6.7L Cummins Forum

I recently had my 2010 Ram 3500, 6.7 l TD in for servicing ( oil and filter) at a dealership. I got into a discussion with the service people about the inconsistancy of the EVIC oil change required message. They told me the same as I have read on this forum that the change oil messages often don't make sense ( display too frequently or not frequent enough) and they instruct most customers on how to reset the message and to just adhere to a sensible oil change frequency that does not exceed the milage/kilometers set out in the service guide. Now for the interesting part, I was told that a reliable source from within Dodge / Chrysler has indicated that starting with the 2012-2013 Ram 2500/3500 vehicles, with the Cummins 6.7l TD, the ECM will be programmed to activate the oil change requied indication after a specified number of miles/kilometers ie: just shy of the reccommended not to exceed number. It was not known if existing systyems could be programmed ( flashed) the same as the new one. What do you think, Urban Legend, Myth, or Fact??

I've never worried about an indicator telling me when to change oil. I've been changing my oil for years on diesel and gas engines at 5k miles (easy to remember watching odometer). The main thing on diesel engines is to use a good oil and change regularly. If I'm pulling alot in extreme heat (Texas) I may change my oil at 3k miles just to make sure the oil has not broken down. If you do this you'll have many years of worry free driving.

It only took me a month to figure out that warning was a waste.

__________________

2007.5 Dodge Ram 3500 HD,QC, 6.7L Cummins, 6speed Auto, 4X4, Bighorn Edition.
Click for installs: Carr Steps PML Diff Cover Edge Juice with Attitude Volant Intake Hankook ATM RF10

Wetting your finger and holding it up in the air will give you about the same accuracy as the oil change indicator. My truck has almost 140,000 KMs on it, half of which was put on towing an 8,000 lb travel trailer. Much of the towing was done here in Alberta on #2 highway between Edmonton and the south end of the province. In other words the same load, same road, same conditions, etc. The oil change indicator would come on at various intervals between 800 KMs and 8500 KMs. I always cancel it and change oil, filter and bypass filter at 10,000 KMs. It was interesting to see that after having the J35 upgrade done, there was more consistency. It now seems to come on at 7,500 KMs to 9,000 KMs. The oil monitor is one of those annoying things that works in California but up here it's a POS, just like the TPM systems. JMHO.

__________________
2007 Ram 2500 QC 4x4 SLT TRX4-Offroad 6.7L Automatic. '08 Jeep WK 3.0L diesel-wife's DD.
1998 Jeep ZJ 4.0L Automatic Selectrac-project for our son. '98 Jeep XJ-my wife's former DD.
1965 Dodge Polara 880 Convertible 383 Automatic.