Im going to try and change my oil today but I dont know how much to put back in. Also, im using 15w-40. Is that ok? What about oil additives? Is there anything else I should know? I looked everywhere for this info and cant seem to find any. Thanks guys!!

 

15W40 is fine.

If it's a good name brand oil then additives are unnecessary.

Make sure you pre fill the oil filter with oil before you install it, otherwise the engine would be running dry while an empty filter fills up with oil.

As far as oil capacity, on a C12, many different oil pans may be used in different makes and models of trucks, so just keep pouring in oil and check the dipstick frequently while doing so, until the oil is at the full mark.

Keep track of how many gallons it takes to fill it, then next time you know how much to put in.

After you fill it, run the engine, check for leaks at the filter gasket, then shut it down, let it sit for awhile and recheck the dipstick.

Add oil if necessary to bring it back to the full mark.

PS: Make sure the drain plug is tight!!!!

 

Make sure it's a ci-4 or cj-4 rated 15w40.

A synthetic 5w40 would be even better. Make sure that one is ci-4 or cj-4 rated as well.

I'd recommend chevron delo 400 for a 15w40.

 

my cat manual says the deep oil sump holds 36 quarts
the shallow pan holds 32 quarts. and the center oil sump type pan holds 36 quarts. you will need a container that will need to hold at least 9 gallons of oil when you drain it. The manual says to run the engine first so that if there is any settlements at the botton of the pan it will get mixed up in the oil and drained with the oil. that way you don't contaimet the new oil. hoped this helped.

 

Pre Filling Filters...

Hmm, sounds like a good debate, I used to prefill until a tech pointed out the fact that I was exposing the engine and fuel system to unfiltered fluids.... I thought about it, and stopped doing it.

:lol:

 

They are filtered by the factory, and as long as you dont contaminate the oil or filter yourself, there will be no problem


Pre-fill is the way to go :wink:

 

That helps a lot, thanks fellas!!

 

that is the very reason that cat does not want their filters pre-filled. filling the filter through the 'outer ring' of the filter eliminates this 'unfiltered oil' problem, but takes all day to fill

furthermore, when you re-start the engine following the oil change the engine is only cranked, started, and then set to run at idle speed until the oil pressure appears on the gauge... no load on the oil saturated bearings, so no damage


i.e. - I fill my fuel filters, but often not my oil filters

 

Cat engines have a hand pump to purge the air from the fuel system witch is a nice feature that I used when I did my own P.M.

The techs at my current job use a 100 gal. fuel tank with a filter so the fuel is filtered going into the new filter.

Is it true that using compressed air to the fuel tank would push the fuel thru the system ?

 

As for myself, I'll continue to pre fill the oil filter(s).

That's how I've always done it, that's how I will always do it.

The thought of the bottom end running without oil while the filter fills up disturbs me.

And regarding the possibility of exposing the engine to unfiltered fluids, I believe that possibility is remote, as long as proper cleanliness is maintained while filling them.

Actually, if proper care is not exercised, dirt could fall into an unfilled filter too, during installation.