'04 hemi oil

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buddy just bought an '04 single cab 1500 dodge 5.7 hemi (non MDS), 123k miles. He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard, and its seems that alot of people run GC, T5 10W30 and M1 0W40 in the 5.7s with success. 5 and 10W30 Ultra also seem like a good choice. So, out of THESE oils mentioned above, which would be optimal to use? He has a daily commute of 30 miles each way to work.
 
Mobil 1 is overpriced in my opinion. What drain intervals will he see? Any towing with this truck? I'd say any 5w30 conventional would be fine in that engine.

Of the choices you listed, I would chose the Rotella T5 10w30.

The Hemi is a great engine.
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Of the oils you listed, depending on his interval I'd go with T5 for 6k/6mo or less. 5w30 Ultra for OCIs longer than that.
 
I had that exact truck except mine was 4wd. I bought it from the first owner. Truck had 240k when I bought it and over 270k when I totalled it.
It had dealer bulk oil changes its entire life 5w-20 conventional. Truck ran like a dream and consumed no oil at all.
I suggest 5w-20,in whatever flavour he likes best. That truck has a monster oil cooler and there is no need whatsoever to go any thicker than the dodge specified grade.
Every fluid has a cooler on that truck. Its the ideal specimen for thin fluids. They don't get hot enough to affect film strength whatsoever.
I could touch the oil with my fingers after driving all day.
That truck will never get the oil hot enough I don't care how he beats on it. Buy whatever 5w-20 is on sale and don't give it a second thought.
My hemi is the only reason I bought my charger. The engine is going to outlast the body,might as well enjoy a slight fuel economy benefit running a 20 grade. Going thicker is pointless. Its not going to increase the lifespan at all.
I suggest pennzoil products. Great stuff.
I'm going tone using tgmo in my charger this winter.
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
buddy just bought an '04 single cab 1500 dodge 5.7 hemi (non MDS), 123k miles. He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard, and its seems that alot of people run GC, T5 10W30 and M1 0W40 in the 5.7s with success. 5 and 10W30 Ultra also seem like a good choice. So, out of THESE oils mentioned above, which would be optimal to use? He has a daily commute of 30 miles each way to work.


Those oils are too thick. In a 30 mile commute the oil will barely get hot. The hemi was built for a 20 grade,going thicker is pointless.
I had one of those trucks. The engine will go 1/2 million miles using 5w-20. No doubt in my mind.
Tell him to use mos2. Thank me later.
I had this truck. I'm speaking from experience
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard ...


So by that do you mean he has a heavy foot and races around? So what. 5W-20 all day.

Now if you mean he pulls a 10,000 lb trailer hundreds of miles, maybe you could justify moving to a 30 grade. Maybe, but probably not. Most likely not.
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
i thought the early 5.7 hemis were specd for 5W30. could be wrong though.


Yep. You're wrong. The only hemi's that aren't spec'd for a 20 grade are the SRT versions and that's due to oil temps going thru the roof in a racing situation.
The truck hemi has an oil cooler. I towed over 6000 pounds across the country and couldn't elevate the oil temps enough to burn my fingertips.
5w-20 or 0w-20 in arctic winter conditions
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
i thought the early 5.7 hemis were specd for 5W30. could be wrong though.


Yep. You're wrong. The only hemi's that aren't spec'd for a 20 grade are the SRT versions and that's due to oil temps going thru the roof in a racing situation.
The truck hemi has an oil cooler. I towed over 6000 pounds across the country and couldn't elevate the oil temps enough to burn my fingertips.
5w-20 or 0w-20 in arctic winter conditions

Had to go look. Appears 2005 was the first year Dodge started specifying 20 grade for the 5.7 in the 1500 owners manual.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
5w20 was introduced to the 5.7l in 2005 when MDS was brought in.


What he said. I recall that the dealer dumped 5w-30 into my 2006 Ram 1500 when I first got it. I was aware of the then-new MDS & they WEREN'T... I brought it back so that a 20 weight could be swapped in. Chrysler spec'ed 30 weight oil for all Hemi's prior to that. I am certain that they can run 20 weight oil, all the same. The only thing that I know to be different on 'em is the lifter design for the MDS. I can't see a problem running the lighter oil. Will help the fuel economy & the non-MDS Hemi's can do w/ all the help that they can get...! Solid engine, though, the Hemi.

Like my Cummins more! Hah!

John.
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
buddy just bought an '04 single cab 1500 dodge 5.7 hemi (non MDS), 123k miles. He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard, and its seems that alot of people run GC, T5 10W30 and M1 0W40 in the 5.7s with success. 5 and 10W30 Ultra also seem like a good choice. So, out of THESE oils mentioned above, which would be optimal to use? He has a daily commute of 30 miles each way to work.


If his truck has the factory oil cooler it is pointless to go up a grade for normal use. The new gen Hemi has huge bearings and was designed for lighter oil.

It is extremely tolerant of grade and many have run heavier, but there is no real benefit to the engine. Treated properly it may last a lot longer than the truck!
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
My 04 hemi said right on the oil fill cap 5w-20.
Mds didn't even come on trucks til 08. 05 mds came on the magnum.


I don't want to start anything with you but your HEMI history is way off.

03-04 5.7L's in the Rams were spec'd for 30 weight. I had an 04 and it was 30 weight and said so in the OM. No 5W20 mentioned at all.

05 Was the 1st year the 5.7L in the Ram's was spec'd for 5W20. It was spec'd even though MDS was not available in the Ram yet. MDS 1st arrived in the Ram trucks with the 5.7L in 2006 not 2008.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
buddy just bought an '04 single cab 1500 dodge 5.7 hemi (non MDS), 123k miles. He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard, and its seems that alot of people run GC, T5 10W30 and M1 0W40 in the 5.7s with success. 5 and 10W30 Ultra also seem like a good choice. So, out of THESE oils mentioned above, which would be optimal to use? He has a daily commute of 30 miles each way to work.


I would not run 40 weight in the engine. It is spec'd for 30 weight. I had an 04 and an 08 Ram with the 5.7L and ran the spec'd weight.

Of the oils you mention I would run 5W30 Ultra.
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
buddy just bought an '04 single cab 1500 dodge 5.7 hemi (non MDS), 123k miles. He tends to run his vehicles fairly hard, and its seems that alot of people run GC, T5 10W30 and M1 0W40 in the 5.7s with success. 5 and 10W30 Ultra also seem like a good choice. So, out of THESE oils mentioned above, which would be optimal to use? He has a daily commute of 30 miles each way to work.


To answer your question, any of those oils would be fine. The HEMI has no oil related issues or special needs. I would likely use the T5 out of those choices because it's good, cheap and available.

I generally use PU 5W30.
 
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