Keeping truck "forever"

[Charles Skinner]

I have long thought about the fact that most airlines keep their planes for many, many years, by just remodeling them many times. That led me to the following:

 

My 2005 Dodge/Cummins now has about 115,000 miles and seems to have many more still left in it. Have you ever known of someone who ---- at about 250,000 miles, or something like that ---- just replaced the engine and all of the other devices under the hood with a high quality rebuild Cummins engine, and a high quality rebuilt transmission, and any other part that needed to be replaced and continued to drive it just as if it was a brand new truck?

 

C. S.

[youngwillyd]

My 2003 Dodge Cummins already has 229,000 miles on it and is still like new. You probably have more of a chance to replace body parts around the running gear than the other way around.

[Darryl&Rita]

Rust-belt resident agrees. Wheel-well rock chips start to rust as soon as they appear. Chips or not, chrome rusts almost as soon as it leaves the dealer lot. Had a Ford that had most of the body panels replaced, clutch several times, front end rebuilt several times, driveline u-joints replaced, but the old 7.3 and ZF transmission kept chugging.

[richfaa]

We drove Cummings equipped school busses that had 280K + miles on them. We have a 08 Ford 350 Diesel and although we are from the rust belt have not spent a winter there since 2006 so the truck is like new body wise.

 

It is time for a new truck.This Ford has been trouble free but in the last year we had a rear and front seal leak and last week a check engine light on that turned out t o be a suck open thermostat.It only has 77K miles on it but the truck is 8 years old and things begin to fail.

[Legendsk]

I have long thought about the fact that most airlines keep their planes for many, many years, by just remodeling them many times.......

I used to be involved in that industry. A plane would come in that looked totally worn out - like a car with 1,000,000 miles on it. Everything worn was replaced, painted, polished, checked, rechecked, re-rechecked, and finally turned over to the airline techs and FAA for certification. By the time they were done and the plane was put back into passenger service, the cabin looked (and smelled) like a new car. The cockpit looked like it had been a million miles. Paint worn off, seats ripped and cracking, stuffing starting to come out, smelled bad and the airline pilots never saw a plane with a new looking cockpit.

[GlennWest]

My 2005 GMC dually Duramax had 250kish when I traded it. Drive train was rock solid but truck was being repaired on a regular basics. This ball joint, that ball joint, that wheel bearing, that window switch, etc. Seat was worn badly. I needed a dependable truck. new ones look a lot better too.

[tinstartrvlr]

Mntom- Dusted? Curious what that means if me thinking the obvious is wrong...and how does it affect the motor?

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Mntom- Dusted? Curious what that means if me thinking the obvious is wrong...and how does it affect the motor?

The Cummins 5.9 had issues with some aftermarket air filters, primarily the K&N. It allowed dust particles to bypass the air cleaner and get into the intake, thru the intake valves and scratching the cylinder walls. If you had a failed engine that was under warranty Dodge would decline the rebuild or new engine if they could prove that an aftermarket air cleaner was used.

[Ray,IN]

I once talked with a man who delivered trailers for a living. He drove a Dodge 5.9 CTD with over 750,000 miles on it. He said everything on the engine had been replaced, but the engine itself was untouched.

Unless your engine is abused, you'll completely wear out the chassis before you wear out the engine. You might have to buy a new body too.

[Dennis M]

Just under 700k on the Volvo. Last oil change Blackstone Labs said: "This engine is looking great! Try 28,000 miles on the next change."

[gjhunter01]

Just under 700k on the Volvo. Last oil change Blackstone Labs said: "This engine is looking great! Try 28,000 miles on the next change."

At over 9 gallons for a oil change, 28k miles is not a bargain.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

At over 9 gallons for a oil change, 28k miles is not a bargain.

Oil is cheap though... engines on the other hand...

[RV_]

You bet, and without major engine work some have gone a million miles I hear, but I've owned one that hauled heavy and went over 700k miles while I owned it. Another I bought with 300k miles on it and sold it in great shape with 425k. The one I have now has only 135k miles on it but is a short bed loud kid's truck with lift junk on it. Short beds are in higher demand and the look will sell it fast. Then I'm getting my last truck, a Cummins 2005-2007 2500, or maybe another dually.

 

Here is one 800k mile truck that was not babied nor replaced everything, scroll down to the red Dodge old body style: "Perhaps the most impressive fact is “Ole Red” now has over 800,000 miles under her belt and that is without an engine overhaul! This is a truck that has been worked hard and was never babied." http://www.dieselpickups.com/about-us.html

 

I have owned three Dodge Ram Diesels. My first was a 92 1 Ton Diesel Dually club cab with the flip up jump seats in the back. I bought it from a guy in North San Antonio in mid '97 when I was stationed at Lackland AFB for my last year retirement tour after returning from overseas, 7 years at Spangdahlem AFB, Jan '90-Jan 97. I bought it in anticipation of Full time RVing to find a circumnavigable yacht on retirement from the AF. I needed a keeper truck and the guy who I bought it from owned what I was told was the best HDT diesel mechanic in town. It was his personal truck with 100k miles on it already! He'd just repainted it and rebuilt the tranny with tougher parts. There is a picture of it and our first RV, a used 1990 HitchHiker here, as well as our last fulltime rig: http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvroadiervfulltimingwhatisitreallylike/id4.html

 

That 92 had about 700k miles when we quit fulltiming pulling first a HH 34.5 footer then the 36 footer Fivers through everything West of the Mississippi and from Mexico up to and including Alaska/Canada but we were not sure because the Odometer broke the last year we pulled the 36 foot 1998 Challenger in 2003.

 

We came off the road to take care of our two remaining parents here, my FIL and MIL who we lost last August. I was bored so did a five year stint selling and siting and designing custom Post frame steel skinned buildings. I had to drive sometimes 300-400 miles a day over a 100 mile radius around Shreveport and the Dually had an extra leaf spring and bounced me off the roof on these rough roads with no load, at the 70-75 mph speed limits. It was smooth as silk with a fiver hitched up. So I bought a 2002 Ram Quad cab 2500 SRW long bed that had a real back seat! It had 300k miles on it when I bought it for $7k cash in 2005. No one would touch it and it needed ball joints. I used it for two years of heavy driving but then we grew so fast I had to hire outside sales guys. Meanwhile ]no one was driving "The Beast" the 92. So one day it started leaking a quart a day because the main seal dried up and blew out. It had just gotten a second repaint from me when I thought I'd be using it for the job. So I fixed it because it was perfect otherwise and my mechanic who replaced the seal bought it in 2008 for $3k over book because of the Pac brake and Transfer flow in bed 64 gallon Diesel tank with dash switch and Rhino lining. It also had a headache rack that was painted to match.

He has abused it and run it into trees on his property and it still runs great today!

 

The 2002 also looked like new and drove great but started to get less mileage with the new fuels. I had already retired again and decided I was not going to buy another fiver and sold it with 425k miles on it. The interior looked a year old as did the rest. I di have to paint the hood and roof. I bought a 2009 Ford Ranger in 2013 that was very nice to drive with a 4 banger I thought would get good mileage. Never got over 19 and it could barely accelerate up a hill with my 14 foot heavy duty dual axle utility trailer empty, it was heavy made with 3" angle by my welder fabricator BIL. So I got a 10 foot new single axle trailer with the rear ramp expanded metal gate. It would not haul my tractor but is OK.

 

Then we decided to get a new house on our property and needed a place to live so I bought a used 2006 Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins that had a broken rear window and some stains in the interior, but really looked nice. Short bed however. I found a nice 28.5 foot fiver cheap that was cherry inside and out save a leak starting. So I had the roof redone in TPO and Luan over the perfect marine plywood roof. It had only leaked in the front and back seam between the rubber roof and the fiberglass caps. Pictures of it are here, and the blue tape is holding the new rear window in, there are also pics of the Maroon 2002 Ram, and the 92 Ram with the later added custom rack : http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/RV_Roadie/library/Pups%20and%20Property/Vehicles?sort=3&page=1

 

I got the Andersen Ultimate hitch had it works with the short bed fine. I hate the short be because it was balanced, lifted and set up for monster mudders and had Gear Custom Chrome rims, Straight pipes past the convertor, and on and on. It is too high, too stiff, and very very fast. I got a deal on a removed Muffler that came from the same truck different color welded on for $75.00, and left the 8" tip on. No engine problems but I am getting another long bed 2500 that is stock. I have found a deal on one.

 

I got tired of the person standing at my driver window not being able to hear me over the pre 2005 idling loud diesels. Thus my purchase of the 2006.

 

I am looking now for a deal on a low miles (<200k) 2005-2007 , the last year of the 5.9. I am not interested in a 6.7 Cummins except for the 2009/10 on.

 

Once I do find one, since we are not full timing, and I will use the car equally because I am getting 20 on this one with 135k miles on it. I do not want or need any chips, reprogrammed, or performance tweaked trucks, just stock with a decent engine. I change the oil every 6500 miles off load, and 3500 towing heavy. That diesel head that sold me my first truck taught me a simple trick. He said to never idle it for more than the time it takes to bring the oil pressure up and circulate the oil, a minute or two at most. Not even in cold weather. He said that for the first mile or so until it warmed up, to drive as gently as if I had a raw egg between my foot and the accelerator pedal. He said that even babying it, it would sound like all hell was breaking loose in the engine but that sound like a gas truck about to throw a piston was normal on the 12 valve diesel truck and lightens up when it warms up fully.

 

Here's why he explained. He said most diesels are abused in that folks let them idle for hours in summer for A/C, and winter for heat. He said never do that because diesels do not warm up at idle. without driving, putting it under load, or having an idle control to set it up higher like HDTs do so they CAN idle longer, they will not completely burn the fuel. They combust under pressure and heat, no spark he said. the incomplete combustion at low temps leaves coke or carbon as a residue in much higher amounts. It carbons up everything including increasing build ups and carbon in the pan and filters and engine journals.

 

Was he right? I think so because my oil is barely amber, not black at 6000 miles after a change. The shop I have change the oils always calls the guys over that are new to show them my oil clean on the dipstick. I cleaned both of the previous ones gradually then had them power flushed and was lucky. I do it over a few oil changes. I do not do extended oil changes. 3500 hauling heavy/6500 changes when just towing the utility with the riding mower using it as a car.

 

I change the filters and fluids, only use Wix oil and air filters or a better brand no cheap Fram or off brands.

 

I had to replace the $1500 rebuilt injector pump in the 2002 around 2007. On the 92 I had the Injector pump seals go out because of that crazy California diesel fuel additive that ate the rubber o rings out of some trucks big and small in 1998 or so. I'm not keeping this kid's truck I have now to find out. I like a long bed. All my trucks have been Rhino lined. My 92 also had the dreaded and much maligned K&N which I cleaned and oiled more often than called for. Maybe I was lucky, but I can see folks not using the K&N oil made for it, or forgetting to do it, or installing it wrong. I have seen folks blow out paper filters with a compressor with no way of telling if they perforated it. Go figure.

 

So with early Cummins 5.9, 2003 and older I say you may have fuel pump marginal pressure and injector pump failure, but other than that know issue, and the tranny rebuilds with steel parts in mine, I don't see why any one will not last a million miles. Just change the filters and fluids. Use the recommended brands and viscosities. I use Rotella T oil, and the recommended coolant, rear end oils, etc. I don't use synthetic because all the off the shelf one except for Mobil 1 are dino oils, conventional group II base oils that are hydrocracked. Mobil 1 and redline Royal Purple are all true synthetics made with group IV and V UCBOs or Unconventional Base oils. I won't argue but I did the research back in 2002 and posted it here and on Irv2. They started deleting all old posts here, so here is the thread and the research from 2003 on iRV2: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/synthetic-lubricants-arent-12943.html There is a whole thread there with all the arguments and while many of the links are broken, if one is truly interested in finding the truth not just cherry picking a source that agrees with them. it is easy to find the same facts.

 

Hope that helps!

[Pappy Yokum]

Wow "RV" !! - quite a dissertation!

 

 

Charles - visit the Turbo Diesel Register forum - and/or subscribe to their excellent quarterly magazine.

 

At 115 thou - your 5.9 Cummins is barely broken in!..

 

.

 

 

 

.

[HamRad]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just get RV to open up and share his thoughts!

[Kirk W]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just get RV to open up and share his thoughts!

[coachmac9]

Ok, I gotta put in a plug for the gas engines...my 2005 Chevy Silverado just turned over 300,000 miles with usual maintenance and regular oil changes still going strong...it's body and frame is showing the usual wear and tear, wheel bearings, u-joints but still going strong. We were thinking about selling it to get a jeep to use as a toad but have decided to use "old faithful" since it is paid for and is 4 wheel drive and towable 4 wheels down will be our toad and last another few years...especially since it is paid for and jeeps are very, very expensive these days!!!

[mohamer]

When I sold my Dodge PU it had 430,000 miles on it, the 5.9 Cummins only had the head gasket changed at about 125,000 miles due to a weep in the front by the thermostat. I knew a guy and his wife in Indiana that hauled RVs to the dealers, he had over 1 million miles on his 5.9 Cummins and it was going strong.

By the way, both of us used K&N air filters on our Cummins, maybe they would last longer if we had a better filter on them. YMWV

[bruce t]

My axe has only had two new heads and three handles! You can replace or repair anything!

 

If you want to.

[coachmac9]

LOL!! Bruce T. that reminds me of my father!! We were taught from an early age to fix things instead of buying new!! He grew up in the depression when that was the rule instead of the exception...as a result we learned early on to take care of what we had no matter how old and worn out it was because if we didn't we would be doing without!! That was especially true of our vehicles that we drove. If he thought we were abusing or not taking care of what we drove he had the sure cure...we walked for a while...lesson learned.

[BeltoneMagoo]

My poor old 2002 Ford F250 CC LB is still limping along at 296,000 miles. Figure it's going to outlast me. Only have had one major problem which was the transmission seal gave out at around 194,000 miles. Was towing a 30' TT in Montana so I just had the whole transmission replaced. That was a known problem on the Fords. Still going great so I will keep it until one of us goes.

Good luck, good health and safe travels!

[budeneighe]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just get RV to open up and share his thoughts!

 

When asked a question, he is a man after my own heart... He tells you everything you need to know to understand what his answer is, the way he meant for it to be understood.

 

I lived a lot of years before someone caught on to this and actually told me to my face. I consider this to be one of the graces.

[RV_]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just get RV to open up and share his thoughts!

I should have seen that coming from friends!

 

 

 

When asked a question, he is a man after my own heart... He tells you everything you need to know to understand what his answer is, the way he meant for it to be understood.

 

I lived a lot of years before someone caught on to this and actually told me to my face. I consider this to be one of the graces.

 

 

Thanks Budd,

I got that a lot in another way in that I taught most of my career including some core curriculum at the Air Force Academy.

 

But in all cases I ask folks to please always critique and make editing suggestions. Or if they think it unnecessarily long, or contains errors, to please PM or email (mine is in the clear on my profile and on my website in the sig block below) your edit of the article, with sources for corrections to content. Thanks in advance.

 

I put it here again for the use of the members here, as it was in 2003 originally here.

 

It was the result of two years of calling folks like the Engineer at Rotella and other oil companies, including the Amsoil, Royal Purple, and Mobile 1. Some would not answer direct questions but I found that Amsoil is missing SAE, API or both certifications because despite their use of real Group IV and V UCBOs they buy different lots from different suppliers and would have to submit each new formulation for testing by the agencies at their own expense which can be in excess of $10k I was told then.

 

What caused me to start? Well back in the late 90s Amsoil had folks convinced that their oils would last forever and to do regular interval $20 and up oil samples to see when the oil is letting the internal components wear? My truck uses 12 Quarts and I thought to save some money and use less oil. So I switched to the only company I trust with my truck, Rotella and tried an oil change in my truck. I noticed no discernable difference in mileage or power. In fact my truck sounded louder. The folks at Rotella referred me to their engineering staff who verified that their synthetic base oils were in fact hydrocracked dino oils, not actual synthetics. I had already read about the marketing decision leading to companies being allowed to label their oils as synthetic because the dino oils were not as in nature once hydrocracked. To me calling dino oils synthetic was and is bogus. Contrary to most claims synthetics had burn and breakdown temps based on their MSDS' as dino oils. Then I began to suspect other products like Tranny oils/fluids jumping on the synthetic bandwagon. Then I found I had to join an oil group to get access to the Base Oil suppliers and who was using what to the tune of $10k and up!.

 

My conclusions are simple.

 

1. No one disputes that regular Rotella T/regular oil from good brands meeting the specs for my engine, provides all the protection I need when changed at the recommended intervals or more often in extreme dusty conditions.

 

2. That the oils do not wear out so much as the additives that make it work the way we need in the engines with today's close tolerances is what wears out first. The list is easy to find online. So with regular changes I get not only fresh oil, and throw out the contaminants suspended in the oil, and in the filter and journals but fresh additives.

 

3. The main advantage to Synthetics is starting in extreme cold.

 

So I use regular oil, Rotella T in my Cummins diesel. I never idle for longer than the minute or two it takes to get up to normal pressure and for oil to be circulating in all the engine journals.

 

Hope that helps.

[mscans]

You bet, and without major engine work some have gone a million miles I hear, but I've owned one that hauled heavy and went over 700k miles while I owned it. Another I bought with 300k miles on it and sold it in great shape with 425k. The one I have now has only 135k miles on it but is a short bed loud kid's truck with lift junk on it. Short beds are in higher demand and the look will sell it fast. Then I'm getting my last truck, a Cummins 2005-2007 2500, or maybe another dually.

 

Here is one 800k mile truck that was not babied nor replaced everything, scroll down to the red Dodge old body style: "Perhaps the most impressive fact is “Ole Red” now has over 800,000 miles under her belt and that is without an engine overhaul! This is a truck that has been worked hard and was never babied." http://www.dieselpickups.com/about-us.html

 

I have owned three Dodge Ram Diesels. My first was a 92 1 Ton Diesel Dually club cab with the flip up jump seats in the back. I bought it from a guy in North San Antonio in mid '97 when I was stationed at Lackland AFB for my last year retirement tour after returning from overseas, 7 years at Spangdahlem AFB, Jan '90-Jan 97. I bought it in anticipation of Full time RVing to find a circumnavigable yacht on retirement from the AF. I needed a keeper truck and the guy who I bought it from owned what I was told was the best HDT diesel mechanic in town. It was his personal truck with 100k miles on it already! He'd just repainted it and rebuilt the tranny with tougher parts. There is a picture of it and our first RV, a used 1990 HitchHiker here, as well as our last fulltime rig: http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvroadiervfulltimingwhatisitreallylike/id4.html

 

That 92 had about 700k miles when we quit fulltiming pulling first a HH 34.5 footer then the 36 footer Fivers through everything West of the Mississippi and from Mexico up to and including Alaska/Canada but we were not sure because the Odometer broke the last year we pulled the 36 foot 1998 Challenger in 2003.

 

We came off the road to take care of our two remaining parents here, my FIL and MIL who we lost last August. I was bored so did a five year stint selling and siting and designing custom Post frame steel skinned buildings. I had to drive sometimes 300-400 miles a day over a 100 mile radius around Shreveport and the Dually had an extra leaf spring and bounced me off the roof on these rough roads with no load, at the 70-75 mph speed limits. It was smooth as silk with a fiver hitched up. So I bought a 2002 Ram Quad cab 2500 SRW long bed that had a real back seat! It had 300k miles on it when I bought it for $7k cash in 2005. No one would touch it and it needed ball joints. I used it for two years of heavy driving but then we grew so fast I had to hire outside sales guys. Meanwhile ]no one was driving "The Beast" the 92. So one day it started leaking a quart a day because the main seal dried up and blew out. It had just gotten a second repaint from me when I thought I'd be using it for the job. So I fixed it because it was perfect otherwise and my mechanic who replaced the seal bought it in 2008 for $3k over book because of the Pac brake and Transfer flow in bed 64 gallon Diesel tank with dash switch and Rhino lining. It also had a headache rack that was painted to match.

He has abused it and run it into trees on his property and it still runs great today!

 

The 2002 also looked like new and drove great but started to get less mileage with the new fuels. I had already retired again and decided I was not going to buy another fiver and sold it with 425k miles on it. The interior looked a year old as did the rest. I di have to paint the hood and roof. I bought a 2009 Ford Ranger in 2013 that was very nice to drive with a 4 banger I thought would get good mileage. Never got over 19 and it could barely accelerate up a hill with my 14 foot heavy duty dual axle utility trailer empty, it was heavy made with 3" angle by my welder fabricator BIL. So I got a 10 foot new single axle trailer with the rear ramp expanded metal gate. It would not haul my tractor but is OK.

 

Then we decided to get a new house on our property and needed a place to live so I bought a used 2006 Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins that had a broken rear window and some stains in the interior, but really looked nice. Short bed however. I found a nice 28.5 foot fiver cheap that was cherry inside and out save a leak starting. So I had the roof redone in TPO and Luan over the perfect marine plywood roof. It had only leaked in the front and back seam between the rubber roof and the fiberglass caps. Pictures of it are here, and the blue tape is holding the new rear window in, there are also pics of the Maroon 2002 Ram, and the 92 Ram with the later added custom rack : http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/RV_Roadie/library/Pups%20and%20Property/Vehicles?sort=3&page=1

 

I got the Andersen Ultimate hitch had it works with the short bed fine. I hate the short be because it was balanced, lifted and set up for monster mudders and had Gear Custom Chrome rims, Straight pipes past the convertor, and on and on. It is too high, too stiff, and very very fast. I got a deal on a removed Muffler that came from the same truck different color welded on for $75.00, and left the 8" tip on. No engine problems but I am getting another long bed 2500 that is stock. I have found a deal on one.

 

I got tired of the person standing at my driver window not being able to hear me over the pre 2005 idling loud diesels. Thus my purchase of the 2006.

 

I am looking now for a deal on a low miles (<200k) 2005-2007 , the last year of the 5.9. I am not interested in a 6.7 Cummins except for the 2009/10 on.

 

Once I do find one, since we are not full timing, and I will use the car equally because I am getting 20 on this one with 135k miles on it. I do not want or need any chips, reprogrammed, or performance tweaked trucks, just stock with a decent engine. I change the oil every 6500 miles off load, and 3500 towing heavy. That diesel head that sold me my first truck taught me a simple trick. He said to never idle it for more than the time it takes to bring the oil pressure up and circulate the oil, a minute or two at most. Not even in cold weather. He said that for the first mile or so until it warmed up, to drive as gently as if I had a raw egg between my foot and the accelerator pedal. He said that even babying it, it would sound like all hell was breaking loose in the engine but that sound like a gas truck about to throw a piston was normal on the 12 valve diesel truck and lightens up when it warms up fully.

 

Here's why he explained. He said most diesels are abused in that folks let them idle for hours in summer for A/C, and winter for heat. He said never do that because diesels do not warm up at idle. without driving, putting it under load, or having an idle control to set it up higher like HDTs do so they CAN idle longer, they will not completely burn the fuel. They combust under pressure and heat, no spark he said. the incomplete combustion at low temps leaves coke or carbon as a residue in much higher amounts. It carbons up everything including increasing build ups and carbon in the pan and filters and engine journals.

 

Was he right? I think so because my oil is barely amber, not black at 6000 miles after a change. The shop I have change the oils always calls the guys over that are new to show them my oil clean on the dipstick. I cleaned both of the previous ones gradually then had them power flushed and was lucky. I do it over a few oil changes. I do not do extended oil changes. 3500 hauling heavy/6500 changes when just towing the utility with the riding mower using it as a car.

 

I change the filters and fluids, only use Wix oil and air filters or a better brand no cheap Fram or off brands.

 

I had to replace the $1500 rebuilt injector pump in the 2002 around 2007. On the 92 I had the Injector pump seals go out because of that crazy California diesel fuel additive that ate the rubber o rings out of some trucks big and small in 1998 or so. I'm not keeping this kid's truck I have now to find out. I like a long bed. All my trucks have been Rhino lined. My 92 also had the dreaded and much maligned K&N which I cleaned and oiled more often than called for. Maybe I was lucky, but I can see folks not using the K&N oil made for it, or forgetting to do it, or installing it wrong. I have seen folks blow out paper filters with a compressor with no way of telling if they perforated it. Go figure.

 

So with early Cummins 5.9, 2003 and older I say you may have fuel pump marginal pressure and injector pump failure, but other than that know issue, and the tranny rebuilds with steel parts in mine, I don't see why any one will not last a million miles. Just change the filters and fluids. Use the recommended brands and viscosities. I use Rotella T oil, and the recommended coolant, rear end oils, etc. I don't use synthetic because all the off the shelf one except for Mobil 1 are dino oils, conventional group II base oils that are hydrocracked. Mobil 1 and redline Royal Purple are all true synthetics made with group IV and V UCBOs or Unconventional Base oils. I won't argue but I did the research back in 2002 and posted it here and on Irv2. They started deleting all old posts here, so here is the thread and the research from 2003 on iRV2: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/synthetic-lubricants-arent-12943.html There is a whole thread there with all the arguments and while many of the links are broken, if one is truly interested in finding the truth not just cherry picking a source that agrees with them. it is easy to find the same facts.

 

Hope that helps!

Derek, what do you do in your spare time??? I got tired just reading this. Nice hearing from you again.

[RV_]

Hi Mike! OMG! If that is so, what happens if you read an actual book? Do you lapse into a coma? I hope you feel better now that the long read is over.