| Oil & filter change on a Dodge 24v Cummins Turbo Diesel engine |
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| I change my oil and filter on my 99' Ram 3500 every 3500 due to the hauling that is done with my truck. If you follow maintenance schedule "A" then you can go every 7500 miles on your cummins between oil changes. |
| All the tools that I use is a drain pan that will hold at least 10 qts of oil,. (I use a 15qt pan) and 3/8-inch drive breaker bar, some people use a filter wrench but I have not been able to fit one around the filter due to space. |
| (1) Warm the engine to normal operating temperature if truck has been sitting awhile. With the engine oil warm set the drain pan under the drain plug and use the breaker bar to open the drain plug. The oil will initially flow from the pan with some force make sure the drain pan is set accordingly. I was not able to get a pic with the oil flowing out due to I didn't want to get oil on my digital camera. But below are pictures of theoil pan and drain plug. After the oil has drained you need to wipe off the drain plug and around the drain hole and reinstall the plug. Tighten the plug but do not over tighten, if you have a torque wrench tighten to 60 FT-lbs |
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| oil drain plug |
| (2) Pull the drain pan out and the filter is located on the passenger side of engine, I used a step stool and placed next to the passenger front tire and stood on it to reach the filter. I use both hands to rotate the old filter clockwise to get it off. I then stuck a finger into the hole of filter and pull straight up slowly , not to spill the oil out of the filter. I then fill the new fitler with 1 qt of oil and apply a thin coat of clean engine oil on the filter gasket. To install the new filter by sticking a finger into the hole and sliding it down and installing it by one hand holding the bottom of filter |
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| and the other hand spinning the filter counterclockwise till hand tight. Never use a filter wrench to tighten the new filter, only hand tighten. |
| Caution oil will be hot while draining |
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| I use Rotella T 15W 40 oil and a Fleetgaurd oil filter. The 24v Cummins engine takes 11qts of oil, one qt in the filter and 10 in the engine. |
| (3) Open the engine oil fill cap on top of the engine valve cover and use a funnel to pour in 10 qts of fresh oil. Wait a few minutes to allow the oil to drain into the pan then check the level on the oil dipstick, add till you reach the upper safe mark, close the oil filler cap. Start the engine and allow the new oil to circulate, run the engine for about a minute and shut off. Look under the truck and check for leaks at the oil pan drain plug and around the oil filter. |
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| During the first few trips after an oil change make it a point to check for leaks and proper oil level. The old used oil can be taken to an auto parts store or a local repair shop that does oil changes for dispose. In Cynthiana, AutoZone and Charlie's Marathon takes used oil for free. |
| I no longer use Fram oil filters, I am now useing Fleetguard or Mopar |