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Old 08-24-2015, 02:51 PM   #1
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Ram Cummin engines

These new trucks seem to tell you when to change your oil, etc. My new truck came with four free oil changes but within a 12 month period. These rigs look like they will run 15,000 miles before requiring an oil change and that can take some time. Is there any reason to go ahead and change the oil more often to utilize the free oil changes???? Is there a benefit??? Also, since I am not a diesel expert, what is the best oil to use, regular or synthetic???
I would like you long time diesel mechanics to give me your opinions.
Thanks in advance.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:02 PM   #2
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The most important thing you can do for longevity is keep the engine clean. The manufacture may say 15,000 miles but they want to sell vehicles. I have a 2000 F250, synthetic since new, changed every 10K, primary use towing the TT, not one mechanical issue in 150K. When I owned a big rig I changed every 10k (once a month) and put 700K on with one injector failure and it still ran like new when sold. JMHO
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:11 PM   #3
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I have a 2014 Ram 2500 Cummins and if I recall correctly the manual said every 6 months or when the oil change light comes on. Now that I work mostly from home I'll be on the every 6 month schedule. I can't imagine letting the oil go 15k miles before changing it... but that's just me.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:15 PM   #4
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Seems a little excessive to me. Maybe Dodge has a break-in regiment with their diesels, I don't know. Even my diesel tech said that seems a little too much. Here at my dealership, we require regular maintenance to stay in guidelined maintenance plans we sell. I'd ask your dealer.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:19 PM   #5
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Seems a little excessive to me. Maybe Dodge has a break-in regiment with their diesels, I don't know. Even my diesel tech said that seems a little too much. Here at my dealership, we require regular maintenance to stay in guidelined maintenance plans we sell. I'd ask your dealer.
I thought the every six month recommendation was a bit excessive... Annual seemed good enough to me but since it's under warranty I'll go with every 6.

I just checked the manual again...

For the Cummins diesel:
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or six months or 500
Hours, whichever comes first

On the Eco Diesel it is:
Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve months,
whichever comes first.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:33 PM   #6
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Yeah, I wouldn't be able to take advantage of a free 4 pack of changes. I only drive 12-15K miles a year. I guess if you drive a ton of miles hauling stuff cross country as your job and stacking miles on the truck, then yeah. But it just wouldn't benefit me personally.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:34 PM   #7
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Your 2015 has an emission system that uses less exhaust gas recirculation than the 2007.5 through 2012 models. Thus, your oil stays clean longer, allowing the specification to change from 7,500 miles to 15,000 miles.

However, acids will develop in the oil over time due to water from condensation and cylinder blow-by gasses mixing, particularly if you use the truck for frequent short trips. This is why the specification normally gives both a time and mileage frequency.

The only way to be certain whether your oil needs to be changed or not is to take a sample and have it analyzed. That is about half the cost of an oil change.

So much for theory. In practice, I suggest at a minimum you make sure you follow the time interval/mileage interval specified to avoid any impact to your warranty. My personal thought is that there is no way to damage anything by changing the oil, and an oil change is cheap insurance on the cost of these modern engines. I err on the side of too frequent. Personally, I would use up the free oil changes on the new engine.

The engines are shipped from the factory with synthetic because the factory does not know what climate the truck will end up in. Mineral oil or synthetic will work fine. If you are working the truck at maximum capacity continually then I suggest synthetic. If you are in a cold climate then I suggest synthetic. Notice I am not suggesting a brand of oil - do an internet search and you can find the chemical composition of oils; the most expensive oil is not necessarily any better.

I'd offer this suggestion as well: be aggressive on air filter and fuel filter change schedules. The injectors in your engine break fuel down into particles that are two or three microns in size, and inject numerous times per power stroke. Injectors are very expensive, and easily damaged by particles in the fuel.

The 6.7 Cummins is a fantastic engine.
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Old 08-24-2015, 04:16 PM   #8
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Like others have said, every 6 months or 15K ish miles. I don't drive enough to make it to 15K miles, so I plan on oil changes every 6 months. My dealer warrantees the engine and transmission for life, so long as I document that I have kept up with maintenance.

Get your oil changed at exactly 6 months, then again at 11 months and 29 days to get your 2 free oil changes out of 4.

The oil filter should last 15K miles, so I plan on changing the oil and filter every fall (along with fuel filters) and changing the oil only in the spring. Its more expensive than a gasser, but its still cheap insurance for a vehicle that I hope to own for a LONG time.
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:00 PM   #9
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4 free oil changes for the first year? use them up, go every 3 months, it isn't going to hurt anything (except time out of your schedule to get it done). As for the 15K miles, don't go past your oil change light. I have a 2010 with a advertised 7500mile oil change interval, my "change oil light" has never made it over 4200 miles yet. I guess if I ran it unloaded at a steady highway speed non-stop, I would get 7500 miles before the light came on again.

I got the same oil change deal when I bought my truck new and changed oil about every 3 months. As a bonus, I just resolved the dodge O2 sensor issue with many phone calls to corporate HQ. they gave my 8 oil changes for the next 2 years. Looks like I will be in every 3 months - regardless of miles.

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Old 08-24-2015, 05:29 PM   #10
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Oil is cheap compared to an engine. I am OCD when is comes to maintenance and go with the 6 months since my mileage never hits required. Also my fuel filters get changed at this time as well.

15k is not unheard of on a diesel, but I would still say that time is a factor as oil breaks down and will not preform the same after a certain period.

I also change my trans fluid and coolant every 2 years regardless of mileage which never hit the required mark.
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:37 PM   #11
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Ask your dealer sales rep to stretch out the 4 free oil changes over 4 years. And tell him/her that at that time you will be ready to talk about buying another NEW RAM with the Cummins- which is a great pickup IMHO. Wouldn't hurt to ask, and it might work if they value repeat sales.
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Old 08-24-2015, 06:40 PM   #12
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10yrs ago we moved from 3000 miles to 5000. Technology advances. 15,000 seems legit to me.

On my 2013 GMC I follow the dashboard and change it when it gets under 5%. Same with fuel and transmission, strictly by the owners manual. I have 50k on mine in two years and tow my 5th wheel 65% of the time and my oil change indicator is normally 5% around 6000 miles. ( which is normally when I need DEF which is included in my oil changes, so that works out well.

I find dealerships still try to push for it done sooner, but that for their benefit not my vehicles.

Would it hurt to do it more often? Not at all. If your going to keep the truck for a decade then maybe it's worth spending a few extra dollars, but if your going to trade it sooner none of that extra maintenance is going to come back to you in $$$.

I work for a large trucking company and we are looking to get to 50,000 between oil changes.
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Old 08-24-2015, 07:31 PM   #13
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Oil changed every 20k after the warranty ran out. original transmission that has been serviced a couple times.... I dont remember when the last time was so its probably past due. Gets fuel filters everytime the oil gets changed. I think I remember doing the rearend fluid once...probably needs changed too.
Hopefully it'll go 500k and it's time to be replaced.
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Old 08-24-2015, 07:37 PM   #14
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Oil changed every 20k after the warranty ran out. original transmission that has been serviced a couple times.... I dont remember when the last time was so its probably past due. Gets fuel filters everytime the oil gets changed. I think I remember doing the rearend fluid once...probably needs changed too.
Hopefully it'll go 500k and it's time to be replaced.

That's some impressive mileage!
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Old 08-24-2015, 07:42 PM   #15
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That's some impressive mileage!
It is!
That's my fathers 6.0 Ford. I made the mistake a few years back of telling him it wouldn't make 500k. He's been determined since to prove me wrong! About 2 more years and we'll know.
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Old 08-24-2015, 11:38 PM   #16
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Old 08-25-2015, 04:26 AM   #17
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That Ford 7.3 is legendary. Keep it forever.
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Old 08-25-2015, 06:47 AM   #18
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Off topic. I have the GM maintenance plan and they won't change the oil until certain conditions apply. My dealer just fudged the numbers for me. I plan to change every 5k miles. If I drive the truck I make sure it is mainly highway miles. The manufacturer puts 6 Mos for the guy that takes the truck to the grocery store and back and that is it. The water never gets baked out of the oil. 6 Mos can be excessive oil changes depending on driving behavior. I drive mine about 10k a year so I get an oil change twice a year. Most of those miles come during the summer so in the winter when she doesn't start for 3 or 4 weeks at a time the oil is not degrading in the oil pan so I don't change the oil because it is 6 Mos old.
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Old 08-25-2015, 10:28 AM   #19
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Shell Rotella Full Synthetic
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Old 08-25-2015, 12:04 PM   #20
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I have a 2014 5.9, and I change the oil every 10,000.
My friend has a 7.3 in his truck. He's a Ford master mechanic, and he told me to change at 10,000. I take his word his truck has just under 1 million on the odometer with no issues. Like someone said oil filters, and oil are cheap.
This may be different for newer engines, but no harm to do it more often.
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