Amsoil!

 

I have always used M1. But I think I will be trying RP in my new truck on the 1st change. I will buy it off EBay though, can save a few $$ if you buy a 5 gallon jug.

 

Eh...

well heres the deal. Whats the oil for really? You must have a specific reason to want to run it? I used Mobil 1 for years, then once Mobil 1 extended performance came out, and it became the Group 4 synthetic (Todays "Extended Performance" is yesterdays normal Mobil 1 full synthetic. Once EP came out, regular M1 became a lower group oil) then I moved over to it.

I run synthetic because I change my oil once a year, every october. Winds up being about 10k-12k miles.

Family did this with 86 toyota 4x4, sold it with 260k miles
Ford escort, donated it running at 208k miles
Doing it in a 03 Ranger 4x4 4.0 v6, its got 98k running like a champ.
Doing it in my current Dakota, its got only 35k on it so far.
Doing it in a saturn sl2 2002, its got 78k miles, all is well.

This saves me time and money, i do one change a year per vehicle, cost around $35-$50 for the change, can usually find a 5 quart jug of m1ep at wallmart for around $30, then a filter. (if im not so lucky, I have to get it at autozone for a bit more $$)

You can really only do this with two synthetic oils IMO. Mobil1, and Amsoil. They are both true PAO synthetic oils, that can withstand extended drains like nobodies business.

Royal purple however is a totally different ball game. you cant run extended drains so its useless to me. I dont think that was ever there goal either, they have more of a race application type oil, designed for small interval changes.

If you want to find out what type and brands of oil a ram, with a certain type of engine can run, and for how longer it can run it (mouthful) Go to the BITOG forums, people have submitted samples to blackstone labs, that proove what oils can survive and how long.

Amsoil and Mobil1 EP nearly always have the best results by a long shot. I think someone went 17,xxx miles on one change with Mobil 1EP in my dakota with a 4.7L and the oil was still in a usable range, it was using a standard oil filter, i think supertech.

If your still a non-believer, Mercedes uses Mobil 1 at there dealerships, and all there cars have a sheduled maintainance oil change of 10,000 miles at a time, for that very reason. (I was a lot boy there when I was younger).

I would also have no problem running amsoil, but no one deals it around where I live, and since I can get Mobil1 EP for around $30 for 5 quarts at walmart, I cant justify spending $8-9 a quart for amsoil, plus shipping. Its the convienience factor.

Anyway, thats what matters to me. I do it to save time and money.

(no im not a f*cking mobil salesman)

 

I agree with your information. Synthetics were designed for racing, towing, off roading and longer periods between oil changes. Large displacement engines like our Hemi hardly see high RPM's, so if you change your oil on schedule, regular oil should be fine. I do my own oil changes religiously, (did my first one on the Ram, not to bad). I usually buy my stuff from Walmart and go with the cheapest brand oil and filter, usually supertech. Never had any engine wear problems in the past 15 years. Here's a question, Dodge recommends 5W-20, I live in deep south Texas, very hot, rarely see below freezing conditions. I would like to run heavier gauge oil maybe 10W-30 or 40 to compensate for the extreme heat. Any suggestions/opinons?

 

Monkeywrench,

Oilchange intervals for the same car (for example VW, BMW or MB) is vastly different between US and Europe. The same car in Europe would have a 10 or 15000m interval where here they claim it to be 5000m. Why is this? Is it purely to generate additional revenue?

I dont think that todays modern marvel engines require an oilchange every 5000m and agree wholeheartedly with your comments about using a good quality oil and change it after 10000m instead.

 

I recall reading something in the MDS addendum that 20 weight is required for correct MDS operation.

 

Yes its purely for revenue. The whole extended drain thing took off over there, not here.

The same engines, with different oil change intervals.

 

This engine is extremely picky about the oil visocosity. The VCT (or VVT depening on your engine) as well as the MDS mechanisms only funciton properly with 5W-20. Using a heavier viscosity WILL cause your engine to perform poorly. Furthermore, heavier viscosities do not necessarily perform better in higher temps in newer engines that are machined to higher specs. In fact the higher viscosity in newer engines will decrease performance as the tighter tolerances make it harder for a more viscous fluid to penetrate between the wear surfaces where lubrication is needed.

 

+1 exactly. Stick to the recommended 5W20.

Also, for most Ram drivers, full synthetic is a total waste of money. The Hemi just doesn't need it.

Now if you're using synthetic b/c you tow or offroad a lot or want to change your oil once a year, then that's fine. I would go with Mobil 1 in that case simply b/c it's chosen by *******ly every car manufacturer requiring synthetic oil.

I plan on changing my oil as indicated by the truck and just using regular 'ole oil. During the summer when I'm towing the intervals might be a little more frequent, but it will still be the cheapest approach.

 

The reason why i am asking about synthetic oil is because i do tow my boat and drive ALOT. About 25-30 thousand a year lol