2010 Hemi Towing

[rraiderr]

My 2010 Grand Cherokee with the Hemi engine recommends 5W-20 due to the MDS system.

I have been using Amsoil 5W-20XL and wix filters.

I do quite a bit of towing and when using the tow/haul mode it disables the MDS system.

Since the MDS system is not being used when towing and towing works the motor harder would I be better off/safer going to 30W or am I safe towing with a 20W oil?

I would like to keep this vehicle for years so I would hate to think I am harming the motor towing with 20W.

Thanks

 

[Gene K]

Your not hurting it unless the oil temp gets to high. Anything over 250F is to high (I assume you can monitor it on EVIC) and I would prefer to keep it 230F or less.

 

[Highline9]

I heard that as long as oil presure is below 75 psi mds will operate. My challenger runs 52 psi at 70 mph 2200 rpm when engine is at operating temp with PU 5w20. I belive up to a 40wt would be ok. The srt8 is speced for a 5w40 or a 0w40 I think. Hope that helps. Im gonna run rotella T5 10w30 next time around. Oil runs around 195F. flat hwy. Going up Cajon pass i have seen 235f. I ran a fram oil filter in a pinch and lost 6 psi of oil presure. So i would stay away from fram. If you wand to run a larger oil filter there is some options. I went to a std thread oil filter on challenger to run larger filters and cheaper.

 

[Highline9]

Originally Posted By: Gene K
Your not hurting it unless the oil temp gets to high. Anything over 250F is to high (I assume you can monitor it on EVIC) and I would prefer to keep it 230F or less.


My challenger runs 235 on cajon pass 5 to 7 % grade. Towing gotta get it to probably 250

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Highline9
I heard that as long as oil presure is below 75 psi mds will operate. My challenger runs 52 psi at 70 mph 2200 rpm when engine is at operating temp with PU 5w20. I belive up to a 40wt would be ok. The srt8 is speced for a 5w40 or a 0w40 I think. Hope that helps. Im gonna run rotella T5 10w30 next time around. Oil runs around 195F. flat hwy. Going up Cajon pass i have seen 235f. I ran a fram oil filter in a pinch and lost 6 psi of oil presure. So i would stay away from fram. If you wand to run a larger oil filter there is some options. I went to a std thread oil filter on challenger to run larger filters and cheaper.


The 2010 SRT8 is a 6.1L HEMI. No MDS on the 6.1L.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: rraiderr
My 2010 Grand Cherokee with the Hemi engine recommends 5W-20 due to the MDS system.

I have been using Amsoil 5W-20XL and wix filters.

I do quite a bit of towing and when using the tow/haul mode it disables the MDS system.

Since the MDS system is not being used when towing and towing works the motor harder would I be better off/safer going to 30W or am I safe towing with a 20W oil?

I would like to keep this vehicle for years so I would hate to think I am harming the motor towing with 20W.

Thanks



You will be just fine continuing on with the Amsoil XL 5W-20. There is absolutely NO need to change what you have been doing or to run a non spec'd oil weight in your engine and mess with warranty. No 30 or 40 weights needed or advisable.

You have a max towing capacity of 7200lbs( 4WD )or 7400lbs( 2WD ). The HEMI can handle that without a lot of problems. It isn't like you are trying to tow a 5th wheeler and 10,000+ daily with some 250HP/275FTLBS little anemic engine. This is a 360HP/390FTLBS HEMI.

5W-20, especially a quality synthetic, is all you need. Don't worry about it and stay within your owner's manual requirements/spec's. If 5W-20 was not up to towing the max weight for the vehicle they would either lower the towing weight or offer an alternative oil weight( like they do in the HD Ram HEMI's ).

If you are really concerned have an oil cooler installed.

 

[rraiderr]

Thanks guys.