How Often Should I Get a Diesel Oil Change on My Truck?

We had a customer come in and ask us an interesting question the other day. After finishing a comprehensive DOT inspection, the customer told us they were tired of spending too much money on oil changes.

Are you interested in learning more about how often to change oil in a diesel? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

&#;Can&#;t I just do it myself? How often should I change my diesel truck&#;s oil, anyway?&#; they asked. 

We told them very 3,000 to 10,000 miles, but it depends.

Fleet drivers, managers, and operators: with so many fleet vehicles and preventive maintenance plans to care for, knowing how often to change the diesel oil on trucks and heavy fleet equipment isn&#;t always easy.

And when you factor in time, cost of materials, and preventive maintenance programs? It&#;s no wonder it&#;s not easy to know how often your fleet equipment needs an oil change.

If you&#;re wondering how often to change your truck&#;s diesel oil, you&#;ve come to the right place. Welcome to Equipment Experts.

For over 20 years, we&#;ve been providing drivers, fleets, and businesses with comprehensive diesel truck repair services. 

If you&#;re looking for expert advice on how often to change your diesel truck&#;s oil, look no further. In this article, we&#;ll explain how often to change your diesel engine and the pros and cons of changing your oil yourself.

Key Article Takeaways:

• Regular oil changes are crucial for maintaining diesel engine performance.
• Know which type of oil is best for your vehicle, how often you use your vehicle, and in which terrain you use your vehicle most.
• The length and speed of your travel can affect when you need an oil change.
• The general rule of thumb is to do an oil change every 3,000- 10,000 miles of driving.

Questions to ask before changing diesel oil

Before changing your vehicle&#;s oil, you&#;ll want to ask yourself the following questions:

• Where do you do the bulk of your driving?
• What type of work do you do with your diesel truck?
• Do you use synthetic oil, conventional oil, or a synthetic blend?
• How old is your vehicle?
• Have you ever modified your diesel vehicle or diesel engine?

The answers to these questions will help you determine what&#;s needed to keep your engine running at its peak.

We&#;ll take a look at why each question is important in the following sections.

The environment can affect the oil change process

Here in Tacoma, Washington, we often drive on slick and salty roads, which means we likely change our oil more frequently. Depending on if you&#;re driving your truck in rain or shine, gravel or concrete, your environment can affect how often you&#;ll change your diesel truck&#;s oil.

Cold weather and rough terrain can cause increased strain on an engine. If you live in cooler climates, ensure your truck&#;s internal systems are well-lubricated and protected by taking your vehicle in for frequent oil changes.

Of course, how you use your vehicle will affect how often you should change your vehicle&#;s oil.

Vehicle type and usage

Do you drive a diesel pickup? Perhaps an over-the-road semi-truck? How about a large cement truck?

Oil change frequency will change depending on the vehicle type. For example, if you own a semi-truck, or if you frequently haul heavy loads (which can add additional strain on your engine), you&#;ll need to change the oil on your vehicle more often.

As a general rule of thumb, light-use trucks can drive longer &#; up to as much as 10,000 miles &#; without needing an oil change. Diesel trucks that idle more, log fewer highway miles, and often tow large loads may need an oil change every three months &#; or as few as 3,000 miles.

If in doubt about how often to change the oil &#; or even what kind of oil your vehicle needs &#; check your fleet vehicle&#;s owner&#;s manual and manufacturer&#;s recommendation. We&#;ll discuss more about different types of oil in the next section.

Engine oil type: another factor to consider

The type of oil you use will affect how often your diesel vehicle requires an oil change. The three most common types of oil include:

• Conventional oil
• Full synthetic oil
• Synthetic blend (a mix between full synthetic and conventional oil)

Your next oil change service could depend on which type of oil you tend to use to lubricate your engine. For example, vehicles using conventional need oil changes more often than vehicles using synthetic blend or full synthetic oil.

Keep in mind that how fast and far you drive can affect how often your vehicle needs an oil change. We&#;ll cover the topic of distance and speed in the next section.

Your oil&#;s friends: trip length/highway driving speed

Some diesel vehicles drive at city speeds for cross-town deliveries. Others log thousands of miles at freeway speeds for multi-day trips.

The length of trip and speed of your drive can affect how often you need to change your oil.

When driving at slower speeds, oil can become &#;viscous,&#; or thick, as it slows down as it moves through the engine. Your engine has to work harder, which can cause strain on vehicle parts.

As a result, gunk accumulates in the oil, and more frequent oil changes are needed. Driving faster and longer allows your engine to keep the surface of the cylinder wall hotter. The oil left on the rings of the vehicle that fall off the cylinder wall is then burned off with greater ease.

The result of driving at faster speeds? More efficient use of oil and less frequent oil changes.

Oil change frequency varies based on oil type

When it comes to diesel oil changes, a standard oil change can give you 5,000-7,500 miles of driving. Synthetic blends can give you 7,500-10,000 miles, and full synthetic oil gives you 10,000- 15,000 miles.

If you&#;re towing or hauling heavy loads &#; or if you&#;re driving under extreme heat, cold, or off-road conditions &#; expect to change your oil every 3,000-5,000 miles with conventional oil. You&#;ll change your oil every 5,000-7,500 miles with a synthetic blend and every 7,500-10,000 miles with full synthetic oil.

We recommend checking your owner&#;s manual and manufacturer recommendations for when to change your vehicle&#;s oil.

Diesel engines run &#; but not without expert help

Most diesel engines need an oil change every 3,000-10,000 miles. We recommend bringing your vehicle to a diesel repair truck shop to make sure your oil change is done right.

With diesel prices at the lowest they&#;ve been in months, the timing couldn&#;t be better. Take advantage of an affordable oil change at your local repair shop. Why go with a repair shop, though?

Diesel repair shop technicians can help you make sure you&#;re using the right oil. As an added perk, they&#;ll also take into account diesel engine modifications on select vehicles as well.

Plus, a qualified diesel technician has the expertise to do an oil change on all different types of diesel vehicles.

They have experience with making strong oil change recommendations, disposing of messy discarded oil in a safe and clean manner, and keeping engines running smoothly for the long haul. It&#;s no wonder fleet managers, operators, and drivers keep coming back to us.

For more than 20 years, we&#;ve been providing quality engine repairs and oil changes for fleet teams.

For more deutz tech supportinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

If you&#;re looking to change your diesel oil, why not get some expert advice? Stop by our shop, or give the Experts a call anytime at (253) 365- for help with your next oil change.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How often does a diesel engine need its oil changed?

In general, diesel engine oil should be changed anywhere from every 3,000- 10,000 miles.

You should also consider climate, terrain, type of oil used, driving speed, and distance driven to determine when to change your diesel engine&#;s oil. As always, make sure to check the manufacturer&#;s recommendations or your vehicle owner&#;s manual for specific instructions.

Can I change my own oil?

Yes. Changing your own oil does come with added risks and costs.

When changing your own oil, you&#;ll need to research which materials and equipment you&#;ll need. You&#;ll also have to purchase the right motor oil, change the oil, clean up, ensure proper disposal, and repeat this process throughout the year.

If you want to save yourself time, money, and energy, we recommend bringing your vehicle into a fleet repair shop for your next oil change. A fleet repair shop or diesel engine expert can:

• Ensure you have the right fuel and oil from the get-go
• Have all the required safety equipment ready for you to perform the oil change
• Deliver a courtesy inspection on your vehicle
• Receive professional support for any red flags that could arise on your vehicle
• Guarantee safe, convenient, and proper disposal of discarded oil and oil filters

What does healthy oil look like?

Most healthy motor oil is either caramel, tan, or amber in color. If your oil looks black, your engine may need an oil change.

But if your diesel engine is producing black-looking oil right after an oil change, your engine is using the oil to help fight off harmful emissions (Go oil, go!).

If you have other burning questions about professional oil changes or managing your fleet, don&#;t hesitate to contact us anytime.

One of the most controversial topics we hear about in the industry is how often you should change your diesel engine oil. Whether you are the owner of a new diesel pickup truck or just looking for more information, we will attempt to clarify this hot topic because there is no simple answer. If you read through this post and still have questions, please feel free to contact us today! 

Diesel Oil Change Basics

Preventative maintenance is the #1 most important thing any diesel pickup truck owner can do during their time of ownership. Frequently we have customers that require moderate repairs to their diesel trucks due to improper maintenance or maintenance performed by inexperienced technicians that lack specific &#;diesel truck&#; knowledge.  The diesel engines in your Ford Powerstroke, Duramax, or Cummins require multiple services at increased intervals compared to standard gasoline-powered cars and trucks, for good reason too!

Most gasoline-powered vehicles use engine oil for lubrication and cooling of the engine and engine only. Diesel engines also use engine oil for similar reasons but at a more extreme level. Diesel engine temperatures far exceed gasoline engine temperatures, the compression ratio is much higher in diesel engines, diesel emission systems increase wear on engine oil, and diesel engines also use the engine oil for cooling and lubricating the turbocharger! All of these factors combined can lead to premature engine component failures without proper maintenance.  

Diesel Oil Change Frequency 

 

For older non-dpf/scr equipped diesel pickup trucks, we recommend oil changes every 3,500- miles (-). If you drive a newer diesel pickup or one that requires def fluid, the answer is a little more complicated (urea or diesel exhaust fluid). Our experts generally advise customers to perform a diesel oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.

This frequency usually provides the best balance for our local southern California clients. Our weather and driving conditions put most customers in &#;severe duty&#; driving conditions. Given that not everyone lives nearby or falls into the severe duty driving category, below are a few examples of when you would choose our recommended interval over the standard interval.

• Excessive stopping and go driving (this leads to more soot accumulation in engine oil due to lower temperatures and distances)

• Frequent towing of large loads or payloads (higher engine loads lead to increased wear of engine oil)

• Extreme temperatures (both hot and cold extreme temperatures can shorten the life of diesel engine oil). 

• Diesel Engine modifications (Diesel pickup trucks with aftermarket turbochargers, fuel injectors, custom tuning, etc.) should have diesel engine oil changes performed more frequently.

If you and your diesel pickup truck fall into any of these categories you can contact us with any questions or schedule your appointment online for repair, performance, and maintenance by Orange County&#;s #1 Diesel shop.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my diesel engine oil changes more expensive than my gas truck was? 

The engine oil capacity of most diesel engines in pickup trucks is significantly higher. For example, the average diesel pickup truck engine oil capacity is more than 14 quarts. In contrast, standard gasoline engines have a capacity of 6-7 quarts.

What is the best type of diesel engine oil? 

Right now, the answer is &#;the kind of oil you can actually get.&#; We are currently experiencing a number of diesel engine oil shortages with full synthetic diesel engine oils. As long as the oil is API certified, CK-4 oil standards can be met.

Can I do my own oil changes? 

You may be capable of changing your own diesel engine oil. Still, we recommend you leave it to the professionals at Buds Diesel. Changing your own diesel engine oil can be time-consuming and messy. Finding an oil recycling center during these times can also be challenging. Most new vehicles require special tools to remove the engine oil filter that is not readily available at your local store, which can waste time and lead to errors during the oil change process that could lead to catastrophic issues.

What if I want to go the longest distance between diesel engine oil changes? 

While we do not recommend exceeding our diesel oil change intervals, we advise anyone exceeding the miles to have their engine oil tested. Engine oil samples should be taken around the mileage you are hoping to go between servicing. Blackstone Labs offers great (and sometimes free!) engine oil tests and can be found here.  

Why does my truck still say I have XX% life remaining? 

Oil life monitors on modern diesel pickup trucks typically only account for miles driven between oil changes and do not consider engine load, temperature, or driving conditions.

Why does my engine oil look black right after a diesel oil change? 

Soot, Soot, and More Soot! Engine oil, in addition to lubrication, aids in the cleanliness of the engine. Because of increases in fuel injection pressures and exhaust temperatures to combat emissions, modern diesel engines produce even more soot. Black oil is a good thing because it means the oil did its job. Thank you, oil!!

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