So, time to do my first oil change on truck in sig. On advice of folks in this chapter I went with Rotella T6 5w40. This is the first synthetic oil I have ever used. Man, does that stuff have gold flakes in it? Not cheap. However, good oil is cheap compated to a new engine, so no real biggie. My question is, this is first synthetic oil I have ever used. Anything different about synthetic from dinosuar juice that I am going to need to be aware of?

 

Shouldnt be anything different than normal. If you want peace of mind you might consider an oil anaylsis on your last dino and then one or two on the synthetic to compare and confirm no issues.

 

As far as I know thats not a full synthetic. If you look at the MSDS for the Rotella -

http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GSAP_msds_00051969.PDF

You will see that there is mineral oil in it, unfortunately it doesnt tell you how much. A TRUE synthetic should not have any mineral oil in it. A Group IV syn like Amsoil HD Marine and Diesel does not contain mineral oil -

https://www.amsoil.com/msds/ame.pdf - just because a manufacturer calls and oil "fully synthetic" doesnt mean it is.

Another thing to note is the pour point. The Rotellas looks to be -20C - which is not very good but will probably work ok for you this time of year. The Amsoils is -42F which is better, but there are some oils that are -50 of better.

Check oil Esso/Mobile XD-3 0W40 synthetic. It sells for $6 something a litre

 

Just for fun. I have been running 0W40 oils in winter, since the dodge was new, and I run it in the chevys and fords too.

Excellent winter oil. Now, I do run an oilpan heater ( 100 watt ) which, while small, is all the oil needs at -50 to keep the pump from whining on startup. Good oil pressure right away too.

Esso XD3 0W40, is being replaced by Mobil Delvac 0W40. same product, different container, same price... whatever. And yes, Esso / Mobil is the cheapest 0W40 I have found by 91 cents a liter.

Enjoy the new oil.

 

So, truck is sitting in barn with old oil still in it. I crawled under truck and had a 'huh????' moment. I am going to crack open the FSM but you folks are better at the actual 'how to'. First of all, how do you get to the oil filter? From below or take off air intake to turbo and go in from above? Also, what the heck is that bolt/plug thing in bottom of oil pan? I have never seen a bolt anything like that. It has a hole in the in that seems round with 4 little notches around the sides. Do I need some special tool just to do an oil change?

 

For the filter, I always remove the air cleaner duct then remove the filter from the top. If it's too tight, you can sometimes weasel a strap wrench in there or break it loose with a big pair of channel-locks.

The drain plug is supposed to be a 3/8" square hole that you can fit a 3/8" ratchet into. Sounds like someone may have rounded yours out. You may want to have a new one on hand when you remove it.

 

everything you really need to know is here -

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/oil_filter.htm

 

Thanks Torquefan. Every thing on these diesels is a learning moment for me. Gassers are so much easier but not as much fun. Changed to oil on my daily driver first, it is a 2004 Toyoto Echo. I have never seen an oil filter so small - it was smaller than my coffee cup. Heck, my ride on lawn tractor has a bigger oil filter than the Echo.

 

I turn the oil filters loose on those with a chisel and hammer. get a bite on the top seam of the filter and tap it back until its loose and spin it off by hand and load the new on in the same way. you don't have to move anything.

 

A filter wrench works well on the filter. The one in the Cummins tool kit works real well, just slips into place.

The oil pan plug is 22mm, so once you drop the plug, oil comes out in a real hurry. Make sure you have a pan that can keep up. My first oil change, I wound up with about 10 litres on the driveway.

 

After making a mess the first time with the filter I now crack it from the top with a filter wrench that the handle rotates 180 deg I then use a piece of paper towel inside a plastic bag over the filter and unscrew the filter by hand. The paper towel and plastic bag catches all the oil and keeps things clean. Using synthetic oil is just as much about which filter you use. To get the most from your synthetic oil you must use a good filter.

 

Well folks - first diesel oil change is done. You are correct - that is a big hole when the plug comes out. Of course I dropped it in the oil pan. I swear I do that 75% of the time. Oil pan is big enough but just barely. It took a bit of wiggling to get wrench on oil filter but I eventually got there. Taking off cold air intake was definitely the way to go. I know you will all say I am on crack but I swear the engine sounds different. Whenever I have turned it off, it has given a real good bump as it stops the last cylinder - now it stops nice and smooth. Like I said, I know you will all say I am imagining things but I swear it is different. Thanks again to everyone for help and discussion.

 

Next time you are at Cummins, pick up one of the brass oil pan plugs. You take a cap off, screw a hose on and it opens a valve to drain the oil out. Makes oil changes much cleaner and easier, and no hot oil dripping down your arm. Atleast from the oil pan.

 

Tate - you say 'next time you are at Cummins' like I hang there for coffee on a daily basis So, where exactly is the Cummins shop in Calgary?

 

Whats the cost of those drain plugs at Cummins.