2009 Challenger RT Oil Recommendation?

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Speedy!

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Just bought a 2009 Challenger RT. It has the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine and 6 Speed Manual transmission.

Book says 5W20 oil, but keeps focusing on MDS as the reason for that oil. My car is a 6 speed and does not have MDS (cylinder shut off for gas mileage feature).

I use Castrol GTX 10W30 in all my other cars (Honda Accord and Toyota 4Runner). I'd like to use this same oil in teh Challenger so I can just buy a case of one type of oil, rather than having to buy two separate types.

What say you oil experts? 10W30 Ok in a 5.7L Hemi 6 speed?
 
I saw one on the road the other day and they look really good on the street .The magazine pics don't show them off it the proper perspective.I used to own a 70 challenger RT with a 340 stickshift. What a fun car . I hope you enjoy yours as much.
 
Don't must dino 5w30 oils shear into a 20ish weight anyway? So, 5w20 and 5w30 would almost be the same in the end?

And if you don't have the MDS, I would just run GTX 10w30 and not look back. Darn good oil!
 
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Originally Posted By: Greaser
If it were my car I would use Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 and Napa Gold filters.


In my experience, synthetics aren't worth the extra money. I ran Castrol GTX dino in my Accord for 10,000 miles and Black Stone said the oil could have gone longer. If Dino will go 10,000 why even bother with synthetic at twice the cost. My analysis from that oil change is on this site.
 
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Nice car.
thumbsup2.gif
That GTX 10W-30 should work just fine.
 
I would use Castrol GTX 5W-20 in that engine, it's on the heavy side of a 20 weight (it's almost a 5W-30) so you get to keep your warranty and use oil a little heavier in a brand you like.
 
Originally Posted By: Speedy1975
Just bought a 2009 Challenger RT. It has the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine and 6 Speed Manual transmission.

Book says 5W20 oil, but keeps focusing on MDS as the reason for that oil. My car is a 6 speed and does not have MDS (cylinder shut off for gas mileage feature).


Congrats on the new Mopar!

This is just opinion, but here are my recommendations:

1) Run the recommended oil grade, but with these 5w20s I would definitely go the extra bucks for a top quality synthetic. My 5w20 of choice would be Mobil 1 Extended Performance, but Valvoline, Castrol, and pretty much all the others also make very good synthetics. Most of them are cheaper than M1 and some folks think they're better than M1, but I personally have had nothing but excellent results with M1.

2) If you want to run a different grade, go to a 5w30 but I would NOT go to a 10w30. I think that the thinner "cold" number is more important than the "hot" number, since virtually all of the engines that get 5w20 in the US get 5w30 in other markets and not 10w30. I personally would use synth in that grade too.

Why do I suggest the extra bucks for synthetic? Well, for an engine like the new Hemi in a car like a new Challenger which will retain tons of value and relatively soon will begin to appreciate in value again, don't scrimp. This is a very special car, its not a generic one-of-bazillions Hondoyotissan that you'll use up and throw away in a few years, so give it every benefit. But again, that's just what *I* would do- I honestly don't think you'd ever notice a difference on dino, other than possibly accumulating a few more internal deposits.
 
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Just use any conventional 5w20 if you don't plan on extending drain intervals.
 
Originally Posted By: Speedy1975
Originally Posted By: Greaser
If it were my car I would use Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 and Napa Gold filters.


In my experience, synthetics aren't worth the extra money. I ran Castrol GTX dino in my Accord for 10,000 miles and Black Stone said the oil could have gone longer. If Dino will go 10,000 why even bother with synthetic at twice the cost. My analysis from that oil change is on this site.

That is in one case. Trust me, if we all used dino for 10,000 miles, the junk yards would be filled 200 feet high.

Yes dino can get you as far as you want to go. I would use a 5w20 or 5w30.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Speedy1975
Just bought a 2009 Challenger RT. It has the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine and 6 Speed Manual transmission.

Book says 5W20 oil, but keeps focusing on MDS as the reason for that oil. My car is a 6 speed and does not have MDS (cylinder shut off for gas mileage feature).


Congrats on the new Mopar!

This is just opinion, but here are my recommendations:

1) Run the recommended oil grade, but with these 5w20s I would definitely go the extra bucks for a top quality synthetic. My 5w20 of choice would be Mobil 1 Extended Performance, but Valvoline, Castrol, and pretty much all the others also make very good synthetics. Most of them are cheaper than M1 and some folks think they're better than M1, but I personally have had nothing but excellent results with M1.

2) If you want to run a different grade, go to a 5w30 but I would NOT go to a 10w30. I think that the thinner "cold" number is more important than the "hot" number, since virtually all of the engines that get 5w20 in the US get 5w30 in other markets and not 10w30. I personally would use synth in that grade too.

Why do I suggest the extra bucks for synthetic? Well, for an engine like the new Hemi in a car like a new Challenger which will retain tons of value and relatively soon will begin to appreciate in value again, don't scrimp. This is a very special car, its not a generic one-of-bazillions Hondoyotissan that you'll use up and throw away in a few years, so give it every benefit. But again, that's just what *I* would do- I honestly don't think you'd ever notice a difference on dino, other than possibly accumulating a few more internal deposits.


Good points. This is going to be a weekend only car, so it won't accumulate many miles. Maybe the synthetic is the way to go on this one since it'll pretty much be a once a year oil change.

Gotta think it over. I'm typically opposed to synthetics.
 
If you are changing the oil once a year use synthetic. Why? Because $30 a year for synthetic is less than the cost of a single tank of gas. Even if Dino were free it would be worth the $30 for that car.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Speedy1975
Just bought a 2009 Challenger RT. It has the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine and 6 Speed Manual transmission.

Book says 5W20 oil, but keeps focusing on MDS as the reason for that oil. My car is a 6 speed and does not have MDS (cylinder shut off for gas mileage feature).


Congrats on the new Mopar!

This is just opinion, but here are my recommendations:

1) Run the recommended oil grade, but with these 5w20s I would definitely go the extra bucks for a top quality synthetic. My 5w20 of choice would be Mobil 1 Extended Performance, but Valvoline, Castrol, and pretty much all the others also make very good synthetics. Most of them are cheaper than M1 and some folks think they're better than M1, but I personally have had nothing but excellent results with M1.

2) If you want to run a different grade, go to a 5w30 but I would NOT go to a 10w30. I think that the thinner "cold" number is more important than the "hot" number, since virtually all of the engines that get 5w20 in the US get 5w30 in other markets and not 10w30. I personally would use synth in that grade too.

Why do I suggest the extra bucks for synthetic? Well, for an engine like the new Hemi in a car like a new Challenger which will retain tons of value and relatively soon will begin to appreciate in value again, don't scrimp. This is a very special car, its not a generic one-of-bazillions Hondoyotissan that you'll use up and throw away in a few years, so give it every benefit. But again, that's just what *I* would do- I honestly don't think you'd ever notice a difference on dino, other than possibly accumulating a few more internal deposits.


Nicely put! I'd go with a good synthetic 0W20 or 5W20, and enjoy the car. If you plan on racing the car then I'd consider something in a 5W30 synthetic. Good luck with it.
 
5W20 dinos are some of the stoutest of all conventional oils. They routinely show solid UOAs. I don't see the justification for synthetic in your application.

Unless you're at the drag strip on the weekend, I'd run a namebrand dino 5W-20 (for warranty purposes) and change it every 6 months, regardless of mileage, or sooner if your warranty demands.

Dino will hold up just fine to "spirited" weekend driving
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: RGrant
5W20 dinos are some of the stoutest of all conventional oils. They routinely show solid UOAs. I don't see the justification for synthetic in your application.

Unless you're at the drag strip on the weekend, I'd run a namebrand dino 5W-20 (for warranty purposes) and change it every 6 months, regardless of mileage, or sooner if your warranty demands.

Dino will hold up just fine to "spirited" weekend driving
wink.gif

+1. MC 5W-20 is an excellent oil as well. Even if it weren't inexpensive it would likely be my dino oil of choice.
 
OK, so I've used the Castrol GTX 10W30 in my 4Runner, 4 cylinder Honda Accord, and V6 Honda Accord for 7 years. All of these vehicles called for 5W20, but the manual said 10W30 was fine.

On this Challenger, the manual says to ONLY use 5W20. So now my question....if I'm going to use 5W20 in the Challenger, I guess it'd be best to go ahead and use 5W20 in the 4Runner and both Accords?

I just hate to switch oils since I've had such good luck with that 10W30, but I guess we're all resistant to change and maybe it's time?

The 4Runner is Supercharged if that makes any difference.
 
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