[chasmanz28]

on my 04 hemi, i just changed over to mobil 1 syn and a K&N oil filter, could i go that long with harming the engine?

 

[kaui56]

personally i dont. but with the technology now days i dont see the harm in it. how much miles you got on it...if it's brand new i wouldn't, you gotta break in the motor properly. for the first year or so i would go by the book...try switching to amsoil...thats a wonderful oil...i love it.

 

[dgc333]

The vehicles I run Mobil 1 in I do oil changes on 7500 mile intervals. The first turbo Daytona I purchased in 85 had 240,000 miles on it when my son totlaed it. The only engine work was a couple of timing belts and a head gasket. The 89 Shelby Daytona I just sold had 176,000 miles on it. It too had Mobil 1 and 7500 mile oil changes. When I did the head gasket at 170,000 miles you could still see the honing marks on the cylinder walls.

Now my 89 Dakota used conventional oil changed on 5000 mile intervals. I sold it with 256,000 miles on it. Engine was leaking at ever seal but still ran strong for a non-magnum v6. All other non turbo cars have been on the same 5000 mile interval and I have gotten the same type of longevity.

My current Dakota is on a 7500 mile interval with Mobel 1 but is just broken in with 80,000 miles

On my 03 PT Cruiser GT turbo the warranty requires you to perform the service as it's stated in the manual or the warrenty is void. So I am following Schedule A and changing the Mobil 1 every 5000 miles until it's out of warranty and will go to 7500 miles.

With your 04 I wouldn't violate the maintenance schedules in the ownes manual but if you are using Mobil 1 I certainly I would go with Schedule A even if your driving qualifies as Schedule B.

Also, there is some controversy regarding K&N and the Mobeil 1 oil filters on the oil filter discussion groups. These filters restrict oil flow more than other filters and the discussion is to whether the restriction is more of a detriment than the improved filtering is a benefit. Personally I use a quality brand name filter and I get one that is larger than the factory spec'd filter. Motorcraft filters get high praises on these forums and if you get them at Wal-Mart they are less than $3.

FYI, the fitting on the engine the filter screws onto has been the same on every mopar engine since they started using spin on filters. So basically any filter that has ever been spec'd on a mopar engine will screw onto your Hemi, the only question is will it fit in the space available. I try to use the filter that was called out on all big block mopars and small block trucks from the 70'/80's. This is a Motorcraft FL1A or a FRAM PH8A. My 3.9l Dakota doesn't have enough room between the block and the frame for this filter but the Motorcraft FL300 is about 1/2" longer and the same diameter as the stock filter. This is what I use on the Dakota. I believe some of the newere engines are calling for Motorcraft FL400 (FRAM PH3600) as long as you have about a 1/2" or clearance around the filter the FL1A will fit and give you about a 1/2 qt mote oil capacity and much more filter media.

 

[chasmanz28]

Also, there is some controversy regarding K&N and the Mobeil 1 oil filters on the oil filter discussion groups. These filters restrict oil flow more than other filters and the discussion is to whether the restriction is more of a detriment than the improved filtering is a benefit.

dave thanks for your input and to the other member also, but as to what you said about the K&N being more restrictive i thought it was the other way around with useing the filter, doesnt the K&N improve the oil flow becasue its only filtering 10 microns? as yes the engine only has 3000 miles on it, a couple of friends told me to wait until the engine sees 20,000 to 30,000 miles on it before i let the oil in for 6000 miles, so many people telling me diffrent things im confused now :huh: , i thought useing a great oil and filter would let me get buy without having to change it every 3000 miles, because as you guys know this stuff isnt cheap and i was trying to break even with useing the mobil 1 syn

 

[kaui56]

oil every 3000 is a small investment to keep your truck running right for years. its worth it to me...you should stick to the schedule at least the 1st year. $30 now saves you $3000 later

 

[dgc333]

dave thanks for your input and to the other member also, but as to what you said about the K&N being more restrictive i thought it was the other way around with useing the filter, doesnt the K&N improve the oil flow becasue its only filtering 10 microns? as yes the engine only has 3000 miles on it, a couple of friends told me to wait until the engine sees 20,000 to 30,000 miles on it before i let the oil in for 6000 miles, so many people telling me diffrent things im confused now :huh: , i thought useing a great oil and filter would let me get buy without having to change it every 3000 miles, because as you guys know this stuff isnt cheap and i was trying to break even with useing the mobil 1 syn

10 microns is significantly smaller than the 25 microns the typical filter removes, that is why some people think that the K&N filter is more restrictive. If you want to read about oil and oil filters from a group of folks that are as over the top about them as we are with our Dakota's and Durango's go to http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

Anyway, with a brand new vehicle that comes with a 7/70 warranty I wouldn't do anything that would void it, so follow the maintainence schedules in the owners manual. Schedule B has the shorter intervals and Schedule A has the longer intervals. I always follow A until out of warranty then follow my own path. If you are using a synthetic oil there is no reason to feel uncomfortable with Schedule A even if your driving habits fit more into B.

In 30+ years of driving I have never worn out the engine, I typically keep vehicles for 7-10 years, on the ones I own for that period I accumulate 150K to 250K miles and I have never changed any oil after the initial break in period at 3000 mile intervals. I realize it's cheap insurance but I have known people that change oil at 1000 mile intervals because it's cheap insurance too. I typically own 3-5 cars at a time and maintain that many more for family members. If I was doing 3000 mile oil changes I would be living under the cars, even doing either 5k or 7.5k oil changes I am doing them all to often.

 

[mopar rt]

I change the oil between 3K and 5k and use the Mobil 1 oil along with the Fram filter. The extra cost for the K&N filter to me is not worth it. If I were racing on the track a lot I would then consider using the K&N.

 

[kaui56]

have you ever seen the inside of a fram filter? not a good thing. as soon as i change my oil this month, ill open my amsoil filter. wanted to see how different it is.

 

[chasmanz28]

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oil-life.html what do you guys think about this link, they did a test and went 18,000 miles before the oil needed to be change and 12,000 miles on the oil filter, let me know what you think

 

[dgc333]

In the several oil studies I have read over the years the results here are pretty much the same.

IMHO, if you are using syntetic oil and changing it every 3k miles you are just wasting money.

 

[mopar rt]

You have to be careful when looking at the data in the oil studies. A base line must first be established before moving forward. Each engine is operated under different conditions and each will have different points of fatigue.

It takes months of these studies to establish enough data to make a decision. Sometimes the curve drops like a rock and if your not keeping up with the data you will end up loosing your ride for a while.

Changing your oil often is cheap insurance, besides the more syn oil that we use means less oil that we have to import.

 

[Y2KOTA]

I'm running AMSOIL and filters. With an oil analysis on my oil at 6243 on it, the report shows "oil is suitable for continued use". None of the test came back abnormal of even critical! That’s using AMSOIL 5W30 and remote oil filters

I'll be checking the soon and this time samples will go to 2 different labs for comparison. Also a new oil sample from the same case as the origenl oil will also be sent to each for use as a baseline.

 

[dgc333]

That article is very good, they based lined the oil by analysis before they started and then performed an analysis every 1000 miles. The testing is still in process, they have completed the analysis of Mobil 1 and have moved onto Amsoil. The other articles I have read were based on SAE test methods.

I did not see them advocating running the engine to 18,000 without an oil change as they did but they did conclude that changing synthetic oil at 3000 mile intervals was a was a waste of money.

My 30+ years of driving and close to a million accumulated miles fully supports that assumption. At this point i am sticking with my 5k drains on dino juice and 7.5k miles on synthetics it works for me, I may in the future go to longer intervals though.

BTW, use of synthetics does not reduce our reliance on petroleum imports. Sythetic oil is still manufactured from petroleum products. It's just that the HydroCarbon molecule is engineered into a specific string verse distilling out molecule strings from crude.

 

[chasmanz28]

so after reading all those articles, should i still wait until the warrnety ends on my limited? or waste my money changing it every 3000 miles :huh:

 

[dgc333]

I would wait for your warranty to end before exceeding the recomended oil change schedule, but your warranty does not require you to change the oil at 3000 mile intervals either.

If you are going to use synthetic oil follow what ever the schedule A recomendations are, it will be either 5000 or 6000 miles.

FWIW, when I purchased our 03 PT Cruiser the business manger at the dealer made it very clear that you must follow the recomended maintenance schedules in the owners manual. He went on to say if you brought it to them for the work no problem. If you planed on taking it else where to keep the slips. And, if you do it yourself keep the receipts for the oil and filters you purchase. Good advice now that they have reworded the warranties to specifically sate you must perform the PM. I am assuming your new Durango came with the same PM booklet with coupons, I staple my oil receipts to the page for that specific PM.

 

[Five9Dak]

I change my oil every 2500 in the 5.9. I use conventional napa auto parts rebranded oil. At my cost (I have an account at napa) it is under 8 dollars to do the oild change, including the free filter from my dad's dealership service desk. I would be focusing on changing the oil more often then required, you're engine will thank you.

I beat the living snot out of my 5.9 with 85k on it. It still begs to be thrashed and pulls harder then most trucks with the same mods.

 

[99durango318]

Thats just not wise....... If you wanna hammer on it u should change the oil every 3000 like the book says, dont screw your engine up and have the dealer say u neglected to take care of the motor and wont cover it under warrenty if it brakes........... A mobile one oil change only costs about 30 bucks if you do it yourself........hell of alot better than 5000 for a complete new motor

 

[WentInsane]

As far as oil changes, I think it also has to do with your driving habits and conditions. I mean, if you drive 6000 across the country and back in a week or witihin a short time, I think it would be safe to do an oil change when you got home. I personally run Castrol Syntec Blend and change my oil every 3000.

 

[LYNMUP]

I use Royal Purple in all of my vehicles. A tech rep from Royal Purple told me to change the filter after 5000 miles, then the next 5000 miles, change the oil and filter again and continue every other 5000 miles with just a filter change. They said any paper filter will start to fall apart after 5000 miles, no matter what brand or type. If there were any issues were the warranty wouldn't be covered because of it, they stated they would come forward and go to bat for the customer proving their product protects.

Just my .02

 

[shiplfox02]

I know this is an old post but I'm looking at using the larger filter on my 02 3.9. After reading this I'm wondering if I will have any clearence problems. I currantly use a purolator L14670 and want to step up to the L30001 (fl1a) filter. Am I going to have any problems?