Oil change in new RV

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Wow, talk about "thread shift/drift"
Just as in real life speaking. IMO, people make too big of a deal about thread drift (in most cases).

Hijack the threads I start all you wish.
Many manufactures stick a short first mileage change into the warranty wording just to cover them selves.
I already read my owner's manual. It says nothing about the first oil change being different. Just change every 10,000 miles along with the filter.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
You can call me crazy, you can argue it, but I stand by this...

I'll tell you, don't listen to the big oil companies or the manufacturers. They are expanding the service intervals to cheat the C.A.F.E. regulations on oil and emissions. They also get more money out of you when your engine sludges up because engine sludge is not a warrantable issue.

Please, I know all the big companies are saying now that you can go longer with fewer oil changes, and technology has advanced, etc. While technology has advanced, a lot of this is hooplah. Manufacturers have to meet certain C.A.F.E. criteria, in the USA especially, for their products to be accepted and legal. In order to do this they have to make it seem, on paper, that the oil consumption and emission output is below a certain threshold. The engine and oil technology has not advanced that far!

Change your oil and filter every 3K to 5K miles (or 6 months, whichever comes first)!

Having spent many years working in the modern automotive industry as a technician, I can tell you that if you change your oil every 10,000 miles, your engine will not make it past 100,000 miles, if you even get that far. Engine oil breaks down over time and use. I don't care if its the top of the line full synthetic. Mobil1, AmsOil, whatever. It breaks down . Heat and friction break down the oil, it loses lubricity and collects contaminants. By 5,000 miles your oil's life span is spent. The lubricity of 5,000 mile oil is course and gritty and full of contaminants from the engine. What are the contaminants? One source is the small amount of carbon that slips past the piston rings, another is the broken down oil, also known as SLUDGE. Another contaminant is moisture, yes moisture is a natural byproduct of internal combustion engines! This makes the sludge thicker and tackier! These things make the oil thick and goopy, left long enough it literally turns into gel, and by 5,000 miles your filter is plugged up and no longer filtering. Once the oil filter's internal filter media is completely plugged, there is a spring loaded bypass valve inside the filter that opens and your oil isn't even filtered anymore.

Long story short, don't go past 5,000 miles/6 months for an oil change. Ever. No matter what the owner's manual says, no matter what the oil bottle says. Do not do it.

P.S. If you've not reached 5,000 miles in 6 months, still change the oil at the 6 month mark. After the engine has been run, the oil can still break down, because now its been used, even if it just sits. Most used oil has a shelf life of 6-7 months, once its been used (meaning run thru the engine and heated up.)
 
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I can tell you that if you change your oil every 10,000 miles, your engine will not make it past 100,000 miles, if you even get that far.
Well, I have been changing the engine oil in my old Y2K RV once per year. It has ~135K miles on it and no major engine problems, so far.

IMO, the truth is more in the middle ground. We can do more miles (and time) than in the past with modern engines and modern oils.

And yes, we are fed BS when money is involved, such as when they have to meet a certain criteria to get a product to market.

I don't believe everything I am told. That is why I started this thread.

But as with any thread about oil, I know I am going to hear many different opinions.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
See here.

"According to AAA, many modern cars need oil changes after you’ve driven between 5,000 and 7,500 miles. If your vehicle runs on synthetic motor oil, that number can jump up to 15,000 because of the greater efficiency."

FWIW, IMO, putting synthetic engine oil to get above the 10K ONLY applies to those engines (such as my new RV and my newest motorcycles) that says to use ONLY synthetic engine oil.

Engines designed for dino oil do not get the big advantage (if any advantage at all) of using synthetic engine oil, even when such is used. Then it's a waste of money to use synthetic, IMO.

FWIW, my Y2K RV (and many of my older vehicles) says in the owner's manual "synthetic engine oil may be used, as long as it is changed as often". IOW, a waste of money and no benefit.

I normally go by the owner's manual, but I am not real comfy with the first oil change at 10K miles on my new RV. Especially when it has probably been in there for around a year already.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
See here.

"Instead of pre-filling the filter, we recommend first applying a little motor oil to the gasket and then replacing the filter. The motor oil will prevent the gasket from sticking or causing an oil leak."

-Don- Reno, NV
Wrong! Prefilling has nothing to do with gasket oiling. Gasket oiling is a standard for any oil filter change. Prefilling is done to prevent the engine starting dry after sitting and the oil drained off to the pan. What is in the filter is what reaches the valves and pushrods etc. An empty filter has to fill up first whihc can take quite a lot of cycles depending on the oil pump and filter size, which is this case is a concern.
 
Prefilling has nothing to do with gasket oiling. Gasket oiling is a standard for any oil filter change.
It didn't say it did. It's kinda saying that is the only oil to add to the filter.

AFAIK, it is not recommended by any engine manufacturer to pre-fill an oil filter. Just put oil on that filter gasket.

A possible exception is when an engine if first built and has just been bone dry inside.

However, IMO, it doesn't hurt anything to prefill an oil filter. It just isn't necessary and makes the job more difficult. But it doesn't hurt anything either, so take your pick.

FWIW, I used to prefill them myself, until I read several places it just isn't necessary. Besides, in some vehicles it is not even possible. Sometimes the oil filter is horizonal or even worse. How can you prefill those?

-Don- Reno, NV
 
I prefill the filter for the motor home, since it's a vertical filter. I just oil the gasket on the Jeep, since it's horizontal(more or less).
 
DonTom, I would get my oil changed before heading out on your trip. I would also recommend Mobile 1 full synthetic.
I am looking forward to hearing how the new Ford big block works out.
Are you going to run a oil analysis program on your new RV? I think it would be interesting starting with such a new engine. If you do pull the sample and send it in and get the results back before you drain the oil. This way if you have a problem with the results looks wonkey, (that is a technical term) you can double check it with a second sample.

You can call me crazy, you can argue it, but I stand by this...
Ok but what you are talking about applied to your Grand Father's car not current production. The same goes for the oil. Actually regular dino oil has come a long long way. The additive packages' are realey good now days. Ok you are saying "what does this guy know" Well I use to be certified in oil analysis and ran a oil lab when I was in the AF.
I do run a full synthetic oil in my little camper.
Bill
 
If you do not change the oil before your trip, how many miles do you think will be added on your trip to Florida and back. That may push it over the 10,000 mark, probably will. So you may want to change oil before you leave.
 
Well, I already purchased some Castrol 5W30 full synthetic just today. But I doubt if they are much different between brands.
Well yes there is a different between brands. Not so much in the oil but in the additive package. The Castrol should work just fine.
Bill
 
That may push it over the 10,000 mark, probably will.
Probably will, but I don't think being off by a couple of thousand miles late is a big deal.
but in the additive package.
Is there any evidence that some of the additives are better than others?

BTW, I just looked at my bottles and I see that I screwed up. My two one gallon bottles I purchased yesterday say "for vehicles over 75,000 miles". I am around 72,000 miles too new for that. I will see if I can trade them in today for a couple of bottles of the 5W30 Mobile 1 full synthetic.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
. I would also recommend Mobile 1 full synthetic.
I just traded in my two 5 gallon jugs of "Castrol High Mileage 5W30 full synthetic" for two five gallon jugs of "Mobile 1 full synthetic" that has no mention of mileage other than the "guaranteed protection for 20,000 miles."

Was an easy trade. The price difference was $0.00.

But I wonder how that Mobile1 20K mile guarantee works when my Ford manual says the engine oil needs to be changed every 10,000 miles. :)

-Don- Reno, NV
 
If you do not change the oil before your trip, how many miles do you think will be added on your trip to Florida and back. That may push it over the 10,000 mark, probably will.
Yes, as I plan to visit some other states north of Florida, such as SC and up that way.

I am having a large shed built in my backyard here in two days. And after I get my RV back (in the shop to fix a few problems I discovered) and get the oil and filter changed, I will be ready to leave on my trip. Could be in less than a week.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
Is there any evidence that some of the additives are better than others?
One way is to send a clean sample to one of the big labs and ask for them to check the TBN numbers.
Well which oil would you use one that had a minimum of additives or one that had more friction modifiers and more and better detergents.

But I wonder how that Mobile1 20K mile guarantee works when my Ford manual says the engine oil needs to be changed every 10,000 miles. :)
Yes I wouldn't do anything outside of the parameters of the Ford recommendations or warranty as long as it was under warranty.
Now what/how the Mobile-1 20K mile guarantee works I would read what it says on their website.
 
Well which oil would you use one that had a minimum of additives or one that had more friction modifiers and more and better detergents.
Well, that depends. most of us who follow oil threads have heard it all.

Including . . . .

I recall hearing somewhere is you do NOT want the detergents to be too good. They can cause engine wear. Some say changing the engine oil too often can also cause engine wear because the detergents are strongest in new engine oil. Kinda sands down your engine parts by the overcleaning.

And for some of my motorcycles, I want NO friction modifiers at all. Many motorcycles use the engine oil in the tranny and the friction modifiers can cause the clutch to slip.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
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