Resuable like the diffs? Silicone? New one from the dealer?

Thanks,

ZS

kayjh

I meant to say Service Schedule "B". Based on the operating conditions listed on P 382 - 385 of the 2004 Owner's Manual, most, if not all 2004 (and I am assuming 2003) Dodge Rams with the Cummins engine will require Schedule "B" service - which means oil changes evey 3 months or 6,000KM. This is confirmed in the Maintenance Service Schedule book that was supplied with our trucks and found in the Owner's Manual package (First oil service at 6,000, then 12,000, 18,000, etc.).

Curiously, my 2004 truck was delivered with a 2004 Owner's Manual and a 2003 Maintenance Service Schedule book, although the oil change intervals in the book follow the schedule found at pages 386 - 393.

The bottom line: Change the oil and filter every 3 months or 6,000KM. The service intervals do not increase for synthetic oil, so in my opinion, it's money down the drain.

My last car, a 1999 BMW 540iA had a 4.4L V8 with 282HP. It had an onboard service interval computer which ordered an oil and filter change about once a year or 20,000KM. The engine used synthetic oil and a special filter. The oil was dark at oil change time, but never black. I thought the oil change at $120.00CAD was expensive until I realized I didn't have to go through the "every three month" regular oil changes at a cost of $40.00 each. If I had needed to change my synthetic every three months like you would in the Dodge, it would have become a pretty expensive proposition.

I'm pretty sure, an expensive engine rebuild will occur quicker from dirty oil than from lack of lubrication in an engine that gets fresh mineral oil and a new filter every three months as per the Schedule "B" maintenance schedule.

ZS

kayjh

I assume your 2004 manual says the same thing as the 2003 manual, and looking at the delivery date in your signature, and your location (Canada) I would assume you have the 305hp engine like I do...

In mine, Page 350 - Maintenence Schedules has the important footnotes to refer to when looking at Schedule A or B:
<> = tier 1 EPA (250 hp or 305 hp) Engines only
+ = California LEV (235 hp) Engines only.


Schedule B on page 352, first column, Engine oil & Filter:

6000 km X+
12,000 km X<> +
18,000 km X+
24,000 km X<> +
etc...

(that's the best I can do with available characters on my keyboard but you get the idea...)

You'll notice that ONLY the California engine(+) requires 6000km oil changes....The <> symbol for the non-california engine is only in every OTHER column.

Nowhere in my manual do I see where it says to change the oil at certian time intervals regardless of milage as you indicated (every 3 months?).

I cannot see the 2004 being different, and in fact for the 2004.5 I thought I read something about them extending the oil change interval even more...

ZS

TurboTed

ZS- You are correct about the intervals. Those little symbols(alien language ) confused me a bit when I first got the truck. As i mentioned, the "B" schedule is every 12000km. (I changed at 5000, 12000, and next change will be about 18000, even though it is not required.)

converteddzlr

ZS and TurboTed, my '03 manual was exactly like yours but when I got the new '04 and was perusing the manual they had changed the intervals and I posted on this quite some time ago 'cuz I was really ticked! Kayjh is correct, the interval stated in the '04 manual for sched 'B' is indeed every 6000km, suddenly my maintenance costs doubled by getting this new truck ...go figure

ZS

I don't have a manual for a 2004...But on the Cummins web page (http://www.cummins.com/na/pages/en/p...urbodiesel.cfm) it says:

"
For 2004, the Dodge Ram Heavy Duty with the Cummins 600 offers best-in-class:

600 ft.-lbs. torque starting at only 1600 rpm
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Combination Weight Rating
15,000 mile oil change interval (Schedule A), 7,500 mile oil change interval (Schedule B)
"

So acording to those who build the engine, the oil change interval is the same on the 2004 as on the 2003....

I did a search on oil change & this is a debate that's been going on for a long time & everyone seems to have a different opinion, but as I said, I'd trust those who build the engine


ZS

converteddzlr

ZS, I wholeheartedly agree, and that' what I'm doing too.