Oil Change Interval

[Bob Johnson]

At what intervals are you guys changing your oil? I Know in the manual for my 2016 6.4 Hemi says don't exceed 8000 miles. The oil change meter on the dash seems to coincide with this.

I recently learned about the cam lifter issue that these engines have and it seems that lubrication is the main factor in preventing it. I do a lot of traveling with my RAM towing a travel trailer and I know that in the manual it says to change the transmission fluid and diff fluid more frequently when towing, but engine oil is not mentioned.

I have been running Amsoil 0w-40 in it (which meets the RAM requirements) and changing the oil when it gets below 20% on the dash notification. Just wondering if I should up the change interval since 70% of the miles on my truck are towing miles.

 

[Travelin Ram]

The oil life monitor takes towing into the calculation as it sees all the engine parameters and knows it’s under heavy load.

That said, I’m changing mine at 5k intervals. And I do all the severe service schedule maintenance.

 

[Burla]

A lab like Blackstone will set an interval based on science if you want to use them. You take used oil with the interval you are thinking and send it to them, they will show you the contamination, wear, and acid fighting ability of your oil, you need tbn with basic order, they send you a kit for free, you send a check when you send it to them. That is your engine specific, every engine is different. These tests will also show you how your cam is wearing, we have a blackstone thread in the forum for more info.

You also have the longest interval oil out there, so it is likely you can go longer on that oil. I recommend using a synthetic filter with that, amsoil ea filters are as good as it gets, and a must buy with that oil. I would encourage you to study viscosity if you have any issues with wear.

 

[Burla]

Towing by itself doesn't matter, what matters is how your engine is spinning your oil, and how efficient it is burning fuel, every engine is different. If there are extended "load" on an engine, the worry might be fuel in oil, they check that too as part of their basic service. Follow instrc to a T, make sure oil is a little warm when you collect it, and that you make the container they send is FULL.

Anything else someone wants to say is a bad guess, this is how you address your questions and concerns. Even long respected guys on this board have ran long run oils only to have low tbn in a 6.4 at 4k miles. And other guys with same engine go 10k miles and it looks like they could have went 15k miles. If you want a correct answer to your question, you have to do the work. This cam issue is no joke, a uoa is money well spent. Also, amsoil ss aint cheap, an extended interval can easily and safely pay for itself if all indicators point to the right direction.

 

[kurek]

Generally get thinking about it around 5k miles, then do it the next time it's convenient after that.

I know there's an oil life monitor, I know those are a proven and trustworthy algorithm based tool and it's wise to let them be the final word on maximum interval so all the early changes I might be doing could be called recreational maintenance. I'm comfortable with that.

 

[MontanaHandyman]

I change mine every spring and fall regardless of how few miles I've gone. Majority of my driving is stop and go traffic with just a handful of highway miles. Like they say around here, oil is cheap...engines are expensive!

 

[retired]

5000 miles is a nice easy number to remember.

 

[KnurledNut]

I am not an automotive engineer, I do what the voices in my truck tell me to do.

 

[caulk04]

The oil life monitor takes towing into the calculation as it sees all the engine parameters and knows it’s under heavy load.

That said, I’m changing mine at 5k intervals. And I do all the severe service schedule maintenance.

My trucks oil monitor shoots for 10k. The percentage left follows this exactly, seems silly. My 08 Jeep had a mind of its own though, it would request oil changes at rather random intervals based on who knows what. Have the Rams changed theory throughout the years?

 

[Burla]

So the Op uses a top shelf oil and pays for it. My question would be why spend that money if you intended on a short interval?

Amsoil 0w40 is 13 dollars a qrt, discount price is 10 bucks a quart, so best case it is 70 dollars for an oil change, filter aside. Amazon basics is 28 bucks per 5 quart for a price of 39 dollars for the same 7 quarts. Now, what is a better strategy, 1/2ing any interval using a cheaper oil and keeping the oil cleaner, or pushing that oil to it's limits, or using something expensive for a longer interval, or simply using an expensive oil but on a short interval thus raising the costs substantially? If you are gonna use one of the boutiques because you like the science, as I do, don't you have to extend the interval?

Cleaner oil sounds good, but that is a feeling not a fact, the fact is the oil is still good even if it is dark. The only reason to change your oil should be tbn, contamination level, wear metal levels, viscosity shear, or fuel dilution, or any of these. But if none of those exist why did you change the oil? Imagine how nice it is to save 70 bucks and loose nothing instead of how nice it feels to have clean oil.

 

[retired]

So the Op uses a top shelf oil and pays for it. My question would be why spend that money if you intended on a short interval?

Amsoil 0w40 is 13 dollars a qrt, discount price is 10 bucks a quart, so best case it is 70 dollars for an oil change, filter aside. Amazon basics is 28 bucks per 5 quart for a price of 39 dollars for the same 7 quarts. Now, what is a better strategy, 1/2ing any interval using a cheaper oil and keeping the oil cleaner, or pushing that oil to it's limits, or using something expensive for a longer interval, or simply using an expensive oil but on a short interval thus raising the costs substantially? If you are gonna use one of the boutiques because you like the science, as I do, don't you have to extend the interval?

Cleaner oil sounds good, but that is a feeling not a fact, the fact is the oil is still good even if it is dark. The only reason to change your oil should be tbn, contamination level, wear metal levels, viscosity shear, or fuel dilution, or any of these. But if none of those exist why did you change the oil? Imagine how nice it is to save 70 bucks and loose nothing instead of how nice it feels to have clean oil.

some of us just (well at least me) like changing our own oil often. Gives me the warm fuzzies when I dump it out early knowing I am probably ******* greta thornburg off.

 

[Burla]

some of us just (well at least me) like changing our own oil often. Gives me the warm fuzzies when I dump it out early knowing I am probably ******* greta thornburg off.

That is a legit reason to change the oil on a short interval, but somehow you have to let her know about it. Maybe a youtube adding a bit of gas and burning your used oil while it is still amber? Of course the fbi would likely raid your stuff the next day.

 

[kurek]

some of us just (well at least me) like changing our own oil often. Gives me the warm fuzzies when I dump it out early knowing I am probably ******* greta thornburg off.

Man you're not gonna like finding out that making your truck last longer is gonna help the environment way more than dumping a little used oil early hurts it.

Anyway I'm a lifelong outdoorsman and don't think we need to be divided by politics, it's OK to like trucks and trees at the same time.

 

[retired]

Man you're not gonna like finding out that making your truck last longer is gonna help the environment way more than dumping a little used oil early hurts it.

Anyway I'm a lifelong outdoorsman and don't think we need to be divided by politics, it's OK to like trucks and trees at the same time.

I agree I love cutting them down...

 

[Burla]

kurek says lets not be divided just so long as you agree with him, lol. I absolutely hate trees, they are a PITA, I chopped 30 down, if I had it my way I would cut all of them down on my property. Just too much work is why they aint cut yet.

You can't take conserving resources seriously when one side makes climate deals with china that doubles and triples their carbon burning, meanwhile tells you that you can't eat a beef hotdog or use 30 weight oil, lmao. So for the interval, conserving resources has zero to do with my thinking, except for conserving my money, which I am all about. People that allow a slow child to determine their energy policy deserves what they get. But pinch those pennies and run a long interval, as a bonus you will be in the in ground with hippy college girls.

 

[Burla]

When absolute crazy climate change hysteria meets common sense fiscal responsibility, aren't we better off? Just saying. Long oil change intervals makes sense to both sides, whether either side is "happy", well we know one side would never be happy, lmao.

 

[kurek]

Man i don't really care about sides or some wunderkind of the week on TV, it's just foolish to poop in your own swimming pool because you have a hate-on for some ideological caricature somebody convinced you is your enemy.

An older woman I know likes to conspicuously waste energy on Earth Day to "own the libs"... Only thing getting owned is herself when the electric bill comes in.

Oil changes probably don't mean much to trees and air anyway but trucks cost a lot more than oil so I'm not taking any chances.

 

[Rick Gabler]

My dealer here in Minnesota is the number 1 Ram dealer in the state. I asked these oil questions to the service mgr. he just shrugged them off. They use Penzoil Synthetic Oil. He said it’s a great oil and will be as good as any other oil. I don’t drive my truck much, it’s my car for winter and rainy days. 2019 with only 4300 miles on it. All in town, no towing or dirt roads. Thoughts on this?

 

[JOHN NIGHTINGALE]

Send the oil initially to a lab for testing. The lab will tell you when to change based on oil chemistry. OR if you have a friend in the oil business that wants it changed as many times as possible do as the oil salesman says. Or look at oil centrifuge kits to remove the solids and double the oil life.

 

[2019_RPX_LTD]

I am not an automotive engineer, I do what the voices in my truck tell me to do.

This. 10K intervals. Dealer serviced.