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06-28-2015, 07:40 AM
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#1
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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Skoolie service interval
how long do you go?
i just turned 8000 miles on mine since its last service and im thinking its time.
oil?
oil filter?
fuel filters?
tran fluid? filters?
what else and how often?
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06-28-2015, 08:09 AM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 18
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I have worked on heavy and medium trucks for 40 years. I would change the oil, oil filter and fuel filters. I would only change the trans filter if it has a single spin-on filter. Unless the fluid stinks or is dark, I would not change trans filters if it has the two internal cartridges.
BB is famous for hiding a fuel filter up in the frame rail, make sure you change that one too. Make sure you use oil designed specifically for diesels. Anything else will eventually ruin your engine. The usual viscosity is 15W40. While you are under there, grease everything.
HTH
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06-28-2015, 08:26 AM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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what about synthetics? any use in quieting down the motor?
i think there is a syntheic rotella, mobil one, and amsoil? are they worth the money?
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06-28-2015, 08:37 AM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: EHT New Jersey
Posts: 1,134
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International 3000RE
Engine: T444E/AT545
Rated Cap: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
i think there is a syntheic rotella, mobil one, and amsoil? are they worth the money?
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My late father, who spent his entire life wrenching on cars, swore by AMSOIL; and most European manufacturers swear by synthetics as well
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06-28-2015, 08:49 AM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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I don't run it due to the cost, but Amsoil is awesome stuff.
I have it in my subaru's diffs and trans.
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06-28-2015, 09:28 AM
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
what about synthetics? any use in quieting down the motor?
i think there is a syntheic rotella, mobil one, and amsoil? are they worth the money?
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Do you plan on doing oil analysis?
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06-28-2015, 09:37 AM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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no analysis. just looking to engine running smooth
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06-28-2015, 10:11 AM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 546
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I change oil in my fleet every spring. We are retired folk so miles are not high. Trans as needed.
__________________
Don and Mary
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06-28-2015, 10:15 AM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,208
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: 3800 International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Every spring , regardless of the mileage,(mostly around 5000kms) I change my oil and filter, my fuel filter, and just my spin on tranny filter, I also change the air filter, and grease everything. I change the transmission oil every second spring. I don't use synthetic mostly do to the cost, I believe in changing oil on a regular bases, if I do a lot of kms, I would change oil more often.
gbstewart
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06-28-2015, 11:11 AM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Older worn engines, synthetic makes no sense.
If you owned the engine from new, running synthetic would make sense.
Remember, Amsoil is part of a system. Unless your running their massive bypass filter system, there is no point in running their oil. It's made to keep the engine oil clean for up to 60,000 miles.
You can't do this with regular 15w 40 oil. It looses it's viscosity and detergents over the 10 to 20,000 miles between changes.
That's why running amsoil in your axles, trans, and other closed systems makes sense.
I add Lucas oil stabilizer to all my engines. Helps keep the viscosity up.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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06-28-2015, 12:46 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Fully agreeing with Nat on this one.
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06-28-2015, 04:34 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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Dang it Nat,
i was already at napa when you posted and i got the rotella synthetic 5-40.
says cummins approved on the back, but i do recall switching my ex wifes high mileage car to synthetic and it turned that car into an oil burner. switched back and everything was fine.
so i will see. the synthetic was on sale, only 5$/gallon difference over the regular 15-40.
changed the oil filter, spin on transmission filter, fuel filter, and the big ole air filter. there is a fuel water separator down in the frame rail, like mentioned earlier, i just drained off the water, and let it be.
the genny had a couple of filters and got new oil too.
$150 in filters, $120 in oil.
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06-28-2015, 08:13 PM
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#13
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 18
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Synthetics will not do a thing as far as making your engine run smoother or quieter. Like other posters have said, it is cost prohibitive for your engine. I would however recommend any quality synthetic in your rear end and trans. In my opinion, Amsoil is no better or worse than any other brand, just more expensive, it's a marketing gimmick. Our over-the-road trucks go 50,000 miles between oil changes using standard motor oil.
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06-28-2015, 09:32 PM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, Mi (Detroit area)
Posts: 1,968
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Eldorado Aerotech 24'
Chassis: Ford E-450 Cutaway Bus
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigmackone
Our over-the-road trucks go 50,000 miles between oil changes using standard motor oil.
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Wow! How do your big rigs get that much mileage between oil changes?
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06-28-2015, 09:54 PM
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#15
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roach711
Wow! How do your big rigs get that much mileage between oil changes?
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My guess, bypass oil filter, oil filter changes and oil analysis.
And probably oil capacity of 12-15 gallons.
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06-28-2015, 10:41 PM
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#16
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, Mi (Detroit area)
Posts: 1,968
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Eldorado Aerotech 24'
Chassis: Ford E-450 Cutaway Bus
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 19
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I just read up on bypass oil filtration. When I first saw the word "bypass" I pictured oil bypassing the lone oil filter but in reality a bypass system uses two filters, one that uses a normal oil filter and another, much finer filter that bypasses the normal filter and also removes water and other contaminants that a normal oil filter doesn't remove.
Many gallons of oil doesn't hurt either.
One other question - I was told that the viscosity modifiers in multi-grade oils eventually wear out making them much thinner. Doesn't that happen to high mileage oils?
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06-29-2015, 02:51 AM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roach711
One other question - I was told that the viscosity modifiers in multi-grade oils eventually wear out making them much thinner. Doesn't that happen to high mileage oils?
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Non synthetic oil, yes.
If it's synthetic oil than they claim no. But I feel the additives would still wear out even in the synthetic oil, even if the oil it's self holds up better.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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06-29-2015, 06:10 AM
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#18
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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In really BIG applications, the oil is monitored on a schedule, and the additives are added back as needed.
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06-29-2015, 07:17 AM
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#19
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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nice questions.....
here is one.... what about teflon? ptfe?
ive seen other swear by its use in diesels or any engine.
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06-29-2015, 05:37 PM
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#20
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roach711
Wow! How do your big rigs get that much mileage between oil changes?
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Easiest job in the world: Large displacement engine, 15-16 liters, lazing along a 1,200 rpm for hours on end. We take oil sample at every service. As long as the oil meets engine manufacturer's specs, it will stay at 50K.
The trucks with smaller engines that do more pick-up and delivery type work get changed sooner, 7-13 Liter engines. The smaller the engine, the harder it has to work.
BTW, we use no special filters or additives. Most engine filters, these days are a combination full flow/by-pass. Any add on filters are snake oil in my book.
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