I've owned my 2012 Ram w/ Cummins since it had 24k miles on it in late 2013. Since then I've done all of the maintenance myself expect the EGR cleaning (dealer did that)I replace my fuel filter / fuel water separator every 10k miles and drain it about once a month. Do most of you have your fuel filters changed? I was talking to a group of Diesel truck owners over the weekend at a camp ground and none of the 8 of them ever heard of changing fuel filter, or draining the fuel water separator.

Changing the fuel filter is vital in a diesel engine. Hopefully the group you were speaking with had the service done and they just didn't know about it. Otherwise I fear they have trouble on their horizon.

If they've never heard of changing the fuel filter then they've never read the manual or looked at the dash board. Eventually the filter will clog and the truck will have no power. Then they will wonder what in the world happened.I change mine about 10,000 to 15,000 or whenever the Chevy dash display tells me too. I carry an extra with me at all times. Once when I was really busy with work the display came on and said to change. I didn't think I had the time and kept putting it off. Sure enough, the truck's power dropped all the sudden and I pulled off the road. I put the new filter on and all was good.

I just got my first diesel and not only is that an important section in the manual, the onboard computer makes you aware of it as well. Seems like more and more people these days are mechanically ignorant. Cars are not designed to be worked on by the home mechanic anymore, so people just don't have a need to learn. I'd rather have the knowledge and not need it than need it and not have it.

I changed mine out at 1 year and will continue to do so per the maintenance schedule. I paid $110 or so for both filters but the Amazon price for the set has since dropped to $80. You'll get some diesel on you changing out the chassis filter and you need to make sure you have a big enough socket for the engine mounted filter, but beyond that it's a simple maintenance item. About akin to changing the oil in terms of difficulty. Definitely an important item to keep up on, imo.

Just changed mine today. Second time in 14k miles. Once every 15k or 12 months.

Diesel owners Question | Good Sam Community

Supercharged
Explorer
Sep 11, 2016
Dr_Holiday wrote:
I've owned my 2012 Ram w/ Cummins since it had 24k miles on it in late 2013. Since then I've done all of the maintenance myself expect the EGR cleaning (dealer did that)

I replace my fuel filter / fuel water separator every 10k miles and drain it about once a month.

Do most of you have your fuel filters changed? I was talking to a group of Diesel truck owners over the weekend at a camp ground and none of the 8 of them ever heard of changing fuel filter, or draining the fuel water separator.
Diesel's trouble never stops, all my friends are moving back to gas.
Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Sep 10, 2016
cummins2014 wrote:

Not quite sure I get this oil analysis . I spend around $52.00 for an oil change , my manual states 15K or every six months. I do a change every six months, mileage is not a factor. If I decide to get an oil analysis I save $24.00 over the cost of an oil change. Not sure that makes sense to me.

Then there is the warranty. I have read where prove of oil analysis covers you warranty if not following the recommended change intervals. I sure would like to see that in writing if there were to be a oil related problem.

What I see here every time I read about this oil analysis is getting the sample kit, filling with oil, shipping it to the lab ,then waiting for the analysis to see if I can go longer. All the while I could spend $24.00 more, and just changed the oil instead of worrying about whether I need to or not.

After 19 years of diesel ownership I have never done an oil analysis . What I have done is the recommended change intervals according to the owners manual. Have I dodged the bullet not getting an analysis to warn me of impending doom, coolant in oil, excessive wear metals etc etc. I guess I have been lucky. I would assume other then saving a little money the only other motive would be impending doom.

:h Where, you can't buy any full syn oil for and a good filter for %52.00? Or are you running something other than a full-syn?
hotpepperkid
Explorer
Sep 10, 2016
I change mine every 10-15 thousand miles and I carry a spare. I don't ever drain the water thing. I think it is pretty rare that you would ever get water in your fuel. I don't have an EGR so don't have to do that, but if you have a PSD 6.0 that is a very good idea
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2016
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Here is proof that 15K oil change is just fine going by the computer. He does not baby his truck and is constantly hauling a 14-18K dump trailer. This is my Sons 2015 3500 SRW with 30K at test time with 15K on the oil. I believe he was using a fleetGuard Stratapore filter. He was Using AMZ/OIL "OE" 15-40 synthetic.

Holy Iron Batman...

BTW... I new the Amzoil sales pitch was coming, but with that iron level it's not the place or time to push this stuff.

Did you read what the EXPERTS said?
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2016
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Here is proof that 15K oil change is just fine going by the computer. He does not baby his truck and is constantly hauling a 14-18K dump trailer. This is my Sons 2015 3500 SRW with 30K at test time with 15K on the oil. I believe he was using a fleetGuard Stratapore filter. He was Using AMZ/OIL "OE" 15-40 synthetic.

Holy Iron Batman...

BTW... I new the Amzoil sales pitch was coming, but with that iron level it's not the place or time to push this stuff.

Perfectly fine at this mileage and miles on oil.
tomman58
Explorer
Sep 09, 2016
I have never changed any filter on my engine or transmission that's what my dealership is for. And with a 100,000 mile warranty on the engine I let GM do the work so no one can play the blame game.
Besides I am retired and had more than my share of wrenching in my day.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Sep 09, 2016
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Here is proof that 15K oil change is just fine going by the computer. He does not baby his truck and is constantly hauling a 14-18K dump trailer. This is my Sons 2015 3500 SRW with 30K at test time with 15K on the oil. I believe he was using a fleetGuard Stratapore filter. He was Using AMZ/OIL "OE" 15-40 synthetic.

Holy Iron Batman...

BTW... I new the Amzoil sales pitch was coming, but with that iron level it's not the place or time to push this stuff.
JustLabs
Explorer
Sep 09, 2016
ShinerBock wrote:

Just think of what would happen to oil prices if we all changed oil when we actually needed to rather than too soon because we don't know any better and thought it was "cheap insurance".

"Cheap insurance" is the mantra of the uninformed.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Sep 09, 2016
The real story here is the truck is yours and it is your money to be spent as you like. We use our truck 6 months and it sits for 6 months. I like to have fresh oil before hitting the road for the winter.
chevman
cummins2014
Explorer
Sep 09, 2016
ShinerBock wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
I'm the odd ball........

I do oil and all filter changes at 5000 miles.

WHY.

Cause I run them hard but don't abuse them.

Last car......sold it with 300K
Last truck....sold it with 180K (F150 5.4L gasser)
Last motorcycle ....sold it with 80K

Oil and filters are cheap insurance as far as I am concerned

I would have to disagree a little there. A used oil analysis is cheap insurance and will keep you from wasting time, money, and oil. It will easily tell you if 7.5k or 10k mile oil change shows no more discernible wear than a 5k mile oil change. Yeah, one can get a car to 300K miles changing the oil every 5k miles, but whose to say that changing the oil at 10k would have gotten the same result? In 300k miles, a 5k oil change versus a 10k oil change is 30 extra oil changes. That is a lot of time and money wasted when a $25 oil analysis could have told you that there was no need to waste since the end result will be the same.

Just think of what would happen to oil prices if we all changed oil when we actually needed to rather than too soon because we don't know any better and thought it was "cheap insurance".

Just think if you have an oil related engine failure going off of an oil analysis , does Blackstone cover the cost when your warranty is denied, I think not. . As said I would like to see in writing Ford, GM ,or Ram saying your warranty is in place with a oil related engine failure not following the recommended oil changes as long as you do oil analysis . When I read that then I will quit following the manual. Until then I will continue to waste time, money, and oil. Yes cheap insurance.