How much oil in the 5.9, and whats the best type to use?
 

Im embarased to say I have never changed the oil in my truck by myself, always had a quick lube place do it (im lazy).

Just got a sweet new 3-ton Jack for my birthday and wana DIY my next change.

Whats the best type to use? It has 250,000KM's (150,000 miles I think), and how much oil does it take? I was thinking Quakerstate high milage 10w30...Please advise if theres something better to use.

Thanks!

EDIT: also, it gets damn cold here in the winter, are there better oils to use in summer/winter?

5 qt's of regular 10w30 is fine.

10W30 is too thick, especially if you experience the good 'ol canadian winters. 5w30 is whats recommended...

10w30 is fine for summer.

I wasn't told there would be any math involved in this discussion.

That and the OP edited his post after I replied.

It usually takes about 5 quarts, but I add 4 and then start it up to let it run just for a few seconds to fill the oil filter and then I check it and add until I'm satisfied with the level. Most times it actually takes about 4 3/4 quarts, and not exactly 5.

I run 10w-30 in mine as that's what the manual calls for in my 01.

You may or may not need to actually jack the truck up to change the oil. Mine is slightly higher than stock as it has a 3" lift and 33" tires, but I have plenty of room to get under there and do it without jacking the truck up, and I don't think a few inches lower would make much of a difference. That being said, if you do have to jack it up, never get under a vehicle with it supported on the jack. Make sure that you are using jack stands to support the vehicle before getting under it. That's my public safety announcement for the day.

+1 on jacking it up. If you don't have to don't. More crap will come out if it's sitting level(plus the safety factor). Also warm the engine up a little before hand and let it drain a good half hour or so.


And if you have the cross member right there, take the oil filter out of the box and fold the box to guide the oil into your drain pan.

OP don't worry i don't change my own oil either. hard to beat a sub $20 oil change around town

What a wimp;) What kind of oil and filter do you get for that 20 bucks?

I put synthetic 10w-30 in it and my oil pressure varies significantly now, I dont think it's a big deal

i know man but i just can't drop $40+ for an oil change! i know its not, but to me oil is oil is oil LOL!

You really don't need to use synthetic oil. Dino is fine. Dino has come a long way since the old days, and lubes and cleans just as good as syn. JMO, but Valvoline and Castrol are good brands and more than adequate.

Anyone pay out the big bucks for the Mopar brand Oil Filters?

Use a Wix or Mopar or Napa Gold(which is a Wix). Or if you have a choice and can get one Baldwin.

Yes, and for the Love of Mike DON'T use Fram. Nothing but overpriced garbage.

Unfortunately I'm using that over priced garbage. But I've not had any problems so far.

I almost think that if you don't have time to change the oil yourself or the desire it's one of the few things that you can't save much money on doing yourself. Even buying a Purolator Classic Filter for $4 or so, and cheap oil at Walmart for $12 or so you are up to $16, so if you can find an oil change for $20 or under, there isn't much savings to be had.

That being said, I do my own oil changes because I don't trust shops like that and there are too many horror stories of them not actually changing the oil/filter, and or problems of them forgetting to put the filter on, stripping out the oil pans drain plug hole, etc. This stuff makes me worry enough that I'd rather just do it myself and not have to worry about if it was done correctly as I know it is.

As for brands of and filters, pretty much everything I've ever read that's tested oil filters has said that Wix is the best. The Napa Gold filters also are, or were last time I checked Wix filters. That being said, I personally use Purolator Pure One filters most of the time and I like them just because they are easier for me to get than Wix, and I've never had an issue with them.

The Mopar filters are just other brands with the Mopar name stamped on there. There really isn't a difference.

As for Fram, I'd never run that crap on my vehicle. They are pretty much the biggest POS oil filter you can buy from all of the tests I've ever read about them, and more people have had problems than I like to hear about. You can get a much better filter for not much if any more money.

Other than most people being able to agree on Fram being basically crap, both oil filter and oil are highly debated items where everyone has their own preference. If you ask 50 people what they think is best you will get 50 answers.

I used to run only Royal Purple in my truck and almost always either Napa Gold or Purolator Pure One filters. I still changed the oil and filter ever 3k miles or so. This gave me peace of mind, but it was costing me $45 or so for an oil change, and it was really starting to add up. After I started having an injector make noise in the cold, I decided that running premium oil for most of the life of the vehicle had obviously done nothing, so I decided then to quit spending that much on an oil change for this truck and I switched back to regular oil. I now run the Super Tech oil Walmart sells in the truck and I still run a Pure One filter. Now my oil changes cost me about $17 if I get the filters when they are on sale. It's a big savings when I noticed absolutely no difference, and the premium oil didn't seem to do anything to make it last any longer anyway.


That being said, I do still run Royal Purple oil in my main car, but I started pushing it to 5k miles instead of the 3k mile interval I had been doing, so it offsets the cost some.

I know others who prefer Mobil 1 to Royal Purple, and others who like Rotella. Like I said, it's all really just a personal opinion for most people.

My best advice is to check out the site Bob Is the Oil guy, or whatever that site is called. It's got lots of great info.

I do my own oil changes and I will say my truck is the hardest to change the oil on out of all I've done. Changing the oil on my wife's Buick Century is easier.

They got the oil pan square in the middle of the front pretty much in line with the wheels (I know it's where it's supposed to be, with the engine and all) just a pain to get to with running boards and a 4x2 with no lift and one that isn't leveled. However it seems coming in from the front between the wheels makes life easier.

Plus the drain plug is in the front of the pan, and unless there is an advantage to that (please feel free to explain if there is) it would seem the truck needs to be fairly level to drain, making using ramps or having the truck on an upward incline (like a little dirt hill to help with clearance) difficult, seems the oil would go to the back of the pan with the drain plug in the front.

And the oil filter placement isn't any better either. Still, rather do it myself then pay $40 or more to a shop.

On my Jeep's 5.9 i use Castrol GTX dino oil, and the Purolator Pure one filter (the yellow one). I've heared using synthetic on these motor's gives you better gas mileage but i dunno if i want to switch to synthetic. Not sure what its like under a dodge truck, but the oil filter placement on my Jeeps 5.9 is pretty easy to get too... same motor so i dunno why you guys say its hard to get too, is there something in the way for you ?

I know on the 4.0 Inline 6 its like super easy haha i love that engine

I dont really like spending $35 on changing my own oil when shops charge like $20. But then i dont trust shops with my motor.

It's above the frame on the passenger side, surrounded by other stuff, just not a lot of room to operate.

Well there 4 bucks, so no i dont pay the big bucks, i pay the few bucks. lol

Where do you get them for $4? They're almost $10 at my local Wal-Mart.

There 4 and some cents at my local walmart haha, and that aint no ****

Well I'm using the garbage Fram filter anyways.

And to the OP, stay AWAY from Jiffy Lube!!!

I go to an independent shop here in town, get valvoline oil, and wix filters, plus a chassis lube, and topping off the various fluids, all for 22 bucks. Last time I bought oil and filter, it was almost 20..... for the couple extra bucks, I am more than happy to have a thorough job done, while I sit comfortably, and read a book.....

Of course, I don't move as well as I used to any more.....

A shop I used to go in Va would do a full service oil change and lube for almost $50.

That's before I learned how to do it myself though.

If you can find somewhere like this that you trust to actually do the work, I almost think it's the way to go.

If you are like me and don't trust the cheaper shops in your area, or they want $40-50 for an oil change, then it's an advantage to doing it yourself.

As for this truck being hard to change the oil one, I'm sure mine is slightly easier since it's lifted, but I don't find this truck difficult at all. In fact it's pretty easy imo. I don't think you will have a problem with it.

Don't worry they aren't that bad, you just won't find anything worse is all.

Don't forget to check for the gasket stuck on the engine, it seems the fram filter gaskets like to come off the filter and stick on, even when the gasket is oiled during install. I have only seen this with frams and have seen it multiple times.

When I quit using fram I got rid of 95% of my lifter clatter after the truck sits for several days.

How often do you guys change your oil? I do mine every 5,000 miles and use 5w30 cheapo oil.

I try and keep it up every 3000 or so......

Same thing, 3000 - 3500, which ever comes first. ;)

I change my oil more often than some people, but not as often as others.

LOL


I know there is a dirty joke in there somewhere. ;)

I have to add a few quarts of oil every 1000 miles or so because of that nasty plenum of mine. But I do a full change every 3000-4000. I use Napa Gold filter and Napa Oil. 10-W30 year round. I don't trust shops to do it. All it takes is for them to forget to check the old filter to make sure the rubber seal came off with the filter to ruin your day.

Ah, but then, I in turn, get to ruin theirs, when they put another motor in my truck. :D

If Jiffy Lube is up to their tricks then we just gotta take an vehicle with an engine about to crap itself in for an oil change and hope they forget to add oil or something.

I have dealt with Jiffy Lubes insurance company on more than one ocassion. :D They are not the nicest people, but, being the arsehole, post-whore, troll that I am, I actually enjoyed it. :icon_razz:

+1 This is very true!

Might be worth it. :)