First, I ramble on....... so if you want to skip over this post I will certainly understand LOL, and second hello from Atlantic Canada--where our temps go from 100F in the summer to minus 35F in the winter, so here is more engine oil questions.
First off, this is my first Ram (2019 1500 Classic, 5.7, 8 speed, blackout package, front levelling kit, 35/12.5R20 Mud Terrains) out of my 68 vehicles. In the old days I had all GM products, from a 1968 GMC 4X4 V-8 4 Spd, to many 73-80 K5 Blazers and Jimmy's, GM vans, and about 8 GM cars- 77 Grand Prix, 5 98 Olds, etc.. I then went to work at a Ford dealer in the mid 80's, and while still driving my old GM's, bought a new 89 F250 4X4, some more old GM's, and 7 new F150 Super Crews from 2004 - 2014.
I have been following this Ram Forum since I got my truck new in June of 2019, and honestly if I had followed it before I bought my truck, I probably wouldn't have bought a Ram. All the posts about oil, cam/lifter trouble, transmission problems, don't let the truck idle any more than necessary, etc. leave me with major thoughts about what oil to use, what oil filter to use, when to change the oil, I could go on and on. I probably sound paranoid, but I have always worked on my own vehicles, except when there was warranty of course, and have always changed oil way before the dealer or builder says to. Nowadays, I only put 5000-7000 miles a year (8,000-11,000kms year) and my truck now has 9950 miles, and have had the oil changed twice at the dealer, and did it the last time myself (couldn't get to the dealer to get it done, and knew I wouldn't have time to get there in the last month or so). I know the dealer doesn't use synthetic oil because it only costs me $69.00 to get it done there.
I mentioned the temperature in New Brunswick, Canada at the start because I do a lot of short drives, and I know that isn't good for vehicles as nothing has time to completely warm up, leading to excessive condensation, whether in the engine, exhaust, etc.. Remote starters for vehicles here is like floormats - 90% of new vehicle here come with them standard from the factory-not an option. This leads me to the "don't let your truck idle more than necessary" post I have seen on here many times. In the winter here, most every vehicle is started with a remote start and let idle for 10-20 minutes.
I like synthetic oil mainly for the cold temps here in winter, and nothing I hate worse than starting a vehicle in -35 and hear tapping noises coming from the engine. I always used synthetic in my vehicles, and could certainly tell synthetic circulates as soon as you start an engine in cold weather - no tapping, oil pressure comes up right away, and yes I have used mechanical gauges with the same result.
All the posts and comments about certain oils not meeting specs, some oil filters no good, got me baffled - no it doesn't take much to baffle me. I work at a construction company, for the last 16 years, and they have everything from 1/2 tons to 45 ton excavators, and I know for certain any "major" oil company or oil filter manufacture will stand behind their products in regards to warranty issues. We have used this "warranty a number of times, including Napa (Napa filters are Wix) covered an issue with a Cummins engine in a Class 8 truck because of a faulty filter.
I plan on keeping my truck for a long time, so my questions are Conventional or Synthetic oil, are Napa Gold filters "good" enough for my 5.7? We, as a Fleet Customer, get excellent prices on filters, from our local Napa, and with 200 units in the fleet, get excellent prices on oil from "major" suppliers (Mobil, Total, Petro Canada, etc.) and I am not cheap when it comes to my vehicles, so why would it be better to go to the dealer for a conventional oil change when the "oil monitoring system" tells me to (which is what the owners manual says to do") instead of doing it myself every 3,000 miles or less? AND NO, I NEVER WENT BY THE OIL MONITORING SYSTEM on any vehicle I ever had.
Thanks for listening, and have a great day!!!!