Realized I've never changed my fuel filters in my MCI 5C w 6V92. Had it four years, put about 32K on it. I'm changing the filters this week and wondering if there are any tricks I should know other than completely filling the new filters b/f replacing?
I change oil and oil filter every 15K. Should I change the fuel filters on the same schedule?
Thanks for your always wise and experienced advice!
Chuck
My 5a has a ball valve just before the primary filter. If I close the valve when changing the filters, I will not need to re-prime the system. If I were to leave that valve open, I would loose the prime. I do not know if the valving is original or installed later, but if you have one use it. If you do not have one, it would be a good thing to install.
Yes, I see that there IS a shut off on mine. Thanks!
Change them one at a time, running the engine between each. That will help retain prime.
I have a fuel pressure gauge on the secondary filter. You should see 60 psi at fast idle if I remember correctly. Whatever it is, when you see it decreasing is the time to change filters.
And carry a set of spare filters with you to have on the road.
JC
15,000 miles on oil is way too much. Why so many miles before you change? Oil is the blood of the engine. Look after it.
Quote from: lostagain on September 24, 2016, 05:43:24 PM
Change them one at a time, running the engine between each. That will help retain prime.
I have a fuel pressure gauge on the secondary filter. You should see 60 psi at fast idle if I remember correctly. Whatever it is, when you see it decreasing is the time to change filters.
And carry a set of spare filters with you to have on the road.
JC
I also have a pressure gauge on the secondary filter, as much as anything to know if the pump is not working right. I just bought a Racor fuel filter restriction gauge which will go on the output of the primary filter - it's a simple suction gauge, but it's marked with green/amber/red to show if the primary filter is becoming blocked. Unfortunately this gauge is exactly 2" diameter and without any of the usual automotive-style clamps, so mounting it in my rear start panel will not be straightforward (as if anything ever is . . .)
John
Oil change should be close to 10,000mi. I do oil change (on 8V-71) at 5,000mi. To really answer, you should get your oil analyzed. Good Luck, TomC
You must change your oil every 5000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. That is what my car owner's manual says. Oil turns sour in time, like milk...lol
JC
Oil is not like milk. I once went 2 years without changing oil in my bus and had it analyzed, it was still good to go. Bottom line-have the oil analyzed. Good Luck, TomC
Our Lexus is 7500 miles or 1 year
Quote from: luvrbus on September 25, 2016, 08:19:36 AMOur Lexus is 7500 miles or 1 year
O3 Jetta TDI is 10K, with Mobil 5W-40 synthetic. Still looks new inside and compression is perfect. A number of owners have had oil analysis at 15K with oil good to go for more miles. Those diesels, they have so much expensive maintenance.
It was 3 years and 6000 miles since my last oil change. I had it analysed and was told it was still good. I changed it anyway figuring that was enough time, and why wait until I was running on bad oil. If I was putting on more mileage, I would consider going for 7k to 10k between changes.
On my cars, I usually change to oil once a year since I am generally within the mileage recommendations. That is more important to me than arbitrary time periods.
The car I am referring to that needs changes every 8000 km or 6 month is a 2012 Lexus. I suspect it is an agreement with the Canadian dealers to get me in there more often. The problem with not doing it within the 6 month is that it could give them an excuse to deny a warranty claim. No other vehicle has that requirement. Other than I can't remember which car it was we had several years ago, where the dealer was wanting a time limit on oil changes, although it was not in the owner's manual. I told them they were full of sh**.
On heavy duty diesel engines, I go 250 hrs. That is about 12 to 15000 miles for an OTR truck or bus. That is a well accepted, common interval. Anybody that tells you about a time limit is full of it.
JC
These oil change places will still tell you to change the oil at 3000 miles.Nothing but a waste of resources but makes them and the oil company's a lot of money.I don't think 3000 mile oil changes have been recognized in the last twenty years.i have heard some of my truck driving buddies tell of company's that never changed oil.Just the filters!!Us Detroit owners don't have to worry about this .Most of them have automatic changers!!!
Quote from: lostagain on September 25, 2016, 12:05:40 PMThe car I am referring to that needs changes every 8000 km or 6 month is a 2012 Lexus. I suspect it is an agreement with the Canadian dealers to get me in there more often. The problem with not doing it within the 6 month is that it could give them an excuse to deny a warranty claim. No other vehicle has that requirement.
I wonder if it is a Yotota/Canada requirement. Such a requirement is specifically illegal in the United States under the over 40 year old Moss-Magnusson Warranty Act -- not just "did it cause the consumer any harm", just "if it's a stated requirement, then the person stating it has broken the law." There is a provision where certain warranty maintenance can be required but if this is a requirement, the manufacturer must pay for the parts and labor to perform the prescribed maintenance work.
Quote from: lostagain on September 25, 2016, 12:05:40 PMOther than I can't remember which car it was we had several years ago, where the dealer was wanting a time limit on oil changes, although it was not in the owner's manual. I told them they were full of sh**.
Oh, yeah.
Quote from: lostagain on September 25, 2016, 12:05:40 PMOn heavy duty diesel engines, I go 250 hrs. That is about 12 to 15000 miles for an OTR truck or bus. That is a well accepted, common interval. Anybody that tells you about a time limit is full of it.
JC
I've heard that too but oil technology is changing fast. Unfortunately, some of the changes have been to make oil meet environmental standards in a way that makes oil not work/protect so well (just say the words "zinc" and "Clifford" in the same sentence and you'll hear about it ;D ) and I'm not going to be a guinea pig. I change the oil in my TDI about every 10 - 12K miles (or 16 - 19K kliks) which works out as about every 10 weeks. No way I'm going to roll up that kind of mileage on my bus on a regular basis.
Detroit has always based the oil change on the sulfur content in the fuel with today's fuel he is good @ 15,000 miles when they used #1 fuel the truckers changed every 20,000 miles.I always changed mine @ 10,000 to 12,000 miles or 1 time a year.
Once upon a time DD came up with a brain storm and offered a 100,000 mile oil changes if you equipped the engine with their special by pass filter needless to say that didn't last long, the warranty work was killing them.
These new diesel engines are amazing changing the oil at 40,000 miles and it still looks new
Thanks, all, for your input. Y'all kinda got off on the 'oil change in cars' tangent rather than the fuel filter change frequency on a DD, but thanks anyway! I change the bus oil every 15K because that's what the PO recommended and he seemed pretty diligent about maintenance. Considering I add a gallon about every 1200 miles or so, I figure it gets a lot of fresh oil over the course of 15K.
Thanks for the fuel filter changing tips. If I lose prime, I'll probably be back to ask you about that!
Chuck
Quote from: chuckdrum on September 25, 2016, 04:45:12 PM.... Considering I add a gallon about every 1200 miles or so, I figure it gets a lot of fresh oil over the course of 15K. ...
"Total loss lubrication" -- if it worked for a 1911 Harley Davidson, it's gotta work for us, right.
Wow, the oil change intervals are all over the place. The last long-term tractor-trailer I drove had a Cummins ISX, and the company I drove for changed it every 25,000 miles with 15-40 conventional oil. I put 740,000 miles on it, and then they gave me a new one, but there was nothing wrong with the old one. My company's Powerstroke 7.3L dually pickup gets changed every 5,000 miles, with only 200,000 on it now I expect much more use out of it.
My 1984 Mercedes 300 Turbodiesel has a suggested oil change of 5,000mi. I've been changing it every 3,000mi. Because of that, the normal ring job around 250,000mi was eliminated, since, my mechanic believes, I have been changing the oil every 3,000mi. My car now has 502,000mi and still running on original engine.
New trucks running over the road with Detroit DD engines have a 50,000mi oil change-along with the filters. Good Luck, TomC
My 1998 Toyota Camry: changed oil every 15,000 miles with Mobil 1 extended performance and matching oil filter. Sold it at just under 300,000 miles. Still driving around in Berrien springs Michigan.
Current vehicle: 1998 Land Cruiser 100 series with 4.7 liter v8. Changed oil every 15,000 miles Mobil 1 extended performance and matching oil filter. 240,000 miles and going strong. Don't waste your money on 3000 mile oil changes.
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Its very difficult to compare a modern petrol engine to a diesel- in terms of change interval.
As an engine designer I understand this implicitly.
For a petrol engine- the change interval is a function of oil capacity to engine capacity ratio and how quickly the engine warms up (cold start rich fueling finds its way into the tank) and also the ambient conditions when the engine is run.
The temperatures a petrol engine runs at are much higher than a diesel- particularly compared to a heavy Duty diesel.
For a diesel- the more modern diesel engines have post injections- and this diesel often finds its way into the oil sump. Diesel is a lowsy lubricant compared to oil.
For the Detroit engine- it is a diesel 2 stroke. At low rpm- the way the super charger is matched on the Detroit (scavenging) along with the combustion system design- the engine typically black/grey smokes on lugging. This is BAD for oil lubricity properties. Fortunately an old Detroit doesn't have to contend with post injections of modern after treatment systems. CHap who posted above about lower suphur in fuels is also quite correct. In addition diesel engines such as ours like low ash.
I would go with the 10-12 K interval. Its mileage dependent not time. The oil system is sealed. If that oil wasn't sitting in your rig during storage- and in a can instead- as yourself- would the oil degrade?
FYI, fuel filter change was quick and flawless, using both the fuel shut-off reminder and the 'start it up between the two filter changes' concept. No loss of prime. Still purrs like an oversized kitten.
Now, to try to get that pesky oil pressure gauge to work...
Quote from: Dreadnought on September 26, 2016, 09:00:44 PM
Its very difficult to compare a modern petrol engine to a diesel- in terms of change interval.
I would go with the 10-12 K interval. Its mileage dependent not time. The oil system is sealed. If that oil wasn't sitting in your rig during storage- and in a can instead- as yourself- would the oil degrade?
I was told that oil becomes acidic inside an engine, even when the engine's not running. Is this true? Also, do the additives slowly precipitate out if the oil sits undisturbed? These are just two things I've read, but who knows if there's any truth to them?
John
I saw a Youtube with an interview with a couple of Vavoline petroleum engineers. One had commented that if you are doing an oil change oil that has been sitting around in the bottle a long time, you should shake it well first since the additives could separate out. Using that logic, it would seem that if the bus is sitting for a very long time with the oil in the sump, it could also separate out. Of course, it would seem that starting and running the engine would mix it all up again.
Quote from: Iceni John on September 27, 2016, 12:59:29 PM
I was told that oil becomes acidic inside an engine, even when the engine's not running. Is this true? Also, do the additives slowly precipitate out if the oil sits undisturbed? These are just two things I've read, but who knows if there's any truth to them?
John
Hi, I don't see why it should. If it is left in the engine which is a sealed system- I don't see why the PH value should change. The only thing I can think of is-if condensation accumulates. If it were true then a sealed oil container of, say, Shell, should have a Best before date or recommended use by date.
For the oil additives to precipitate out the oil needs to be heated. While sitting- for the additives to 'fall out of suspension'- I've never seen this.