First oil change!

[folivier]

Just completed my first oil change. I keep the coach at my house under a cover attached to my barn. I recently extended the rear of the cover 5'. This gave me about 4' without slab which is a 4' "mini-pit". I was able to use a wal-mart tub to catch the oil, installed the Fumoto valve (should make the next change easier), changed the filter. Surprised when I loosened it and about a quart leaked out. Fortunately I had a bucket under it to catch the filter since I knew it would be full. Pre-filled the filter and installed it. I added 6 gallons, showed full. Ran engine a few minutes, checked level and it is about 3/4 of the way up from the L to the H mark. The amount removed is about 6 gallons. Hmmm, I thought it would be closer to 7 gallons, Does this sound right?When I bought it last year the dealer changed the oil and it showed about 1/2" above the H mark on the dipstick. Over 4500 miles the engine used/burnt this oil (my Miata was covered in oil/crud when we got to Creede, not as bad when we got home). I'll watch the level closely the next couple trips.

[zcasa]

Hey Forest:

My 8V92 held 9 gallons of oil and two gallons in the reserve tank. There have been other postings that said not all pans were alike. 3 gallons difference seems like a lot to me, but do you have the 8V92?

[chockwald]

There was a very thoughtful discussion on diesel pusher oil usage on RV.net recentely.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/23897924.cfm

The consensus seems to be that each engine has a sweet spot. If you overfill beyond that sweet spot the engine will throw off the oil. Once it hits its sweet spot the oil usage virtually stops. I have noticed that when I insist on filling mine up to the full mark it throws off the oil until it gets down 2 quarts, then it seems stop for long time. Would be interested others thoughts after you read the discussion (see the link in parenthesis above) as well as your experiences with this issue.

[fulltiming]

Clarke, your experience is not unusual. I find that my oil consumption is significantly greater when I fill the oil over the midpoint between the L and the F mark which are 4 quarts apart on my stick.

[Richard and Rhonda]

Yep, I can fill mine up to the H mark, and it will use oil till it gets 2/3 way down to the L mark, then it stops using oil. It won't use another quart for 5000 miles after that.

I believe in the sweet spot theory.

[larryweikart]

I have 265,00 miles on my series 60 and unbelievably it has never used or thrown oil. The dipstick has always remained at the top reading. Once I was alarmed to find I was down almost to the add line but after discussing with my trusted mechanic, I found out that because it had been idle so long the oil can breakdown (viscosity?) thereafter I would start the engine and run for a while, while in storage, and it never happened again.

[tuga]

My series 60 does not use any oil. I was amazed when I first got it because with my 8V92s (1993 Newell and 1987 Newell) they would sling oil on the driver's side of the tow car. I had never heard of the "sweet spot" concept, but it sure seems like it makes sense. If I still had an 8V92 I would surely try it.

Forest,

I can't comment on why your oil gallons didn't equal out. But I can make a suggestion next time you change your oil filter: try taking a phillips screwdriver and a hammer and punching holes in the bottom of the oil filter that you are getting ready to change. Let all of the oil drain out for a few minutes, and it will be less messy when you unscrew it.

[Wally Arntzen]

When I first got my 88 about 6 years ago I kept it at the full mark and would get a lot of oil on my car when towing. I was at Newell getting some work and asked about the oil mess and was told to fill it to the add mark only. I have never had any oil on my car since, and I may use 2 quarts of oil in 2000 miles which is better than normal.