Oil Change on the road

[JDsdogs]

While not a newb to RVing (many years), our upcoming trip will be our first of extended length.
Having been heavy equip mechanic for some years in the past, I do most of my own maintenance.
Now, I will be more than an oil change away from home and was wondering where others get their oil changed on the road.
With a class A, I'm guessing a truck shop of some sort.
Who do you look for? How does one go about finding reputable service on the road?

Not a beginner, but this might be considered a beginner question to those of you with experience.

Thanks in advance

[Eric_Lisa]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Unless that gas engine is in BAD shape going 15K one time is NOT going to cause harm

I respectfully disagree.

Will you get through the trip? Probably. Will you experience engine failure? Probably not.

Will you reduce the service life of your engine? Yes. Will you increase the probability of a engine failure on a future trip? Probably. Are you going to be a long way from home territory if something happens? Most likely.

Regular service is the best thing you can put in to a motor. It doesn't cost that much and it is good peace of mind. Nothing with less than 100k in my household, some 200k, and one 300k. Regular oil changes & service.

There has been some good advice on this thread for finding local service places or DIY in a campground. Going 15k miles between changes is, in my opinion, not some of the better advice. Do you really want to be several thousand miles from home, fire up the RV in the morning to break camp and see smoke coming out of the tailpipe that wasn't there before? You will probably get by, but I sure wouldn't want to be worrying about it when trying to have a good time with family on a road trip.

Just my $.02
-Eric

[John_Wayne]

Get the fumoto valve with the tip you can put a hose on drain into an old 5 Qt. jug. Take a freezer zip lock bag put it over the filter as your unscrewing the filter overflow oil from the filter will stay in the bag. Drain the oil in the bag into the jug. job done.

[PERCs]

I also have an F53. I installed a Fumoto valve.

http://www.oildrainvalve.net/

No more mess!!!! I have the 45 degree add-on which I attaché a hose to and direct into a container for disposal. For the Filter I use a gallon freezer bag (after loosening the filter) to let catch all.

David

[JDsdogs]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

gafidler wrote:
Go to walmart buy disposal oil drain pan about $6, buy oil and filter, lift MH on jacks/levers, drain oil , take pan back to walmart.

That's the ticket.....yeah boy

They will accept your used oil and pan?

The rig is an Ford F53 chassis and if you have ever changed oil on one, you know that the oil pan plug and filter drain directly over the front axle, making a mess if you don't build some sort of flow diverter to direct the draining oil. Just plain messy. A petcock for the pan is fine but it does not help with the filter mess.
I was under the impression that most RV parks frowned on doing maintenance on their grounds.

Also, I pull a Toad which puts added strain on the engine, which has about 50,000 mi on it.
I was thinking changing at 5,000 mi.

Thanks again all.

[Old-Biscuit]

gafidler wrote:
Go to walmart buy disposal oil drain pan about $6, buy oil and filter, lift MH on jacks/levers, drain oil , take pan back to walmart.

That's the ticket.....yeah boy

[gafidler]

Go to walmart buy disposal oil drain pan about $6, buy oil and filter, lift MH on jacks/levers, drain oil , take pan back to walmart.

[Dennis12]

Call the Jiffy Lube in the area that you are. Most have the pit they walk down in and 1 large door for us.

[mmccwill]

Speedco won`t do gas rigs -- Bill Willard

[amdriven2liv]

I can change my oil in my pickup pretty much anywhere.

I have a drain valve instead of a plug. Hook a short tube to the valve and drain into gallon water jugs. When one fills, turn valve off and put the next jug in. Easy peasy. Drop the full jugs at Walmart.

I got my drain valve from Fumoto.

[ScottG]

I do oil changes myself,,had one done by Mr Lube in Edmonton Alberta and they charged me for rear axle oil change too,but after noticing the dirt mud covered bolts on the axle pumpkin I realized they never did open and drained it,,
Fool me once..

Some quicky lube places suck the fluid out of diffs. (I was going to say "rear ends" but that just sounded baad.)

[Community Alumni]

I take my Ford Chassis moho to Ford auto dealers for oil changes, including when I'm traveling long distances. Many Ford auto dealers will service mohos.

[Old-Biscuit]

During our 7 yrs of FTng we ASKED:
Staff at CG
Locals (we always tried to engage locals in conversation---at a local bar, while shopping, while out and about)

Change oil/filter prior to going on trip and then upon return.
Unless that gas engine is in BAD shape going 15K one time is NOT going to cause harm

[Community Alumni]

bob213 wrote:
Don't know how far you are going but maybe change it before you go and wait till you get back. Even a gasser should be able to 6-7000 miles without a problem using good oil.

Ditto on this too I have done early oil changes when planning a long trip.

JimR

[free_radical]

JDsdogs wrote:
While not a newb to RVing (many years), our upcoming trip will be our first of extended length.
Having been heavy equip mechanic for some years in the past, I do most of my own maintenance.
Now, I will be more than an oil change away from home and was wondering where others get their oil changed on the road.
With a class A, I'm guessing a truck shop of some sort.
Who do you look for? How does one go about finding reputable service on the road?

Not a beginner, but this might be considered a beginner question to those of you with experience.

Thanks in advance

I do oil changes myself,,had one done by Mr Lube in Edmonton Alberta and they charged me for rear axle oil change too,but after noticing the dirt mud covered bolts on the axle pumpkin I realized they never did open and drained it,,
Fool me once..

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

I use Speedco and they due a great job.

Speedco

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon