Information on engine oil change interval for Synthetics:
I'm no expert and haven't been doing oil analysis yet, but from what i understand, with the ULSD on the market today, you are perfectly fine goin the longer intervals on synthetics.
Considering the overall success of delo i think the only reason to run synthetics would be extended life cycles.
You can look up what results others have gotten out of their synthetics. People have had Amsoil with 20k miles on it tested and still pass soot, viscosity and other tests (in one extreme test a person reported ~40k miles old oil testing safe for next interval).
It depends on what you fuel with and what kind of performance mods you have, sure. But for 80-90 percent of dmax owners the extended cycle is fine.
The fool proof (mostly) process:
Add Amsoil (or any other synthetic certified for diesel engines).
500 miles before your typical oil change(5k miles) mail off a sample for analysis (you can buy a pack of ten analyses for $100). Use the first 4 on the first oil change (one at 5k then 10k then 15k then 20k to ease your 5k changing mind
) and the remaining 6 every 10k miles until you have a trend in results.
The analysis will let you get the most out of your oil change. With the avg cost for the analyses of 25 dollars per change, you still save money w/ synthetics (1 synthetic change per every 3-4 reg)
Keep in mind you can use results from many others and accept that 10k is ok and test every 5k miles after 10k which is basically saving you the cost of the oil change you would normally do every 5k miles.
*Not really helpful information* You can always add whatif's. Like whatif there's a nuclear holocaust and i can't get uoa's or fresh oil and now i have old oil which i must drive around on for my zombie, radioactive, mutated human patrol and my truck breaks down and i get mauled by mutated elephant with nightvision and three heads in the dark. The obvious answer is A. Carry a shotgun. B. know how to make your own high explosives and C. keep a 55 gallon drum of your favorite honey in the garage.
blackstone labs does analysis for a lot of dmax owners.
There's usually local places that are easy to work with as well (POLARIS labs in Houston)
Information on T-case alternatives (for Rainmain):
Mike L. can give you more information on this if you need. It's sourced from him (mostly... i may have added some of my own input, so feel free to correct me).
Basically, Rockland Standard Gear did a test and followed with a write up describing a lubrication problem on ~07.5-older 4wd GM t-cases. They were vaporizing the 2qts of dex III atf due to high heat buildup. The solution from GM was the synthetic blue stuff. The prior solution from RSG was 2.5 qts of 5-30 synthetic. To fill with 2.5 quarts, the last half quart needs to go in through the speed sensor port. Since the sensor has an 18mm-hex plastic housing, be very carefully not to break it.
You should be able to run the factory specified service interval with this fluid (20k miles?).
I'm no expert and haven't been doing oil analysis yet, but from what i understand, with the ULSD on the market today, you are perfectly fine goin the longer intervals on synthetics.
Considering the overall success of delo i think the only reason to run synthetics would be extended life cycles.
You can look up what results others have gotten out of their synthetics. People have had Amsoil with 20k miles on it tested and still pass soot, viscosity and other tests (in one extreme test a person reported ~40k miles old oil testing safe for next interval).
It depends on what you fuel with and what kind of performance mods you have, sure. But for 80-90 percent of dmax owners the extended cycle is fine.
The fool proof (mostly) process:
Add Amsoil (or any other synthetic certified for diesel engines).
500 miles before your typical oil change(5k miles) mail off a sample for analysis (you can buy a pack of ten analyses for $100). Use the first 4 on the first oil change (one at 5k then 10k then 15k then 20k to ease your 5k changing mind
) and the remaining 6 every 10k miles until you have a trend in results. The analysis will let you get the most out of your oil change. With the avg cost for the analyses of 25 dollars per change, you still save money w/ synthetics (1 synthetic change per every 3-4 reg)
Keep in mind you can use results from many others and accept that 10k is ok and test every 5k miles after 10k which is basically saving you the cost of the oil change you would normally do every 5k miles.
*Not really helpful information* You can always add whatif's. Like whatif there's a nuclear holocaust and i can't get uoa's or fresh oil and now i have old oil which i must drive around on for my zombie, radioactive, mutated human patrol and my truck breaks down and i get mauled by mutated elephant with nightvision and three heads in the dark. The obvious answer is A. Carry a shotgun. B. know how to make your own high explosives and C. keep a 55 gallon drum of your favorite honey in the garage.
blackstone labs does analysis for a lot of dmax owners.
There's usually local places that are easy to work with as well (POLARIS labs in Houston)
Information on T-case alternatives (for Rainmain):
Mike L. can give you more information on this if you need. It's sourced from him (mostly... i may have added some of my own input, so feel free to correct me).
Basically, Rockland Standard Gear did a test and followed with a write up describing a lubrication problem on ~07.5-older 4wd GM t-cases. They were vaporizing the 2qts of dex III atf due to high heat buildup. The solution from GM was the synthetic blue stuff. The prior solution from RSG was 2.5 qts of 5-30 synthetic. To fill with 2.5 quarts, the last half quart needs to go in through the speed sensor port. Since the sensor has an 18mm-hex plastic housing, be very carefully not to break it.
You should be able to run the factory specified service interval with this fluid (20k miles?).
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