First oil change Cummins 6.7

[amxr39]

I’m getting ready to do my first oil change. I haven’t had luck finding the information I’m looking for. I plan on using Rotella 15-40. Should I use T4 conventional or T6 synthetic? With 150 hours on the motor, it isn’t really broken in yet, so I’m leaning towards T-4.
I want to send a sample of my oil out for analysis. What companies have you used and can recommend?
Any other tips I should know? I do not have the Reverso system.
Love my Helmsman!
Thank you.
Mike

 

[DavidM]

I think Cummins only recommends single weight non synthetic oils. And if you follow their oil change recommendations there isn’t any benefits for synthetics.

David

 

[NSM]

I have Valvoline Premium Blue API CK-4 15W40 ready to go for my first oil change. Pretty sure it’s the only “official” oil Cummins recommends. It took some digging but I think I pulled this from the Cummins online manual. Any spec oil will probably be fine. And I concur about the Dino oil.

 

[NSM]

I’ve used these guys for Mercedes Sprinter Van diesel oil analysis. There may be someone better suited for marine Cummins.

Blackstone Laboratories Blackstone Laboratories

Learn what's going on in your engine with oil analysis. Our free kits are easy to use and we explain the results in plain English!

www.blackstone-labs.com

My last boat (diesel Ranger Tug) didn’t have a Reverso but I cobbled together a 12 volt pump and bucket system going down the fill tube. It was clunky but worked. I think West Marine has something similar. My 43E has the Reverso and I love it. Made changing transmission fluid a breeze.


And I also love my Helmsman…

 

[High Wire]

What does your manual say? What API certification requirement? CH-4, CJ-4, CK-4? Something else? Its important on the new engines. I've used Blackstone, but expect a month turnaround. You are going to need at least one sample bottle for the main and one for the generator.

 

[Comodave]

If you don’t have a drain hose on the oil pan when you have the oil out would be a great time to install one and a shutoff valve at the pan. Then you can attach a portable pump to drain the oil in the future.

 

[NSM]

High Wire, the written manual says CJ4 but as I recall the online manual from Cummins stipulates CK4.

 

[luna]

For oil, fuel and coolant testing I use Cat's SOS service. Turnaround in my hood is less than a week including the dealer shipping the samples 700 miles to the lab.

Cat has a dealer, H.O.Penn, in Newington. It may be quicker than a month.

 

[KMAL]

I have a Lugger serviced by TriCounty Diesel out of Bellingham Wa - top shelf diesel shop. They have used Lube Watch for me - very detailed reports and analysis.

 

[Helmsman]

Valvoline Premium Blue 15W40 is what you will get if you ask Cummins. It is their warranty, so I do everything “by the book”. I have a Johnson portable pump. I bought a small oil drain pan, open the valve after pre-heating the engine to 130 or so, and let it drain through a funnel. I start the Johnson pump, and it keeps up with the flow. Change the filter, and then put clean oil in. Be careful to let the new oil drain down. I then started the engine and let it idle for two minutes. I checked the oil and it was right below the top mark. I let it sit for two hours. When I checked it again, it was over the top mark, so I had to drain a little.

 

[magna 6882]

I have several trucks with various cummins mostly ISX600s and use rotela T6 for those mostly due to hours and the heat they develop. The boat is the one engine i use valvoline blue. Its cheap and i dont feel cheated by changing each year with such low hours. I use blackstone labs for all my testing. They have a really good site for keeping track of my engines and hours and i can compare the samples easy over a period of time like we all do with our blood test at the doctor. As a side note on some of my engines they take 14 gallons so blackstone can sample and tell us how many more hours we can run to delay the change out. The 6.7 only needs a couple gallons so no big deal. Blackstone will send you the kits so you can keep them around for testing other fluids.

 

[ranger58sb]

We use Blackstone. Recent samples sent to them 9/23, analysis returned 10/14.

The additional TBN analysis dictates our oil change schedule.

Wouldn't necessarily do that if our engines were still within the original warranty period, since the maker's mandated schedule is every 400 hours -- or every year, whichever comes first. But now we need almost 18 gallons of 5w40 Rotella T6, heavy buckets for me, so the longer period helps.

Previous boat, Cummins 6CTAs, we used a few gallons Rotella T4, 15w40 (which met the Cummins recommended spec), mostly annual changes.

-Chris

 

[jimdavi]

Valvoline premium blue and Blackstone labs for analysis.

 

[High Wire]

High Wire, the written manual says CJ4 but as I recall the online manual from Cummins stipulates CK4.

CK-4 is the latest spec. which supersedes CJ-4. Here is the API site link:

Oil Categories

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 600 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry.

www.api.org

 

[amxr39]

Valvoline Premium Blue 15W40 is what you will get if you ask Cummins. It is their warranty, so I do everything “by the book”. I have a Johnson portable pump. I bought a small oil drain pan, open the valve after pre-heating the engine to 130 or so, and let it drain through a funnel. I start the Johnson pump, and it keeps up with the flow. Change the filter, and then put clean oil in. Be careful to let the new oil drain down. I then started the engine and let it idle for two minutes. I checked the oil and it was right below the top mark. I let it sit for two hours. When I checked it again, it was over the top mark, so I had to drain a little.

Does your Cummins QSB have a blue hose from the bottom of the oil pan on the port side that runs toward the front of the engine like I do? I guess it’s for pumping out the oil.
What year is your 38E?

 

[Helmsman]

I changed mine by loosening the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan. I didn’t notice the blue hose in your picture, since I changed it from the starboard side. I will look for the blue hose. If it is there, and comes from the oil pan, then I will try that. That is a nice feature.

 

[Comodave]

If you don’t have a drain hose then check out sbmar.com.

 

[amxr39]

I changed mine by loosening the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan. I didn’t notice the blue hose in your picture, since I changed it from the starboard side. I will look for the blue hose. If it is there, and comes from the oil pan, then I will try that. That is a nice feature.

I’ll have more details later today when

 

[NCheaven]

I wondered about the same thing, matched the oil ratings through the American Petroleum Institute list of which oil ratings are covered by the newer ratings. Main thing is that I went to Rotella's website and saw there own evaluation of T-6 full synthetic against their own synthetic blend and their T-4 mineral oil, so there was no competitive brand comparison - just their own oils. The performance differences are amazing for particulate removal, shear, oxidation, wear, etc. Read the facts for yourself.

I also found information at a site for the American Tribology Association - the science of lubrication. Way over my head, and most tests on much larger ships/engines, land based applications, etc. I looked at trucking industry studies, too (must have been a cold, dark winter....). Everything I could find affirmed synthetic oils as superior. But, the engine maker is "the authority", since they pay the warranty costs.

My own experience is a quieter engine, less smoke, still some gold color to the oil at the end of the season after the first two or three seasons, etc. Valv-Tect fuels may contribute to some of those good results, too.

I hope you'll share what Cummins says about full synthetics.