Maintenance opinions?

ADUBIS · Jan 6, 2017

Got me a 2016 Ram with a V6 Pentastar, purchased new in October '16. Now it's January and I have just under 1400 miles. Not many highway miles but I do drive it daily.
Should I change the oil now at three months or wait till the recommended 10k that the book recommends?

dhows31 · Jan 6, 2017

Some people just change it to put their oil in it. I don't see why you would have to change it. IMO

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69GWC · Jan 6, 2017

Well I might waste money but mine will get changed at 3k for its first oil change, then it can go onto a 5k intervals.

Rado · Jan 6, 2017

I am old school and a 10k oil change makes me cringe lol, My motorcycles were 8k and I just could not wait that long. BUT that is me,, On your truck if it were mine I would change the oil 5/7 k range ! It would make me feel better. BUT the manufacture know alot more about their motors then I do so doing the 10 k change you should be fine as well!

WillO · Jan 6, 2017

10k sounds a lot to me, but if that's what the book says then....

I change mine every 3k on my hemi buts that's only cos it's free, however if I was paying I'd still do it every 5k

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MyRAMatDunkinDonuts · Jan 6, 2017

Isn't there an oil change gauge within the realtime mpg screen? I had a tech once explain a computer figures out when exactly to change the oil based upon how you drive, takes all that info., and calculates the interval.

FWIW, coming from BMW, they used to have their oil change intervals at 15k! However for reasons we can only speculate, they dropped it to 10k, or whenever the computer says so...

WillO · Jan 7, 2017

MyRAMatDunkinDonuts said:
Isn't there an oil change gauge within the realtime mpg screen? I had a tech once explain a computer figures out when exactly to change the oil based upon how you drive, takes all that info., and calculates the interval.

FWIW, coming from BMW, they used to have their oil change intervals at 15k! However for reasons we can only speculate, they dropped it to 10k, or whenever the computer says so...

Yes there is a % oil life gauge. Whenever I go for my 3k change the meter reads about 75%

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dhows31 · Jan 7, 2017

With today's oils and engines you can go a lot further than just the 3k from the past. I run a synthetic blend and I can easily go 7k according to my oil place. He says just keep an eye on it to make sure the level stays normal

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WillO · Jan 7, 2017

dhows31 said:
With today's oils and engines you can go a lot further than just the 3k from the past. I run a synthetic blend and I can easily go 7k according to my oil place. He says just keep an eye on it to make sure the level stays normal

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Absolutely, but it's free so I take advantage of it.

When I was at university in England I studied mechanical engineering and one of the practical assignments for my masters was an experiment I set up running various i/c engines at conflicting/extreme parameters until they failed. Surprisingly the oil was never an issue

ADUBIS · Jan 7, 2017

I don't doubt the longevity of the oil life. I'm guessing the oil change meter probably calculates miles versus idle running time to get the percentage value. That would be a decent guide to know when it's time to do an oil change.
My main concern is that I drive it daily but will put less than 500 miles on it a month. Once it warms up around March, I'm back on two wheels again. Come October, maybe November I will be back in the truck again. That gives me an average of 3 to 4 thousand miles a year. So an oil change once a year should suffice?

Numnutz · Jan 7, 2017

ADUBIS said:
Got me a 2016 Ram with a V6 Pentastar, purchased new in October '16. Now it's January and I have just under 1400 miles. Not many highway miles but I do drive it daily.
Should I change the oil now at three months or wait till the recommended 10k that the book recommends?

I am responsible for the maintenance of our fleet where I am employed.
With the diesels we have always done the first oil change at 3000 mi. and 10,000 after that. All of the big truck manufactures (Mack), (Freightliner) and so on recommend first oil change at 3000 miles.
Diesels still have a break in period.

Murphy Slaw · Jan 7, 2017

I think everything has a break in period.

Trucks, cars, motorcycles.

Wives.........

GsRAM · Jan 7, 2017

ADUBIS said:
I don't doubt the longevity of the oil life. I'm guessing the oil change meter probably calculates miles versus idle running time to get the percentage value. That would be a decent guide to know when it's time to do an oil change.
My main concern is that I drive it daily but will put less than 500 miles on it a month. Once it warms up around March, I'm back on two wheels again. Come October, maybe November I will be back in the truck again. That gives me an average of 3 to 4 thousand miles a year. So an oil change once a year should suffice?

,

In my opinion, if your using a high quality full synthetic oil and a good quality oil filter, yes, your fine.

My vehicles, using the above oil and a very good quality oil filter (WIX XP) I service every 5K miles or one year, whichever comes first. Conventional oil I'd do every 6 months regardless of mileage, but that's just me.

Farmer Fran · Jan 7, 2017

I always do my first change "early" but after that I use a synthetic blend and change when the meter reads ~20% left.

When I say "early" somewhere between 500 and 3000 depending on my time to do the change. I do all my own maintenance.

avantiguy · Jan 7, 2017

Farmer Fran said:
I always do my first change "early" but after that I use a synthetic blend and change when the meter reads ~20% left.

When I say "early" somewhere between 500 and 3000 depending on my time to do the change. I do all my own maintenance.

I'm a lot like this example because I'm old. I just like to get the original oil and filter out of the engine quickly.

There's probably not much in the newer engines but by now the oil and filter have picked up any nefarious things and are holding them so the sooner the oil is changed the sooner the crap is gone.

I'd change the oil and filter now and then go as long as the EVIC suggests for further oil changes.

My 14 Hemi usually goes about 8000 miles with 15% or so life remaining and that's when I change it.

BigDogg795 · Jan 7, 2017

I usually change mine every 5-6K miles...usually the EVIC is right around 10% oil life left when i do it.

Ferro · Jan 7, 2017

I would never go 10,000 on eny motter. I don't care what oil you run. I'm sure the dealer tells you 10 to 15,000 but then again they are there to make money not friend. I wonder why you hear so many people complaining about a motor tic.

huntergreen · Jan 7, 2017

i change every 7000 miles or six months, whatever comes first. quite a stretch for someone raised on 3000 mile oci.

THETANK · Jan 7, 2017

mine gets changed for the first time with less than 1000, after that once a year with 5000.

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