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Coming Up On 40,000

ws6_guy

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ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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Well my 6.0L is just about 40,000 miles, so to keep this thing running great for years more, what all should I do? Its pretty early for spark plugs and stuff like that, but i'm going to do a tranny flush, is it a good time to do so? and is there any specific fluid I should use? and any other suggestions? I never used Mobil 1 oil but i'm wondering if I should start, currently running Royal Purple. Thanks.

AD91158 Enthusiast

AD91158

Posted
Posted

I'm sure this is gonna get bombarded by nay sayers but what the heck. When my 05 2500hd with the 6.0L hit 30k I droped the pan on the transmission, replaced the filter, and added new fluid. A flush just isn't enough for me. I also drained both front and rear diffs, and replaced the gear oil with Royal Purple. I'm a big fan of Royal Purple and use it for everything I possibly can. The oil I drained out of the front looked like choclate milk and reeked, the rear diff had synthetic in it from the factory but still stank. I know GM recomends letting these trucks go until 50k before doing the trans, but I like the peace of mind I get from doing it every 30 k. Other than that there is not to much you can do, except sit on the tailgate and drink beer :thumbs: .

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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haha yeah man. k sounds good. My bud said at about 60,000 to drain the rear and pout royal purple in so i'm thinking of waiting on that till then, or to atleast 50,000. So the most i'm going with for now is trans flush and new filter, then 50k - 60k drain differentials, and just keep taking care of it like i do regularly

wellinghurst Enthusiast

wellinghurst

Posted
Posted

fuel filter of course if you haven't already. Mine was clogged as heck at 44k miles. I haven't done anything with the tranny yet--but will as soon as I decide what to put in it.

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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fuel filter of course if you haven't already. Mine was clogged as heck at 44k miles. I haven't done anything with the tranny yet--but will as soon as I decide what to put in it.

 

 

yeah i'm in that same spot, is there any other fluid thats better to use? or just stock with the factory fluid

wellinghurst Enthusiast

wellinghurst

Posted
Posted
fuel filter of course if you haven't already. Mine was clogged as heck at 44k miles. I haven't done anything with the tranny yet--but will as soon as I decide what to put in it.

 

 

yeah i'm in that same spot, is there any other fluid thats better to use? or just stock with the factory fluid

 

 

The problem I have in deciding is that my brother is a tech at a local GM dealership here and swears that you should just use the regular stuff-that if synthetic was necessary, they would recommend it like some cars do. Then you have the guys who swear by synthetic everything. I've always used regular Pennzoil motor oil my entire life with no problems, so knowing me, I'll just keep the regular stuff in the tranny and diffs too.

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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fuel filter of course if you haven't already. Mine was clogged as heck at 44k miles. I haven't done anything with the tranny yet--but will as soon as I decide what to put in it.

 

 

yeah i'm in that same spot, is there any other fluid thats better to use? or just stock with the factory fluid

 

 

The problem I have in deciding is that my brother is a tech at a local GM dealership here and swears that you should just use the regular stuff-that if synthetic was necessary, they would recommend it like some cars do. Then you have the guys who swear by synthetic everything. I've always used regular Pennzoil motor oil my entire life with no problems, so knowing me, I'll just keep the regular stuff in the tranny and diffs too.

 

 

ok, maybe I should do the same, I dont work my truck I just drive it and use it for a little work, so I guess OEM is good enough, I will be putting royal purple in the rear though.

wht2500hd... Enthusiast

wht2500hd...

Posted
Posted

I have an 03. I tow 7,500 lbs.

 

The maintenance interval is 7500 miles. Grease and rotate tires every 7,500 miles. The DIC tells you when to change oil. The fuel filter gets changed every 30,000 miles; inspect the air filter or check the indicator.

 

A/F gets changed every 5 years or 150,000 miles. It's the only fluid that uses a time schedule for changing (except annual oil changes.)

 

Visually inspect the serpentine belt.

 

Rear axle and trans are done at 50,000 miles. The plugs are good for 100,000 miles.

 

Use synthetic oil or use a blend if the engine never had it before (to avoid leaks if you're worried about that .) The synthetic is probably better if the engine sits alot. I never put enough miles on mine so I only change the synthetic oil once per year.

 

Look at the outside of the fuel filter to see if it looks old; at 40,000 miles it should look like it has only 10,000 miles on it (or just change it) . Follow the advice of the poster who recommended you change it.

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

Posted
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I have an 03. I tow 7,500 lbs.

 

The maintenance interval is 7500 miles. Grease and rotate tires every 7,500 miles. The DIC tells you when to change oil. The fuel filter gets changed every 30,000 miles; inspect the air filter or check the indicator.

 

A/F gets changed every 5 years or 150,000 miles. It's the only fluid that uses a time schedule for changing (except annual oil changes.)

 

Visually inspect the serpentine belt.

 

Rear axle and trans are done at 50,000 miles. The plugs are good for 100,000 miles.

 

Use synthetic oil or use a blend if the engine never had it before (to avoid leaks if you're worried about that .) The synthetic is probably better if the engine sits alot. I never put enough miles on mine so I only change the synthetic oil once per year.

 

Look at the outside of the fuel filter to see if it looks old; at 40,000 miles it should look like it has only 10,000 miles on it (or just change it) . Follow the advice of the poster who recommended you change it.

 

Thank you very much for your post :) What does A/F mean though? Axle Fluid?

Black02Silverado Senior Enthusiast

Black02Silverado

Posted
Posted
I have an 03. I tow 7,500 lbs.

 

The maintenance interval is 7500 miles. Grease and rotate tires every 7,500 miles. The DIC tells you when to change oil. The fuel filter gets changed every 30,000 miles; inspect the air filter or check the indicator.

 

A/F gets changed every 5 years or 150,000 miles. It's the only fluid that uses a time schedule for changing (except annual oil changes.)

 

Visually inspect the serpentine belt.

 

Rear axle and trans are done at 50,000 miles. The plugs are good for 100,000 miles.

 

Use synthetic oil or use a blend if the engine never had it before (to avoid leaks if you're worried about that .) The synthetic is probably better if the engine sits alot. I never put enough miles on mine so I only change the synthetic oil once per year.

 

Look at the outside of the fuel filter to see if it looks old; at 40,000 miles it should look like it has only 10,000 miles on it (or just change it) . Follow the advice of the poster who recommended you change it.

 

 

This pretty much covers it. If you stick to regular fluids then keeping your transmission changed out at least every 40k miles will work great. myself if running regular ATF would change it out every 30k if you are towing or hauling and 50k for regular driving. I call ATF the forgotten fluid since on average most that I have talked to never change it. Now most on here are ones that take care of their vehicles but on average most do not change their ATF.

 

You want to put synthetic back in the rear differential since synthetic came in it from the factory, you don't have to in the front but it wouldn't hurt and since your buying it for the rear just get enough to cover both which should be 5qts. A little over two qts in the rear and just at two qts in the front. I put AMSOIL's Severe Gear 75w-90 in both of mine.

 

One other fluid that most don't mess with and it is up to the individual is the power steering fluid. You can suck out what you can with a turkey baster or what ever else you might have that would work and then top back off with fresh power steering fluid. Royal Purple power steering fluid would work well.

 

Pretty much follow your owners manual and you can't go wrong. Early changing of fluid doesn't hurt especially if you work your truck by hauling and towing a lot of heavy loads.

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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This pretty much covers it. If you stick to regular fluids then keeping your transmission changed out at least every 40k miles will work great. myself if running regular ATF would change it out every 30k if you are towing or hauling and 50k for regular driving. I call ATF the forgotten fluid since on average most that I have talked to never change it. Now most on here are ones that take care of their vehicles but on average most do not change their ATF.

 

You want to put synthetic back in the rear differential since synthetic came in it from the factory, you don't have to in the front but it wouldn't hurt and since your buying it for the rear just get enough to cover both which should be 5qts. A little over two qts in the rear and just at two qts in the front. I put AMSOIL's Severe Gear 75w-90 in both of mine.

 

One other fluid that most don't mess with and it is up to the individual is the power steering fluid. You can suck out what you can with a turkey baster or what ever else you might have that would work and then top back off with fresh power steering fluid. Royal Purple power steering fluid would work well.

 

Pretty much follow your owners manual and you can't go wrong. Early changing of fluid doesn't hurt especially if you work your truck by hauling and towing a lot of heavy loads.

 

ok I think i'm set now. What Anti Freeze would my '05 2500 be running though the same Dex-Cool? My power steering went out last December so I got a new unit so there new fluid there already but I dont think that I would ever end up changing it.

Black02Silverado Senior Enthusiast

Black02Silverado

Posted
Posted
This pretty much covers it. If you stick to regular fluids then keeping your transmission changed out at least every 40k miles will work great. myself if running regular ATF would change it out every 30k if you are towing or hauling and 50k for regular driving. I call ATF the forgotten fluid since on average most that I have talked to never change it. Now most on here are ones that take care of their vehicles but on average most do not change their ATF.

 

You want to put synthetic back in the rear differential since synthetic came in it from the factory, you don't have to in the front but it wouldn't hurt and since your buying it for the rear just get enough to cover both which should be 5qts. A little over two qts in the rear and just at two qts in the front. I put AMSOIL's Severe Gear 75w-90 in both of mine.

 

One other fluid that most don't mess with and it is up to the individual is the power steering fluid. You can suck out what you can with a turkey baster or what ever else you might have that would work and then top back off with fresh power steering fluid. Royal Purple power steering fluid would work well.

 

Pretty much follow your owners manual and you can't go wrong. Early changing of fluid doesn't hurt especially if you work your truck by hauling and towing a lot of heavy loads.

 

ok I think i'm set now. What Anti Freeze would my '05 2500 be running though the same Dex-Cool? My power steering went out last December so I got a new unit so there new fluid there already but I dont think that I would ever end up changing it.

 

 

 

Dex-Cool would be the correct coolant. I know some on here have flushed it out and when with the regular green coolant. If you are still in the warranty period then I would stick with the Dex-Cool.

 

What was the cause of your power steering to go out? Usually that system is bullet proof.

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

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Dex-Cool would be the correct coolant. I know some on here have flushed it out and when with the regular green coolant. If you are still in the warranty period then I would stick with the Dex-Cool.

 

What was the cause of your power steering to go out? Usually that system is bullet proof.

 

ok thank you for your help. Reversing in 4wd and starting up & going with hardly any warm up. For awhile I was hearing a weird sound, and for a week whenever I reversed and turned I heard a knocking sound ( can hear it in one of my videos too ) that also caused my brakes to fail since they use the same pressure so I was left walking home. My mistake though, I was never told about that but I know now atleast and atleast it was covered by warranty

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