Bought my new car, care to give me a hand?

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RamFan

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Hello all-
I just got back from the dealer with my new car. 2007 Dodge Charger, 3.5l V6, 26k miles. I have a 6 year/100k warranty on it so I need to continue the factory maintenance requirements.

My only question is the oil choice. As some of you may know the 3.5l HO engine requires 10w30. So my question to you, those of you who are "experts" (Johnny, TomNJ, etc.) which are the thinner 10w30 oils? Illinois winters can be brutal so I would like to find the thinnest 10w30 for those cold winter starts when we get to single and negative digits.
 
I would run PP 10W30. In one thread it was said that it flows as well as a dino 5W30 in the cold.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Would a 0w 30 be bad for that car?


For where he lives, I wouldn't think so. If 0w30 is supposed to 'meet' and 'exceed' all 5w/10w-30 requirements, I don't see how it would void the warranty.

For that matter, isn't 0w30 the best lubricating oil out there?
 
Platinum 10w30 will be fine in Illinois winters. I run it in a vehicle that is out in the Illinois cold all winter long.

Chrysler knows what they're doing... Keep them happy, they're the ones that will be honoring the warranty.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I would love to be able to use an 0w30 or 5w30 instead, however Chrysler has speced 10w30 for this engine since its introduction which is why I don't want to stray from the recommendation, especially while it is under a warranty.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I would love to be able to use an 0w30 or 5w30 instead, however Chrysler has speced 10w30 for this engine since its introduction which is why I don't want to stray from the recommendation, especially while it is under a warranty.


Well, being that the car is already broken in, but could still have some 'like-new' wear happening(metal shavings not seen down the road), I'd be comfortable using a good dino oil and dropping it by the 'normal' service mileage/length of time. Key, though, IMO, is to use a better filtering filter like a P1 or something you know filters better(but doesnt have to be great on capacity since you won't be doing extended OCI).
 
Clean the battery with Pledge Furniture Polish. Don't use grease. The battery will look like the day you bought your car on the day it dies. This is a closely held secret to long battery life because experts in auto maintenance laugh at the idea. It actually works because it cuts the constant low level of electrolysis across the top of the battery. My daughter's 2001 car has the original OEM battery and it looks exactly like brand new. It got the Pledge treatment the first week, including the battery box and surrounding area. It gets touched up every 6 months or so and performs like new as well. Be careful. It's a secret.
 
Johnny do you have any idea when the Pennzoil site is going to have the new info up? The dang maintenance page still shows.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I would love to be able to use an 0w30 or 5w30 instead, however Chrysler has speced 10w30 for this engine since its introduction which is why I don't want to stray from the recommendation, especially while it is under a warranty.


Actually, Chrysler allows for 5w30 in colder temperatures. The viscosity chart in the owner's manual( page 299 )shows 5w30 being acceptable in temps of 32F and below. 10w30 is shown for temps 0F and above. So if you see temps down below 32F during winter use a 5w30 at that time. Use 10w30 during warmer months.

Originally Posted By: 2007 Charger Owner's Manual

Maintaing Your Vehicle - Page 298

Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade) — 3.5L Engine:
SAE 10w30 engine oil is preferred for use in 3.5L Engines within the operating temperatures shown in the engine oil viscosity chart. SAE 5w30 Engine Oil is allowed for use in the 3.5L Engine during cold weather only to improve cold weather starting.


I would personally use a synthetic but that is just me. I would look at oils like Kendall GT1, Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra, Valvoline Synpower, or Amsoil XL or OE as you are concerned about warranty. Any of those( if offered in 10w30 )would be a good choice and should meet all your warranty requirements.

Don't forget, if warranty is a big concern for you as it seems to be, that you need to change it on time too. 6/6000 is the max allowed for time frame. In cold temps( 32F and below )they stick you in Severe Service which drops it to 3/3000.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I would love to be able to use an 0w30 or 5w30 instead, however Chrysler has speced 10w30 for this engine since its introduction which is why I don't want to stray from the recommendation, especially while it is under a warranty.


Actually, Chrysler allows for 5w30 in colder temperatures. The viscosity chart in the owner's manual( page 299 )shows 5w30 being acceptable in temps of 32F and below. 10w30 is shown for temps 0F and above. So if you see temps down below 32F during winter use a 5w30 at that time. Use 10w30 during warmer months.

Originally Posted By: 2007 Charger Owner's Manual

Maintaing Your Vehicle - Page 298

Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade) — 3.5L Engine:
SAE 10w30 engine oil is preferred for use in 3.5L Engines within the operating temperatures shown in the engine oil viscosity chart. SAE 5w30 Engine Oil is allowed for use in the 3.5L Engine during cold weather only to improve cold weather starting.


I would personally use a synthetic but that is just me. I would look at oils like Kendall GT1, Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra, Valvoline Synpower, or Amsoil XL or OE as you are concerned about warranty. Any of those( if offered in 10w30 )would be a good choice and should meet all your warranty requirements.

Don't forget, if warranty is a big concern for you as it seems to be, that you need to change it on time too. 6/6000 is the max allowed for time frame. In cold temps( 32F and below )they stick you in Severe Service which drops it to 3/3000.


Nice catch. Thanks, I haven't had time to look through the manual I just remember reading on the engine online before buying the car and seeing that it required 10w30. That is good to know for sure.
 
I'd also run a synthetic. If it were mine, it'd be M1 0w30 AFE in the winter, and any name brand (whatever is on sale or has rebates) 10w30 synthetic in the summer. You should be able to use that M1 year-round, but if the manual calls for 10w30 in temps above 32F, then I guess just do it...
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I would love to be able to use an 0w30 or 5w30 instead, however Chrysler has speced 10w30 for this engine since its introduction which is why I don't want to stray from the recommendation, especially while it is under a warranty.


mobil 1 0w30 or german castrol 0w30 oil would be great choices. I dont see how the 3.5 engine would be hurt from it. I use german castrol in my ford crown vic And it does great. Ford says use 5w30 but when i changed from dino 5w30 to gc 0w30; there was a big improvement

Mobil 1 even says on there bottle that there 0w30 meet the 5w30 and 10w30 specs

5w30 would be a good choice also if you are not ready for the 0w30 change. To be honest, castrol, mobil 1, pennzoil and valvoline would all be good choices. I prefer castrol edge and pennzoil ultra.
 
Look no further than Castrol Edge 5W30. Since OM says you can use 5W30 for colder winter months that would be my choice.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
which are the thinner 10w30 oils?

lol gotta love how many people can't just answer the question

I totally get that you want to try the thin 10w30 thing before trying 5w30 or 0w30.

I'm assuming you want the lowest 40C vis spec and aren't going for pumpability specs?

Honda Genuine Ultimate Full Synthetic 10w30 is 58 cSt at 40C
Castrol EDGE 10w30 is 60.46 cSt at 40C
Formula Shell Synthetic 10w30 is 61.5 cSt at 40C
Pennzoil Ultra 10w30 is 61.9 cSt at 40C
 
Of all the oils suggested you could try anyone would be hard pressed to tell the difference in 5 years except for harsh conditions. This dialog about chasing the details makes for interesting reading and I think you should choose a favorite. I think vehicle maintenance should not be a spectator sport, you should jump in and get involved. That alone could make a real difference in 5 years of ownership.
 
I got to reading the manual yesterday and it has the 6k oil change intervals (normal conditions) like most do now-a-days, and for severe it says to bring it back to 3k intervals. I like 6 month intervals due to the weather, a change in November then another change in May, I never go over 6k in this amount of time.

However I know that the warranty people don't respect the oil's capability, instead they simply care if the manufacturer recommended maintenance was taken. So I've decided on the following: 3 changes a year; 2 being 3k/3mo, 1 being a 6k/6mo interval. Nov-Feb-May. I feel this is a good compromise to prevent my independent decision from biting me in the [censored] in the long run since I plan on keeping this car for a long time.

Thanks again for everyone's input, I especially appreciate the breakdown of the 10w30 40*cst among various oils.
 
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