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Topic: Should I Change the Oil or Not (Read 1290 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #20 –
Quote from: Home2fromHastings –
I have been doing oil analysis (and coolant and transmission too) regularly
Who does the analysis for you? I've been pleased with the reports and responses from Blackstone for engine oil and transmission fluid analysis. They don't do coolant analysis.

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #21 –
Quote from: Michelle –
I hope you didn't (take it out just shake the dust off it and reuse it).  That is one of the worst things you can do.  It's also hard to pull that filter out and not get dirt on the wrong side of the filter (unless you are wiping out the housing and installing a clean filter).

One of the first things I did after bringing our U300 home was to change the telltale and air cleaner. I started by taking an air gun to the inside of the element and blowing a huge amount of dust off the outside for about 10 minutes. Then I took it for a test drive and checked the telltale again. It still showed quite a bit of restriction even though the outside looked spotless. I ordered a new element and the difference in power was much more than I might have imagined. $62 best price delivered was not a give away but well worth it. Pays to plan ahead and have a spare ready. Going to move the air intake to a higher spot like the late '93 U300s as ours sucks in everything off the back wheels. The canister even had twigs and leaves in it.

Pierce

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #22 –
quote " The canister even had twigs and leaves in it."
That is the reason I made the Deflector for mine (and others who ordered it) and have found that my filter is now clean for 3 yrs since doing it. The camera stay's clean longer too even in heavy rain.
This is on the 295. and have put one on the 240 as it gets the air from off roof too.
JohnH
"

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #23 –
Fluid & filter changes are the cheapest extended warranty you can buy! Pays off in the long run for sure. If I had my druthers I'd install a bypass filter system in parallel with a very fine filter media. Used to work on stationary generators & every oil change was six filters (4 main & 2 bypass) & 30 gallons of bulk grade oil. But we only changed the oil at 1,000 hours (I think, been almost 20 years).
Back in the day we didn't really worry about oil in the fuel, the tolerances were looser. But now, with the tight tolerances in the injection system I would be very reluctant to put anything in my fuel tank but high quality fuel. I recently worked on a late model Ford that had gotten water contaminated fuel. (served him right, he was taking off road diesel from the fleet tank) the final bill was over 6 grand. The engine was fine but it destroyed the injection pump & 4 injectors. I like old iron, its more tolerant of abuse.

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #24 –
John,

Our air cleaner intake is under the rig immediately behind the right rear tires and picks up everything on the ground that the tires kick up. Soft and fine Baja sand would probably clog it within minutes going down the road to see the whales.

Pierce

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #25 –
Two comments for John H & Pierce
1-At night watching thru the backup camera is amazing at the things flying around the air intake, between the bugs and dust, it is hard to believe.

2-Have a retired MD friend who has the 4104 GM bus, now with the 8V-71 & V300 Allison, that we changed his air filter system from the old oil bath to a nice paper filter much like used the Foretravels, the next time he came by for servicing, found the filter had been changed to the oiled screen type (forgot popular name), when asked why would he do that, answer was because while at Baha Whale watching, the paper filter got stopped up too often, this new system NEVER gets stopped up.  You guessed it, he needed new cylinder kits, got sanded real good.  More of the gotta laugh sometimes.
Dave  M

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #26 –
Quote from: Chuck Pearson –
One very long running oil change study on a gasoline engine I followed had some surprising findings.  They ran extended oil changes, pulling samples for analysis every 1000 miles.  The highest rate of engine wear metals, without fail, occurred immediately after each oil change.  They found regular filter changes to be more effective than oil changes, with a midpoint filter change they were still at acceptable levels at 20K miles on oil.  This was a few years back, big iron v8.

While hardly modern engines, I changed oil filters on my Perkins 6.354s at 100 engine hours and oil at 200.
At 8 miles per hour I seldom got 20k tho :D
But I often got a full year.

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #27 –
Quote from: Dave M –
Two comments for John H & Pierce
1-At night watching thru the backup camera is amazing at the things flying around the air intake, between the bugs and dust, it is hard to believe.

2-Have a retired MD friend who has the 4104 GM bus, now with the 8V-71 & V300 Allison, that we changed his air filter system from the old oil bath to a nice paper filter much like used the Foretravels, the next time he came by for servicing, found the filter had been changed to the oiled screen type (forgot popular name), when asked why would he do that, answer was because while at Baha Whale watching, the paper filter got stopped up too often, this new system NEVER gets stopped up.  You guessed it, he needed new cylinder kits, got sanded real good.  More of the gotta laugh sometimes.
Dave  M

Dave,

So many make the mistake and install K&N filters. With front engined PUs, it's not that big of a deal but for us, it would be deadly like your friend found out. His 4104 was not that much different than my 4107 but both were light years ahead of the air cleaner intake for the side radiator U300s. Every time I look at it, I wonder what they were thinking. Kent Speers (say hello, Kent) has a U300 a few months newer with a 6" tube going across the bottom outside face of the radiator and then making a 90 up about 3 feet and out (should say in) the side. Looks to be much, much better.

Baja is fairly narrow with a strong onshore wind blowing on the Pacific side much of the time. Perhaps, that's why the sand is so super fine. To get to where you take the small pangas out to watch the whales, you have to drive east for a few miles and then take a sand road around the bay to get to the boats. And the sand is very, very fine. I have seen several GM conversions with a straight tube up to the roof and an extra primary filter mounted up there. The paved roads are good but much to explore down the small sandy roads.

For those who may not have read Dave's bus article that MTU used on their website, here it is: MCI-7 Motor Coach - Stories & Gallery - MTU Detroit Diesel 2-Cycle  From now on, Dave has to have a photo of King Kong down on his signature , referring to the title of the Daimler/MTU/Detroit article about him. Owe you a beer for it. My write-ups are usually on the police blotter. :D

Pierce

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #28 –
John,

The Centinel systems have two or five gallon make-up tanks.  I have the five gallon one.  I have never run it down, so I probably should have gotten the smaller one rather than lug the extra weight around.  But it is comforting having the reserve.

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #29 –
To those interested:
I sent a sample of crankcase oil to Blackstone for analysis after 7500 miles and 30 months.  After analysis Blackstone suggested that I drive another 1500 miles and have the oil retested.  I changed the oil after an additional 1000 mile trip. PS: I did not add any oil in the 8500 miles.  I am using the Valvoline 15/40 oil that is recommended by Cummins Northwest.  The M11 has about 87,000 miles on it.  When I queried the Cummins Service Rep about using a synthetic oil he responded that there is no way that I would benefit, economically, by using synthetic oil.  He said that the engine, as I am using it, will outlast both me and the coach.  I will continue to have the oil tested at about 7000 miles and change oil as necessary, based on Blackstone's recommendation.
GLV, a happy U320 owner

Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #30 –
Have oil sampled to point you in the right direction if you have any concerns. 
Have samples done on a regular basis for peace of mind is positive.

After being an O/O for decades, I've used Rotella T5/6 with no mechanical issues.

Current diesel engines and oils have come along way. 
Take a look inside identical run engines to notice which lube oil does not crud up.  pc


Re: Should I Change the Oil or Not

Reply #31 –
Diesel engine oil and filtration as well for that matter have made huge advances in the last 10 years. Over the last 8 years or so of owning our coach I have changed to oil and all filters in it every year @ less than 5000 miles. Just can't see with today's oils what 6 mos Vs 12 mos has anything to do with it, assuming of course you don't have a lot of short stop and go, or extensive idling. Oh yea all my oil samples taken at oil change time (from Caterpillar Labs) show oil is in good shape, as well as low ware metals and such. As some one else said the engines in our coaches are not used near as hard as they are in commerical applications and from an oil change stand point will out last the coach.