I did my first oil change at about 1000 miles. I wrnt with Rotella T4 conventinal 15W40 until I get some more miles and break in. I'll probably go to synthetic at 10k miles.
Overall it's a relatively easy process, but there were some access challenges that make it a little clumsy. Here are the pros and cons.
Pros
- Oil drain plug is placed squarely on the bottom of pan and easy to get to. Oil drains straight down with slight rearward cant that makes it easy to hit the drain pan.
-Oil filter is located in an easily accessible area. It drains straight down and does not run on torsion bar or motor mounts like previous Duramaxes.
Cons
- Drain is a little slow as it will sit and drip oil for a long time from pan and filter housing. After 30 minutes it was still dripping. This oil may be a little heavier for initial break it, so that may have been a factor.
- Oil filler tube is a long reach to back side of motor against firewall. I went with a wider funell that I like for pouring 2.5 gallon jugs. It did not sit squarely in the tube due to contact with upper firewall trim. The 2.5 gallon jug did not want to fit well between funell and hood due to ram air water drain housing on hood. I ended up pouring the oil from the 2.5 gallon jug into a 2 quart jug to make it easier. Your standing on a two step stool to do this if you're 6 foot tall or you risk pouring oil everywhere.
-Oil dipstick is well below grade and hard to reach from drivers side quarter panel. You won't reach it from the front unless you use the stool. I can get my finger in the top of the loop to pull it, but to reinsert it you have to look between the battery and fuse box or you cannot see the tube.
-Oil level on the dipstick does not read full with 2.5 gallons or 10 quarts of new oil. My level was located on lower half of dipstick hatching. I added 8 more ounces to get it up to full side of hatching. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't any lower. I think with the excess dripping during the drain, more oil that might usually be trapped is draining. Seen one guy that drained his overnight and it didn't show on the dipstick so he added another quart. I suppose this isn't necessary, but if it isn't up to top of hatching you'd never know if your using oil. I'll probably always add the extra 8 ozs.
Overall it's a relatively easy process, but there were some access challenges that make it a little clumsy. Here are the pros and cons.
Pros
- Oil drain plug is placed squarely on the bottom of pan and easy to get to. Oil drains straight down with slight rearward cant that makes it easy to hit the drain pan.
-Oil filter is located in an easily accessible area. It drains straight down and does not run on torsion bar or motor mounts like previous Duramaxes.
Cons
- Drain is a little slow as it will sit and drip oil for a long time from pan and filter housing. After 30 minutes it was still dripping. This oil may be a little heavier for initial break it, so that may have been a factor.
- Oil filler tube is a long reach to back side of motor against firewall. I went with a wider funell that I like for pouring 2.5 gallon jugs. It did not sit squarely in the tube due to contact with upper firewall trim. The 2.5 gallon jug did not want to fit well between funell and hood due to ram air water drain housing on hood. I ended up pouring the oil from the 2.5 gallon jug into a 2 quart jug to make it easier. Your standing on a two step stool to do this if you're 6 foot tall or you risk pouring oil everywhere.
-Oil dipstick is well below grade and hard to reach from drivers side quarter panel. You won't reach it from the front unless you use the stool. I can get my finger in the top of the loop to pull it, but to reinsert it you have to look between the battery and fuse box or you cannot see the tube.
-Oil level on the dipstick does not read full with 2.5 gallons or 10 quarts of new oil. My level was located on lower half of dipstick hatching. I added 8 more ounces to get it up to full side of hatching. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't any lower. I think with the excess dripping during the drain, more oil that might usually be trapped is draining. Seen one guy that drained his overnight and it didn't show on the dipstick so he added another quart. I suppose this isn't necessary, but if it isn't up to top of hatching you'd never know if your using oil. I'll probably always add the extra 8 ozs.
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