Extended Oil Change Intervals, who's doing them?

I can read the amounts of contaminates perfectly fine. Not much made it past the filter. Again, do whatever helps you sleep at night and so will I.

 

What filters do you use? I need to switch. The ones I get that are readily available always seem to let metal through. Maybe once I get the bypass filter I won't have any metals in my oil, at least that's what I'm shooting for.

 

Oil and filters seem awful cheap to me to skip. I realize sampling and results don’t lie but.....we’re talking less than a tank of fuel. When I’m running I run fairly hard. Every other Saturday like clock work we drain and refill.

10 gallons of Delvac and a CAT oil filter is less than 300 bucks

 

All fluids are cheaper than parts.
Astounding how many have no idea power steering fluid and filters should be changed yearly as well. I use to make a killing changing pumps and steering boxes. Fluid would get dirty and filters plug up and the fluid acts as a cutting fluid and wipes out system. But I am with you keeping clean fluids is critical. Not to mention clean fluids do not have the abrasive effect on seals. Be surprised how many don’t change oil in the hubs yearly.

 

I buy wix filters for my DD15. As well as everything I own. Samples come back great

 

I don't want to this thread to turn into a debate of whether or not extended drains are a good idea. For anyone that may be searching for the answer to my question in the future, I've found many manufacturers are making extended drain filters for exactly my situation. Just like MobileOne does for my pickup. I'll be going with Baldwin's B7299 (also considering Wix XD line) and I'll be changing it out with the oil once I don't like what I see in the oil analysis results or my chosen time limit has arrived.

This decision isn't based solely on saving money. Although saving about 2500/year is a positive, it's more about the environment and my time. I'll continue using Cat's SOS service because it's a better deal than Blackstone and do not plan on running the oil out until the ragged edge. Just want to reduce my intervals from 12 times per year to 4 as safely as possible within my goals.

 

I pull a sample every few oil changes. Still stick with 10k intervals.

Now I will say I had gotten a really good deal on a few barrels of Shell Rotella T at a farm store who was over stocked. I buy my wix filters at Oriely on fleet price, or napa on thier yearly filter sale.

2 Wix oil filters
1 wix fuel filter
10 gallons of Shell Rotella

Plus wix oil sample every other oil change. Less than 20 bucks. I dont remember. Buy in bulk.


130 bucks plus grease, i can service my tractor. Grease I purchase by the keg. Just never bothered to calculate usage per service. Id guess I'm under 150.00 total excluding shop supplies and electricity on a complete PM2 oil, filters, and grease. 200.00 would be my estimate with shop usage, electric, air compressor, rags.

I realize oil is up, and I'm do to get some. That price will go up this time. But I'm not tripping over dollars to pick up pennies. Extended oil changes are for the fleets who will not own the truck at its end of life. I can see the savings going from 10k-50k on 500 trucks.

But my one truck operation, a 10k oil change is about the cheapest insurance I can purchase.


But alot of them stretch the grease intervals too. This is why you find some trucks with worn out kin pins and needs Scam bushings at 300k. And some trucks go a million miles plus.

Make a program that works for you and your equipment and stick to it.

 

Some quick math.

15w40 shell t4 I can buy for 11.81 a gallon.

T6 for 19.33.

T4 and 10k intervals cost me .01062cpm

T6 would have to last 16,380 miles to break even at .01062

T6 at 20k miles would be .0086cpm

.002cpm would be your saving in oil cost on synthetic vs Dino at 20k miles.

Your saving labor. That's it. Maybe you will see a milage increase. But I tested that in my own pickup years ago. Didn't of set oil cost.

As @wore out stated. I'm in agreement. Cheap insurance.

Clean Dino oil is still better than dirty synthetic.

 

I did my ISX every 20K. All filters.

Do my DD15 at 30K. All filters.

Delvac 15-40 CK-4 Mineral.

Sold the ISX at 750K miles, all original components. Clean and green oil analysis.

 

They don't lie but they don't tell the whole picture either. Just like @jamespmack said, extended drains are good for someone not keeping their truck long term. I'm sure someone will come along and show me, but I've never seen a million mile engine that's been on an extended oil change program.