2012 RAM 1500 W/ HEMI

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So I just brought an 2012 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I was reading the owners manual and its stating that I should change my oil ever 8,000 miles but the service pple told me to change it ever 3,500 miles.So should I change it ever 3,500 or 8,000 miles? and its all hwy miles and i drive about 50 miles day. Also I was curious about the type of oil it called for, 5w-20? should i stick with that or should i go with 5w-30?
 
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How big is the oil sump in this engine? Is this engine hard on oil?

If you want to do 8K mile OCIs, I'd feel more comfortable doing it with a synthetic 5w-20 instead of mineral 5w-20. Doing it every 3.5K miles is unnecessary, IMO, even if you're only using mineral oil.
 
Cant really say I only have 150 miles on the truck and I havent heard anything about the Hemi being hard on oil.
 
With mostly highway driving, 8k will be possible on standard conventional oil. However, most here would opt for synthetic oil, which will do that much easier.
 
I've never owned a Chrysler product, but if I owned one of these trucks I think I'd stick with the 20 weight recommendation. I have read, but obviously haven't experienced, that the 5W-20 is best for the MDS system on the 5.7 Hemi.
 
Follow the factory recomendations. Your driving is easy I would do what the factory says and don't let the service department"salesman" convince you to change earlier.

If you were sitting around idling the truck all day at a jobsite, pulling a utility trailer with a skid steer on it and generally working the truck hard more times than not then you should listen to the shorter interval recomendation. Normal driving on the roads is not severe.
 
It does have one, which its never accurate and i'd never really trust the computer telling me to change my oil. and yeah its 8k flat
 
You have to stick with 5W-20 in order for the Multi Cylinder Displacement system to work.

8000 miles is way the heck to long to go on oil whether it's highway miles or not.
Check the oil color at 3500 miles and if it's still light colored, keep going until 5000.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You have to stick with 5W-20 in order for the Multi Cylinder Displacement system to work.


+1; the MDS does require the Xw20. As to the change interval, go with what you are comfortable with, keeping within the mileage required in the owner's manual - for warranty protection.

I've always thought that keeping fresh oil in an engine is better; but there are those that will say that letting the oil "break in" is better. Go with what you're comfortable with.
 
semihemi12 said:
So I just brought an 2012 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I was reading the owners manual and its stating that I should change my oil ever 8,000 miles but the service pple told me to change it ever 3,500 miles.So should I change it ever 3,500 or 8,000 miles? and its all hwy miles and i drive about 50 miles day. Also I was curious about the type of oil it called for, 5w-20? should i stick with that or should i go with 5w-30?

You will want to use the 5W 20 as the owners manual states, if it were my vehicle I would go 4,000k and do a UOA at the very least do the OLM/8,000k/6 months which ever one comes first but still do a UOA $13.99 from Napa, $2.40for shipping and it includes a TBN and your questions will start to be answered with facts and less opinion.

Toto.
 
It is complete nonsense to imagine that if you don't use 20w that mds will not work.

Baloney.

We've been hashing it out on the net since 04 and mds is not harmed in any way by heavier oil. Altered in operation, slightly delayed perhaps, but not harmed in any way.

Mds is actually very tolerant of oil weight.
 
Originally Posted By: semihemi12
So I just brought an 2012 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I was reading the owners manual and its stating that I should change my oil ever 8,000 miles but the service pple told me to change it ever 3,500 miles.So should I change it ever 3,500 or 8,000 miles? and its all hwy miles and i drive about 50 miles day. Also I was curious about the type of oil it called for, 5w-20? should i stick with that or should i go with 5w-30?


Actually it is 8000 miles or 6 months; whichever comes 1st. Also, that is the absolute maximum Chrysler allows for. It isn't just 8000 flat as you have to take the time frame into account as well if you reach 6 months before the 8000. The manual actually says to go by the OLM but if it does not trip within 6/8000 to change it. The dealer with their 3500 is just trying to get business from you.

I have had a couple HEMI Ram's( 04 & 08 3rd Gen's so previous 5.7L - 345 HP not the 390HP like your 2012 )and I always just did 5000 OOCI's as it made it easy to remember. It was within the max limits allowed for and I also got some use out of my oil( 3/3000 is too short even for conventional these days ). IMO 5000 is a good OCI while under warranty regardless of the type of oil. However, if you want to run to that 6/8000 IMO use a synthetic. I am not a fan of conventional oils run past 5-6K.

Some on this site will tell you that you can run 30 weight oil BUT Chrysler wants 5W20 run in the 5.7L engines that have MDS. The MDS system operates using the oil( pressure )so IMO it is best to just stick with what the mfg says to run. Your 2012 1500 has MDS so stay with the 5W20. I would not advocate running a 30 weight while under warranty even if it would be ok mechanically( I personally disagree with those who make this claim ). Bottom line is you should follow the owner's manaul at the least while under warranty.

Nice truck. Hope you enjoy it.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
It is complete nonsense to imagine that if you don't use 20w that mds will not work.

Baloney.

We've been hashing it out on the net since 04 and mds is not harmed in any way by heavier oil. Altered in operation, slightly delayed perhaps, but not harmed in any way.

Mds is actually very tolerant of oil weight.


No offense but you say this all the time yet you offer nothing other than opinion on it. Chrysler is specific about only using 20 weight. IMO I will go with what the mfg who designed and built the system says to do.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
It is complete nonsense to imagine that if you don't use 20w that mds will not work.

Baloney.

We've been hashing it out on the net since 04 and mds is not harmed in any way by heavier oil. Altered in operation, slightly delayed perhaps, but not harmed in any way.

Mds is actually very tolerant of oil weight.


Hence the reason to stick with a Xw20. While it might not cause any mechanical harm, you acknowledge that it does effect how it operates. Its counterintuitive and self-defeating to use an oil that is going to hamper the system that is designed to help squeeze out as many MPG possible.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI

No offense but you say this all the time yet you offer nothing other than opinion on it. Chrysler is specific about only using 20 weight. IMO I will go with what the mfg who designed and built the system says to do.

They're also specific about the fuel... at least in my folks '08 RAM. The owners manual lists the recommeded fuel to be 89 octane. It goes on to state that 87 will not cause harm but will impact operation and that using more than 89 octane will provide no benefit.
 
Mine doesn't run any different on 89 vs. 87. Same amount of power and mpg. I do run 89 every 3rd fillup just for the heck of it or depending on what the price is.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
It is complete nonsense to imagine that if you don't use 20w that mds will not work.

Baloney.

We've been hashing it out on the net since 04 and mds is not harmed in any way by heavier oil. Altered in operation, slightly delayed perhaps, but not harmed in any way.

Mds is actually very tolerant of oil weight.


No offense but you say this all the time yet you offer nothing other than opinion on it. Chrysler is specific about only using 20 weight. IMO I will go with what the mfg who designed and built the system says to do.


As I've said numerous times, I use 0W30 and the engine doesn't know the difference. MDS works perfectly as it did on the Factory Fill. I still get 20 mpg on the highway on trips and running back and forth to work, 80% highway I average anywhere from 17.5-18.3 mpg, per my iPhone app. Opinion or not, the fact is I've put over 25k on 0w30 with no issues at all. The Hemi is a awesome engine and runs like a champ.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
No offense but you say this all the time yet you offer nothing other than opinion on it. Chrysler is specific about only using 20 weight. IMO I will go with what the mfg who designed and built the system says to do.


No offense taken. My 'opinion' is based on the ownership of thousands of Hemi buyers who come to our site 300CForums.com. I also hang out at many other Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, etc. sites and have personally interviewed over 100 individuals who actually own these types of vehicles.

Note that I once had lunch with the senior SRT design team at a track event in Homestead back in 2005. They specifically said that the MDS system was not harmed in any way in durability testing for over 200k miles by oils all the way out to 50w!

While it is true it is affected, the effect is so small most drivers will never notice. Ask the people who own them such as posted here.
 
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