What are your opinions on how long to go, time wise, between oil changes when the truck isn't being used very much?

I've done as many as 7000 miles in a month, but other times I might only have 1000 miles in 3 months. There does not seem to be a time interval specified in the book, and I didn‘t find any threads on the topic.

Someone at the dealership said they were saying 6 mo for the older engines, and up to a year on the common rail. I know diesels don't produce much for volatile hydrocarbons in their emissions, so they probably don't have the hydrochloric acid (from blow by) problem gas motors have, but still that seems a bit long.

I run Fleetguard stradapore and Premium Blue dino oil, and during periods of little use most of the miles are either towing or short trips for groceries.

Sorry about the long post, and thanks in advance for any input.

 

The service book says 12 000 km

 

I'm planning on 6000mi intervals....dealer thinks thats a good plan based on my driving and prints up my oil-change stickers for 6000 mi. intervals. Don't have any real experience with that to give you yet though.

-daniel

 

I do my oil/filter every 5,000 as well as the fuel filter. It's a lot easier to remember a 5K interval and even though it may be overkill...I plan to have this truck for a WHILE and any little thing I can do to lengthen it;s life I'm willing to pay for.

 

I guess I didn't make myself clear.

I was asking how many MONTHS would you go between oil changes if you were only putting a few hundred miles a month...

I may put on less than 6000 miles this year. Surely I should't go a year between changes?

 

6000 miles a year!!! I would guess that I'd do it every 4-5 months then.

-daniel

 

7500/15000 mile oil change schedule just like Cummins says on my '03 HO. That way my warranty is protected..........JIM

 

I changing mine at 7500 miles or one year, whichever comes first.

MikeyB

 

That being the case, I'd personally change it every 6 months at a minimum.
Greg

 

My previous truck was a gasser and I changed the oil every 2000-3000 miles as long as I towed occasionally. I switched to Mobil 1 and changed oil twice a year. I owned the truck for over 10 years and it only had 87,000 miles on it. At that rate of use, twice a year oil changes for the current truck is more than sufficient. I've yet to change the oil but that's the plan.

 

Yeah, with fuel prices the way they are, I’ve started riding the motorcycle whenever I can.

I got to looking at my service record, and it's been 3 months but not much more than a thousand miles since the last change...

I figure I'll put on more miles if I take a vacation this fall, and when the weather starts getting ugly.

Anyhow, I guess the consensus is waiting 5 or 6 months won’t hurt anything.

Thanks guys.