oil for 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 w/Cummins

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Its a new to me pickup with 158000 and was run on Rotella T at 5K OCI according to the PO. I would like a easy/cheap to get synthetic oil that is 15W40. Easy/cheap = Walmart. The Amsoil 1st recommendation is their 15W40 HD diesel/marine. I am curious why the 1st recommendation was not a 5W40. So I think I want a 15W40 synthetic. Not sure there are any at Walmart. Not that I like Walmart, rather I like cheap. Got a Bosch D+ filter ready to go.
 
Their aren't any 15w40 synthetic brand diesel type oil at walmart. It's all 5w40 synthetic. They may have royal purple 15w40 but that's not cheap. In fact, all the 15w40 synthetic stuff is about three times the cost of regular ole 15w40.
 
If you're wanting synthetic oil for your diesel, go for a 5w40 and get the cold-pumping benefit of a 5W. Rotella T6 is a good oil, priced reasonably, that is widely available.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
If you're wanting synthetic oil for your diesel, go for a 5w40 and get the cold-pumping benefit of a 5W. Rotella T6 is a good oil, priced reasonably, that is widely available.


X2 It's cheap and at just about every Wal-Mart !
 
No reason to use synthetic if you are going to maintain the previous owner's 5k mile OCI intervals. Any 15w40 HDEO will work fine for 5k miles and save you money too...
 
I am currently using the Rotella T6 in my '98 24 valve Dodge Cummins. I purchased this late last summer for $17 a gallon on sale at a local Mills Fleet Farm store. As others have stated, it's readily available at many stores. I've noticed the cost now, while browsing the oil aisles here, is around $22 a gallon. Interestlingly, Fleet Farm does offer some amsoil products, and has the AME 15W-40 priced at $35 a gallon. However, this product doesn't seem to move much, judged by the healthy coating of dust on the containers.
 
There is a difference between cheap products and inexpensive products. There are many lubes that are offered for specific target marekts.
Donald - with nearly 5k posts here, I'd think you'd know by now what synthetics are all about.

Probably the least expensive "synthetic" you'll easily find is T6 at most any W/M. Although there are rumblings that W/M is now carrying VPBE (with a similar shelf price).

What is your intended OCI for the "new to you" truck?
What service/severity factors are involved?
How many annual miles expected?
Etc?

Originally Posted By: Donald
... So I think I want a 15W40 synthetic.


That specific grade/base is going to limit you to Amsoil, RL, RP and such. No such thing as an inexpensive oil there, nor available around every corner.

What you "want" does not exist.
What you "need" cannot be established with the limited information you've given us.
 
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I'd like to go between 7500 and 8K OCI with Bosch D+ filters. So maybe 2 oil changes a year. It will not do much towing, just a few times a year. And I did not realize I had almost 5K posts. Wow time flies when you are having fun. Yes I know all about synthetics.

But my question is (given Amsoil makes a 5W40 and a 15W40 diesel rated oil) why is their first recommendation a 15W40 and the 5W40 is farther down the line?

And the only synthetic diesel rated oils at Walmart are Shell and Mobil 1 and both are 5W40?

I routinely buy Amsoil products, mainly their ATF, the Ea filter for this pickup is about $20 from Amsoil yikes. (Until I compare it to $50 Bobcat filters).

If there is a good reason for 15W40, I have no problem buying Amsoil. The front porch (where UPS delivers) is even closer than a Walmart.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I'd like to go between 7500 and 8K OCI with Bosch D+ filters. So maybe 2 oil changes a year. It will not do much towing, just a few times a year. And I did not realize I had almost 5K posts. Wow time flies when you are having fun. Yes I know all about synthetics.

But my question is (given Amsoil makes a 5W40 and a 15W40 diesel rated oil) why is their first recommendation a 15W40 and the 5W40 is farther down the line?

And the only synthetic diesel rated oils at Walmart are Shell and Mobil 1 and both are 5W40?

I routinely buy Amsoil products, mainly their ATF, the Ea filter for this pickup is about $20 from Amsoil yikes. (Until I compare it to $50 Bobcat filters).

If there is a good reason for 15W40, I have no problem buying Amsoil. The front porch (where UPS delivers) is even closer than a Walmart.


I'll warn you up front; my comments are going to be a bit harsh. I'm not down on you personally, but I believe you're a synthetic junkie. You state you "know all about synthetics" but I suspect you simply know what you want to believe, and do not make decisions based upon facts, but rather emotions. If you cannot abide by that assessment, then don't read past this sentence.


You have no need to run synthetics for this truck; none whatsoever. It does not get "too cold" where you're at; I looked up the average lows for many "upstate NY" locations and all of them are well above zeroF. Further, 8k mile OCIs with little towing can be EASILY handled with any quality dino oil. There are some examples of OCIs going more than 2x that distance and getting excellent results. Check out "BigGreyMegaCab" and his UOAs on VPB dino oil heading for 20k miles!

You "want" synthetics? Fine - nothing wrong with satisfying emotional needs (we all do it). But I cannot understand how you are seeking a "cheap" synthetic, and then admit you want Amsoil, and yet are concerned about costs? More than once you mention your concern for lube and filter costs, but you are willing to grossly under-utilize your oil? To be frank - that's hypocracy.

If you going to waste oil (and that is exactly what you are doing, regardless of what others might suggest), run the entire year (16k miles) on the synthetic. At least that way you'll be minimalizing your waste ... You'll still be throwing money away, but you'll be throwing away less of it. It's not that Amsoil is a bad choice here; it's that any synthetic is a bad choice here. Synthetics are not a one-size-fits-all answer to every OCI.

You have the right to do as you see fit; no one is going to take that away from you. But just because you can do it, does not make it a good decision. Use the synthetic because you want to; not because it's going to be "better" or "cheaper" in your overall maintenance plan. It will be nothing but a waste given the conditions you intend to operate under.

To summarize:
- You want a "cheap" 15w-40 synthetic, preferrably available at W/M; no such animal exists.
- You operational and maintenance plans indicate you would be well served by a dino oil; that is all you need

So, you have a choice; either satisfy your emotional wants (use the synthetics and waste them) or make your wallet happy (and your Cummins will never know the difference). You cannot have your cake and eat it, too.
 
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I should have said inexpensive synthetic rather than cheap. For my Jeep I use PU and feel its on par with the best of what Amsoil has to offer for gas engine oils. So I was hoping to find something like that my diesel pickup. As good as Amsoil but at Walmart prices. It seems my choices are a dino 15W40 like Shell Rotella T, or a 5W40 (Mobil 1 or Shell T6) or Amsoil HD 15W40 diesel/marine. The pickup takes 12 Qts, so even dino oil will cost me $50-$60 for an oil change.
 
Several HDEO's can be had for less than 13 dollars a gallon, and the Cummins 5.9 isn't picky as to what is used. I know of several in excess of 250,000mi. on 15w-40, syn is not required for longevity.
 
Watch for Mobil to put out their rebates on Mobil Delvac. They usually run the rebates twice a year. Its $3 off per gallon.

If you buy the Delvac at Walmart the oil ends up about $7.50 per gallon after rebate.

I ran Delvac in my '07 5.9 CTD. I'm currently running it in my Dmax.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I am convinced and will use Rotella T. Maybe save synthetic for the trans and diff.


Good call, your CTD will enjoy any brand name CJ-4 oil.

Kind on topic the Donaldson ELF7349 has great specs (15 micron absolute) for this application and can be found for about what a Mopar oil filter will cost you if you look for it online.
 
If your '99 is like the '02 CTD I used to have (& it should be, with the VP44 injection pump) it should start INSTANTLY when the wait to start light/grid heater goes off, regardless of what oil is in the sump. For up to 10K OCIs, the Mobil Delvac 1300 15W40 from WM, with the current $5/gallon rebate, would be the way to go! Just like the Frank's Red Hot radio ads, I put that %#*^ in EVERYTHING!
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
If your '99 is like the '02 CTD I used to have (& it should be, with the VP44 injection pump) it should start INSTANTLY when the wait to start light/grid heater goes off, regardless of what oil is in the sump. For up to 10K OCIs, the Mobil Delvac 1300 15W40 from WM, with the current $5/gallon rebate, would be the way to go! Just like the Frank's Red Hot radio ads, I put that %#*^ in EVERYTHING!


WOOOOO WEEEEE!!! Gotta get me some of that. I ran it in my DMax after taking the proverbial synthetic "needle" out of my vein. It gave great UOA's and went for 15k with no problems. My 2003 CTD has only seen VPB 15w-40, but maybe it wants to taste something a little different? And to the last sentence....
crackmeup2.gif
 
I used to run Valvoline Premium Blue Classic (CI4+) for 15k oil changes. No problems at all. VPBC is still available in 5-gallon buckets at NAPA, although they probably have to order it.
 
VPB 15w40 is on sale at Napa till the end of the month for $12.99 per gallon. I have ran it for many miles in my 98 24v cummins and plan to use it for a long time.
 
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