Hey guys, as some of you already know, I just purchased a new Dodge 2500 with a Cummins. This is my first diesel I have ever owned and heard a lot of hear say things that need special attention. I was told when I come to a stop that I need to let my truck idle for a few seconds to allow the turbo to spin down. Also I was told you don't have to change the oil until every 7500 miles. I know when it is really cold out you should plug in the block heater. I don't really have to worry about that here in Vegas though. These are the kind of things I am curious about. Thanks for any input. Jeff
TDR. waytogo Everything you want to know about the CTD equiped Dodge. Type those 3 little letters and away you go!
Welcome to the Cummins club. The 'idling after running' is meant to get the EGT down to around 300*, not to 'let the turbo spin down'. It's recommended after a hard pull, such as when towing up a mountain, and the key is to have a gauge to actually tell what the EGT number is. Block heater is useful in anything sub-40 from my experience. Warms up the heater quicker and reduces the time needed for the 'wait to start' light to go out (grid heaters running less time) so consequently less drain on the batteries. As said above, join Turbo Diesel Register - good site, and NWBombers is another great one (not only for PNW guys).
I would agree that there is some good info there.....but we are trying to build TRC, lets keep the info here. waytogo Stallion, I usually let my motor idle just a little after driving for a while to let the turbo cool down. A hot turbo that all of a sudden has no air flow can potentially warp, along with the manifold, but it has to be under a hard load for this to happen. I've had to shut our farm equipment off emmediately while under load, which is at full power ( looking down at the guage and finding the motor getting hot for some reason) and have never seen a turbo warp, but hear it can happen. As far as your oil.......it all depends on how you drive. I use Exxon XD3 extra, which is 50K oil in a commercial application. I have no plans to change it for 9-10K. Short runs where the oil is allowed to gain that mileage while only going through one heat cycle makes a big difference. If the oil has to go through one heat cycle for every 10 miles it won't last NEARLY as long as it would having to go through one heat cycle to every 100 miles. Thats why Semi trucks and tractors don't change their oil as much. They get in and go through one or two heat cycles on an 8 hr running period or 500 miles. You will just have to figure out how much you drive and how far you go at each time. About 7500-10K is the ideal range IMHO. That 3K talk with a diesel is pretty darned silly to me, our diesels hold 11 quarts, not 5.
How much does an oil change cost vs. getting it done at a shop or doing it your self? I agree we should build the info here at TRC. Especially with a guy like me who's going to be asking a lot of questions I feel like when I was a bluebie at CK5 rotfl
Agreed, but with the current lack of volume here, if we want people to LEARN they should seek out the best info. TDR has that. It's like any board, we all spend MOST of our time on CK5 (even me!) but one board alone does not have it all. Just my $.02.
Well, I've also noticed that over a year of two you will begin too see the same questions about a certain vehicle asked over and over and over..... Just think of CK5, I don't know how many times I responded to "what size tires can I fit with "X" lift?" or What gear ratio should I run with "X" tires?." It seems I've seen the same trend at TDR also. I'm hoping we can get a big enough database here that all of those repeated questions are available for the average member. Just sending members over to another website to get the info they need won't help us here much.
Well, oil changes vary greatly because of different types of oils, etc, I know you already know that but the problem with most "quick" lube places is they start charging a lot more for extra oil. Another issue is if they would have the right filters in stock. I can change my oil for about $25 IIRC. I think the Napa (wix) filter I use is about $10 and I always have a 55 gallon drum of Exxon XD3 Extra around the ranch. I figured it out once that each gallon out of the drums costs roughly $5, Our trucks (mine does anyway) hold about 11 quarts.
If you want people to stay here TRY not to slam somebody when you think their wrong BTW DWitcher does NOT stand for Ditchwitcher! oke:
1. I didn't "slam" you at all, I was trying to get to the bottom of my question, but technically (according to the thread) you WERE wrong. 2. I didn't know what your name was....just that it was something witcher...sorry.
What ever your owner's manual calls for. 3K isn't silly if the other choise is to lose your waranty. Now Bobby doesn't have a waranty so if he wants to change the oil every 50K it's on his dime.
1.Actually, I am under warranty. 2. Exxon claims their XD3 Extra is good for 50K along with a few filter changes.THey made the product and tested it, not me. Regardless, I figure in the amount of cycles the oil has to go through, along with that I don't change the filter like recommended by Exxon so I figure 10K, at the most.
For guys running in the Ag or in dirt alot with high flow aftermarket air filters I would recomend oil changes no longer than 5k mi. Ive seen ALOT of dusted 7.3 Navistars in the Ford pickups at work due to HotRod air filters.
I change the oil in my truck at about every 5k, and change the fuel filter every 15k. I do it every 5k just because I want to, and its worth the extra $$ to me, to have that added security, that I have been changing the oil at proper intervals, so that I can get warranty work done. Scott
