2021 ram 1500 5.7 hemi; PP 5w-20 5k mi

[ramcar]

I'm kicking myself for not getting an oil report sooner so i had a benchmark for this truck. Yet here i am. Just got my oil report. 22k miles on my ram 1500 5.7. I've been consistent changing oil every 5k miles with either 5w-20 penzoil ultra platinum or penzoil platinum depending on what i could get. And mopar filters. Still under warranty so i'm sticking to whatever is spec at the moment.

My iron level came back at 122, and copper is 66. None of my vehicles have ever showed levels that high. I use the truck to tow a 5k pound travel trailer in the summer. And towing season has just started. Really don't want to blow an engine in the middle of traveling. Is it possible this is an anomaly. I plan on running the current oil about 3k then changing it to see what the report will come back. with

or should i start worrying?

 

[ScottyB]

given how low other wear metals are, and how young the engine is, its definitely concerning. doesn't seem like a bottom end issue but rather something with steel on steel contact.

from what i've heard, these hemis can have issues with cams and lifters (due to the MDS system) in which case the cam lobes can sometimes get wiped or have lifters fail. being that those are steel parts, this may be an early warning that something in the top end is unhappy. not sure on the copper although that can be potentially something in an oil cooler.

might be worth having the cam inspected before you send shrapnel through the block far from home with a camper behind you. just my opinion though!

 

[fantastic]

That just has to be a crappy situation & I'm sorry you're going through this. This does seam to me to be a bit higher than just a normal break-in. Get another analysis done on your next oil change to see if it's trending up, down, or staying level. More UOA should paint a better picture of this situation. I hope it all goes down for you. Let us know how it goes.

 

[JustN89]

The copper isn't unusual, but that iron certain is. Your still within warranty, so I'd wait and do another UOA at your next OCI and see what the iron does.

 

[MolaKule]

I'm kicking myself for not getting an oil report sooner so i had a benchmark for this truck. Yet here i am. Just got my oil report. 22k miles on my ram 1500 5.7. I've been consistent changing oil every 5k miles with either 5w-20 penzoil ultra platinum or penzoil platinum depending on what i could get. And mopar filters. Still under warranty so i'm sticking to whatever is spec at the moment.

My iron level came back at 122, and copper is 66. None of my vehicles have ever showed levels that high. I use the truck to tow a 5k pound travel trailer in the summer. And towing season has just started. Really don't want to blow an engine in the middle of traveling. Is it possible this is an anomaly. I plan on running the current oil about 3k then changing it to see what the report will come back. with or should i start worrying?

So does Chrysler specify a 5W20 for towing and or Severe Duty use or does it allow for a 5W30 for Severe Duty use?

 

[MParr]

I would move up to a 5W30 with the Chrysler MS-6395 specification.
Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic is a good choice.
Severe Service calls for 4,000 mile OCI.

 

[wemay]

I know the intuitive response is to increase viscosity and/or HT/HS but I'd rather my engine fail on the spec'd oil, in warranty, than extending the inevitable past the warranty (inevitable = worst case scenario). Or if it happens inside warranty but on a non-spec'd oil and you have to fight that battle. I'd stick with the 5W-20 and monitor the situation, keeping the dealership abreast.

I say all this not knowing if RAM allows 5W-30 per O.Manual.

 

[CarDoc66]

Don't lose sleep, those motors don't just blow up and leave you stranded somewhere. Does the truck idle a lot, or has it idled excessively in the past?

 

[thunderfog]

Have them test it again? That just seems so high that it could be erroneous.

 

[thunderfog]

@OVERKILL

 

[Deleted member 89374]

I'm kicking myself for not getting an oil report sooner so i had a benchmark for this truck. Yet here i am. Just got my oil report. 22k miles on my ram 1500 5.7. I've been consistent changing oil every 5k miles with either 5w-20 penzoil ultra platinum or penzoil platinum depending on what i could get. And mopar filters. Still under warranty so i'm sticking to whatever is spec at the moment.

My iron level came back at 122, and copper is 66. None of my vehicles have ever showed levels that high. I use the truck to tow a 5k pound travel trailer in the summer. And towing season has just started. Really don't want to blow an engine in the middle of traveling. Is it possible this is an anomaly. I plan on running the current oil about 3k then changing it to see what the report will come back. with View attachment 157936 or should i start worrying?

Run Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 in your HEMI. The 5.7 has identical bearing clearances and uses the same VVT system as the 6.4. Trust me, your HEMI will thank you.

 

[The Critic]

So does Chrysler specify a 5W20 for towing and or Severe Duty use or does it allow for a 5W30 for Severe Duty use?

5W20 for all temps. 22+ is 0W20 for all temps.

 

[ramcar]

i'm hoping its a bad test. I do not really hear any knocking right now. Just the usual startup noises that go away quickly. The oil that was tested, it pretty much was the truck being parked in the winter with the occasional once or twice a week grocery run. In the summer it gets most of its mileage... while towing a trailer. I plan on driving it a bunch now to get some more miles on it before i take any big trips and have the oil tested again.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

5W20 for all temps. 22+ is 0W20 for all temps.

Ah, that takes us back to the good old days, doesn't it? When Chrysler was ensuring that lubricant manufacturers were meeting the MS-6395 standard, there was quite a rigorous testing process in place.

It's actually pretty interesting! Would you like me to dive into that for you?

i'm hoping its a bad test. I do not really hear any knocking right now. Just the usual startup noises that go away quickly. The oil that was tested, it pretty much was the truck being parked in the winter with the occasional once or twice a week grocery run. In the summer it gets most of its mileage... while towing a trailer. I plan on driving it a bunch now to get some more miles on it before i take any big trips and have the oil tested again.

No worries at all! The HEMI is known to be a bit of a high wear engine, but what you're noticing is mostly just residual noise from the manufacturing process. You're seeing copper from the cam bushings - it's quite typical and nothing to be overly concerned about. And honestly, even when people rebuild their HEMIs, they often don't replace those bushings, even when they change the cam.

So, here's a little tip from me to you: run Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 in your HEMI. We have a 2016 model ourselves, and I've been using 0W-40 in it for quite some time, with absolutely no issues to report. Plus, try using a large oil filter. I personally recommend the FRAM FE2, you can easily get it from Walmart.

Here's another neat trick I've learned - install a magnetic drain plug and add some neodymium magnets on the oil filter (you can find them at Harbor Freight). If you pair these two hacks with the M1 FS 0W-40, I guarantee you'll see your wear metals reduce dramatically within just one oil change interval (OCI).

Of course, you could also take a listen to what @The Critic has to say. I'm just here to give you options and a friendly nudge in what I think is the right direction. It's totally up to you to decide what's best for your HEMI. Cheers!

 

[1BadManVan]

Run Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 in your HEMI. The 5.7 has identical bearing clearances and uses the same VVT system as the 6.4. Trust me, your HEMI will thank you.

I was considering this for my hemi Durango as I tow with it during the summer and race it. But somewhere on this forum I read a guy that was running that and he got the engine code because of the oil being out of spec.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

I was considering this for my hemi Durango as I tow with it during the summer and race it. But somewhere on this forum I read a guy that was running that and he got the engine code because of the oil being out of spec.

No worries at all! I've seen some wild stories floating around too. I recall one gentleman who was absolutely convinced that he lost several quarts of oil to "oil burning" just because he opted for 5W-30 over 5W-20. Quite the yarn, isn't it?

Now, let's chat about 5W-20 and 0W-20. These are typically aimed at meeting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. They're especially suited to smaller engines, where viscosity can really influence miles per gallon (MPG).

Manufacturers have a keen eye on CAFE. If every HEMI gets a 1% MPG increase by using 0/5W-20, that makes a massive difference for them, given they sell millions of vehicles each year. The EPA essentially nudges manufacturers to recommend the same viscosity they used to hit their EPA MPG numbers.

But let me assure you, you're totally okay using 0W-40 in your HEMI. Relax and enjoy the ride!

 

[Sonny88]

Run a 5W-30, stronger film strength, and no worries about throwing a code.
Spec is 5W-20 for my Dodge 3.6
I just put in 5W-30 tonight, Mobil 1 , I got on sale at Costco.
Motor has 18,000 miles on it.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

Run a 5W-30, stronger film strength, and no worries about throwing a code.

How exactly does an ILSAC GF6A motor oil have more film strength than a 0W-40 MB229.5/VW502 Euro oil? By the way, Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 is API SP now.

 

[Sonny88]

How exactly does an ILSAC GF6A motor oil have more film strength than a 0W-40 MB229.5/VW502 Euro oil? By the way, Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 is API SP now.

I think you misread my post.
He was running a 20, I said to go to a 30, a better film strength.
My post reply is to the OP

 

[Deleted member 89374]

I think you misread my post.
He was running a 20, I said to go to a 30, a better film strength.
My post reply is to the OP

I sure did, sorry about that. I ran 5W-30 ILSAC in the HEMI, and it's like running 0W-40 without the anti-wear benefits.