Engine hours/oil change interval

[HemiSue]

I don’t drive much, but my engine does idle more than it’s driving.
I drive approximately 3000 miles every six months, but my engine, idle hours, including both idle and driving time, are approximately 220 to 230 total engine hours in that same time frame of six months. I was planning on changing my oil at eight months and around 4000 miles. I use a quality full synthetic oil in my 2023, ram 5.7 hemi. My question is, should I consider doing it sooner strictly due to my somewhat elevated total of engine hours. Also, does anyone know if the factory could possibly void my engine warranty strictly due to engine hours, even though my miles and time are within the requirement??

 

[stevenP]

I change mine at least once a year. I too, dont drive mine much, as it it used mainly for towing my RV, not daily driver. I pay no attention to the hours logged.

 

[HemiSue]

Thanks for your response

 

[mikeru]

I don’t drive much, but my engine does idle more than it’s driving.
I drive approximately 3000 miles every six months, but my engine, idle hours, including both idle and driving time, are approximately 220 to 230 total engine hours in that same time frame of six months. I was planning on changing my oil at eight months and around 4000 miles. I use a quality full synthetic oil in my 2023, ram 5.7 hemi. My question is, should I consider doing it sooner strictly due to my somewhat elevated total of engine hours. Also, does anyone know if the factory could possibly void my engine warranty strictly due to engine hours, even though my miles and time are within the requirement??

The warranty is pretty specific and goes by miles/months owned. I've never seen any language in there that refers to engine hours. But it might be worth reading through all the small print if you're concerned about it.

If you don't drive many miles why do you idle your engine so much? Conventional wisdom on these engines seems to be that idling is bad. Although I haven't seen actual data which support this.

 

[Tom Davis]

I do mine every 6 months regardless of miles. I travel a lot for work, and use rentals, so I never hit the mileage in the owners manual. It states every 6 months, so I follow that.

 

[mikeru]

I do mine every 6 months regardless of miles. I travel a lot for work, and use rentals, so I never hit the mileage in the owners manual. It states every 6 months, so I follow that.

Your owner's manual calls for a 6 month oil change interval? I didn't know any 4th gens had that short of an oci. Both the 4th gens I owned called for 10k miles or 12 months.

 

[brian42]

The oil life meter should take everything into consideration when the truck is running so as long as you change it before it reaches 0% or the maximum time listed in the Owner's Manual then you should be good.

Many change it earlier ("cheap insurance") but full synthetics (whether true full synthetic or not) are way better than they used to be and IMO don't need to be short-cycled in half the recommended time.

I'm sure I'll get blasted for that previous statement but I changed my oil near the maximum interval and never had an issue.

 

[mikeru]

The oil life meter should take everything into consideration when the truck is running so as long as you change it before it reaches 0% or the maximum time listed in the Owner's Manual then you should be good.

Many change it earlier ("cheap insurance") but full synthetics (whether true full synthetic or not) are way better than they used to be and IMO don't need to be short-cycled in half the recommended time.

I'm sure I'll get blasted for that previous statement but I changed my oil near the maximum interval and never had an issue.

I don't think the oil life monitor takes time into consideration. I do a yearly oci. But we only put about 5-6k miles on the truck each year. The oil life monitor still shows about 40% life left when I change the oil.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

If you are idling that excessively I recommend that you consider an improved oil and filter strategy. Especially if you own vs. lease.

Suggest you look at going to Red Line 5W30 High Performance oil and a Royal Purple 20-820 oil filter for an owned vehicle and change every 3 to 4 months.

I would also recommend getting your idle RPM bumped to 750rpm as well.

It is a known and inherent thing in the 5.7's that excessive idling at the stock RPM contributes to failed engines

If you lease... trade it in every 1 to 2 years and forget about it

 

[HemiSue]

Thanks to all. Mikeru: since my wife started working from home, I’ve been “going fishing “ more frequently. Thus the idling numbers

 

[mikeru]

Thanks to all. Mikeru: since my wife started working from home, I’ve been “going fishing “ more frequently. Thus the idling numbers

I don't know if that's an idiom or you're literally talking about fishing? I'm assuming the former because you put it in quotes but I don't get the reference if you weren't being literal. Anyway, I was just curious about the high idling hours. I don't want to pry into your personal life.

 

[HemiSue]

I was just having a little fun with this sir, that all

 

[GTyankee]

My Oil Monitor turns to ZERO about every 2500 miles
since i was hospitalized back in February 2020, i only drive to medical appointments & for daily needs.

I used to drive 30,000 miles a year, that is why i ordered the Baby Diesel back in 2015

 

[Zoe Saldana]

I don’t drive much, but my engine does idle more than it’s driving.
I drive approximately 3000 miles every six months, but my engine, idle hours, including both idle and driving time, are approximately 220 to 230 total engine hours in that same time frame of six months. I was planning on changing my oil at eight months and around 4000 miles. I use a quality full synthetic oil in my 2023, ram 5.7 hemi. My question is, should I consider doing it sooner strictly due to my somewhat elevated total of engine hours. Also, does anyone know if the factory could possibly void my engine warranty strictly due to engine hours, even though my miles and time are within the requirement??

1 hr of idle equals about 30 driven miles. You have 6900 unrecorded miles.

Also consider that idle time might be one of the causes of the 'hemi tick'.

 

[star_deceiver]

I recall reading somewhere in the owners manual to change the oil every 350hrs combined on vehicles that idle a lot.

 

[Tom Davis]

Your owner's manual calls for a 6 month oil change interval?

NOTE: Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 8,000 miles (13 000 km) or six months, whichever occurs first.

Copied straight from my owner's manual.

 

[brian42]

I don't know if that's an idiom or you're literally talking about fishing? I'm assuming the former because you put it in quotes but I don't get the reference if you weren't being literal. Anyway, I was just curious about the high idling hours. I don't want to pry into your personal life.

I know it takes engine runtime into consideration but I drive too much to test the calendar time.

My wife had a 2020 Ford Ranger that she drove about 1200 miles a year. Her oil life went to 0% three times during the 4 years we had it so I know that the ford calculation used the calendar on hers.

 

[Curmudgeon]

NOTE: Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 8,000 miles (13 000 km) or six months, whichever occurs first.

Copied straight from my owner's manual.

Things must have changed between 2012 and 2014, perhaps from environmentalist influence?

This pic is from my 2014 1500 5.7L owners manual...

 

[mikeru]

Things must have changed between 2012 and 2014, perhaps from environmentalist influence?

This pic is from my 2014 1500 5.7L owners manual...

That was my thinking too. The manuals for the 2015 and 2017 I used to own both said 10k/12 month oci. I remember thinking at the time that was way too long.

 

[Bocaloco]

I don’t drive much, but my engine does idle more than it’s driving.
I drive approximately 3000 miles every six months, but my engine, idle hours, including both idle and driving time, are approximately 220 to 230 total engine hours in that same time frame of six months. I was planning on changing my oil at eight months and around 4000 miles. I use a quality full synthetic oil in my 2023, ram 5.7 hemi. My question is, should I consider doing it sooner strictly due to my somewhat elevated total of engine hours. Also, does anyone know if the factory could possibly void my engine warranty strictly due to engine hours, even though my miles and time are within the requirement??