Oil Changes in Cargo vans

midsouthx · Mar 12, 2011

I am new to cargo van expedite and was wondering how often I needed to change the oil in my GMC G2500. I am trying to get the max out of an oil change.

xiggi · Mar 12, 2011

What you want to do is get the max miles out of your van not your oil change. Are you running synthetic or standard oil?

purgoose10 · Mar 12, 2011

If you are running regular oil and not synthetic 5-6k miles. That's what I do on both of mine. One's diesel the other is a 6.0 gas. I've always gotten better than 400k w/o engine problems. I also get a sample off each change and send it off for analysis. I go between 40-50k with transmission service and change the rear gear out at the same time. I use synthetic in the rear end, regular in transmission with a quart of transmission conditioner. Lucas in transmission and engine every service. That's what I do, w/both my extended 3500.

scottm4211 · Mar 12, 2011

I go by the oil change light in my '06. Usually comes on between 7500-9k miles.

LDB · Mar 12, 2011

I use the dash gauge for mine. I run synthetic. I change the oil and filter when it drops below 10% on one round and the next time it gets below 10% I change the oil filter and add one new quart of synthetic. That is usually in the 6k-6.5k range so I'm getting about 13k miles per oil change plus a quart and a filter. Hope that makes sense.

greg334 · Mar 12, 2011

Ah.. shouldn't this be in .... like the ... truck forum??

chefdennis · Mar 12, 2011

Yea it should actually be COMBINED with the other "Oil Change" thread in the "Truck Forum"...

But since it is here, this is my post from the thread on "Oil Changes" in the Truck Forum:

My current CV has a 4.8 V8 and has 380,000 miles on it.... I run Amsoil Synthetic and nothing else...I TRY to change the filter every 5000 mile and add the required oil at that time and normally have to add a quart inbetween filter changes...I change the oil and filter together every 15,000 miles.

Now..I have just bought a new CV with a 6.0 V8. Amsoil as a "protection promise" that if you use their oil and filter and change them at 20.000 mile intervals they will warranty and "oil related" engine failures for up to 200,000 miles...I spoke to an engineering rep from Amsoil to get his suggestions as to if I should change out the OEM oil before I started OTR or wait until the 1st oil change which I would do a 3000 miles since it is a new motor...his recommendation was to run the OEM and then change it and ten follow whatever program I felt comfortable with as long as the filter and oil were both changed out within the 20,000 mile interval....I will be continuing my routine of a filter every 5000 miles and oil and filter at 15,000....it has worked fine on the motor in my current van...but i will tell you, i do miss the exact miles for change from time to time and if i let it go too long, I can see a drop in oil pressure at an idle...that won't happen on the new van....

One other thing, I also ue amsoil trans fluid and Differential gear oil and use a synthetic lube on the ft suspension parts also..

midsouthx · Mar 13, 2011

Thank you All for the great info it is very helpfull, As far me posting this in here I figured Tech Shop would be ok to post it in. It will not happen again. I didnt the the other Thread but next time I will look around so I don't offend anyone.

chefdennis · Mar 13, 2011

No biggie Mid...Tech is for those Electronic gadgets we play with......

greg334 · Mar 13, 2011

midsouthx said:
Thank you All for the great info it is very helpfull, As far me posting this in here I figured Tech Shop would be ok to post it in. It will not happen again. I didnt the the other Thread but next time I will look around so I don't offend anyone.

Hey I got to tell you that my comment was not directed to you at all, it doesn't offend anyone here and we are all here to help everyone and everyone makes some mistakes so no biggie.

However the Mods should have moved the thread before they commented.