2500HD service intervals

C

CheezWhiz

Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
794
Location
eastern WA
I have a 2016 2500HD with the 6.0 gas engine, 6L90E transmission, magna floor-shifted transfer case. I have about 55k on the truck and have only done regular oil changes so far. The truck is used very gently, almost never tows or hauls. I just bought it because I figured a base model 2500HD was about the same price as a little nicer 1500 and I’d rather have the capability of the 2500HD than the creature comforts of a nicer 1500.

Anyway, looking at the owner’s manual, I’m a bit late on the transfer case fluid - manual says every 45,000 miles. Going to do that ASAP. But the manual doesn’t have any recommended change interval for the transmission or differentials.

Two questions. First, why such a disparity between the transfer case (every 45k miles) and transmission/differential (lifetime fill?) intervals? Second question, when should I actually change out the trans and diff fluids? I am thinking with my current usage 100k is probably just fine.
 
I would just go ahead and do them all! That way its easier to keep up with when you did it. I would not go 100k on trans fluid. The diff, you would be ok. But if your under there, why not?
 
Trans 50-75k, 50k or less if towing or using a lot of 4x4
Diff can last a while 75-100k.
 
i agree in theory, in practice it would be easier for me to wait a year or so on the trans and diffs. Transfer case has a drain plug so that’s very easy. Diffs I assume do not and transmission involves dropping the pan, so those are more work.

My kids are 7 and 3 and my life is getting rapidly easier. It’s hard to explain, especially to people without kids, but it is a lot easier to find time to work on your stuff once your kids are able to sit down for an hour and watch tv instead of, say, try to put the cat in the trash can or pull leaves off of momma’s favorite houseplant! three is a really fun age ... i could rebuild an engine while my seven year old waited patiently, i can’t even brush my teeth without having to chase down my three year old!

I will probably just do the transfer case one night this week after the kids go to bed, and do the trans and diffs next summer when the truck has about 70k. I don’t think my transmission temps have ever gone above 150. When you buy a truck with heavy duty engine, trans, and oil cooling and use it like a minivan I think you have some wiggle room on the drivetrain service intervals, no?
 
ah, i'm in eastern WA now! Yeah, would not want the crew std bed in DC traffic for sure.

For awhile I considered trading in for a 1500 for better fuel economy, but now I work from home and I am 100% happy I got the 2500HD. Hopefully a travel trailer is in our future in the next few years.
 
SeaJay said:
we at BITOG do not believe in lifetime for anything, it is not part of our thinking.
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sure, i mean - you go to a jeep forum and ask about an xterra vs. a wrangler, they tell you to buy a wrangler. you go to an oil forum, they tell you to change your oil. i mean, i get it.
 
tyman said:
Especially on GM engines with the oil pressure sensor filter screen.
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two points - one, I change the engine oil at about 10% on the OLM. was really more concerned about drivetrain in this thread.

second, do the iron block 6.0 non-AFM engines in the HD trucks even have that screen?
 
CheezWhiz said:
two points - one, I change the engine oil at about 10% on the OLM. was really more concerned about drivetrain in this thread.

second, do the iron block 6.0 non-AFM engines in the HD trucks even have that screen?
Click to expand...
The 2500 6.0 should not have the screen due to no AFM.
 
I believe that's the engine/trans that a lot of UPS delivery trucks are running these days. So you can expect a very long service life with basic maintenance. Not sure why the t-case has a short interval, except if you ran a duty cycle that used a lot of 4wd operation and/or low range operation, because otherwise it's just sending torque from the trans output direct to the driveshaft.
 
nascarnation said:
I believe that's the engine/trans that a lot of UPS delivery trucks are running these days. So you can expect a very long service life with basic maintenance. Not sure why the t-case has a short interval, except if you ran a duty cycle that used a lot of 4wd operation and/or low range operation, because otherwise it's just sending torque from the trans output direct to the driveshaft.
Click to expand...

Yeah I bought the truck under the theory that it would be cheaper in the long haul to just own one truck for 20 years rather than keep trading in 1500s. I am willing to pay the fuel bill if I don't have another truck payment for the next 15 years. The L96/6L90e is not the most powerful or fuel efficient choice, but from what I gather they are fairly indestructible. With my mild usage, I think it's likely the truck will last a long time.

As for the transfer case, it looks easy enough to change the fluid so it's not really a hassle. I think the diffs and trans are a lot more work, at least if there are no drain plugs. I haven't been under the truck too much so I will look it over when I do the transfer case and see how hard the transmission/diffs look to change the fluid out on those.
 
I’d just do them all at 50,000 miles and call it a day.

I’d buy a vacuum fluid extractor and suck the fluid right out of that transmission through the dipstick tube...and then do the same with the differential add plug (with the fluid hot). Done. No mess.
 
doublebase said:
I’d just do them all at 50,000 miles and call it a day.

I’d buy a vacuum fluid extractor and suck the fluid right out of that transmission through the dipstick tube...and then do the same with the differential add plug (with the fluid hot). Done. No mess.
Click to expand...
i have been working on my own cars since the 90s and honestly never heard of such a thing. just did some googling and wow, this is awesome - great idea.

i have seven differentials, three transfer cases, two automatic transmissions, and one manual transmission to keep going and that doesn’t count my wife’s car or the tractor. i think you just saved me a ton of time and effort!
 
CheezWhiz said:
i have been working on my own cars since the 90s and honestly never heard of such a thing. just did some googling and wow, this is awesome - great idea.

i have seven differentials, three transfer cases, two automatic transmissions, and one manual transmission to keep going and that doesn’t count my wife’s car or the tractor. i think you just saved me a ton of time and effort!
Click to expand...
Yeah, give it a shot. The diff fluid is going to have to be warmed up to siphon it out because it’s so thick, but the tranny fluid will come right out with ease. Great for tractors and lawn mowers too. You won’t need it for the transfer cases...those are easy drain and fills, but everything else? Worth a shot.
 
The fluid extractors are Fantastic. Had the harbor freight version. Works great.

When I worked at the county, the sheriff's tahoe PPV, and fleet service trucks got the trans pan dropped and filter change every 45-50K. No flushes, just pan drops and filter.

My subutban, 6L80 cost about $230 for pan drop and filter change. Trans shop said don't flush/pump out fluid, just pan drop and filter every 30k.

Rear diffs on the 2013 had a nice reusable gasket. Front diff had drain plug.
 
Man, for $230 bucks I have time and inclination to do the 6L90 myself! I wonder why you couldn’t use a fluid extractor on a 6L80/90? Maybe that’s a whole different thread ...
 
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