diesel oil change

[rsilvestrone]

I have a Tiffin Bus , Cummings 330HP , it takes 24 quarts using shell Rotella $13 /gallon = $78 plus a Fleetquard oil filter which everyone wants $50-$60 for which = $128 with me doing labor. Does this sound right? Reading other stories of people saying they had their RV "serviced" for much less ( 1 guy on RV.net) said he did his done for $48 , how is that possible? Anybody pay similar amounts who do their own oil change? Thanks for input ...Robert S. Bozeman , Mt

[DailyDriver]

Freightguy wrote:
....I paid $69.99 for a 5 gal bucket of 15w40 and then $10 for another gallon.....

So, you paid $14/gal in a 5 gal bucket, then $10 for another gallon. Seems that you could have saved $20 by just buying gallon containers.

[wolfe10]

Freightguy wrote:

RayChez wrote:

Freightguy wrote:
I just did my Cat 350 HP last week. It takes 19 quarts. I paid $69.99 for a 5 gal bucket of 15w40 and then $10 for another gallon. Filter was $12. So $92.00 total plus what ever the tax was.

You say your engine takes 19 quarts which is correct, But you say you bought five gallons which is 20 quarts, plus you paid an extra ten dollars for another gallon? So that is 24 quarts. Is this including an oil change on your generator or did you put all 24 quarts on the Cat engine.

Yeah its strange, my manual calls for 19 quarts, but to get the stick to read full I have to use the full 5 gallons and then about a quart out of the gallon jug. I do buy the gallon jug to keep some on hand each time. I have a golf cart that uses oil a bit, so by the time I do the change that extra gallon will be gone as well.

OK, first thing is to confirm correct oil capacity (including oil filter): http://forum.dieselrvclub.org/index.php/topic,6619.0.html

Next, do NOT ASSUME that the dipstick is accurate-- it did not come from your engine manufacture. At the next oil change, calibrate the engine oil dipstick: http://forum.dieselrvclub.org/index.php/topic,6635.0.html

[Freightguy]

RayChez wrote:

Freightguy wrote:
I just did my Cat 350 HP last week. It takes 19 quarts. I paid $69.99 for a 5 gal bucket of 15w40 and then $10 for another gallon. Filter was $12. So $92.00 total plus what ever the tax was.

You say your engine takes 19 quarts which is correct, But you say you bought five gallons which is 20 quarts, plus you paid an extra ten dollars for another gallon? So that is 24 quarts. Is this including an oil change on your generator or did you put all 24 quarts on the Cat engine.

Yeah its strange, my manual calls for 19 quarts, but to get the stick to read full I have to use the full 5 gallons and then about a quart out of the gallon jug. I do buy the gallon jug to keep some on hand each time. I have a golf cart that uses oil a bit, so by the time I do the change that extra gallon will be gone as well.

[David0725]

I have a HR with a 8.3 cummins its only had Amsoil in it. I buy all my oil and filers and fuel filter from them. Then I pay a mom and pop $100 to do all the work.

[RayChez]

Freightguy wrote:
I just did my Cat 350 HP last week. It takes 19 quarts. I paid $69.99 for a 5 gal bucket of 15w40 and then $10 for another gallon. Filter was $12. So $92.00 total plus what ever the tax was.

You say your engine takes 19 quarts which is correct, But you say you bought five gallons which is 20 quarts, plus you paid an extra ten dollars for another gallon? So that is 24 quarts. Is this including an oil change on your generator or did you put all 24 quarts on the Cat engine.

[RayChez]

barlow46 wrote:
Freightguy,

Does you Cat take 19 qts and you bought 24 qts to have extra on hand or does it take all 24 qts. that you bought? My ISL400 takes 26 qts and I'm thinking your Cat 350 may take the 24 qts.

Caterpillar C-7 takes 19quarts.

[barlow46]

Freightguy,

Does you Cat take 19 qts and you bought 24 qts to have extra on hand or does it take all 24 qts. that you bought? My ISL400 takes 26 qts and I'm thinking your Cat 350 may take the 24 qts.

[Freightguy]

I just did my Cat 350 HP last week. It takes 19 quarts. I paid $69.99 for a 5 gal bucket of 15w40 and then $10 for another gallon. Filter was $12. So $92.00 total plus what ever the tax was.

[SpinRite]

Here is a sample answer to the age-old question...Where can I find 'XYZ' for a good price?

[ncrowley]

I used Speeco even though the closest one was 2 hours away. They let me watch and I asked a bunch of questions. The price was really good. They also changed the oil and filter on the generator.

[prism]

WILDEBILL wrote:
Filter Barn is your friend. 30.14 for a LF9009
http://www.filterbarn.com/index.php?id_product=4834&controller=product
Bill

yes previously noted

[RayChez]

First of all where you are paying too much is the oil filter. Go to Napa and they will cross reference the filter and you can get it for half what you are paying. Rotella buy it at WalMart. I can not remember how much I paid for five gallons, but it was around sixty five or seventy dollars.
So when I change the oil on my Cat engine it cost me around One hundred dollars.

[wny_pat1]

There isn't a lot of mark-up with oil filters. If you want a good price best to get them from someone who sells mega lots, or from someone who doesn't need the ones they have.

[Blaster_Man]

I use Filter Barn or www.rvchassisparts.com, then get the oil at Sams and take the RV to a Mom and Pop allison dealer. They change and dispose of the oil/filter and lub it for $65.