Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > POWER TRAIN GARAGE FORUMS > Caterpillar Engine Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-13-2017, 05:29 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 28
Blog Entries: 1
Oil change on 3126B

I had the oil changed on my motorhome 22 months ago on my motorhome with Caterpiller 3126B. I have since put less than 2,000 miles on it. Is the risk factor really that important when it comes to the age of my oil?

I'm thinking about doing my own change. I'm assuming the entire job is draining, changing the oil filter and refilling. Anything else I need to know beyond that?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
98Contessa is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-13-2017, 06:54 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Sharpsville, IN
Posts: 204
Quote:
Originally Posted by 98Contessa View Post
I had the oil changed on my motorhome 22 months ago on my motorhome with Caterpiller 3126B. I have since put less than 2,000 miles on it. Is the risk factor really that important when it comes to the age of my oil?

I'm thinking about doing my own change. I'm assuming the entire job is draining, changing the oil filter and refilling. Anything else I need to know beyond that?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
You'll need a big oil drain pan. at least 5 gallon if you have the sheet metal pan on your engine, more if you have the cast pan.. I bought a large drain pan from Amazon.
A large oil filter wrench much larger than a car 5.5" or a strap wrench , the oil filter hold 2.5 quarts.
I poke a hold in the oil filter and let it drain before removing it.
I made special funnel so I can get the oil back in faster.
__________________
Jay Wolf
2000 National Tradewinds 7373
Sharpsville, In
jaywolf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2017, 01:31 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 28
Blog Entries: 1
Today I purchased a 24 quart drain pan for $30 online from Walmart. Thanks much for the tip on punching a hole in the filter. Sounds like the process should be relatively easy . . . Hoping so.
98Contessa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2017, 11:02 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Olympic Peninsula
Posts: 542
I use a 35 quart Sterilite ez carry clear plastic bin from Wmart. It's the perfect size for oil, trans, rear end fluid changes. The best part...it's 7 bucks.
JaminSamin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2017, 03:01 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
apatz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 350
Quote:
Originally Posted by 98Contessa View Post
Today I purchased a 24 quart drain pan for $30 online from Walmart. Thanks much for the tip on punching a hole in the filter. Sounds like the process should be relatively easy . . . Hoping so.
Before you punch a hole in the filter loosen the filter a turn or two. The last thing you want to do is punch a hole in the filter only to find out that the person who last installed the filter had gorilla arms and you can't get it loose.

Don't ask me how I know this.
__________________
2000 Country Coach Intrigue "The Beast"
40 ft Cooks Delight - 350HP ISC Cummins
Coach #10984
apatz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2017, 03:54 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 28
Blog Entries: 1
Wished I saw this before making the mistake of punching a hole in the filter. I did indeed find the filter was very difficult to get off. I had to pay someone $100 just to remove the filter. That's after spending $50 on different tools to remove it myself. After all was done, I spent over $300 to change my own oil. Now that I did the whole process and bought all of the necessary tools, I'm believing my next oil change should be under $80. I'm happy just the same to know that I no longer need to depend on someone else the next time. Thanks much for your response.
98Contessa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2017, 07:36 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
ftodaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 718
I have changed my oil a few times, I have not had to punch a hole in the filter, if you unwind it slow it will retain the oil and i just dump it out once off. As far as getting the old filter off I use a large pair of channel lock pliers its easy. Also just hand tighten the new filter the gasket expands and you do not need to get it to tight.

Which leads me to my next comment. I had been buying my oil filters at NAPA. I went over to the CAT dealer got the OEM Cat high performance filter for more that half the NAPA price.
NAPA 32.60 Cat 16.40.

Also while i was there I picked up a spare water pump belt and alternator belt.
__________________
Frank, Columbus, Ohio
2001 Itasca Horizon Cat 3126B 330hp, 2018 Jeep GC Limited, EPS harness or 24' Enclosed Car Hauler
ftodaro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2017, 11:09 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
apatz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 350
The issue with my engine is that the only access to the oil filter is underneath. You have to contort your body yo maximum reach to get to it. It's hard to get a ranch on it. And finally, the filter contains a gallon of oil. A fun time was had by all!
__________________
2000 Country Coach Intrigue "The Beast"
40 ft Cooks Delight - 350HP ISC Cummins
Coach #10984
apatz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2017, 08:43 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 446
I would not punch a hole on the filter. I change the oil on my coach and what I done, I bought a plastic oil catch container at Walmart. Mine only holds five gallons so it is not all that bad to drain and pull it out from underneath the coach. I lay big sheets of plastic also in case some oil splashes out. Then I go to the oil filter which holds about two quarts. I had to purchase a real heavy duty oil filter remover which is like four inch metal strap, you insert a ratchet extension and attach a ratchet with a cheater bar so that you can have leverage. Also apply a piece of cloth between the metal filter and the metal strap tool to prevent it from slippage. It will come right off. Once you break it lose, you can just turn it by hand and keep another bucket under to catch any oil that might come through once you loosen the filter. Then I take the old oil to Walmart to have it recycled or what ever they do with it.

I change the oil every twelve months does not matter if I only have a couple of thousand miles on it.

It costs me around eighty dollars to do it myself.
__________________
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 38'
Neway Freightliner chassis, 2018 Buick Envision Ess.
3126-E Caterpillar 330 hp
RayChez1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 02:21 PM   #10
Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Michigan/Arizona
Posts: 90
We had a 2000 Dutchstar with the CAT 3126B engine. We would do yearly oil filter changes with a oil sample . Never did wear out the oil, but would change it around 15,000 miles. Oil sample results showed the oil was wearing out, but there was always lots of miles left on after changing.
DennyR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2017, 03:47 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: silverdale wa.
Posts: 1,163
I would also suggest that you be very, very careful about how much pressure you put on the oil filter with the strap wrench. A friend of mine, who always does his own LOFs, put the strap wrench on the oil filter and reefed down on it and crunched the filter to the point where it came off. He spent the better part of the afternoon on his back under that MH trying everything he could think of to get the rest of the filter off, till I suggested that he use a dull metal chisel and mallet and working very carefully, finally got it off.
__________________
Bigdog
2001 National Tradewinds 7390 LTC
2002 Subaru Legacy outback Limited stick
bigdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
3126B Oil Pressure tbethurum Caterpillar Engine Forum 32 05-02-2022 08:04 AM
Leak from oil cooler 3126B DJJ Caterpillar Engine Forum 4 09-22-2014 06:22 PM
Oil filter for 3126B datrbone8 Caterpillar Engine Forum 11 07-25-2014 09:01 AM
replace 3126B huey oil line greezykid Caterpillar Engine Forum 5 03-27-2013 04:29 PM
oil in airlines? 99 beaver cat 3126b TDiGuy Caterpillar Engine Forum 14 03-17-2010 09:14 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.