# Remember Change Oil More Often



## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

If your truck does a lot of idel time like most plow trucks, remember to change your oil more often. Once the winter kicks into gear, we may change the oil as often as once a month in our smaller trucks. The bigger ones have hour meters so we know exactly when to change the oil.

Geoff


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

Good Point Geoff. Idling as well as those stop and starts and high torque pushing runs is hard on the oil. We change ours multiple times during the winter. While it is in all fluids and every nut, bolt, and light is checked. Safety and maintainence is critical.


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## SlimJim Z71 (Nov 8, 2000)

Also... make sure you are using the right weight oil. For example, I believe most Chevy trucks require 5W-30... anything thicker and it's not getting where it's supposed to.

While we're on general maintenance, don't forget about tire pressure. Once you hang the plow on the front, and start throwing weight in the rear, you'll want to up the pressure in your tires to help the truck handle better, and prevent blow outs.


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## thelawnguy (May 20, 2001)

> _Originally posted by SlimJim Z71 _
> *Also... make sure you are using the right weight oil. For example, I believe most Chevy trucks require 5W-30... anything thicker and it's not getting where it's supposed to.*


The only reason 5w30 is recommended for GM built gas engines is to meet CAFE. If you read the owners manual closely you see 10w30 is also recommended (and preferred if you expect that 350 to hit 200k).


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## SlimJim Z71 (Nov 8, 2000)

Actually... 5W-30 is recommended for winter. And I have actually been told (by several mechanics, and some GM techs) that heavier weight oils will not make it through some of the tight clearances in their motors. Whether or not it's true, I don't know. But I'm going to stick with 5W-30.


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## Randy J (Aug 22, 2001)

> _Originally posted by SlimJim Z71 _
> *Actually... And I have actually been told (by several mechanics, and some GM techs) that heavier weight oils will not make it through some of the tight clearances in their motors. *


*

I'm with thelawnguy, the only reason the manufacturer is recommending such light weight oil is for fuel mileage. Used to be 20W50, or 10W40 oil was the norm, now it's 5W30, or even 0W30. Of course lighter weight oil will help with start ups in cold weather. I'd highly recommend a good synthetic oil. You would get better start up protection, and the oil would retain the higher viscosity properties better when warm.

Randy*


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## carlriv2 (Oct 15, 2001)

If you have any new gmc or chevy trucks they too have an hour meter. with the key off push and hold the trip odometer reset for about 10 seconds and the odometer will read hours... At least this is on my 99 and newer, new body syle trucks.


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

I am with Tim, I beleive the closer tolerances are at play. The oil is a multi viscosity, so the 30 weight end of the equation is the same. Its the 5 weight side that the engine needs for proper lubrication.
Dino


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## casey (May 14, 2001)

Are you running a synthetic 5W30 in your trucks & blowers or have you found it too costly & unnecessary? 
Was thinking of switching everything (2 stages & trucks) over to Mobil 1 5W30 but there would be a more than slight cost difference over the coarse of the season.


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## DaveK (Jul 9, 2001)

And don't forget to change the oil more frequently in your car during the winter if you only use it for short trips to the store. If the engine doesn't reach operating temps for a sustained amount of time, it doesn't "burn off" the condensation that forms inside the engine and settles in the oil pan.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

During the winter I change more on the hours as oppose to mileage on the truck.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

Grandview .... Ive been waiting 11 years for a reply


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

Grandview seems to be spending some time back in 2001. Must be trying to feel young again.


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## wewille (Jan 20, 2009)

According to Ford for every one hour of idle time equates to 25 or 33 miles of driving...


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

I've also been waiting 11 years for more info to be posted in this thread.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Wow,all your truck oil must be mud by now waiting for an answer as to what to do.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

Have you been stuck under your truck for 11 years?


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## Murphy4570 (Jan 16, 2012)

thelettuceman;1469083 said:


> Have you been stuck under your truck for 11 years?


I fell asleep under my truck while fixing it one time.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

thelettuceman;1469083 said:


> Have you been stuck under your truck for 11 years?


Living up north I don't even like to look under my truck.:realmad:


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Murphy4570;1469311 said:


> I fell asleep under my truck while fixing it one time.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

That's the guy that works on my truck. He gets paid by the hour.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

My 3500 HD 6.0 liter Chevrolet was brand new at the beginning of the snow season and it still has 50% of the oil life left. I change it when the oil meter says too. It usually lasts alot longer than the old standby of 3-5000 MILES.Why change it more often than what the oil meter calls for? Oil is better quality now than years ago.


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

Italiano67;1469356 said:


> My 3500 HD 6.0 liter Chevrolet was brand new at the beginning of the snow season and it still has 50% of the oil life left. I change it when the oil meter says too. It usually lasts alot longer than the old standby of 3-5000 MILES.Why change it more often than what the oil
> 
> meter calls for? Oil is better quality now than years ago.


Exactly!!However the DIC monitors youroil life by algorithms only.There is no magic wand that actually analyzes the condition of your oil.So either you should changeout based on your actual hand calculated mileage or get a SOS(scheduled oil sampling) which only costs app. $7 per bottle.


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## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

tuney443;1469504 said:


> Exactly!!However the DIC monitors youroil life by algorithms only.There is no magic wand that actually analyzes the condition of your oil.
> 
> True, I base my oil changes on conditions I use my truck, altitude makes a differance(higher you are, harder engine has to work) am I pulling weightt, pushing weight(making engine work harder)
> I got a brand new truck & I change every 5000-6000km even though truck says I can go 8000km+ Oil aint that expensive compared to an engine rebuild or part replacment & the performance lost due to a dirty engine. You wont hurt the engine by changing oil too soon, but you will lose performance after time because of dirty oil deposits on engine parts. IMO worth changing oil sooner then later.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Who said old threads have to die?


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

I recommend treating your engine with seafoam. i treat all of my engines with it. a full bottom for a full tank of gas, and half a bottle in the oil about 100 miles before an oil change.

only other way to get the engine more clean than this is to take it appart and sonic clean it.

one treatment in my old bike made the engine run audibly better.

careful using it on older vehicles. they often have so much sludge that youll have to let the engine sit for a week while it thins the sludge before the engine will crank. thus no more than 100 miles before an oil change on newer engines.

available at lots of places
http://www.seafoamsales.com/


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

why would running an engine at idle be worse than running with a load? at idle there's less pressure being put on the internal components, less friction, less work. seems less friction would be less wear.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

Oil pressure less at idle too.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

grandview;1469565 said:


> Who said old threads have to die?


When you become involved they become "rusty"


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## wewille (Jan 20, 2009)

birddseedd;1469688 said:


> why would running an engine at idle be worse than running with a load? at idle there's less pressure being put on the internal components, less friction, less work. seems less friction would be less wear.


Its not that it is truely bad... The real problem is the lack of maintenance associated with extended idling. I had a truck come in from the UW Madison physical plant. 15,000 on the odometer and 2,000 hours of idling. It is a 2011 ford diesel, Theve changed the oil twice and have yet to change the fuel filter. 2,000 hours is the equivalent to 50,000 miles. It should have had a few more oil changes than two. Excessive idling on a modern Diesel will plug egr valves egr coolers and possibly intake manifolds. Excessive idling in cold climates can also lead to wet stacking and cylinder wash down. Idling can wear an engine twice as fast as driving according to SAE. Most manufacturers recommend a 3 minute limit on idling. Many states also made extended diesel idling illegal. If you have an application that requires the engine stay running for extended periods of time such as pto usage I recommend using a high idle run good quality fuel with a cetane boost.

Gasoline engines are not as problematic, but still its not so much the idling thats problematic its the unaccounted for maintenance.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Modern fuel injected gasoline engines are less affected by idle than older carburetor engines from years past. Carb engines tended to be set with a very rich idle mixture to reduce stalling and improve overall driveability. This rich mixture would tend to load the cylinders with fuel to the point that raw gas would blow by the rings and contaminate the oil. The contaminated oil would often breakdown under high load situations causing bearing failure. EFI engines idle nice and lean. I've let mine idle for hours while I was sleeping.

And to the guy with the new truck, I would change the oil at 1,000 regardless of the oil life monitor.


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

birddseedd;1469686 said:


> I recommend treating your engine with seafoam. i treat all of my engines with it. a full bottom for a full tank of gas, and half a bottle in the oil about 100 miles before an oil change.
> 
> only other way to get the engine more clean than this is to take it appart and sonic clean it.
> 
> ...


Changing out at a reasonable mileage with a modern DETERGENT oil will accomplish the very same thing-that of keeping sludge at bay. That is one of the purposes of engine oil--to pick up dirt and carbon deposits from the combustion process,bring it to the filter,repeat.And stirring up old sludge is a disaster in the works-just leave it alone.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I've used Seafoam in the sump of an older engine with great success a couple of times.


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

grandview;1469314 said:


>


How did you get a pic of one of our local LCO's? It's probably his lunch break. :laughing:


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## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

grandview;1468978 said:


> During the winter I change more on the hours as oppose to mileage on the truck.


Thanks for bumping another dead thread.


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