Oil recommendation - 2013 Dodge Dart

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Good morning everyone. We are about to take delivery of a used 2013 Dodge Dart with a 2.0L I-4 with only 15k miles. Got a GREAT deal on this baby. While I'm not a huge Chrysler fan (was burnt back in the 90s by a POS Intrepid)this car seems very solid. Research indicates it's an Alfa Romeo re-badged. The manual states 0w-20 is recommended, however 5w-20 is acceptable if 0w is not available (I live in the south, 0w-20 is hard to find). A mechanic friend of mine told me that 0w-20 oils are synthetic whereas 5w-20 won't necessarily be. Is this correct? If so is Dodge recommending a synthetic oil for this motor? Any input would be appreciated. Would 5w-30 would be pushing it? This is the first car I've owned that specified a 20 weight oil.
 
*Yes, all "0" oils are synthetic AFAIK!

*True, 5W20 come in both regular and synthetic versions.

*If Dodge were recomending a synthetic oil, it would say so in the ownres manual(OM)...The OM would state to, "Use only Synthetic Motor Oils"...or something of that nature!

*No one can answer if a 5W30 is acceptable just yet though, I prefer it in our Mazda3, which requires 5W20 ONLY in the OM.

*For now, I'd stay with the 0W20 or 5W20 till more information is available.
 
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Originally Posted By: Char Baby
*Yes, all "0" oils are synthetic AFAIK!

*True, 5W20 come in both regular and synthetic versions.

*If Dodge were recomending a synthetic oil, it would say so in the ownres manual(OM)...The OM would state to, "Use only Synthetic Motor Oils"...or something of that nature!

*No one can answer if a 5W30 is acceptable just yet though, I prefer it in our Mazda3, which requires 5W20 ONLY in the OM.

*For now, I'd stay with the 0W20 or 5W20 till more information is available.



Also, stay with the oil(s) that will keep you in the warranty!
 
Originally Posted By: Tmiller3063
Pennzoil Platinum or Mobil 1


IIRC Mobil 1 doesn't meet the Chrysler warranty approvals. Call it politics.
 
Stick with either recommended grade in the OM for warranty purpose. In the south, there will be little difference between a 5w and 0w.
 
Chrysler recommends 0W-20 meeting MS-6395. M1 doesn't have that spec, PP and Valvoline Synpower do. I'm sure a few other 0W-20 oils now also meet that spec. My son uses PP in his Dart w the same engine.
 
0w20 shouldn't be hard to find in Virginia.....Walmart carries RP, M1, QSUD, PP, Castrol Syntec and VSP in 0w20....any would work fine in your Dart. 5w20 would work too.

Is a Dart really a rebadged Alfa?...I might have to look into one.
 
Its no more a rebadged Alfa, than my Sable is a rebadged Volvo, or a Charger is a rebadged Mercedes. Its called platform sharing, and its common among brands with common ownership.
Chrysler borrowed, and adapted an Alfa platform, creating their own version of it.
The Alfa platform in question was used in the Gulietta. The dart is the first car Chrysler built on the modified platform, known as cusw- compact US wide.
However Sergio Marchione(sp?),Chrysler CEO, said the closest you'll get to a new Alfa in the states for a few years is the dart, with the 1.6 turbo, and the 6 speed dual dry clutch automated manual.
 
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Originally Posted By: demarpaint

IIRC Mobil 1 doesn't meet the Chrysler warranty approvals. Call it politics.


Mobil 1 will stand behind their oil in any Chrysler engine requiring MS-6395 specified oil. It is not so much that Mobil 1 could not meet that spec vs. them actually applying for certification and Chrysler approving.

You are correct in that their politics involved when it comes to Mobil 1 and Chrysler. During the bankruptcy reorganization, Mobil 1 would not extend product on credit to Chrysler and Chrysler took offense to this and switched over to Pennzoil Synthetic as their recommended factory fill synthetic.
 
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
Originally Posted By: demarpaint

IIRC Mobil 1 doesn't meet the Chrysler warranty approvals. Call it politics.


Mobil 1 will stand behind their oil in any Chrysler engine requiring MS-6395 specified oil. It is not so much that Mobil 1 could not meet that spec vs. them actually applying for certification and Chrysler approving.

You are correct in that their politics involved when it comes to Mobil 1 and Chrysler. During the bankruptcy reorganization, Mobil 1 would not extend product on credit to Chrysler and Chrysler took offense to this and switched over to Pennzoil Synthetic as their recommended factory fill synthetic.


I think they switched when FIAT bought them because Ferrari have agreement with Shell. Ferrari is 85% owned by FIAT Group.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think I will find an oil that meets the Chrysler spec. I don't recall the owner's manual referring to meeting any spec but I guess it can't hurt.

Our Wal-mart does't carry much 0w-20. When it does, it usually doesn't take long for it to disappear off the shelf. I've seen it, but it's not a constant thing.
 
Originally Posted By: RamAir5
Thanks for the replies. I think I will find an oil that meets the Chrysler spec. I don't recall the owner's manual referring to meeting any spec but I guess it can't hurt.

Our Wal-mart does't carry much 0w-20. When it does, it usually doesn't take long for it to disappear off the shelf. I've seen it, but it's not a constant thing.


The spec is MS-6395, it should say that in your owners manual. If you want a 0W-20, the only one I've seen that lists MS-6395 is Valvoline.

http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/synpower.pdf
 
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
You are correct in that their politics involved when it comes to Mobil 1 and Chrysler. During the bankruptcy reorganization, Mobil 1 would not extend product on credit to Chrysler and Chrysler took offense to this and switched over to Pennzoil Synthetic as their recommended factory fill synthetic.


Great inside info! Where did you hear that? Perfect example of business chaos.
 
That Dart can use any name-brand synthetic 0w-20, 5w-20, 0w-30, or 5w-30 you see in Walmart. All have been tested plenty and have great records on the road.
 
Originally Posted By: route66mike
Great inside info! Where did you hear that? Perfect example of business chaos.


It has been talked about on a few Jeep forums and while there is no smoking gun proof, the argument has some validity to it.

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/ms-6395-issue-with-mobil-1-update-248329.html#post3843873

If you think about it, there is many other oils to include both synthetic and even Valvoline conventional meeting the MS-6395 spec. One has to ask why Mobil would be so late to the party in submitting their oil for certification? Even though it it has a two year process to get certification, Mobil seems to have an ambivalence about getting it but does not seem to worry of it not meeting the spec with current formulations.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Mobil_1_and_Chrysler_MS-6395.aspx

While another member here has eluded to FIAT having a relationship with Shell in Europe, I do not think that factored in with Mobil here in the USA and FIAT/Chrysler.

So there is some wordplay on the internet and various car forums that Mobil 1 does not meet the MS-6395 spec, this not an exact truth as the oil has not been submitted for certification and if Mobil is not on good terms with FIAT/Chrysler, one would think there is no hurry to push the issue from either end.
 
Originally Posted By: Hootbro

While another member here has eluded to FIAT having a relationship with Shell in Europe, I do not think that factored in with Mobil here in the USA and FIAT/Chrysler.


if it didn't, the timing was VERY coincidental.
Mobil 1 was the FF on SRT Vehicles up to the point where Fiat got involved. at which time it became a Pennzoil Product made Specifically for SRT engines.(Pennzoil Ultra 0w40 SRT)

Pennzoil Ultra is the FF/ Recommended oil for Ferrari.

SRT themselves claim the catalyst for the switch was the GF-5 Specification.
http://www.drivesrt.com/news/2013/12/pen...-oil-blend.html
 
FIAT Group cars that are sold in US are using Pennzoil probably because their other oil partner Petronas is not obtainable in NA. Ferrari use Shell products worldwide. So no wonder Chrysler switched to Pennzoil.
 
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