203k engine , what is longevity ....

[logipunk]

hi all
recently i became a new owner of a ram 1500 tradesmen 4x4, with 5.7 hemi. engine has a 203k , but sounds and feels healthy.
i plan is to build it up to be more of an offroad/overland capable vehicle but i am on a fence based on luck of experience with this or any truck, what is the expected longevity for those trucks......
i got this truck from my brother in law
would it be worth it to put some $ towards it, im looking at suspension wheels and tires for starters
as for engine what would be recommended , i want to change sparks , belts were never done .

tia

 

[Burla]

See Brandon w and get a locker.

 

[mboymopar]

Congratulations, and welcome.

 

[Brandon-w]

I'd maybe get an oil sample done make sure all the bearings and stuff are good, change all Your oils if they Havnt been done recently. I do my t case oil every 20k but I beat on it hard. It's a 2015 so I just use castrol transmax in it. Older than 2016 you can use good quality trans fluid 2016+ use only mopar fluid as the clutches require a friction modifier. What kind of overland tent are you going to go with?

 

[Brandon-w]

Here's my setup, just getting into it as well. Going to do a 4 inch lift and 35s Gears and call it done I think.

 

[Marshall]

I am not a off road guy , so no info there, but I would be checking changing all the oils,
has the transmission been done? 8 speed you have to change the pan with the filter .
Use the proper oil, it is a job that has to be done correct. no dip stick.
These motors run great till they don't. use good oil.
If its still good with those miles, should be fine, unless you start doing silly stuff.

 

[jws123]

Expect to burn some oil at200k+ after long trips if you do any make sure to check the oil my 5.7 with 220k alway burnt 1qt after a 4 hour trip also use 5w30 not 20.

 

[logipunk]

I'd maybe get an oil sample done make sure all the bearings and stuff are good, change all Your oils if they Havnt been done recently. I do my t case oil every 20k but I beat on it hard. It's a 2015 so I just use castrol transmax in it. Older than 2016 you can use good quality trans fluid 2016+ use only mopar fluid as the clutches require a friction modifier. What kind of overland tent are you going to go with?

nice setup you got ,I got a ikamper that I have on my transit for past couple of years , it started on forester, then rav4.... not sure if I use a tent or just sleep on a deck system......
I know engine oil was recently changed but nothing else , transmission Is my concern, how often you should change Transmission oil

 

[logipunk]

See Brandon w and get a locker.

I'll keep an eye on it

 

[logipunk]

I am not a off road guy , so no info there, but I would be checking changing all the oils,
has the transmission been done? 8 speed you have to change the pan with the filter .
Use the proper oil, it is a job that has to be done correct. no dip stick.
These motors run great till they don't. use good oil.
If its still good with those miles, should be fine, unless you start doing silly stuff.

yeah, that one of my concerns, Trans wasnever done

 

[PaleFlyer]

Trans should be done per ZF every 60k.
Get the https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RJK9H2W pan, and a new gasket https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FZFO2U4 and then you can just spend ~$35 peer pan drop to replace the filter, instead of ~$220 for the whole PLASTIC pan with integrated filter.

Word of warning, that I missed/forgot, the PPE pan does NOT include the "bushings", those you either need to buy separate, or salvage from the OE pan, and you need to press them in/beat them into the PPE pan.

You will also need an extra 2 qts of unicorn "stuff" to fill the PPE pan over the OE pan. Do NOT do a flush at this point, or you will toast the tranny.

My '18, the engine purrs like a kitten, but either I screwed up the tranny work, or waited too long, as it's a little rough in the cold in the low gears. But I still need to find the time to "finish" the fluid swap. (I did the initial pan drop, and went back and added more, but I never did a second drain, so half my fluid has 110k on it.)

Get the Pennzoil Ultra Plat, and the royal purp filter, 20-500 or 20-820, and your oil at 10k will look better than the crap from the quicklubes/stealership at 4.5k. (I speak from experience. I took over my own changes after ~60k, and doing the firestone oil drain looked like black tar, using PUP and a RoyalPurp filter it looks like dark ice tea after more than 2x the miles of Firestone.)

But on the oil use, I've only ever measured it 2x, and using the "gauge" on the side of the 5qt bottles of oil, so... grain of salt, but I've "always" burned at least 1qt off between changes, so ~1qt burned every 5k. Catch can says at least some of it is recirculating. (We do NOT need catch cans, but I had seen some stuff saying we are direct injection on the hemi, which I later learned was wrong. We are port, so catch can is unneeded, but not telling the Wife I made that mistake...)

 

[logipunk]

awesome, so do measure how much Trans oil are you catching? since apparently there is no dip stick?

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Sample the current engine oil and see where you're starting at.

I'd also do a compression test to check it, too. This way you'll know where you're at in terms of the engine health.

If all is good...do a set of spark plugs and clean the PCV valve or replace it altogether and clean the throttle body, too. As other have said... go to a quality 5W30 oil and quality oil filter.

Change the transmission fluid and filter. Be sure to follow the instructions on this to a "T". You'll find the MOP on our forum here easily.

 

[logipunk]

Sample the current engine oil and see where you're starting at.

I'd also do a compression test to check it, too. This way you'll know where you're at in terms of the engine health.

If all is good...do a set of spark plugs and clean the PCV valve or replace it altogether and clean the throttle body, too. As other have said... go to a quality 5W30 oil and quality oil filter.

Change the transmission fluid and filter. Be sure to follow the instructions on this to a "T". You'll find the MOP on our forum here easily.

k , any suggestion on what oil brand , is mobile high milage any good ? also what brand filter do you recommend....

 

[Burla]

awesome, so do measure how much Trans oil are you catching? since apparently there is no dip stick?

You can follow the two video process from motor city mechanic or @Wild one will post you a hard copy to follow, just to check the level of the 8 speed. Got to dyi, because how can you even trust me shop to do it right?

 

[Wild one]

Pay attention to the very first high lighted paragraph,the rear tires need to be roughly 9" in the air to level the transmission,and don't try and skip any steps,the truck also needs to be in the air during the process.
Start with a cold transmission,and according to ZF the ideal checking temp is between 100 and 105,the 122 is the max checking temp,not the ideal checking temp

 

[CanuckRam1313]

k , any suggestion on what oil brand , is mobile high milage any good ? also what brand filter do you recommend....

Depending on your budget... Redline High Performance 5W30 and a Royal Purple 20-820 or Fram XG2 oil filter.

Or, less costly but almost as effective, Pennzoil Ultra Platimun 5W30 with 15oz dose of Lubegard Biotech and either of those filters. Do this at every oil change.

 

[Burla]

Depending on your budget... Redline High Performance 5W30 and a Royal Purple 20-820 or Fram XG2 oil filter.

Or, less costly but almost as effective, Pennzoil Ultra Platimun 5W30 with 15oz dose of Lubegard Biotech and either of those filters. Do this at every oil change.

I'm guessing he was asking for zf? Redline d6 is the correct for redline, but from reports on forum with this transmission you should stay with Valvoline maxlife multi vehicle, lifeguard 8, or oem zf fluid? This transmission seams to get too slippery with the highest quality oils, crazy but it seams to like the general grade oils. See shocking truth about zf fluids on ram forum for detailed info.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

I'm guessing he was asking for zf? Redline d6 is the correct for redline, but from reports on forum with this transmission you should stay with Valvoline maxlife multi vehicle, lifeguard 8, or oem zf fluid? This transmission seams to get too slippery with the highest quality oils, crazy but it seams to like the general grade oils. See shocking truth about zf fluids on ram forum for detailed info.

I was thinking he was referring to engine oil..lol (my bad )

 

[logipunk]

thank you all for all the recommendations.....one more thing truck has a fuel pump issue with the readouts .....the float the the lower level goes haywire ..... now should i be concerned and plan to change it , or f it for now ...... seems to throw a code when im around 125 miles to empty .......