Forum Discussion

rfloyd99's avatar
rfloyd99
Explorer
Aug 28, 2020

Oil Change - synthetic oil

I tow a 5,600 lb (loaded wt) TT with my Ram 1500 5.6L gasoline truck. I also have a few hundred lbs in the truck, but all in all I'm well within the towing capacity of the truck.

I had to put a new (rebuilt) engine in it last year. That engine has 11,000 miles on it.

I changed the oil to synthetic right before we left on a 10,000 mile trip. We've driven 6,000 miles so far, of which probably 4,000 have been pulling the TT. I travel about 60MPH, which results in RPMs of 1,500 to about 2,200 most of the time, with the higher number being pretty common. Obviously, higher RPMs happen in the mountains. We are in the West, BTW.

Recommendation for synthetic oil is to change it after 10-15,000 miles, but I'm sure that supposes unloaded passenger car use.

My question: given that I've pulled the load 4K miles, plus 2K unloaded, when should I change this oil?

Thanks!
Tow Vehicles
  • Reisender's avatar
    Reisender
    Nomad
    Sep 03, 2020
    fj12ryder wrote:
    Reisender wrote:
    Lynnmor wrote:
    Reisender wrote:
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.


    I t cost me about $75 for oil and filter once per year. How much to keep fresh batteries in a 400 HP electric truck?


    You are asking the wrong guy. But 75 bucks for a synthetic oil and filter change is quite reasonable. And if you only have to do it once a year even better. I’m actually surprised. We ran synthetic in our ford dually years ago and I remember it being more, And we had to change it more than once a year as well. Inflation hasn’t hit oil changes very hard.
    Well, if you used Amsoil it would cost a lot more. :) Nah, not really just messing with the guy. :)


    That rings a bell. Might have been. Those were busy days and I usually just had it done at the dealership.
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Sep 03, 2020
    Reisender wrote:
    Lynnmor wrote:
    Reisender wrote:
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.


    I t cost me about $75 for oil and filter once per year. How much to keep fresh batteries in a 400 HP electric truck?


    You are asking the wrong guy. But 75 bucks for a synthetic oil and filter change is quite reasonable. And if you only have to do it once a year even better. I’m actually surprised. We ran synthetic in our ford dually years ago and I remember it being more, And we had to change it more than once a year as well. Inflation hasn’t hit oil changes very hard.
    Well, if you used Amsoil it would cost a lot more. :) Nah, not really just messing with the guy. :)
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Sep 03, 2020
    Reisender wrote:
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.
    Mine runs about $50 with oil and filter. Figuring oil changes, injector pump rebuild, and other misc., I've still spent less on the truck than what a Cybertruck would cost. Even adding in all the diesel fuel. Win, win. :)
  • Reisender's avatar
    Reisender
    Nomad
    Sep 03, 2020
    Lynnmor wrote:
    Reisender wrote:
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.


    I t cost me about $75 for oil and filter once per year. How much to keep fresh batteries in a 400 HP electric truck?


    You are asking the wrong guy. But 75 bucks for a synthetic oil and filter change is quite reasonable. And if you only have to do it once a year even better. I’m actually surprised. We ran synthetic in our ford dually years ago and I remember it being more, And we had to change it more than once a year as well. Inflation hasn’t hit oil changes very hard.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Sep 03, 2020
    Reisender wrote:
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.


    I t cost me about $75 for oil and filter once per year. How much to keep fresh batteries in a 400 HP electric truck?
  • Reisender's avatar
    Reisender
    Nomad
    Sep 03, 2020
    rfloyd99 wrote:
    Thanks for the input, everyone. I just had it changed (full synthetic) and plan to do so every 5-6K miles while towing.


    What does a synthetic oil change cost nowadays. Curious. We used to run synthetic. Been awhile.
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Sep 03, 2020
    My era Cummins with 15k changes is actually 15k or 6 mo what ever is earliest. I am more like 15k a year so that is another reason I do the oil reports to prove my oil is fine and will not hurt my warranty.

    So I am saving money!
  • BenK's avatar
    BenK
    Explorer
    Sep 03, 2020
    Boils down to personal choice...am NOT an oil test person and change often

    IIRC, a test analysis was $28 bucks and prefer to put that cost towards purchasing fresh oil

    After the spectrometer arrived, watched the car guys (scientists, engineers, technicians) check it out against their Blackstone reports....spot on and asked how they obtained there sample oil...fun hearing that some of these nerds (I'm one too) made a mess trying to get their plug back in

    Took a dip stick out of my Suburban to check and found nothing out of the ordinary
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Sep 03, 2020
    Edd505 wrote:
    Turtle n Peeps wrote:

    So you don't think a lab that can tell you EXACTLY what shape your oil is in is any good? :R :S


    I strongly suspect there are very few here that have ever had oil analysis done. Most have never been in commercial service, drive 2500 & 3500's and had no idea you can get the oil analyzed or what the readings mean, that they can detect water, over heating, engine metals, etc. Common test in commercial vehicles & air craft, kits are available at most parts shops but Blackstone is one of the labs the does the testings. Educate yourselves before criticizing:oil test explained


    Having worked with commercial vehicles, and knowing what an oil analysis could do, I still advocate to just keep,it simple and change your oil regularly. Waiting a year and half because some company says it's OK is just asking for problems!

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