2015 Sprinter oil change time

Wine Country

Active member
My 2015 Winnebago View does not get a lot of miles. My dash computer sys I have 14,000 miles until I do a Service A. Will this system tell me a time interval like 30 days to service.
Is the oils changes yearly or longer.
KH 2015 View
 

mikesprints

Active member
I believe i read 20,000 or 1 year intervals on the '15 models. My '07 did not give days till service, just miles. Blow by gases, condensation will degrade motor oil so it can get contaminated. On a motor home I'd be more inclined to have it changed before it was going to be stored for the longest duration.
 
I have the same question/concern about oil change frequency on my 2016 (2015 chassis) Itasca Navion. It currently has about 2600 miles (1900 in transit from factory to west coast). We'll likely drive it 2 thousand miles this summer. Of course some conventional wisdom is to replace the oil and filter sooner than later, but wondering in all reality in this situation what might be a reasonable mileage/time interval? By the way, even though it doesn't get used much through the winter we do take it out for a 30-40 mile drive every month. It's stored outside in mild Oregon climate.

Thanks for any and all advice.
 

Old Crows

Calypso 2014 View Profile
20K sounds right..... I'd go to Blackstone Labs and do a lot of reading on oil analysis. The MB spec oils (229.51/52) can easily go the distance. OA on both my RVs has demonstrated the oil is still serviceable @> 10K....time immaterial. Could easily make 15K +.

I've concluded that with the EXCEPTION of rare and highly extreme situations.....OC based on time is wasteful and environmentally irresponsible. If you are concerned.....do an OA.

Back in the mid-80s, I was fortunate to Command a Head and Head Company in the Army Reserve and serve as an XO for an SF Group HQ. OK, I'll even add in S-1, Motor Officer & 15 other "duties as assigned" in an SF Company. Maybe a total of 35 vehicles over ~ 6 years...... They were like RVs.... They sit around for weeks/months at a time in motor pool. Got exercised maybe every 6 - 8 weeks (maybe!). They were rotated for duties to even out the miles..... But some got much more miles than others. Some only a few dozen a year. They were old school 5/4 ton Willys...Chevy 3/4 ton diesel PUs, diesel Blazers, deuce and a half multifuels, a 5 tonner multifuel, and one M-151-A1 1/4 ton. Some of these vehicles NEVER had an OC during my tour because they tested OK on annual oil analysis. Time means nothing..... Sitting means nothing.....weather means very little.

Going on.... The loss of the Lady Be Good may be a case example. Fifteen years in the desert.... The oil, hydraulic & fluid were still serviceable. (and the coffee drinkable!!!!!!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Be_Good_(aircraft)

OAs are the best tool for determining OCs. Mileage is a convienient tool for determining OCs on vehicles. Time is meaningless unless you are running a stationary engine, boat or aircraft where you are counting hours....'cuz it's the only tool.

..... and I'll add a couple more points... Critical failure points that made vehicles NOT MISSION CAPABLE were rubber parts & software (tarps, vinyl bits, belts) and batteries!!!!! Or, change orders for upgrades/mods where the stinkin' kits, parts, equipment, or upgrades were in the "pipeline." We just used MOGAS and diesel from the local station. Tanks full. Some fuel was likely in the tanks before I enlisted...the first time. No additives or fluff added to the fuel.

All these vehicles deployed to Desert Storm/Desert Shield in the First Persian Gulf War....and had their wheels run off in a "come as you are war." If these vehicles crapped out for any reason other than a battery crash (we had jumpers and slave cables) we would have been SOL and foot mobile in the middle of a big fat desert...... All vehicles returned to their units and did their duty until they were eventually retired ..... Probably still running in the same oil they deployed with...

I recall two failures...punctured tire on a deuce. Repaired and re-tubed at the Saudi version of a shade tree mechanic for a handful of greenbacks and carton of Winstons. The other was a Hummer (think rental car) that blew the oil line from the engine to the hydraulic motor on the cooling fan. (POS design for a combat vehicle, IMHO. Break the line and you are SOL... No motor and no cooling... Brilliant!!!)

But one should do as they are led....regarding their own OCs.
 
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