2006 Dodge Cummins 1st oil change???

[02supercrew]

Well after many moons of driving Ford products, I now have a brand spankin new '06 Ram 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with a 6 speed tranny.

I'm getting mixed responces as to when I should change the oem fill. If you look at the maint book, schedule A says 15000 miles, and Severe duty is 7500 (where this truck would fall) for the very first change. Sales man says to drive it like I stole it right up to the first OCI (7500 mi) and then dump the oil.

This is not my first diesel (I'm more knowlegeable about the 7.3L PSD) and I know that it will be atleast 10000 miles before the motor really starts to show any signs of breaking in. When I pulled the dipstick, it was actually a little overfilled, and the oil was black as tar with only 758 miles on the motor. This is my first new diesel motor, but it seems awfull odd that it's that dirty this early. Could it be fuel dilution from the piston rings breaking in?

Should I dump the oil at 3000 mi.? If so what could I use? The motor specs 15w40 for normal climates, and syn 5w40 for sub zero temps.

Would Rotella 15w40 be good enough to run? What about Castrol tection? ST 15w40? Penzoil Long life 15w40? etc?

 

[LateArrivalforLSU]

I'd dump the factory fill as soon as I could to get all of the casting crud out of the oil.

Slap some Delo 400 15W-40 in it and enjoy, or better yet get you some Schaeffer's 7000 15W-40 or 9000 5W-40.

 

[TomJones76]

supercrew:

Historically, lots of brand new diesel engines will load up your oil with blackness by the time you're halfway home from the dealer after your first oil change.
Don't know if the newer Cummins should be immune to this or not.

 

[02supercrew]

Thanks for the replies guys.

You guys should really see how black this oil is. It's blacker that the oil that comes out of our 706 Farmall diesel tractor at the end of the season!

I think that I'll try to change it this weekend, at right around 1500 miles, and then run the rest of the OCI out to the 7500 miles mark.

I've got a extra UOA kit, I might just send this stuff off for analysis.

 

[eddiebob]

The general consensus on the Dodge Cummins boards is to do the first oil change around 1000 miles. I have a 2005 CTD and the oil does get black real quick. I installed a Frantz Bypass Filter and it cleaned the oil right up.

 

[eddiebob]

Also, I run Rotella T 15W40 in the truck. If you do decided to run synthetic oil wait until you have 20k miles to do it. Ed B

 

[LateArrivalforLSU]

quote:

---

Originally posted by eddiebob:
Also, I run Rotella T 15W40 in the truck. If you do decided to run synthetic oil wait until you have 20k miles to do it. Ed B

---

The more I read the more I think that's an old wives tale

 

[kenneth neeley]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Go_Hogs_Go:

quote:

---

Originally posted by eddiebob:
Also, I run Rotella T 15W40 in the truck. If you do decided to run synthetic oil wait until you have 20k miles to do it. Ed B

---

The more I read the more I think that's an old wives tale

---

Likewise. My 05 and 06 CTD's had Schaeffer in the pans before 1500 miles on the clock. No oil comsumption, etc.

The 04.5+ Cummins have a thrid event fuel injection. The inj. are fired off on the exhaust stroke to help build heat to ensure the cat. converter will work. The extra fuel event helps build up more soot in the crankcase which turns the oil black sooner than before.

 

[ronmonical]

i changed my 06 dodge at 1800 miles and cut open the filter and i was shocked at the amount of debri in filter. little specs of paint and what not. i expected some but i thought this was a lot. i change my oil now at 5000 miles with stratopore filters and scheffer oil. why 5000 miles? its mine its exspensive and i want it to last.

 

[majora]

Well, GHG, my 05 now has 13k and is jusst starting to show the MPG increase and slight temp decrease that means that it is starting to break in. The same thing happened to the previous 3 CTDs that I have owned. I am going to go to 20k and then go to synthetic.

 

[1sttruck]

Cummins states to avoid using synthetic until around 20k miles. They also note that if you don't tow something that it can longer to break in.

 

[Ken2]

quote:

---

Sales man says to drive it like I stole it

---

Foolish advice. Drive it easy at varying speeds and loads.

Schaeffer is recommended by the company for breakin. The high moly content allows for better breakin with less initial wear.


Ken

 

[NavyDood]

Straight from the horses mouth.

Cummins recommends that you not use synthetic motor oil during the break-in period of 5000-20,000 miles, based on the type of driving, to allow proper seating of the piston rings. Beyond that mileage it is OK to use synthetic oil.

 

[coobie]

I changed my oil after the first 1,500 miles on my 2004 cummins to chevron delo 400 and fleetguard stratophore filters.coobie

 

[hounddog]

I changed factory fill at 3k.Then Mopar 15w40 every 4k until 15k.Then Amsoil 15w40.03 Dodge dually 4x4 nv5600 4.10 gears.

 

[crashz]

I agree with Ken, but after 5000 miles or so, start pulling some heavy loads. It takes a big load to break in the Cummins, but once it does your mileage wil be much better and it will run smoother. My father's has 18K on his 2004.5 Cummins and its just breaking in now. Its been used as a commuter (sinful!!) up until now. After a trip with a 8000K Airstream, its never run better and gets 2 mpg better (off of the overhead console).

 

[02supercrew]

Thanks for all of the advice.

I dumped the factory stuff at 1500 miles, and filled it up with 15w40 Delo 400 and a Purolator filter.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the 8000 gorilla that put that filter on....I now have 3 new filter wrenches and a broken ratchet and a very sore set of knuckels (when the ratchet gave way..)

Sure hope the milage gets better, 14 mpg with a 6spd is really starting to tick me off...especially out of a 6 cyl diesel.

 

[wyandot]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 02supercrew:
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the 8000 gorilla that put that filter on....I now have 3 new filter wrenches and a broken ratchet and a very sore set of knuckels (when the ratchet gave way..)

---

Why do they tighten them so much?! I thought it was just a GM thing, but apparently Dodge does it too.

 

[02supercrew]

Oh man, every new vehicle that I've ever owned has been this way, regardless of brand.

That sucker was on so tight that a K-D 3 metal jaw filter wrench completely collapsed the filter canister.

 

[Joseph Fihn]

I've toured the Cummins Mid-Range Engine Plant in Columbus, IN. One of the last proceedures in the construction of these engines is a trip through the robotic spray paint booth where the engine receives a coat of clearcoat.
I believe the clearcoat "seals" the filter to the filter mount & it's hard to break that seal.

Regarding UOA's, the last two changes were done right around 8000 miles, using Delo 400 & Fleetguard Sratopore oil filters. The results were that the oil was still in good shape. My truck is an '03 Dodge/Cummins.

These engines have a reputation for being "easy" on engine oil & the newer oils (CI-4 & CI-4+) are supposed to be a lot better than the older oils. I remember reading in the Turbo Diesel Register of a '94 Dodge/Cummins with 1,153,000 miles on it, using Shell Rotella 15X40 with 5000 OCI's. The engine had never been rebuilt & was still running. The truck was replaced with two new Dodges but, was used as a back-up truck. These folks used the truck for towing trailers to distributors, around the country.

Personally, I'm thinking of extending OCI's another 1000 miles (to 9000 miles) & do another UOA. I may keep doing that til the oil starts to degrade, and then back off another 1000 miles. Probably get the most value out of the oil changes.

Joe Fihn