Well seasoned school bus mechanic tells me when they get somebody new changing oil it's only about 2 weeks till they stop filling up new filter with oil before threading on new filter without prefilling.  Interesting part to me was no failures that he knows of.  I fill mine but wondering if really necessary. Other than manual says so.  

Do you prefill?

Correct, you can run 5w-40 year round. It doesn't even take really cold to switch to 5w-40, just operation below 0°F. 

 

The manual doesn't talk about synthetic 15w-40 but it's generally good to -20/-30°F. 

 

 

I may have to dig up that video...

Well... that was easier to find than I expected. 

 

 

That's only 5° below the lowest recommended temp for dino 15w-40. It makes it easy to see why the recommendation is in place. 

Edited October 16, 20186 yr by AH64ID

@AH64ID I have always respected your opinions here and that will not change. I have always run Dino oil and always will just me. But I have nothing against the synthetic and folks seem to get good results from both. Please dont stop putting info out here for us to judge by. After all this is why I run the filter I run. Thanks.

 

 

 Just dont tell me it is no good anymore. I am running about 10k on them with no UOA. Never done one.

 Going to have to replace the head gasket real soon and we will see what the top end looks like. 100% Dino with various filters over the past 450k. I do and always will value your opinion here just as several others I have come to know. 

Good words they’re chikin man! I’ll always value the opinion of everyone here. 

 

I am now running Rotella T6 5W-40 Synthetic as of 1 hr ago and a Fleetguard filter. I plan to stick to this combo for the rest of the trucks life. 

@dripley that's still the best full flow you can run. It's quite the filter!

 

 

3 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

@dripley that's still the best full flow you can run. It's quite the filter!

 

 

Well if I live long enough we can open the top end up again at 900k and see what that filter does on its own. Maybe we ought to shoot for 700k. Might still be breathing then. 

That's a pretty blue filter

 

what kind is it?

 

I run the fleetguard StrataPore

Donaldson.

10 hours ago, GSP7 said:

That's a pretty blue filter

 

what kind is it?

 

I run the fleetguard StrataPore

 

Donaldson DBL7349. It's a 15µ absolute filter, vs the stratapore at 25µ absolute.

Im wondering what the "µ" is on the factory filters then..

And what kind of effect does that have on oil pressure? Or is there no change when you put a finer filter in?

5 minutes ago, 2000Ram2500 said:

Im wondering what the "µ" is on the factory filters then..

And what kind of effect does that have on oil pressure? Or is there no change when you put a finer filter in?

 

The OEM filter is 35µ absolute. 

 

If it's a quality filter, such as Donaldson Blue or Fleetguard Stratopore, then there is no restriction based on filtering ability. The restriction would come into play with a plugged filter. 

 

I know the Donaldson Blue's are also designed as extended drain interval filters. 

 

The only time I recommend an early oil filter change is when someone switches to quality synthetics with over 75K miles on the motor. This is due to the cleaning characteristics of quality synthetic oils. 

 

 

21 hours ago, AH64ID said:

The only time I recommend an early oil filter change is when someone switches to quality synthetics with over 75K miles on the motor. This is due to the cleaning characteristics of quality synthetic oils. 

 

I hate to disagree... But there is no proof in this statement.

 

Like my truck, the head has been in service for 355k miles and when it was pulled off there was zero sludge or debris in the head just oil. So when the head was stood on it side for the entire night to drain the head was spotless. My truck has use petroleum oils since the beginning of time. Again no debris, sludge, etc. As I said there is no proof in this statement. (Other than the bits of valve seals)

 

So how do you clean something that is already clean for 355k miles?

 

 

Again when I pull the tappet cover a year ago there was no sludge or debris found. 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by Mopar1973Man

7 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

I hate to disagree... But there is no proof in this statement.

 

 

There is lots of proof in the statement, and has been for many many years. Just because something is true and occurs does not mean it occurs to most. Our own experiences are not absolute, and my not even be average. We need to look outside our own wheelhouse to see the whole picture. 

 

You have always had a good maintenance program and I am not surprised your motor is clean. That doesn't mean every motor is as clean with that many, or fewer miles. Without seeing the inside of every motor I make a general recommendation, it's likely overkill for most but the last thing we want is a plugged filter bypassing. 

 

Its similar to biodiesel plugging fuel filters. It’s a known occurrence when people start running bio, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the issue. 

 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by AH64ID

Ahh... So you admitting that petroleum oils won't exactly cause a dirty engine. This what I wanted to point out is too many make this false claim that synthetic is the only solution to clean engine. When the very same results can be produced with petroleum oils as well. 

37 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Ahh... So you admitting that petroleum oils won't exactly cause a dirty engine. This what I wanted to point out is too many make this false claim that synthetic is the only solution to clean engine. When the very same results can be produced with petroleum oils as well. 

 

I don't think I ever said they petroleum oils always cause a dirty engine. It is known that when ran too long (miles or time), or out of appropriate temperature ranges that they are more prone to creating sludge in an engine. 

Sludge is a byproduct of oxidation and contamination.  All oil can sludge merely because all oil can oxidize and become contaminated.  The rate of sludge build up largely depends largely on quality of oil, driving condition, and change intervals in relation to the oil type and quality.  Thats not overlooking the fact that a properly running engine will create less sludge too.

Simply put, change the oil more often and there will be less sludge.  Its really that simple...but most people are looking to simplify their life and fall for marketing gimmicks.

 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by KATOOM

21 hours ago, AH64ID said:

The only time I recommend an early oil filter change is when someone switches to quality synthetics with over 75K miles on the motor. This is due to the cleaning characteristics of quality synthetic oils. 

 

Very much so implied. Why would you have to change oil early if switching over to synthetics? Hmmm? 

7 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Very much so implied. Why would you have to change oil early if switching over to synthetics? Hmmm? 

 

I didn't say to change the oil early.... I said I recommend an early oil filter change. Without knowing the status of the motor I cannot recommend a full synthetic OCI on a single filter. If you're cleaning a dirty motor the filter will plug sooner, so it won't last as long. A filter change is cheap insurance, and much better than a filter that goes into bypass mode. 

 

You can read it if you want to, but the reason the misnomer about synthetic causing leaks got spread for a reason. Synthetics clean dirty motors. 

 

No different than my correlation to using bio-diesel for the first time. 

 

2 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

No different than my correlation to using bio-diesel for the first time. 

 

LOL.. Again... Another one a laugh at. biodiesel "cleaning ability" again first there has be something dirty in the tank. (Slime, algae,  or physical dirt etc.) I've not found any truth in that either. As manner of fact all the fuel tanks I've opened up and installed draw straws have been clean. Yes, I've installed a lot of FASS and AirDog systems locally. No truth in that claim either. Yes i've use Biodiesel from over on the Oregon side many times. Still change fuel filters at 60k miles. 

 

4 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

I said I recommend an early oil filter change.

 

Ok, Opps... I'll admit that one. 

 

But still goes back there has to be something dirty inside the engine or sludge to have to change the filter early again... What I'm trying to point out is petroleum oils and fuels do not mean there is going to dirt, sludge or debris found. 

Known issues... but you can look at it how ever you want to. It's very easy, and cheap, to do a little extra preventative maintenance so why spend so much energy fighting it?

 

There is plenty of truth to each of the statements. Things don't have to happen to you to be true. 

 

I've seen dirty fuel tanks and I've seen clean fuel tanks, far more clean than dirty but filters are cheap. 

 

Same thing with dirty motors... it's easier to be smart with filters than it is to open a tank/motor to verify.

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by AH64ID

Your missing what I'm saying...

 

What I'm saying is just because petroleum products are used doesn't mean there are issues. 

 

Yes, your statements might have truths... But the fact is petroleum products are not the evil damaging products that create all these horrible sludge, and random problems. That's what I'm trying to get across. When a vehicle is taken care of it will last a long time even with petroleum products. Synthetics are a better oil I'm not going argue that. But today petroleum oils are not like back in the 1970's...