5w 20 or 5w30

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

JHoward

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
680
Reaction score
1,689
Location
NW, Louisiana
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Liter
FCA = Fiat Chrysler America. Remember when Fiat bought Chrysler out of bankruptcy after the Great Recession? Yeah - they called all the shots from there out. They were in bed with European everything, including Royal Dutch Shell and their own parts - Marla Magneto, or whatever they call it.

Now Peugeot is in on the gig, and the Euro-design-by-committee will surely produce a desirable vehicle for North American use. :rolleyes:

Yeah, thanks for that.
 

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,875
Reaction score
17,359
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
That's the thing - the financial vultures are always on the lookout for a carcass that hasn't been picked clean yet, and huckster big money men into giving them loans.

In this case, Daimler-Benz had already wrecked Chrysler with their Euro-dictatorahip to the tune of losing $28 billion.

I couldn't believe U.S. regulators agreed (or more likely were bribed) to allow that disastrous takeover. Bought for $35 billion, sold for $7 billion.

Yet it's still going on. They'll take the Chrysler Building to Europe before they're finished picking the bones clean.
<end rant>
 

JHoward

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
680
Reaction score
1,689
Location
NW, Louisiana
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Liter
A bunch of us need to get together and buy out Ram and Jeep. The rest can drown as far as I'm concerned.

I got the first 5 bucks, whose with me?

I'm with you. But I'm putting in $20 bucks to guarantee that I'm one of the Chairman of the Board members with close access to the popcorn/coke machine.
 

JHoward

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
680
Reaction score
1,689
Location
NW, Louisiana
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Liter
Sorry i didn't realize you didn't know the "F" in FCA stood for Fiat,my bad

Dang, you mean to tell me I'm driving around in an "made over FIAT" assembled in Mexico with Chinese parts?

Lol, I knew ... I just try to not think about FIAT/STELLANTIS as an auto maker or anything else they have taken over. Heck, my nephew's Maserati is under the STELLANTIS umbrella ....
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
1,544
Reaction score
2,305
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
Dang, you mean to tell me I'm driving around in an "made over FIAT" assembled in Mexico with Chinese parts?

Lol, I knew ... I just try to not think about FIAT/STELLANTIS as an auto maker or anything else they have taken over. Heck, my nephew's Maserati is under the STELLANTIS umbrella ....
"FIAT" Fix It Again, TONY!"
 

gilbertobv

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
5
Location
California
Ram Year
2008
Engine
5.7 hemi
I have just put a new engine in my 2012 Ram 5.7 I live in the North West and I have been debating on going to 5w 30 on my first oil change I have always ran Amsoil in my other vehicles I’m sure this oil debate has been ran to death but just would like some input
Thanks in advance
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
1,544
Reaction score
2,305
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
What's the source of the new engine? Did the rebuilder use low tension rings per the new standards? What finish did they use on the cylinder walls? Type of pistons? (cast or forged)

What do they require for break-in, and warranty compliance. I learned over the years not to use synthetic oil upon break-in, but to use non detergent regular oil for 500 miles or so to set bed in the new piston rings and glaze the cylinders. That may or may not apply in your case.

Check the literature you got with your new engine and FOLLOW their instructions concerning oil until you reach the end of their warranty. This isn't the place to risk losing warranty coverage on your new engine by putting stock into preconceived notions!
 

TotallyHucked

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Posts
409
Reaction score
731
Location
Gainesville, Ga
Ram Year
2017 Sport CCLWB
Engine
5.7
This seems like a good place to post this. I've read lots of threads and have seen where PUP is the go to oil with a quality filter and swear by the 5W20 listed in the book. I bought my truck with 71k miles (it's a 2017) on it a couple months back and did my first oil change just after 75k about a week ago. I used PUP 5W20 and a K&N filter with about a half a bottle of Marvel for good measure. I've seen where everyone swears by Lubeguard so I've got some on order for the next oil change.

I have now lost roughly 8psi of oil pressure at idle. Prior to the oil change, I had ~38-40psi hot idle and ~48-60 while driving depending on speed. Now I have ~30-32psi at hot idle and ~50-55 driving. I assume the PO probably had 5W30 or 10W30 in it. I plan to go back to that for the next change. What weight would you guys say is getting into "too thick" territory? I see 5W20/5W30/0W40 as being used, is 10W30 too heavy for these Hemi's? I certainly wouldn't run 15W40 given the lifter failures they're known for...
 

ramffml

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Posts
2,812
Reaction score
5,152
Location
ramforum
Ram Year
2019
Engine
hemi 5.7
This seems like a good place to post this. I've read lots of threads and have seen where PUP is the go to oil with a quality filter and swear by the 5W20 listed in the book. I bought my truck with 71k miles (it's a 2017) on it a couple months back and did my first oil change just after 75k about a week ago. I used PUP 5W20 and a K&N filter with about a half a bottle of Marvel for good measure. I've seen where everyone swears by Lubeguard so I've got some on order for the next oil change.

I have now lost roughly 8psi of oil pressure at idle. Prior to the oil change, I had ~38-40psi hot idle and ~48-60 while driving depending on speed. Now I have ~30-32psi at hot idle and ~50-55 driving. I assume the PO probably had 5W30 or 10W30 in it. I plan to go back to that for the next change. What weight would you guys say is getting into "too thick" territory? I see 5W20/5W30/0W40 as being used, is 10W30 too heavy for these Hemi's? I certainly wouldn't run 15W40 given the lifter failures they're known for...

Both oil viscosity and oil filter can have some impact on your PSI. The more viscous the oil, the harder it is to pump through the system, and if you have a filter that has a low flow rate due to high filtering efficiency, that can also increase your PSI.

So it looks like you went the otherway. Either your filter has more flow, or the previous chap put thicker oil in your truck.

When I was running dealer oil (5w-20) + filter my idle psi was in the low 30's as well, now it's in the low 40's like you had in the past.

I'm not sure it really matters though, these engines will push the same volume of oil through your system regardless of viscosity, and idle psi of 30 to 40 is probably not an issue one way or the other.
 

TotallyHucked

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Posts
409
Reaction score
731
Location
Gainesville, Ga
Ram Year
2017 Sport CCLWB
Engine
5.7
Yeah, I know it's fine, I'm just trying to decide what I want to do next go round. I think I'll go to 5W30 and see what it does, then 10W30 if it is still lower than before. 5W20 seems to drain back easier too and I get some lifter rattle if it sits for a couple days. It didn't do that before.
 

ramffml

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Posts
2,812
Reaction score
5,152
Location
ramforum
Ram Year
2019
Engine
hemi 5.7
Yeah, I know it's fine, I'm just trying to decide what I want to do next go round. I think I'll go to 5W30 and see what it does, then 10W30 if it is still lower than before. 5W20 seems to drain back easier too and I get some lifter rattle if it sits for a couple days. It didn't do that before.

The 5w-30 vs 10w-30 won't change anything with regard to hot idle PSI. Possibly just a slight increase in cold start idle psi.

I'd start with a filter first. Grab a Fram XG ultra or a Royal Purple, both have great filtering effiency and flow rate, and also have silicone anti-drain back valves which might help with the lifter rattle. You can swap in a new filter without changing your oil, you may lose a bit but can top up with half a quart again or whatever.

That way you can quickly check whether it's the filter or the oil that changed in your system.
 

TotallyHucked

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Posts
409
Reaction score
731
Location
Gainesville, Ga
Ram Year
2017 Sport CCLWB
Engine
5.7
The 5w-30 vs 10w-30 won't change anything with regard to hot idle PSI. Possibly just a slight increase in cold start idle psi.

I'd start with a filter first. Grab a Fram XG ultra or a Royal Purple, both have great filtering effiency and flow rate, and also have silicone anti-drain back valves which might help with the lifter rattle. You can swap in a new filter without changing your oil, you may lose a bit but can top up with half a quart again or whatever.

That way you can quickly check whether it's the filter or the oil that changed in your system.
Oh yeah, duh. Blonde moment lol. I'm wondering if he maybe had the 0W40 in it then. Or 5W40. I think I will try a different filter first though. I'll report back when I do
 

06 Dodge

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Posts
1,912
Reaction score
1,808
Location
Forest Grove, Oregon
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7L CTD
This seems like a good place to post this. I've read lots of threads and have seen where PUP is the go to oil with a quality filter and swear by the 5W20 listed in the book. I bought my truck with 71k miles (it's a 2017) on it a couple months back and did my first oil change just after 75k about a week ago. I used PUP 5W20 and a K&N filter with about a half a bottle of Marvel for good measure. I've seen where everyone swears by Lubeguard so I've got some on order for the next oil change.

I have now lost roughly 8psi of oil pressure at idle. Prior to the oil change, I had ~38-40psi hot idle and ~48-60 while driving depending on speed. Now I have ~30-32psi at hot idle and ~50-55 driving. I assume the PO probably had 5W30 or 10W30 in it. I plan to go back to that for the next change. What weight would you guys say is getting into "too thick" territory? I see 5W20/5W30/0W40 as being used, is 10W30 too heavy for these Hemi's? I certainly wouldn't run 15W40 given the lifter failures they're known for...

IMHO the 1/2 bottle of Marvel Mystery oil thinned down your already thin 5w20 oil, not sure why you wanted to use it as an oil replacement being its not made to replace engine oil... BTW I know first hand how 32 oz of MMO in an engine can cause rod & main bearings to fail...
 

RedRAM21

Member
Military
Joined
May 22, 2023
Posts
49
Reaction score
25
Location
SoCal
Ram Year
2021
Engine
5.7L HEMI
Everyone has a reason for what they run or suggest to run, but IF I had a NEW motor and it has been broke in, I would run OEM Oil Weight but in the Brand you like.

Also, have you considered running Synthetic Oil after break-in ?
 

TotallyHucked

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Posts
409
Reaction score
731
Location
Gainesville, Ga
Ram Year
2017 Sport CCLWB
Engine
5.7
IMHO the 1/2 bottle of Marvel Mystery oil thinned down your already thin 5w20 oil, not sure why you wanted to use it as an oil replacement being its not made to replace engine oil... BTW I know first hand how 32 oz of MMO in an engine can cause rod & main bearings to fail...
Curious how MMO caused rod and main bearing failure? I chose to use it to help loosen up anything that may be gummed up in the lifters/wherever else since I don't truly know the service history on the truck. I've used it in the past with no issue.
 

JHoward

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
680
Reaction score
1,689
Location
NW, Louisiana
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Liter
Curious how MMO caused rod and main bearing failure? I chose to use it to help loosen up anything that may be gummed up in the lifters/wherever else since I don't truly know the service history on the truck. I've used it in the past with no issue.

Well, I wouldn't use MMO in my HEMI's motor oil, ever.

These engines need all the help they can get from the start because of their poor oiling issue(s). Using an solvent in the oil is asking for trouble, imo.
 
Last edited:

Dodge 1500 4X4

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Posts
2,595
Reaction score
2,288
Location
Rochester, NY
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
MMO thickens the oil, especially on a cold start, you are not helping the already compromised lubrication system, Lubegard bio tech or not.
 

06 Dodge

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Posts
1,912
Reaction score
1,808
Location
Forest Grove, Oregon
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7L CTD
Curious how MMO caused rod and main bearing failure? I chose to use it to help loosen up anything that may be gummed up in the lifters/wherever else since I don't truly know the service history on the truck. I've used it in the past with no issue.
It will thin out 5w30 dino oil, as I said learned first hand the harm it can do at a cost of $2500 to replace the engine not counting labor
 
Top