When to do first oil change on new truck and which oil to use.

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grizzstang

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Bring your own oil to the dealer. Pennzoil Platinum or the Ultra Platinum both have FCA's stamp of approval and both have 5W-20.

I believe that Pennzoil does make MOPAR oil but I haven't seen MOPAR synthetic (haven't looked either).
 
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corneileous

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Bring your own oil to the dealer. Pennzoil Platinum or the Ultra Platinum both have FCA's stamp of approval and both have 5W-20.
Prolly get frowned at for doing that but you know what, at this point, I really don’t care....lol.

I guess I’ll just bring my own Wix XP or whatever it is oil filter too since those Mopar brand filters don’t seem to be very wise either and the Wix is a synthetic media filter.

I believe that Pennzoil does make MOPAR oil but I haven't seen MOPAR synthetic (haven't looked either).
You know, I don’t know and at this point, I really don’t know what to believe outta the dealer anymore. I just remembered that the last dealer I called, the one that said that synthetic oil doesn’t come in 5w-20, is the same dealership- not the same guy, I don’t think, but the same place anyways that said that they recommended platinum plugs in my ‘08 Hemi...lol.

Not to change the subject but speakin’ of plugs, I don’t know what you’re truly supposed to use on them but everywhere I’ve found, the plain copper Champions that they put in at the factory is what those older Hemi’s liked and that dude was apparently expecting me to think platinum plugs where fine. lol.


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grizzstang

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With your lifetime warranty I would use the OEM MOPAR oil filter too. FCA has tried to deny warranty coverage for not using their filters in the past.
 
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corneileous

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With your lifetime warranty I would use the OEM MOPAR oil filter too. FCA has tried to deny warranty coverage for not using their filters in the past.
Seriously?? Wow.



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Rampant

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With your lifetime warranty I would use the OEM MOPAR oil filter too. FCA has tried to deny warranty coverage for not using their filters in the past.

Do you know this firsthand and have proof of it, or did you just read it on the internet somewhere? I've heard this before, but I'm pretty sure it's BS because the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act would prevent it. That's not to say an unscrupulous dealer wouldn't try to pull it off, but an informed consumer would lawyer-up and easily win in a court of law.
 

grizzstang

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^^First hand proof, nope.

A couple of guys on the Jeep website I am on had warranty coverage denied to an improper aftermarket oil filter. Ultimately I believe they both ended up having their issues fixed but not before having to jump through a **** ton of hoops and lawyering up.

To me if I am worried about what viscosity oil to run and warranty coverage I would certainly run a MOPAR filter so their could be no excuse for screwing me around what-so-ever.
 

Rampant

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I just read through three cases where FCA initially denied the claims but ended up covering them in the end. The only way they could legitimately deny warranty in a situation like that is if you knowingly used an incorrect filter or one that the filter manufacturer did not specify for use on your engine.

As an example, the tall/short RP filter may fall into that gray area. Its common knowledge that they both fit and many have used the long one without any issues. The long one has more surface area and therefore it makes sense that it's filtering capacity is better than the short one, right? Common sense.

BUT, RP only recommends the 10-48, which is the short filter. Would they stand behind you against FCA if you happened to be running the long one and your engine **** the bed? Hard to say. I think you may have a harder time trying to fight that one, but would most likely still win. That's just my opinion, but I think it follows sound logic.
 
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corneileous

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I just read through three cases where FCA initially denied the claims but ended up covering them in the end. The only way they could legitimately deny warranty in a situation like that is if you knowingly used an incorrect filter or one that the filter manufacturer did not specify for use on your engine.

As an example, the tall/short RP filter may fall into that gray area. Its common knowledge that they both fit and many have used the long one without any issues. The long one has more surface area and therefore it makes sense that it's filtering capacity is better than the short one, right? Common sense.

BUT, RP only recommends the 10-48, which is the short filter. Would they stand behind you against FCA if you happened to be running the long one and your engine **** the bed? Hard to say. I think you may have a harder time trying to fight that one, but would most likely still win. That's just my opinion, but I think it follows sound logic.
What claims was the reason FCA denied? Were these people having engine problems that FCA claimed the wrong filter was the problem?

As I’ve said before, I realize the MMA protects us from initial stuff like that, and that the factory/dealer have to actually prove that the aftermarket part was indeed the cause of the problem but how would they prove that an aftermarket, well-known and well-reputationed filter would be less quality from their own??



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Rampant

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There are plenty of cases out there, just google it.

If an engine failed due to the use of a defective aftermarket part (lets say the spring was found broken inside the filter) that was specified for use on the engine, I think the filter manufacturer would have some tap dancing to do.

If the same thing happened and you were not using the filter that the filter manufacturer specified, I highly doubt they would stand behind you on that one. Again, just my humble opinion.
 
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corneileous

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To me if I am worried about what viscosity oil to run and warranty coverage I would certainly run a MOPAR filter so their could be no excuse for screwing me around what-so-ever.

Kinda hard to argue with that logic. I just hate to feel like I’m being forced to use a less-quality oil filter when there’s better stuff out there.

I’m actually kind of afraid and seriously contemplating returning or selling my drop-in K&N air filter I bought after reading in the manual where it stated that the use of aftermarket air filters wasn’t recommended because they supposedly don’t filter the air going through them well enough...

I did notice some extra element on the top-side of the inside of the filter box, tho when I installed my new filter. I couldn’t tell if it was a removable part or not or how easily it was removed but I didn’t mess with it.

I’m assuming that’s kinda like the same concept as a pre-filter?


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corneileous

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There are plenty of cases out there, just google it.
Ok. I just figured since you looked at a few pages of this stuff that you wouldn’t mind copying and pasting the links but I’ll sure look into it.

If an engine failed due to the use of a defective aftermarket part (lets say the spring was found broken inside the filter) that was specified for use on the engine, I think the filter manufacturer would have some tap dancing to do.
I would too but in this sue-happy world we live in, you’d probably have to then fight with the filter manufacturer because their filter toasted your motor and just not look good at all in the truck manufacturer’s eyes towards aftermarket parts...lol.

If the same thing happened and you were not using the filter that the filter manufacturer specified, I highly doubt they would stand behind you on that one. Again, just my humble opinion.
Oh I don’t doubt that one bit. If like you said where there was two filters from one brand manufacturer that worked on your particular application but only one was what was called for, I would definitely be using the one they say is for your vehicle/engine. That would in my opinion be too much of a risk to take IF low and behold, something ever happened.


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Ok. I just figured since you looked at a few pages of this stuff that you wouldn’t mind copying and pasting the links but I’ll sure look into it.


I would too but in this sue-happy world we live in, you’d probably have to then fight with the filter manufacturer because their filter toasted your motor and just not look good at all in the truck manufacturer’s eyes towards aftermarket parts...lol.


Oh I don’t doubt that one bit. If like you said where there was two filters from one brand manufacturer that worked on your particular application but only one was what was called for, I would definitely be using the one they say is for your vehicle/engine. That would in my opinion be too much of a risk to take IF low and behold, something ever happened.


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Think about it like this... FCA doesn't actually "manufacture" much of anything themselves. They basically outsource everything and assemble it in their factories. My point is, their relationship with "The Aftermarket" is much closer than people realize. Do you think they are blending their own oils and manufacturing their own filters in-house? Nope. An aftermarket company gets the contract and re-brands it.

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corneileous

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Think about it like this... FCA doesn't actually "manufacture" much of anything themselves. They basically outsource everything and assemble it in their factories. My point is, their relationship with "The Aftermarket" is much closer than people realize. Do you think they are blending their own oils and manufacturing their own filters in-house? Nope. An aftermarket company gets the contract and re-brands it.

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I hear ya but that’s not what I meant. Apparently they want you to use ‘Mopar’ filter, whoever it’s made by but would probably frown at any other filter/brand.


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They can frown all they like. Of course they want you to use their brand, it's more money in their pockets. Not necessarily the best product, but "good enough". The bottom line is, if you use a product that is specified for use on your engine, they cannot lawfully deny a warranty claim.
 

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Honestly before I joined this site I had never heard of oil filters with synthetic media and I have been working on my own vehicles for 35 years. They clearly do filter better if you have read through the oil filter thread but does it make that much difference to motor life? I can't say. I drove courier for 13 years straight logging hundreds of thousands of miles on several different vehicles and never had a motor failure. My old Toyota truck was pushing 300,000 miles when I sold it to a buddy. On the Ford site I was on everyone there swore by the OEM Ford oil filters for their 5.4's. I am still running a MOPAR filter on my Ram because it is under warranty.
 

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The main reason I run the RP filter is to make sure my oil is as clean as possible.
The reason behind that is I dont want any chance of dirt getting into the MDS lifters.
 
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corneileous

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They can frown all they like. Of course they want you to use their brand, it's more money in their pockets. Not necessarily the best product, but "good enough". The bottom line is, if you use a product that is specified for use on your engine, they cannot lawfully deny a warranty claim.
Lol, making them frown can make for a very bad day, tho...

Soo, the only time the manufacturer can deny my future warranty claim is if the manufacturer of the specified aftermarket part for my vehicle fails? Or if I don’t install it correctly?



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corneileous

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The main reason I run the RP filter is to make sure my oil is as clean as possible.
The reason behind that is I dont want any chance of dirt getting into the MDS lifters.
How does that Royal Purple filter stand up to Wix’s XP line of filters?


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Lol, making them frown can make for a very bad day, tho...

Soo, the only time the manufacturer can deny my future warranty claim is if the manufacturer of the specified aftermarket part for my vehicle fails? Or if I don’t install it correctly?



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Provided you also install the correct filter, yes.

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corneileous

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Provided you also install the correct filter, yes.

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Unless they “prove” otherwise that that was the cause it regardless of proper installation or specified part because it wasn’t OEM...[emoji41]


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