First Oil Change

[boyko59]

Just got my first truck (2013 Ram 1500 Big Horn Quad Cab 4x4 with the 5.7L Hemi) Was curious to what the standard was for the first oil change as I've never had a truck or a Hemi. It is currently right around 2,500 miles and I was planning to change the oil tomorrow. Taking it on vacation this coming weekend (625 miles round trip and then whatever driving while we are gone), so I wanted to do it before I left but wasn't sure what the break in period was and I cannot locate it in the Owners Manual. I see a bunch of people on different threads saying that they do it as early as 500 or 1000 miles and others waiting til around 4,500. Wasn't sure if anyone had some better advice. Personally, I like to make sure my vehicles are good to go prior to any trip and definitely didn't want to be running it on the stock oil any longer than I should be. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Chewy]

I did mine at 150 miles, but I'm OCD like that.

 

[katokahn99]

I'm at 5.2k and getting ready to schedule. Oil life indicator still shows 48%.

EDIT: Correction- my fuel filter life is at 48%; my oil life indicator is at 65%.

 

[boyko59]

I'm not sure what my oil indicator percentage is, I will have to take a look at it. I guess I was just afraid of 1. running it too long on the stock oil 2. taking it on vacation and then having to change the oil and having to pay someone at some random garage to do something that I am more than capable of doing. Thanks for the input guys!

 

[Burla]

Change it. You know there have been at least a few threads that guys have actually seen metal shavings in there oil on new Rams. It definitely is not the rule, rather the exception, but the fact is sometimes our newer engines have some of the early wear issues as old engines where the tolerances were no where near what they are today. Marrying all that metal that has never been together before sometimes causes wear, and that is a fact. If it happened to be your truck that had some sharp edges or excessive wear for whatever reason, you would want those wear metals out of your oil. Anyhow, have a good trip.

 

[boyko59]

Change it. You know there have been at least a few threads that guys have actually seen metal shavings in there oil on new Rams. It definitely is not the rule, rather the exception, but the fact is sometimes our newer engines have some of the early wear issues as old engines where the tolerances were no where near what they are today. Marrying all that metal that has never been together before sometimes causes wear, and that is a fact. If it happened to be your truck that had some sharp edges or excessive wear for whatever reason, you would want those wear metals out of your oil. Anyhow, have a good trip.

Yeah, I've heard of filings being in the oil on new engines (not just Dodge/Ram, but across the board) and that was kinda what I was worrying about but I didn't want to do it right away and not get it all out. I will probably do another short oil change for my second one and then longer after that. Thanks!

 

[boyko59]

Burla, I made another thread to see what people thought to be the best synthetic oil available (found here: http://www.ramforum.com/f38/best_synthetic_oil-37787/#post619467) and I was told to check in with you to see what you thought.

 

[rt dak]

Changed mine at 500 and then again at 1,000 miles. Intervals of 5,000 after that.

 

[electricme]

Im about to do mine for the first time tomorrow... instead of maknig another thread ill hijack this one... what synthetic oil weight is everyone using? And preferences on oil filter was going to get mopar...

 

[boyko59]

The Owners Manual says to use 5w-20. I have another thread that may be better to hijack (http://www.ramforum.com/f38/best_synthetic_oil-37787/), Burla knows his stuff and gave some very useful information.