Should I trust Jeep engineers on 0W-20?

[Glenda W.]

Deleted.

Just realized op joined yesterday and has started multiple threads on hot topics

 

[CKN]

This thread will be a good addition to the next "thick vs thin" thread tome.

Yea. Most suggestions are silly that are from guys who will never buy a new car, have never owned a new car telling them to use a spec other than what's in their manual in their $ 60,000 to
$ 80,000 plus truck or SUV. Yea " run it with confidence". OK... sure!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Doubtful anything on that engine would fail within the warranty period. Run what you want in it!

Apart from the oil cooler (which can't remotely be blamed on what you're running), the other issues with the engine show up much much later in life.

 

[Glenda W.]

Yea. Most suggestions are silly that are from guys who will never buy a new car, have never owned a new car telling them to use a spec other than what's in their manual in their $ 60,000 to
$ 80,000 plus truck or SUV. Yea " run it with confidence". OK... sure!

Spoken like a true 30/30….

 

[IndyFan]

My Wrangler is 2024 with the 3.6L Pentastar V6. Manual and oil cap say 0W-20 but Pentastars in the past have used 5W-30. What has changed? Does the 0w-20 have more additives to make up for being less thick? And has anything changed on modern Pentastars to make them function with 0W-20? I have 11,000 miles on my Jeep and have been using Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 0W-20 since day one.
Educate noob me and show me the right way.
Thanks!

Oh, I live in Seattle and 90+ degree temperature is only a few days in our short summer.

View attachment 245710

All of the design and testing on the version in your Jeep (PUG) was done on 0w20. There is nothing wrong with 0w20. I've run my 2018 (same PUG version of the Pentastar) exclusively on 0w20 and it is about to hit 100,000 miles. I have run it hard with spirited driving (manual transmission), lots of high rpm sprints, off-road slow crawling in 100+ degrees in the desert with the AC blowing, and I've towed quite a bit with it. I have full confidence this engine will be a 300k+ engine.

I have a close friend with a 2013 with the original gen 1 Pentastar and he has run nothing but 5w20 in it. He's at about 260k miles and it runs like new.

These SP oils are outstanding. I wouldn't waste the energy worrying about it. Pick a good brand and run with it. That Pennzoil Ultra Platinum will handle anything your Pentastar throws at it, without breaking a sweat.

The 3.8 in my JK was designed on 5w30 and when I bought it in 2008, they recommended 5w20. I ran mostly 5w20 for the fist 150k or so and then the last 40k on 0w20. That engine ran like new when I sold it. Again, lots of towing and off-roading in all kinds of conditions.

 

[IndyFan]

Nice Jeep!! Nothing has changed with the engine. You can go to 5w30 or 0w30 without issue. Especially for off-roading.

Not true. The newer PUG in the 2018+ Wrangler and Gladiator did all of their development on 0w20. There were many changes in the engine, particularly in the valve train, mainly to reduce friction and a little bit of weight, and gain and to change the powerband a bit (slightly more torque at low rpm). And this version specs 0w20 all over the world, not just in the US. It has never had anything else recommended, even in the Middle East. That said, I doubt 5w30 would bother it.

 

[Bighorn2500]

Been running 5w30 in a 3.6L Dodge Durango for a couple years.

 

[ATex7239]

Someone found a new toy and is wearing it out…

 

[Glenda W.]

Not true. The newer PUG in the 2018+ Wrangler and Gladiator did all of their development on 0w20. There were many changes in the engine, particularly in the valve train, mainly to reduce friction and a little bit of weight, and gain and to change the powerband a bit (slightly more torque at low rpm). And this version specs 0w20 all over the world, not just in the US. It has never had anything else recommended, even in the Middle East. That said, I doubt 5w30 would bother it.

Sorry I should have been more clear. Nothing has changed specific to his 2024. The thirty weights have run well in our group. Little to no upper rod bearing wear under extreme abuse. High oil temps at slow speed, high rpm off roading.

 

[dbias]

Now that the included dealership oil changes are done on my 2023 JGC I’m moving it to Mobil1 ESP 0w-30 to match my GTI to keep everything in line.

 

[Skippy722]

Yea. Most suggestions are silly that are from guys who will never buy a new car, have never owned a new car telling them to use a spec other than what's in their manual in their $ 60,000 to
$ 80,000 plus truck or SUV. Yea " run it with confidence". OK... sure!

Both mine were under warranty at the time I changed over to HPL, the truck still is. The truck was bought new.

 

[Bill7]

You answered your own question:
The Pentastar was designed for 5w30.

The engineers didn't necessarily write the current owner's manual, it was written with CAFE in mind.

Likely the oil spec in the owner's manual was written by some business analyst instructed by management to save the car company money on CAFE fines.

 

[Jeep Junkie]

All of the design and testing on the version in your Jeep (PUG) was done on 0w20. There is nothing wrong with 0w20. I've run my 2018 (same PUG version of the Pentastar) exclusively on 0w20 and it is about to hit 100,000 miles. I have run it hard with spirited driving (manual transmission), lots of high rpm sprints, off-road slow crawling in 100+ degrees in the desert with the AC blowing, and I've towed quite a bit with it. I have full confidence this engine will be a 300k+ engine.

I have a close friend with a 2013 with the original gen 1 Pentastar and he has run nothing but 5w20 in it. He's at about 260k miles and it runs like new.

These SP oils are outstanding. I wouldn't waste the energy worrying about it. Pick a good brand and run with it. That Pennzoil Ultra Platinum will handle anything your Pentastar throws at it, without breaking a sweat.

The 3.8 in my JK was designed on 5w30 and when I bought it in 2008, they recommended 5w20. I ran mostly 5w20 for the fist 150k or so and then the last 40k on 0w20. That engine ran like new when I sold it. Again, lots of towing and off-roading in all kinds of conditions.

THANK YOU

 

[Jeep Junkie]

All of the design and testing on the version in your Jeep (PUG) was done on 0w20. There is nothing wrong with 0w20. I've run my 2018 (same PUG version of the Pentastar) exclusively on 0w20 and it is about to hit 100,000 miles. I have run it hard with spirited driving (manual transmission), lots of high rpm sprints, off-road slow crawling in 100+ degrees in the desert with the AC blowing, and I've towed quite a bit with it. I have full confidence this engine will be a 300k+ engine.

I have a close friend with a 2013 with the original gen 1 Pentastar and he has run nothing but 5w20 in it. He's at about 260k miles and it runs like new.

These SP oils are outstanding. I wouldn't waste the energy worrying about it. Pick a good brand and run with it. That Pennzoil Ultra Platinum will handle anything your Pentastar throws at it, without breaking a sweat.

The 3.8 in my JK was designed on 5w30 and when I bought it in 2008, they recommended 5w20. I ran mostly 5w20 for the fist 150k or so and then the last 40k on 0w20. That engine ran like new when I sold it. Again, lots of towing and off-roading in all kinds of conditions.

I wish I could do some spirited driving, but I'm a two-door Jeep with a 3.5 in lift on 37" mudterrains. Things get scary on a windy highway
But I do Flex it

 

[IndyFan]

I wish I could do some spirited driving, but I'm a two-door Jeep with a 3.5 in lift on 37" mudterrains. Things get scary on a windy highway
But I do Flex it

View attachment 245856

View attachment 245855

Mine has a 2¨ lift and 35´s, and 4.56 axles, so the spirited driving is really in a straight line, LOL. It´s fun. The engine loves to rev and has a nice kick at 4500rpm. I also have a Magnaflow axle-back that makes it sound pretty decent, so that also encourages my right foot.

It is still surprisingly fun, even after I bought the Vette.

Awesome flex pic there, btw! Love it! What trail were you on?

 

[TomYoung]

Wait till the warranty is over before changing oil weights.

And/or don’t change weights.

 

[Jeep Junkie]

Mine has a 2¨ lift and 35´s, and 4.56 axles, so the spirited driving is really in a straight line, LOL. It´s fun. The engine loves to rev and has a nice kick at 4500rpm. I also have a Magnaflow axle-back that makes it sound pretty decent, so that also encourages my right foot.

It is still surprisingly fun, even after I bought the Vette.

Awesome flex pic there, btw! Love it! What trail were you on?

Fortune Creek 4x4 area, and it leads to that amazing Lake. I met a 392 there, the thing is nuts

 

[Jeep Junkie]

My Jeep is tiny so wind is my enemy. This is where I change my oil, my local parts store, they let me do it but the condition is zero mess. I made some mess and had to clean it really well

 

[IndyFan]

My Jeep is tiny so wind is my enemy. This is where I change my oil, my local parts store, they let me do it but the condition is zero mess. I made some mess and had to clean it really well

View attachment 245863View attachment 245864

That´s awesome!

 

[Jeep Junkie]

I saw this at my Jeep dealer, they are being honest now, no 10k intervals. $250 for 6 oil changes is not a bad deal. But God knows what oil they use, probably the cheapest Pennzoil, not even Platinum