Help RAM TRUCK hemi oil Question

[rammo]

Hello fellow member,

I have a question/ oil recommendation i just bought a new ram truck a 2011 with a hemi should i use synthetic oil or conventional oil. My driving condition are this I drive 120 miles a day M-F all highway going around 70 mph with less than 1 mile city to get on the highway.

Thanks Rammo

 

[RamFan]

Conventional. Stick with the MFG OCI recommendation since you are under warranty. Congrats on the new truck!

P.S. Be sure to report your real life MPG in the fuel section, it would be good to see with so much highway driving.

 

[qdeezie]

If it doesn't matter to you personally if you use a conventional or synthetic, go with a stout conventional such as Chevron or Pennzoil.

 

[rammo]

Originally Posted By: qdeezie
If it doesn't matter to you personally if you use a conventional or synthetic, go with a stout conventional such as Chevron or Pennzoil.


with so much highway driving 2400 miles a month i plan on changing frequently so i am not sure if i need syn oil since this is my first hemi and the recommendation of 89 octane i was not sure if i should go synthetic or conventional.

my avg mog is 19.5 but i am not sure if that is real i will do my calculations and report back.

 

[oilboy123]

What does Dodge say on oil change intervals? I would use synthetic and change every 2-3 months. But maybe you want to change more often for warranty. The commute is easy on the oil, so keep that in mind.

 

[rammo]

8k mile or 6 month whichever comes first

 

[OldCowboy]

Your driving pattern is very easy on oil. Use 5W-20 oil meeting Chrysler Material Standard MS-6395 and change the oil when the oil minder tells you to. The only time you need to change earlier is if you hit 8000 miles or 6 months since the last oil change.

 

[caravanmike]

imo i would use conventional.

is that an outdoorsman model?

 

[FZ1]

Use synthetic. It's a better fluid and it may pay for itself with,fractionally, better mpg.

 

[SEBZX79]

You crazy??? if you drive 120 miles a day buy a [censored] TDI that will get 40-45mpg.

120x5=600
600x52=31200

I am sure there is another 10k a year in misc driving for a total of 40K miles

If you get 16mpg that is 2500 gal of regular
Total Cost of fuel at 3.7 a gallong is 9250 a year.


If you get a TDI getting 43 mpg that is 930 gallons at 4 a gallon for total of 3700 dollars or savings of 5500 a year which equals a TDI payment. In 5 years that is savings of 27500 or cost of the truck. You can have a nice truck with no miles and a TDI that is payment for it.

 

[rammo]

Originally Posted By: SEBZX79
You crazy??? if you drive 120 miles a day buy a [censored] TDI that will get 40-45mpg.

120x5=600
600x52=31200

I am sure there is another 10k a year in misc driving for a total of 40K miles

If you get 16mpg that is 2500 gal of regular
Total Cost of fuel at 3.7 a gallong is 9250 a year.


If you get a TDI getting 43 mpg that is 930 gallons at 4 a gallon for total of 3700 dollars or savings of 5500 a year which equals a TDI payment. In 5 years that is savings of 27500 or cost of the truck. You can have a nice truck with no miles and a TDI that is payment for it.




these driving patteren are not going to last 5 years the absolute max is 2 years. i am just asking for now should i use syn or dino. thanks for your concern and calculations showing how much gas i spend and how much i can save driving tdi for 5 years, i can also drive a prius and save more money.

 

[SEBZX79]

Ok so back to the original question...

I would run 0w20 or 5w20 syn and do what ever max change interval in the manual. After warranty is up run 10k mile changes.
Enjoy the new truck!.

 

[Merkava_4]

They want you to run 5W-20, right? If so, MaxLife comes in 5W-20 now. I saw it on the shelf at Wal*Mart.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Wow! Talk about off topic!

No lectures here, we drive what we want to and fully support your decision to drive a nice truck.

With frequent changes synthetic loses all its advantages. So if you like short OCI's then run conventional.

 

[RamFan]

Rammo,
Because you are under warranty using a synthetic and extending your changes is not advisable. Using synthetic for a regular, sub 6k oil change, really wont bring you any advantages with your driving patters.

The best/smartest/cost effective thing to do is look at the sales at every OC and pick the cheapest 5w20 oil that meets MS6395 and choose a good filter.

 

[rammo]

Update on mpg in the summer i was getting 19.3 mpg going 60-65 mph on the highway. In the winter i am getting 18.2 going 60-65. I did a fews week going 70-75 mph i got 18.1 in summer and winter i got 17.4. My tires cold psi was 40 for all tests. I used synthiec oil synpower and pennozil both have no effect on mpg or very little

 

[Zeus103363]

Nice truck! I have a 09 dodge ram crew 4x4 with 33" toyo open country mt's. I am envious of your mpg's! I have been using pp 5w-20 and change when the reminder tells me too. At 70 mph the best I get is 14 mpg! I drive 100 miles a day to work and its all open road. Usually I would have between 6700k and 7400k when the oil change reminder would come on. I have no complaints from the PP, but I have since swaped to chevron supreme synthetic/havoline synthetic. Good luck with the truck.

 

[kkreit01]

My Hemi really liked PP and PU. The extra $10-15 is worth it over dino.