Advice on first oil change

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Advice on first oil change

July 29, 2021, 08:48:23 am

Doing my first oil change in my '98 U295 with Cummins C3.8 today.
My plan is:
- Take it out and go for a highway drive to warm the oil;
- Check level on dip stick
- Loosen oil filter to make sure we can get it off, then retighten
- Apply vacuum to oil fill opening
- Remove drain plug; replace with No-Spill plug
- Remove vacuum
- Pierce oil filter with nail, drain, remove
- Drain crankcase oil
- Fill & replace filter (3 qts?)
- Add remainder of 20 qts 15-40 oil to crankcase. (I called Cummins with engine serial # and they told me "20 qts max, 16 min, with all filters & lines full".)
- Perform "After oil change" routine below
- Warm the oil and check the stick
- Mark stick with new "High" mark (since this is one of the incorrect sticks).

So my first question is, page 1-10 in the Cummins manual says:
"After oil change (or engine sitting unused for 30 days):
- Disconnect electrical wire from fuel injection pump solenoid valve
- Run starter until oil pressure appears on the gauge, or warning light goes out
- Reconnect electrical wire and start engine normally."
How necessary is this, and if it is, where is the fuel injection pump solenoid valve?

Any other comments on my plan of attack?
I'm changing the air filter and draining the fuel water separator for my first time as well today.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #1 – July 29, 2021, 09:03:31 am

Sounds like you have a sound plan. The step of removing fuel solenoid wire I have never done because I pre fill the oil filters as you plan to do.. Won't hurt anything but I have doubts of its benefit UNLESS one doesn't pre fill oil filters. Rub a bit of clean oil on the filter gasket. Hand tighten all filters as tight as you can by hand then no more than 1/4 turn with filter wrench, your good to go.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #2 – July 29, 2021, 09:10:53 am

Budge the oil filter before you pierce it. Would not want a holey filter that is stuck fast.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #3 – July 29, 2021, 09:21:23 am

I recommend using Dow Corning DC-4 on the oil filter seal. Makes removal as easy as installation.
Amazon.com: Dow Corning DC 4 Electrical Insulating Compound - 5.3 oz Tube:...
A tube will last a lifetime. Great dielectric too.
Scott

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Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #4 – July 29, 2021, 10:10:06 am

Dan,

Sounds as if you have it covered. I would buy the type of strap wrench that takes a ratchet of breaker bar and then you don't have to worry about whether the filter will come off or not. This type of strap wrench also has the advantage of being able to be stored in a zip lock plastic fridge bag as it's small and has no handle of it's own. Vacuum cleaner works like a charm. I didn't spill even one drop. Pre-filling the oil filter is not a bad idea but it makes it a lot heavier. I don't prefill our fuel filters but leave the secondary loose and use the hand pump to get the air out. I follow the installation directions on the side of the filters exactly. Have never had a filter leak.

Pierce

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #5 – July 29, 2021, 10:21:06 am

If you can manhandle the filter off no need to pierce.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #6 – July 29, 2021, 10:49:48 am

i always loosen the oil filter (on my cars) when the engine is cold just to make sure i can get it off easily when its hot.
will be doing my first oil change on the coach soon and plan to do the same.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #7 – July 29, 2021, 11:42:23 am

Quote from: John44 – July 29, 2021, 10:21:06 am

If you can manhandle the filter off no need to pierce.

First time I removed broke two strap wrenches. Remind me never to get in a arm wrestling contest with you. Actually those days are long gone. Mine took hundreds of foot pounds of torque to release. The next times came right off. DC4 is your friend.
Scott

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #8 – July 29, 2021, 01:23:57 pm

Used to do maintenance on gas compressors,almost all the engines had some form of spin on filter,usually did 20 to 30 a
month,just got used to doing them,mostly used channel locks,used a sprap wrench sold by Cat,still have it after 30 years.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #9 – July 29, 2021, 01:49:57 pm

Quote from: John44 – July 29, 2021, 10:21:06 am

If you can manhandle the filter off no need to pierce.

I like to have an up to temperature engine when I change oil. With the big filter full of oil and hot, it's heavy and a mistake can make a mess or burn your hands. Once the filter starts to move, I stop and puncture the bottom with a pointed chisel and get a funnel and container under before I pull the chisel out. This way, it's a nice straight stream rather than oil running down all sides of the filter and making a mess. When the oil has drained, I spin the filter off and easily dispose of it as it's now light and easy to handle. If I like, I can let the filter cool as that happens pretty quickly when it no longer has any oil in it plus any drips will be at a minimum from where the filter screws on the the engine. A gallon or two zip lock freezer bag around the filter as I remove it completes the zero black oil on the hands change.

The strap wrenches with the breaker bar fitting are also good to remove the spin-on air dryer as they are 6 inches in diameter.

Pierce

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #10 – July 29, 2021, 03:10:07 pm

Large channel locks for me. We all used them as FT techs. Never fail.

I never punch holes in filters, just drain the crankcase, some of the oil in the filter will drain out.Why? I don't know, maybe it syphons ? Then wiggle filter down to drain pan as other said.

Funny, we always filled the filters with oil, believe it or not, cummins and other's say no. Why, because you are putting unfilter (new) oil in filter.

Chris

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #11 – July 29, 2021, 03:26:06 pm

Grace,not sure on your Cat but I've said it before,once you hear the dry valve clatter on a G3306 engine waiting for oil to get up there you'll fill that filter every time,makes a big difference.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #12 – July 29, 2021, 04:00:24 pm

I've always gone with the clean/new oil into clean/new filter as the way to go, I'm never comfortable with the sideways mounted filter on the generator. Just don't like a "dry" start.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #13 – July 29, 2021, 05:36:07 pm

If I can I always fill the oil filter, I don't like running engines dry.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #14 – July 29, 2021, 06:51:58 pm

Your plan sounds great. I've got same year and engine. My biggest problem was getting drain plug out. It was stripped and over torqued. Ended up at Cummins shop. My filter holds just shy of one gallon. Always prefill. It's heavy.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #15 – July 30, 2021, 08:17:17 am

Update: Successful oil change. The vacuum trick is AWESOME! Replaced the drain plug with one from from No-Spill, worked perfectly. Filter loosened quite easily with strap wrench. Pierced it, drained it, removed it. Filled the new one with 3+ qts and installed, also quite easy.
I've learned a lot from this group. Thanks!

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #16 – July 30, 2021, 10:44:39 am

Congrats. Looks as if it went without a hitch. Plus, saved a bunch of $$.

I was a little anxious the first time I tried the vacuum and remember the last couple of threads before the plug came off. But nothing but a suction noise.

Pierce

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #17 – July 30, 2021, 11:13:34 am

What does the vacuum do?

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #18 – July 30, 2021, 11:17:58 am

Quote from: movingman – July 30, 2021, 11:13:34 am

What does the vacuum do?

It allows you to pull the drain plug without any oil coming out.

Primarily used when installing one of the "smart" drain plugs.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #19 – July 30, 2021, 06:16:23 pm

Air cleaner, new vs. old...
And bits of Spanish moss, tree bark, and a cockroach in the canister.

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #20 – July 30, 2021, 06:22:53 pm

When I changed ours after we bought it, it was about a inch larger in diameter and you could not see the wire or filter element because of the thick dirt and sticks it had picked up.

The second partially collapsed as it was wet and the vacuum from the engine had imploded it almost to a point of failure.

Spend an extra $10 and buy a Donaldson. The difference in quality is immediately apparent.

Pierce

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #21 – July 30, 2021, 06:40:32 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – July 30, 2021, 06:22:53 pm

The second partially collapsed as it was wet and the vacuum from the engine had imploded it almost to a point of failure.

The second? Where is that?

Re: Advice on first oil change

Reply #22 – July 30, 2021, 10:38:25 pm

Quote from: Dan & Annie – July 30, 2021, 06:40:32 pm

The second? Where is that?

The wonders of keyboard communication.

The second filter was the second time I changed the air filter. Because of the air cleaner intake behind the rear wheels, the air cleaner on GVs picks up anything the rear wheels throw up. Branches, animals, water, etc. It's almost like there is a scoop there that collects anything and everything. This is especially true with the two cycle since it uses twice as much air as a four cycle. As the Roots blower is positive displacement, it has an appetite for air like there is no tomorrow. The turbo just increases the suction once it spools up.

Since we take the coach down dirt/gravel roads, the lifespan of any filter is limited.

Pierce

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