I was going to try a lab and send in an oil sample, and I bought a siphon pump that came with plastic tubing to collect a sample from the dipstick tube. Thought it would be easy to get a sample this way, but the tube won't go far enough to get to the oil this way. Called the lab and they said it was probably an oil splash guard and to cut the end of the tube at an angle and try to force it - it'd be great if it got stuck!

Has anyone else tried to get a sample this way? Any ideas how to work around this?

I was going to sample at 3,500 miles, and make sure the oil was holding up to go to 7,000, before changing it. If I have to pull the drain plug to get the sample, then I'm already changing the oil anyway. Just looking for suggestions before giving up on the sampling idea. Not so much a cost issue as it was not having to dispose of used oil more often than really needed.

Thanks

 

I would just wait till next oil change. Then do it.

 

Go buy one of those quick drains from Fram. Only about $20.00. Loosen off your drain plug till just before it is ready to leak oil, remove it,simultanusly put the Fram plug in it's place, tighten and just like magic, little bit of oil on your hand and it is done. No major spill and only takes about 5 mins to do from start to finish, including getting tools and an oil sample.
That is how I installed mine and it worked great, though you have to be quick about it, or suffer the consequence of oil all over your arm.

 

i wouldn't pull oil from the dip stick tube as that reading won't be right.
they say to let your oil drail some and take a sample from about the middle of the draining. thats what i did, and now i have to send it off, thanks for reminding me.

 

I guess I don't really understand the logic of trying to collect a sample on 3500 mile oil so that it can be determined if you can go to 7000 miles. The oil laboratory will probably charge more to sample it than the oil costs.

Why not just change it every 5k? Oil is cheap. Cummins engines are not.

I get my oil sample tested (blackstone labs) every few oil changes, but I just collect them by using the Fumotovalve. I can adjust the flow down to a trickle and put it right in the sample bottle and shut it off without spilling a single drop. No mess at all. I don't get mine tested to determine if I can go longer on the oil change, I do it so that I can tell if there is any problems going on in the engine........by looking at the wear metal numbers and poss. fuel, moisture, or antifreeze in the oil.

IMO, you could order a fumotovalve or something similar and install it on this coming up oil change. Get a sample at that time. Then it will be easier for future samples too. I like to be able to control the flow of oil as it's draining. My 2 cents. Good luck.

 

I got a sample thru the dipstick tube. I got that clear flex tubing from the hardware store and put it inside the tubing that came with the pump. Then it went down the dipstick tube. The real skinny tube was 18" longer than the dip stick. I put a tape on the tube to the length of the dip stick. Inserted the skinny tube to just before the tape.The hot oil and flexible tubing collapsed a lot but the oil did come up. I sent mine in at 3500 miles. Blackstone labs recomended a change because of high metals. They thought it was from break in. Everything was in fine, nice piece of mind for me. I will get the dimensions of the tube I got during lunch and reply back.

 

Kevin:
Thanks, this is the info I'm needing. The recommended oil change interval seems kind of long to me, getting a sample analyzed seems like a good way to remove any doubt. I'll watch for the additional info, thanks for looking and sending it.
Bob

 

Sorry Bob I could not get out of the office this afternoon. I will bring the tube to work tomorrow. But what I did was the first one slid over the pump tube and I pushed a smaller one into that one, it was a tight fit. Sorry again for not getting the tube today or having a better answer.

 

Thanks, I'll head over to the Home Depot and check for a smaller tube like you describe. I don't remember seeing anything that small, maybe I'll have to go to a real plumbing supplier. Helps to know someone else has made this work!

 

When I had problems doing a topside oil change on the Jetta, I found a smaller tube at grainger. It was an interference fit, like Foxborough said.

Tony

 

Now that I know the really skinny tubing exists I'll start looking for a supplier.

TonyB: Do you do top side oil changes on your CTD? I switched to top side changes on my gas engines a couple of years ago. I hesitated because I thought it wouldn't get out all of the old oil. I went ahead and bought the extraction pump, sucked the oil out through the dipstick, and went underneath and pulled the oil pan plug to see how much was left. Got about two drops of old oil, so I switched to doing top side changes. Was hoping to do this with my Cummins, but it looks like it may not work out. Sucking 4 ounces through a skinny tube is probably OK for a sample, may not work for the whole 3 gallons!

Thanks!

 

You will probably be fine with 7000 mile OCI's (oil change intervals).

The last two changes were at 8303 miles & around 7900 miles using Chevron Delo-400, 15X40 & the oil samples came back in great shape.

Most of the heavy-duty, diesel rated engine oils are really good, now & with good filtration will last a long time. The Cummins seems to be fairly easy on oils, especially when compared to the Powerstrokes, which, have a tendency to shear the oil rapidly. Some folks say you can tell when to change the oil on a Powerstroke when you start to lose power. The oil has sheared & when changed, the power comes back.

You may want to go over to "bob is the oil guy.com" & check out their used oil analysis forum to see how other oil/engine combinations are working.

Joe F.(Buffalo)

 

Buffalo:
That is an excellent site for learning about oil, thanks for sending it.

I'm thinking the 7,000 OCI is probably OK. I only drive the truck about 6 to 8 thousand miles a year, and 12 months seems like a long time, so I was thinking a sample would tell me if it's OK or not (so I can either not worry about it, or just change it more oftern). The owners manual only lists a mileage interval (Schedule B), not a time limit, but I don't know if they were assuming everybody would be driving enough miles to not worry about the months between changes.

Thanks
Bob

 

RDM16CTD,
I was going to try, when I get to 7500. Right now, I have 2200 on the clock, so I've got a ways to go.

I'm not sure I can sit there & pump the vacuum can for 1-2hrs. May be easier to get a fumoto valve & do it the old fashioned way.

On the VW, it saves me from jacking the car up 2x to pull the belly pan & then replacing it.

Tony

 

Bob:
I finally got my act together. The tubing that came with the pump was polyeteylene 1/4" od x 0.17 wall. I got clear tubing of the same size 1/4 id x 0.17 id. used a connector for tubing (like connecting two pieces of 1/4" copper tubing togeather). Then inserted clear tubing 3/16 od x 1/8" id inside the more flexible 1/4" clear tubing. Like I said before it collapsed a lot, kept sucking and the oil eventually came up. I plan on trying it all with polyethylene it has a McMaster Carr has a big selection on tubing. I never put in more tubing than the length of the dip stick. I put tape on the 3/16" tubing to know how deep to go. When done I threw it all away, except for the connector.