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Quick Question regarding oil...

1K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  shore 
#1 ·
Ok.. Before the beating comes along I will be the first to admit how ashamed I am to say this but tomorrow I will be changing the oil on my truck for the first time.. and by first time I mean first time ever changing the oil on any car... i know i know i know.. but i was always brought up with the whole "just take it to the dealer and let them do it" and never really looked into how easy and how cost effective it is to do this myself... anyway.. i was just curious on something.. i am the type of guy that tries to be on top of things and get it done every 3000 miles or as soon as the reminder comes on... but i have always wondered.. my mileage NEVER hits the 3,000 mark because i almost never use the truck.. its an 06 with only like 12,500-13000 miles on it... yet my oil percentage indicator in the truck always goes down... even if i only drove the truck for 500 miles since the last oil change.. just curious if the oil should still be changed... i know most guys say 3 months or 3,000 miles but i think that is because most people hit at least 1,000 miles a month.. just curious if the oil should still be changed at the 3-4 months mark no matter what the mileage is or if the oil will still be good...
 
#3 ·
The oil mileage you are talking about is a computer that takes into account the type of use the truck goes through, which may include time between changes.I got 6k miles out of mine and that took 1 solid year.My oil was still relatively clean.

A little tip for you, these 6.0's are pretty specific about 10W-30.The oil filter is tucked up close enough to the block that you will need a filter cap socket.They are like $5 at autoparts store.WARNING, make sure you take a look at what filter is on your truck FIRST.They have two filter sizes that will fit.Mine had a AC/Delco filter and I put a Bosch on it.They look exactly the same size by eyeball BUT they are not the same filter cap socket.The filter socket tool is a black cup that fits on the end of the filter like a big socket.
 
#6 ·
The recommendation to change after 3 months is because used oil, if allowed to sit long enough, can turn to sludge. I let a friend of mine leave his car at my house for about 5 months, and when he came back to get it, he took it to get an oil change and had to get it flushed because of the sludge. That's one of the reasons that they say if you're going to let a vehicle sit for a long time, to drain all the fluids.
 
#7 ·
Holy Smokes, the oil story wive's tales are coming out of the wood work. Escalades use 5W30 and make sure you use synthetic, not because you have to but because it's so much better. The oil change monitor system tracks several function, how many start-ups, engine temp, miles driven, time interval etc. It bases the count down on formulas using all of that data.
If you truck is stored inside (garage) then the time interval is not as important. If it's driven short distances and parked outside that is the hardest on the oil and the monitor will indicate an oil change much sooner - short trips, especially in cold weather are the hardest miles on any vehicle.
Parking a vehicle for many months does not cause engine sludge. Used oil is still used oil after however many months. Sludge in an engine crankcase is cause by "blow by" mixing with old, old dirty oil that isn't changed regularly. Blow by is combustion by-products that escape past worn piston rings (worn fron not changing oil regularly) and mixing with the dirty oil. Most modern engines with even semi-regular oil changes will not develop sludge (Toyota did have a specific problem a while back). Flushing and engine is another gimick that usually causes much more harm than good. Some type of solvent (varsol, kerosene, etc.) is used to circulate through the oil system to remove the sludge. What actually happens is the engine runs without the proper lubrication and all the while stirs up all the grit and deposits inside and circulates them with the solvent - a real engine killer for sure. That doesn't mean someone didn't get lucky and survive one of these deals and drive away in good shape - most likely wasn't needed to start with. I've change the oil myself in all my vehicles for over 45 years and have driven many vehicles well over 200,000 miles.
 
#8 ·
I say 10w-30 because 5w-30 Mobil one is usually tough to find.10w-30 is widely available in any walmart.

My truck got 6k miles on a one year oil change and I can atribute that to being garaged 100% of the time.Although I do tow a 11k lb boat on occasion in Florida heat.
 
#11 ·
well... got done with the oil change.. i must say im kicking myself in the a$$ seeing how easy it really is.. i think i spent the most time trying to get the truck on the lift just right lol.. but after getting it up in the air it was a pretty smooth run.. well accept that i found that my drain plug/bolt was stripped a bit.. got a socket on it though and did everything.. am going to order a new one and put it in at the next oil change.. tomrrow going and doing the front diff.. thought i heard some slight humming so figured id check the diff.. truck only has 13k on her so im sure there is no "need" to change it but figured why not.. plus im sure it cant hurt..
 
#13 ·
Yea but you would be surprised how hard it was to find Mobil 1 75w90 for the diff lol.. i was going to do it today while doing the oil change and sure enough i went to 3 stores.. 2 didnt care any name brand i heard of and the last store had mobil 1 and Royal Purple however I heard mobil 1 is better.. but of course they only had 2 quarts of each.. so the guy said he would get more in tomorrow so ill just pick them up then and get it done quick...
 
#15 ·
Go to a boat store or the marine section in walmart.They have outdrive fluid pumps that screw into normal bottles that pump the fluid in.They look like soap dispensors.They fit the Mobil bottles also.You will have to lengthen the hose that goes down into the mobil bottle because it is longer and will not pump the fluid all out of the bottle.The mobil1 75w is about $9qt.I got mine done with just under 2qts and it was dripping out the fill hole for awhile.I also only pulled about 1.5qts out after letting it drain for 2hrs hot.

I agree it is easier than doing an oil change.....be sure you drive that truck around for awhile 1st...that diff fluid is thick and will take a long time to drain if cold.
 
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