ram 3500 oil change

bbaker2001 wrote:
6 months,
I just do not know why 6 months if parked in garage, does the oil break down

Which brings up a good point; if the new truck has been sitting on the dealers lot for several months, a buyer should make the dealer change the oil and filter before taking delivery. Wonder what the dealers would say about that ?

It makes dealer service department income.

6 months,
I just do not know why 6 months if parked in garage, does the oil break down

bbaker2001 wrote:
2015 Ram 3500 diesel has 4800 miles 7 months new.
dealer said I need to do oil change now.
2nd dealer says not yet, when should I
computer says 62 left

What does your owners manual say? That is what I would do!

spoon059 wrote:
what does COMMON SENSE say about simply dropping the old oil at 6 months and refilling and keeping the filter for a year?

Common sense says it will be perfectly fine. However if there's ever a problem with the engines of our big heavy trucks, dealers are always looking for any little thing to put a warranty issue back on us.

spoon059 wrote:
So let me pose this question here... I know what the manual says, but I would like a common sense answer.

The oil filter is rated for 15K mile intervals and has no parts to wear out or breakdown. For people like me that drive less often (average 10K miles a year give or take), what does COMMON SENSE say about simply dropping the old oil at 6 months and refilling and keeping the filter for a year?

Reason being that the oil filter is a pain in the neck to change. I understand that the oil additives break down over time, hence the need for 6 month intervals. The oil filter has no such time constraint. Will the half quart of old oil left in the filter have a detrimental effect to the 11.5 quarts of new oil that I put in?

Other than the manual stating to replace the oil AND FILTER every 15K or 6 months, is there a legitimate reason to invest the time and money into a new filter after only 5000 miles, as opposed to replacing the filter once a year at 10K miles?

For me personally if my dealer didn't offer free oil changes I'd do it myself and it certainly wouldn't be every six months. I would go with the 7500 mile interval which would be closer to eight months.
But as long as it's on their dime it'll be every six months.

bbaker2001 wrote:
thanks coolbreeze, it was built in 2014 so I will change.
saw someone say synthetic. I always used in on my 5.3. do I need to on the diesel. didn't know they made it. might as well change fuel filters also. can I do it or should I let the dealer.

You can do it, and much cheaper than the dealer. I get all my filters at Cummins. They sell all the Fleetguard filters for our trucks. You may have to buy a new fuel filter housing with replaceable filter the first time but every time after that, all you need it the paper filter. Buy the oil where ever its on sale at. I keep an extra fuel filter under my seat also.

So let me pose this question here... I know what the manual says, but I would like a common sense answer.

The oil filter is rated for 15K mile intervals and has no parts to wear out or breakdown. For people like me that drive less often (average 10K miles a year give or take), what does COMMON SENSE say about simply dropping the old oil at 6 months and refilling and keeping the filter for a year?

Reason being that the oil filter is a pain in the neck to change. I understand that the oil additives break down over time, hence the need for 6 month intervals. The oil filter has no such time constraint. Will the half quart of old oil left in the filter have a detrimental effect to the 11.5 quarts of new oil that I put in?

Other than the manual stating to replace the oil AND FILTER every 15K or 6 months, is there a legitimate reason to invest the time and money into a new filter after only 5000 miles, as opposed to replacing the filter once a year at 10K miles?

billyray50 wrote:
Owners manual says every 15,000 miles for my 2015 CTD longhorn DRW. I had it changed at 7500 miles though since I towed my TT after I bought new. Going to change oil every 7500 miles. Fuel filters you can change. The rear under the frame filter is a big pain IMHO. I used to change the oil and fuel filter in my previous 2006 CTD all the time. Not as easy to do now with newer trucks. The fuel filters for newer Rams are not cheap anymore and dealer or any shop will charge around 360.00 bucks for both.

Your owners manual doesn't say every 15,000 miles. It says this:

Replace the engine oil and oil filter every 15,000 miles (24 000 km) or six months, or sooner if prompted by the oil change indicator system. Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 15,000 miles (24 000 km) or six months, whichever comes first.

Owners manual says every 15,000 miles for my 2015 CTD longhorn DRW. I had it changed at 7500 miles though since I towed my TT after I bought new. Going to change oil every 7500 miles. Fuel filters you can change. The rear under the frame filter is a big pain IMHO. I used to change the oil and fuel filter in my previous 2006 CTD all the time. Not as easy to do now with newer trucks. The fuel filters for newer Rams are not cheap anymore and dealer or any shop will charge around 360.00 bucks for both.