Dakota Durango Forum banner

What type of oil u use???

38K views 62 replies 19 participants last post by  QMartinez 
#1 ·
Hello to all,

In my 01' Durango V-8 I want to try a synthetic oil that a 5W-20 instead of the typical 5W-30 weight. Any issues using this lighter weight oil????:huh:

rimfire,22
 
#9 ·
I would agree; use 5w30. The cars that use 5w20 are made with closer tolerances. The 4.7 OEM operating temperature is 195 degrees, which thins out 30 weight plenty enough.
Mobil1 5w30 and NAPA Gold 1085 filter
 
#12 ·
$$$

How much is Amsoil a qt, like ~$10? Thats $60 just for oil, I can get M1 Synthetic for $4.50 a qt at Wal-Mart. That makes it about $30 for a full oil change, half of what it costs just for the Amsoil.

15w40 (IIRC) Shell Rotella T with a Bosch filter. Got tired of 60 dollar oil changes with as much as I drive.
You run 15w40? Thats pretty thick stuff for such a cold climate to be running. I would deffinatly change out to a 5-30 or 5-40 if you need thicker oil. With a 15w and cold start it's going to take longer for the oil to circulate, causing more wear on your parts.
 
#17 ·
Meh, I don't believe in waiting that long to change the oil. Although I am harder on my stuff then most people. I always change oil and filter every 3k with synthetic. Don't mind spending $30 every few months for peace of mind.
 
#19 ·
dont do that. use 0-30 or 5-30. that engine calls for 30 weight. i just recently switched to 0-30 on my 4.7 and gained a little mpg
 
#25 ·
If you are using a 5w30 is will shear down to a 20 wt within a thousand miles or so. Especially with dino oil. If you research the 5w20 oils, even the dino versions have synthetic base mixed in them. They do not shear out of spec very much, so if you run 5w30 and 5w20 they will be virtually the same oil long before you change it out. If higher viscosity oil is so much better why no run 5w50 or 10w60 oils? There is absolutely no truth to this in everyday driving scenarios. I have seen vehicles with bearing problems running to high viscosity oil, I have also seen engine hit 300,000 miles with the same oil. I have seen many tundras, ford f150s hiting 200-300,000 miles running 0-5w20 oils.

I put in 5w20 syntec this last week and have approximately 500 miles on the oil.

I was using 0w30 syntec before which is actually closer to a 40wt oil.

No change in temp, or oil pressure. There is no difference in engine performance except on cold mornings where it doesn't seem so sluggish. I am averaging 1.5 mpg better so far. I don't expect quite that much on longer trips, but as for starting it in cold weather and driving a short distance to work it is making quite a difference.

I will post more as the miles come.
 
#26 ·
QMartinez,

This is the same situation I read on another forum webpage where this guy wanted to run a 5W-20 synthetic oil in his truck and the engine called for a 5W-30 instead.

Unfortunatle for him most of the replies were negative to use a 20W cuz of some sort of internal bearing failure.

In my Durango I wondered about trying a 0W-30 oil but never treated my thoughts seriously cuz too me a zero weight oil is like putting water in your crank case until it get hot to get up to a 30W.

Question, If anyone runs a 0W-30 weight oil in their truck/car isn't that the same situation as that other guy wanting to use a 5W-20???? I mean, using any oil that has zero weight oil doesn't cause bearing failure????

rimfire,22
 
#27 ·
0w30, 5w30, 10w30 are all the same viscosity at operating temps. The w rating is only for cold weather performance. I have been using 0w30 oils for years. I had 135,000 miles on my previous dak using it. If you live in 90 degree weather there really is no gain by using it, but it won't hurt either. Also you will notice that there are no 0w30 or 0w20 mineral based oils. Synthetic oils naturally flow better at colder temps and there is no additive that will give mineral oil those flowing capabilities without hurting performance.

I have read hundreds of threads where tundra and ford trucks are running 5w20 oils while towing, hauling, etc. and still are getting 200,000 plus miles. We have been using 5w20 in two of our work trucks; 2005 silverado 2500 HD with the 6.0, and a 2002 for f150 with the 5.4L. They both get used for towing on occasion and always have 500 lbs or more in the bed. The ford has 155,000 miles and the chevy has 225,000. Neither burn oil and both run great. Ford has back spec'd most of their vehicles to 5w20 as far back as 2001.

The difference between 0w30 and 5w20 in almost nothing, and actually depends on what brand of oils you use. Not all 5w20 weight oils have the same cold pouring capabilities. The difference comes at operating temps where the 20 wt oil is thinner. Although I have seen some 30 wt oils that have almost the same viscosity as the 20 wt oils.

I will not be towing much with my dak, and 90% of my driving will be 20 minute trips to work and back. I ride a motorcycle in the summer months so most of the trucks use will be at lower temps. I think the 5w20 will provide better protection for my cold starts and improve mpg. I will be using 0w20 on the next oil change. I will post back as the miles come.

I also read that honda is using 0w10 oil in the honda fit in japan. I think you will start seeing everyone specing 5w20, and soon many will be specing 10wt oils. This is the way of the future.
 
#32 ·
Jez does Mobil pay you guys on here or something? Seems like all of you guys are running it. Maybe there is a reason? I've been running Valvoline Synpower with either a Mopar filter or K&N. I like the K&N's but I have to order them. The Mopar ones are like $3 at Wally World.
 
#33 · (Edited)
K&N oil filter is exactly the same as....hmmmmm....has slipped my mind here.....I need the link to that site where the guy cut them all apart and took pics, wrote down all the specs, etc. Anyway, the end analysis is that you are paying like $2 extra simply for the nut on the end (and the K&N logo). You can literally get the EXACT same filter, made in the same factory, by the same company, for like $2 less if you give up the nut.

Edit: http://www.300cforums.com/forums/general-discussion/31190-oil-filters-dissected.html

Mobil1 and K&N filters are EXACTLY the same.
 
#36 ·
Montana Dodge,

Thank you for your statement is right on the money! My same feelings exactly BUT no real answers. See the negative posters are silent. HMMMM????
Oh well too late I switched out the oil in place of the speced 5W-30. Perhaps my next OCI will give me an answer by then.

rimfire,22
 
#38 ·
True. But I'm just asking. I really have no clue about those things so I'm asking.

Like I said, I run 5-W30. I've just been doing some reading lately about my brother's new (to him) Charger and they say it will absolutely ruin the Hemi engines with MDS (or whatever it is) if you use anything but 5-W20.
 
#45 ·
I have seen hundreds of UOA's with the 5w20 and they don't shear down anymore than the 5w30. All the 5w20 I have seen have some synthetic base. So if you are using 5w30 mineral what's the difference?

Now if you use synthetic that's a different story as some brands don't shear very much.
 
#52 ·
From what I've read, of the major brands the only true synthetic is Mobil1 (and Amsoil if you consider it a "major" brand).

I'm not looking to start a fight here. Just what I've read in several articles stating the facts on that loophole that allows other companies (Valvoline, Castrol, etc) to sell dino oil that has been cleaned or otherwise somehow changed, as synthetic.

So that's #1 for me, #2 is that everyone uses it, which isn't a guarantee, but I've heard very few reported problems with Mobil1. #3 being that many higher end performance companies use it for the first fill in their engines (Porche, I believe, and others). #4 being that is is pretty cheap especially when considering that you can run it for longer than dino.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top