Changing Oil

[want-a-be]

Its been 1 year since our last oil change but we have only put on 2000 miles. This is on a cummins engine. It's not about the cost it's about taking it and leaving it for a couple of days. Would you go ahead and have it changed? Only plan on putting another 3 or 4000 miles on till this time next year and then having it changed.

Thanks for all comments

[Ivylog]

vegasfoodguy wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
NO, I change mine every 10-15,000 miles which can be 2-3 years. There is not any moisture in the oil of a engine that works hard when used... not driven to church only on Sunday. Your engine gets hot enough to boil any moisture out and oil does not go bad even in five years.

Do you ignore Lube, Trans, and Radiator service as well?

I lube when I change the engine oil as I'm already under there. It's called TranSynd and its good for 100K miles plus I changed the primary oil filter at 5K miles. And yes I test and add SCA as needed. Thanks for asking :S

I did look to see the age of his engine and it's likely a 2012 before recommending that he not change it because of the five year engine warranty.

[We_Cant_Wait]

Your engine is still under the Cummins 5 year warranty period and they say once a year or x# of miles. We only put 3000 miles a year and YES we still change every year due to Cummins oil change interval requirements.

[wa8yxm]

Believe it or not low-millage engines need MORE FREQUENT oil changes.. here is why.. However that said.. Low millage for an RV is not the same as low millage for a car.

When you get out and DRIVE, I mean DRIVE, like hours on the road, the engine gets up to operating temperature and stays there for a long time.. Assorted impurities in the oil (Primarly acid) turn to vapor and are sucked out by the PCV system burned and disposed of safely.

But on a LOW MILLAGE (Meaning short drive,, Corner for Bread type drives) the engine does not get properly warmed, acids build up. bad things happen (Think termite damage to oil pan.. Ok, so it's acid not termites.. same damage though).

[tropical36]

pigman1 wrote:

slickest1 wrote:

tropical36 wrote:
Opinions will vary, as with any discussion, but there's one thing, I'm absolutely and positively convinced of and that is that we're wasting far too much oil in this country with unnecessary changes and all this while we're running threads on the price and MPG of fuel.
Now seriously, when was there ever a documented failure of an engine, because the oil hadn't been changed frequently enough and most likely the causes were because it was without oil?

I agree and I think this is the best answer. These engines are designed for long engine life and oil sampling just to see if you should change it is a waste of money.
I it were a high mileage engine or was showing sins of trouble that would be different.
I change mine somewhere between 10 to 15,000 miles.
I have ran truck engines over 900,000 kilometers before rebuild and never had an oil sample.

I agree with the sampling technique and a lab analysis to tell you if your oil is still OK. We use Blackstone Labs to check ours, but I don't extend my change interval. My interval is 20,000 mi and we hit that at a year or less. Yes, we do TRAVEL.

All that said, WAY back when (early 1960's), I worked for my father-in-law who was a master truck mechanic and who maintained a fleet of short haul gas powered trucks delivering in New York City. My job was oil changes and grease jobs on the weekends paid by how many I did. Dad had a heart attack and the boss asked me if I would be willing to do the recurring maintenance on the fleet. I was, but he also decided to let the oil changes go for a while as he didn't want to get a new guy to do the job I was doing. Inside of 3 months we blew up 4 engines. Granted these trucks were operated under the most severe conditions imaginable, high loads, extended idling, stop and go traffic and any other severe condition you can think of, but that fleet's last blown engine had occurred 4-5 years before. The moral of the story---oil changes matter, so don't ignore them, but with light service, oil testing and smart operation, I think going from one to two years as the OP mentioned is not a big issue.

Things have changed a lot in the last 1/2 century or so, but many still adhere to old school and naturally this is also promoted by the service centers who make money by wasting oil.
But even back then, with what you're saying, I find it hard to believe that the properties of this oil was broken down to the point of being ineffective as a lubricant and thereby creating major engine failures of some sort.

[Jim_Norman]

Not sure if you are in or out of warranty. It looks like you are still potentially covered for an other year. If you are in, you want to follow the rules, 12m or 15k regardless. You drive 1000 miles in 12 months, you change it. Failure can mean that you would lose a warranty claim. Out of warranty, do what you want. Me, I will have mine changed. I will drive 5-8k, maybe more but not 15k a year. I could go 2 years and save a couple hundred dollars, but IF the engine has an issue, it would cost MANY times the cost of an oil change. You mention leaving your rig for days, are they drilling the well to get the oil? A full service, Engine, Chassis and all should not be a whole day.

I know a number of people that have gone the Purifiner route, with additional oil capacity, regular testing and additives to replenish those that have gone. But the cost recovery for a MH is probably not there. If you time it right, you might get two seasons. they'll let you slide a little on the time, probably more on time then on miles, but probably not 3 years.

[cableguy574]

I change my oil every year, weather it sits or is driven. It is a cheap insurance to save on the price of a engine. Pay now or pay later.

[vegasfoodguy]

Ivylog wrote:
NO, I change mine every 10-15,000 miles which can be 2-3 years. There is not any moisture in the oil of a engine that works hard when used... not driven to church only on Sunday. Your engine gets hot enough to boil any moisture out and oil does not go bad even in five years.

Do you ignore Lube, Trans, and Radiator service as well?

[pigman1]

slickest1 wrote:

tropical36 wrote:
Opinions will vary, as with any discussion, but there's one thing, I'm absolutely and positively convinced of and that is that we're wasting far too much oil in this country with unnecessary changes and all this while we're running threads on the price and MPG of fuel.
Now seriously, when was there ever a documented failure of an engine, because the oil hadn't been changed frequently enough and most likely the causes were because it was without oil?

I agree and I think this is the best answer. These engines are designed for long engine life and oil sampling just to see if you should change it is a waste of money.
I it were a high mileage engine or was showing sins of trouble that would be different.
I change mine somewhere between 10 to 15,000 miles.
I have ran truck engines over 900,000 kilometers before rebuild and never had an oil sample.

I agree with the sampling technique and a lab analysis to tell you if your oil is still OK. We use Blackstone Labs to check ours, but I don't extend my change interval. My interval is 20,000 mi and we hit that at a year or less. Yes, we do TRAVEL.

All that said, WAY back when (early 1960's), I worked for my father-in-law who was a master truck mechanic and who maintained a fleet of short haul gas powered trucks delivering in New York City. My job was oil changes and grease jobs on the weekends paid by how many I did. Dad had a heart attack and the boss asked me if I would be willing to do the recurring maintenance on the fleet. I was, but he also decided to let the oil changes go for a while as he didn't want to get a new guy to do the job I was doing. Inside of 3 months we blew up 4 engines. Granted these trucks were operated under the most severe conditions imaginable, high loads, extended idling, stop and go traffic and any other severe condition you can think of, but that fleet's last blown engine had occurred 4-5 years before. The moral of the story---oil changes matter, so don't ignore them, but with light service, oil testing and smart operation, I think going from one to two years as the OP mentioned is not a big issue.

[midnightsadie]

X3 these guys have the best answer .

[slickest1]

tropical36 wrote:
Opinions will vary, as with any discussion, but there's one thing, I'm absolutely and positively convinced of and that is that we're wasting far too much oil in this country with unnecessary changes and all this while we're running threads on the price and MPG of fuel.
Now seriously, when was there ever a documented failure of an engine, because the oil hadn't been changed frequently enough and most likely the causes were because it was without oil?

I agree and I think this is the best answer. These engines are designed for long engine life and oil sampling just to see if you should change it is a waste of money.
I it were a high mileage engine or was showing sins of trouble that would be different.
I change mine somewhere between 10 to 15,000 miles.
I have ran truck engines over 900,000 kilometers before rebuild and never had an oil sample.

[tropical36]

Opinions will vary, as with any discussion, but there's one thing, I'm absolutely and positively convinced of and that is that we're wasting far too much oil in this country with unnecessary changes and all this while we're running threads on the price and MPG of fuel.
Now seriously, when was there ever a documented failure of an engine, because the oil hadn't been changed frequently enough and most likely the causes were because it was without oil?

[hipower]

I fall into the camp that stretches the interval between longer when I don't put many miles on. Over the years we have averaged 10k per year and changed at least annually. Now we sit more than we travel, by choice, but travel longer distances per day yet so I will go out to two years between, but not longer. I've supported my thinking with oil analysis and am comfortable doing this.

I'm currently at 99k on this coach and have never had an engine issue related to oil on any of the three we have owned.

As to what the OP should do, I would simply say weigh all the advice with your own logic and decide what you are comfortable with.

[darsben1]

rhagfo wrote:
Well get a sample kit from Blackstone Labs and go for a drive, then pull a sample and send it in and see what they recommend!

This is the correct answer.
$28.00 due when you send back sample in container they provide you.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php

Very comprehensive report including per cent of life left in the oil.

THEN YOU KNOW and are not guessing

[rockhillmanor]

Call a local RV Mobile Repair in your area.

Call the closest CG to where you live and ask the CG owner who they use for RV Mobile Repair.

They come to where your MH is and within an hour or so it will be done. So you do NOT have to take it and leave it anywhere! Convenient, less expensive, AND IMHO better qualified mechanics.