Inherited a 96 Dodge RAM 5.2L with 174K, what oil?

[ckard]

The manual calls for dino 10W30 but I like to switch to synthetic, the engine uses about 1/2 qt every 1000 miles from what I was told, what's the best synthetic to use, what grade, or should I stick to dino? It's a Dodge 1500 V8 (not Hemi) truck and it is in very good shape, I'd like to use it for several years. TIA.

 

[eljefino]

The world is your oyster. Dino would do just fine; there's a 10w30 rotella at walmart that would work great for cheap.

Some of these trucks burn oil through a leakly intake valley gasket, which cuts octane and makes them ping. High test gas helps, and there's a "death flash" at the dealer that pulls timing.

 

[addyguy]

If it were mine, I'd run Rotella T6 5W-40 in it.

It's close to a perfect oil for this application.

 

[ckard]

What's this "death flash"???

Can I switch between dino and syn if I don't like performance? I drive 70/30 HWY/City about 30 miles a day, no hauling or anything, just a daily driver?

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: ckard
The manual calls for dino 10W30 but I like to switch to synthetic, the engine uses about 1/2 qt every 1000 miles from what I was told, what's the best synthetic to use, what grade, or should I stick to dino? It's a Dodge 1500 V8 (not Hemi) truck and it is in very good shape, I'd like to use it for several years. TIA.


I ran M1 10w30 for years and years and years in my 318 (5.2), no problems at all. If I had to do that today and it was burning a quart every 2000 miles like yours, I'd give Rotella T6 5w40 synthetic a try. Your 96 is roller cammed and doesn't crave ZDDP or anything so you don't need RT6 for the additive levels, but its also a fairly economical way to get into a slightly heavier grade synthetic than 10w30. I've also found on my Jeeps that RT6 weeps out the main seals slightly less than M1 synthetics for whatever reason.

 

[95busa]

The "death flash" was an extreme ignition timing retard Dodge would flash into the ECU to prevent pinging. It resulted in a slow, inefficient truck that did not ping. If you were smart, you just ran Autolite 3923 plugs (one heat range colder) and a 180 degree thermostat and had no issues. (I did that on a 98 Ram V6 and a 1996 Ram 318- Ran great!). You can also run a PH8A sized oil filter. I would vote for the Rotella HDEO 10w-30. It is a syn blend.

 

[rslifkin]

If it's burning oil, pull the intake manifold and replace the plenum gasket. It's generally a good idea to swap the plenum plate to one of the aftermarket 1/4" aluminum ones while you're in there, as that mostly fixes the cause of the gaskets failing. Other causes of oil burning are relatively rare on these engines.

My 5.9 is quite happy with T6 in it, which I've been running for about 19k miles at this point.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: 95busa
The "death flash" was an extreme ignition timing retard Dodge would flash into the ECU to prevent pinging.


And MOST of the pinging was due to the lower intake gasket problem anyway. Extra air + oil vapor = recipe for detonation.

If you've got a pre 2000 model year Ram, Dakota, or Grand Cherokee with a Magnum 5.9 or 5.2 and it burns some oil AND pings, chances are you need to pull the intake and fix it.

http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?partid=26190

 

[ckard]

Thanks for the info, I'll try to replace the plenum gasket and see if that does anything.

I just checked with my in-law, the truck was last changed with Valvoline Syn 10W30 and that's when the burning of the oil started. Will it be an issue to switch to T6 or try a couple of dino's that I have bought on sale and sitting in my garage?

 

[NHGUY]

If you were smart, you just ran Autolite 3923 plugs (one heat range colder) and a 180 degree thermostat and had no issues. (I did that on a 98 Ram V6 and a 1996 Ram 318- Ran great!).

I would hestiate to use a colder thermostat in a computer controlled vehicle,especially 96-up OBDII....gas mileage will suffer,it will stay in open loop longer and run richer eventually hurting the plugs and dilluting the oil.

 

[95busa]

Untrue. The Magnum engines came out of open loop at 178 degrees. The 180 starts opening at 180 degrees. Actual full open occurs at @187 degrees. Your engine will run fine. Each engine is different and should be addressed as such. The Magnums run better on a 180 degree stat.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I agree with the cooler stat. The main benefit is the increased timing. Makes the engine feel much 'snappier'.

The trick is to get it over 180 in less than 10 minutes from startup, or you throw the code. But it's important to note that it harms NOTHING. Better fuel economy as well.

Almost any oil works good in the ole 318. It's actually a great engine, just a little small for the vehicle.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: 95busa
Untrue. The Magnum engines came out of open loop at 178 degrees. The 180 starts opening at 180 degrees. Actual full open occurs at @187 degrees.


This. You can generally go ~10 degrees cooler than factory on most vehicles and they'll still be in closed loop, but you do need to do your research. But as I said before, *most* Magnums won't ping (well, a little, but not damagingly so) with the factory T-stat so long as you eliminate the oil ingestion at the plenum gasket.

 

[rslifkin]

I agree that the colder t-stat is probably not needed, although these engines are perfectly fine with it.

My 5.9 Grand Cherokee was tuned for 91 octane from the factory, and with a good plenum gasket would only ping if I got a load of stale gas (I run 93). Since I did the head/cam swap, I'm running about 0.3 higher compression due to thinner head gaskets, an even slightly more aggressive tune, and swapped to Autolite 3923s, I have no pinging at all, and still have the 195* t-stat in there.

 

[ckard]

Thanks for the replies, I plan to try different oils and see what works best. Just one last question, would it be an issue to switch between dino's and synthetics with such an engine and these many miles, or should I just stick to the RT6 as someone suggested?

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: ckard
Thanks for the replies, I plan to try different oils and see what works best. Just one last question, would it be an issue to switch between dino's and synthetics with such an engine and these many miles, or should I just stick to the RT6 as someone suggested?


Switching really isn't a problem. But I think its better to pick one and stick with it.

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Id love to have a 98 Grand with the Optional 5.9 to Drive around. Never had a Grand, and 98 would be the Year Id pick for my first one, being the only year the 5.9 was offered in that vehicle, and they Do haul [censored], and look Bad [censored] with their inset 7 Slot Grill, hood louvers, My favorite 5 spoke wheels ever offered by Jeep, and they Sound good too. A HIGH miler for a Good Deal, and just Drive the [censored] out of it!

 

[rslifkin]

^ They're not too hard to find, if you look around. I paid $4k for mine in pretty good shape with just a hair under 100k on it almost 2 years ago. They're definitely pretty fun, especially if you swap the t-case to get proper 2wd. Plus, the 5.9 takes really well to bolt-ons.

 

[Clevy]

Those motors are notorious sludgers. My 96 5.2(318) was brutal. Use the rotella t-6 5w-40. Great oil well priced

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Those motors are notorious sludgers.


Not if you fix the intake plenum problem. In addition to oil consumption and detonation, the plenum gasket problem contributes to sludging. Without that problem, I've very rarely EVER seen an LA-block that had significant sludge. Even in the 60s and 70s when *most* engines could be expected to have a few spoonfuls of asphalt-looking goo under the valve covers.