Conventional oil in a 3.6 Penastar ok?

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My 2015 Ram 3.6l runs hotter by design than most other v-6 engines. I have been using Mobil Super Synthetic 5w20 due to the higher operating temps. The manual recommends conventional, but is this a smart move?

Synthetic is expensive and just looking for comments.

thanks!
 
What's your OCI?

There are plenty of conventional oils that meet Chrysler's spec. (MS-6395) We've got the Pentastar in our Jeep. I've been doing OCIs according to the OLM,which has been about 9000 miles so I stick with synthetic. It's not expensive if you get it on sale. I got a boatload of synthetic oil on clearance at Auto Zone for $2/quart.
 
Folks here have gotten 10k out of the Pentastar with conventional before. It'll be fine.

I can understand the peace of mind though with going synthetic. $15 vs $25 over a 10k distance isnt noticeable IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
At $25ish for a 5 quart jug, I'm not sure I could call synthetic expensive.

I'd keep doing what you're doing.


+1.

How many quarts does the engine require (6)? I'm running 5w-30 PPPP in my 2015 Caravan and it's running perfectly.
 
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Since you mentioned high temps, what temp is your pentastar running at? Do they run hotter in the Rams? With winter temps mine (the Durango) stays in the 180s. Summertime causes it to run in the 190s, low 200s if I'm setting in traffic.

Conventional oil is fine in these engines. I did a 5,700 mile run on VWB and got decent wear numbers and a TBN of 2.8. Someone mentioned doing 10k miles on conventional, personally I wouldn't go over 8k. And that would only be with a good name brand oil. My latest run was with Trop-Artic Syn Blend for 6k. Wear numbers were slightly better and TBN was a strong 4.0.

If you're dead set on running dino, I'd do PYB from Walmart for 7k and call it a day.
 
What temp is your pentastar running? My oil temp is 185 during normal operation and 202 or less in the summer. The pentastar actually runs cooler than most V6 engines. Based on my personal UOA and others I have seen, it appears to be fairly easy on oil.
 
I would run QSUD 5W-20 for 10K and call it done. It's $21.97 at Wal Mart for a 5 quart jug, and AAP is running a special for 5 quarts and a Purolator for $24.99. Great oil at great prices.
 
Your truck has an oil life monitor--and the manual states that under any circumstances, the oil should be changed no longer than 10,000 miles or one years time and that's predicated on using conventional oil. That being said, if you used ANY name-brand synthetic and went strictly by the OLM, you'd be ahead of the game cost-wise and you'd have (arguably) better oil in the sump.

I have the same truck / engine combo and I'm currently using QSUD 5w-20 and will go by the OLM--based on my research the Pentastar engine is not hard on oil and it has a six-quart sump!
 
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