FF Changed in the new Dodge

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Changed out the FF in the new dodge with Mobil Super 1000 and a Mopar filter. It has 500km on it now but we are leaving tomorrow for Ohio and I wanted to get the FF out there for the trip because it will be about 2,000+km with the drive to/from and putting around down there. Plus the FF was most likely in the van for quite some time as it was a clear off the lot vehicle.

The filter had just a few metal slivers in it and no sand from the castings so that was nice to see. Filter came out without buckles in the media which is common on this cartridge type filter.

Anyway. Going to run the conventional until I get back for the break-in period and then dump for my Amsoil Signature Series with the Fram Ultra Filter Cartridge. I used Mobil Super 1,000 because it meets MS-6395 and it was dirt cheap at $10 CDN per jug on clearance ($7 USD)

They run these engines hot at 210F - 220F coolant temperature (Thermostat is 203F opening temperature and the Rad Fan has a controller that keeps it on a throttled low between high cycles)
I'm used used to the 195F of the past. So I would want a synthetic in there for the long haul so I can sleep at night. HA!

grin2.gif
Smiles from ear to ear with this purchase.
 
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Originally Posted by Zee09
Thats what a 5w20 application?
Cheap oil change!


Yeah it's spec'ed for 5w20 on the oil cap but manual says it can use either that or 5w30 so long as it meets MS-6395. (OLM equipped)
 
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Originally Posted by CT8
An early oil change is good.


Yup and at $10 for the oil to get all that microscopic abrasive metal out of there and all the sealers / assembly lube it's good.
 
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Originally Posted by jeepman3071
Dodge Caravan GT? Sounds like a race van to me.
grin2.gif


I'm just waiting for someone to "come at me" Bruh.
lol.gif

Maybe I'll put a K&N on it and get one of those fartcan exhausts.

I think GT stands for "Good Things" included in the van.
grin2.gif


Have you seen this? They are racing Dodge Vans in Japan for fun. When I go to Japan next for my job I so want to visit and see this.
 
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Originally Posted by parshisa
Is Highlander gone???


Yes, I will miss everything about it except that TERRIBLE 8-speed transmission. Every other aspect was highly refined, smooth, and comfortable,roomy and wonderful. It's too bad the transmission had to ruin that.
 
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Originally Posted by diyjake
Doesn't factory fill have high moly oil?

You plan on running 5w20 or 5w30?


From what I can find it's PYB which is a good Moly oil and factory fill is 5w20.

As this engine runs hot and used to be spec'ed for a 30wt and there have been only minor changes to the engine since then, I might end up with Signature Series 0w30 as the fill, I do however have lots of 5w20 and 0w20 Signature series in my stash to use up so it might be a good comparative UOA to test the 20/30 in this application. The manual says either is fine to run.
 
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Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by parshisa
Is Highlander gone???


Yes, I will miss everything about it except that TERRIBLE 8-speed transmission. Every other aspect was highly refined, smooth, and comfortable,roomy and wonderful. It's too bad the transmission had to ruin that.

That's too bad. Did you consider trading it for the Highlander Hybrid with the CVT?
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by parshisa
Is Highlander gone???


Yes, I will miss everything about it except that TERRIBLE 8-speed transmission. Every other aspect was highly refined, smooth, and comfortable,roomy and wonderful. It's too bad the transmission had to ruin that.

That's too bad. Did you consider trading it for the Highlander Hybrid with the CVT?


Because I was taking a loss on the value I couldn't buy another Toyota because I would have ended up with a higher payment than my work allowance pays so I had to go to something less in value and seeing as Dodge had lots of models still on the lot and were deep discounting them and at much better interest rates than through Toyota and my dad's employee discount I managed to save a bundle over the Highlander and shave a year off the repayment term while dropping the payment amount at the same time. Having a few Caravan's in the family and with the reputation they have for reliability and the lack of needed repairs even after high miles I thought this was a good move considering the situation I was in.

There is also the consideration of my bad back which is really picky on seats so I'm usually limited to a few vehicles that I can stand to sit in for long periods of time and with my job that is an absolute requirement.

So there is my complicated answer. I would have loved to go to a 4-Runner with the 5 speed but the tech is really lacking compared to the Highlander but if I knew this 8-speed was such a dog of a transmission I would have gone for the 4-Runner in a heartbeat.

In future I'm not sure I would return to Toyota because of this sour experience that they would release a product with this kind of buggy shifting for the really high cost for what they consider a premium vehicle for them. Aside from the Journey I have always had good luck with my Chrysler vehicles I have owned. Even the Journey was super reliable other than odd sensor problems and a bunch of other odd little bugs. Maybe it was just a lemon but it did return superb UOA's and the transmission was buttery smooth in the 100,000km (60K Miles) I owned it before it was totaled. And I could buy almost 3 Journeys for the price of a Highlander.
 
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I believe you will find that the engine will be noticeably quieter with 5-30 ove 5-20. I had 2 Journeys that the oil cap said 5-20 on it. Always took it to the same Jiffy Lube and told them to use 5-30. Sometimes I forgot and they used 5-20. I could tell right away. I just don't like a lot of valvetrain noise.
 
Originally Posted by loneryder
I believe you will find that the engine will be noticeably quieter with 5-30 ove 5-20. I had 2 Journeys that the oil cap said 5-20 on it. Always took it to the same Jiffy Lube and told them to use 5-30. Sometimes I forgot and they used 5-20. I could tell right away. I just don't like a lot of valvetrain noise.


I find my 2018 on 5w20 much quieter than my dad's which is run on 5w30 but I think it might be because his is the middle trim level and mine is the GT. I'm pretty sure there is more sound deadening material in the doors etc. on mine.

But I will be sure to look out for that when I try the 20/30wt's. Thanks for that info.
 
I should mention in this thread as well that the van didn't consume any oil that was observable on the dipstick in these first 500km so I'm interested to see if it consumes any on the way down to Ohio and back as it continues to break-in and it's running on conventional with a higher Noack.

It did drink some coolant out of the overflow bottle and judging by the coolant gauge bouncing around a bit in the first couple hundred kilometers it most likely had some air in the system and finally burped. Luckily I had some Mopar OAT pre-mix on hand from the Journey still.
grin2.gif
 
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Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by jeepman3071
Dodge Caravan GT? Sounds like a race van to me.
grin2.gif


I'm just waiting for someone to "come at me" Bruh.
lol.gif

Maybe I'll put a K&N on it and get one of those fartcan exhausts.

I think GT stands for "Good Things" included in the van.
grin2.gif


Have you seen this? They are racing Dodge Vans in Japan for fun. When I go to Japan next for my job I so want to visit and see this.



lol.gif
That's awesome.
 
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