Shell HELIX ULTRA PRO AF 5W20 for 5.7 HEMI

[Hitman70]

Hi,

I'll change my car oil soon.

I want to go for synth oil, because until now I was using Pennzoil yellow and I did read that full synth is better.

I can get some Shell HELIX ULTRA PRO AF 5W20 for a good price. It's 5W20 and full synth, Shell is a well known brand, so seems good, but it doesn't have the specification Chrysler MS-6395.

Does it matter? Shouldn't I buy this oil?

Any thought?

 

[1978elcamino]

Not sure about that oil, better send me a case to try out first.

 

[Kamele0N]

Why do you want to use "energy conserving" oil in an 5.7 V8 engine? Whats the point? One way or another it will never consume less then 14++++ L/100km

Get ultra 5w40 instead...its easier to get....and it protects better....

 

[tiger862]

If under warranty I would use a certified oil. Not much of a difference between conventional and synthetic and price is usually cheaper for synthetic at least here.

 

[Hitman70]

I've read that only 5W20 should be used in HEMI V8 due to MDS system so 5W40 could cause problems.

 

[SR5]

A 5W20 at 10C will be a lot thicker than a 5W40 at 90C, temperature has a much bigger influence on viscosity, yet I bet your MDS still works fine on a cold morning.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by Hitman70
I've read that only 5W20 should be used in HEMI V8 due to MDS system so 5W40 could cause problems.

That seems to be a rumor that won't die.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted by Hitman70
Hi,

I'll change my car oil soon.

I want to go for synth oil, because until now I was using Pennzoil yellow and I did read that full synth is better.


Synthetic oil will do some things conventional cannot do or has trouble doing well. However, the conventional oil available today, especially the Pennzoil Yellow Bottle you have been using, is very high quality engine oil. There is not much need for a synthetic with such a good conventional as Pennz YB.

Having said that, there are some scenarios where synthetic would be better. For example:
1) extreme cold startup temps - if the morning temperature is very cold, (like in the negative degrees), a synthetic oil will flow better without having to warm up first.
2) extended oil change intervals - if you plan on running the oil in the engine longer than 8,000 km (up to 12,000 km even), the synthetic oil is a must. If only running oil 5,000 km to 8,000 km, the Pennzoil YB should be fine.
3) extreme operating conditions - if you plan on racing in the mountains, racing around a track, or any other activity that will stress the oil more than a normal driver would, the synthetic oil is a better option.

Basically, if you plan on doing anything extreme with the car, use synthetic. If not, then the Pennz YB (or any other name brand conventional) you have been using will be just fine.


Originally Posted by Hitman70
I can get some Shell HELIX ULTRA PRO AF 5W20 for a good price. It's 5W20 and full synth, Shell is a well known brand, so seems good, but it doesn't have the specification Chrysler MS-6395.

Does it matter? Shouldn't I buy this oil?

Any thought?



For warranty claim purposes, I will say that using oil with that spec on the bottle could matter. It likely wouldn't, but it could.

If the car is out of warranty, that spec can be ignored. It is my understanding that it is so easy to meet that spec, that doing the paperwork to get the spec is harder tan the tests that have to be passed to prove it. Basically any decent conventional oil will pass that spec, and just about every synthetic oil should fly past it no problem. So if the spec isn't listed, do not worry...(unless warranty claims are still a possibility)

The Shell Helix oil you reference is a good oil, no question. If you want to try it, go ahead and try it. No harm will come from that oil by itself in place of the PYB.

If you want to switch to the Helix because you believe it could make the car run better, fix a minor annoyance currently with the engine, or any other reason that is not related to the reasons I listed above, then you will likely be disappointed with the results. The engine will still run like it does now, but you will not notice any difference, and you will have paid more money than necessary for oil to notice no difference (assuming none of reasons above are applicable).

 

[Hitman70]

My car is relatively new because it has only 27'000 km now, so I thought going to synthetic oil could preserve the engine for it last longer.

I drive a lot and I want to go with longer intervals too. Because since my last lil change 2 month ago, I already have 10'000 km and I use Pennzoil YB…

The user guide says it can go up to 16'000 km but with conventional or synthetic? I think it's factory filled with Pennzoil YB, si I thought it could last up to 16'000 with this oil…

Previously, I always had german cars with up to 2 years / 30'000 km oil change intervals, so of course, 8'000 km interval seems incredibly low to me, lol…

I'll change my oil soon and see. It's hard to get Chrysler spec 5W20 oil here in Europe, that's why I asked if non Chrysler approved is OK.

I found another one, very expensive, but Chrysler spec certified 5W20 full synth oil. It's Liqui Moli Special Tec AA 5W20. I can maybe buy this if it's better.

 

[Skippy722]

My friend has run nothing but Mobil 1 5w20, which also doesn't have the MS-who cares spec, for over 160,000 miles. Never has had an issue with a warranty claim, including when he got a new cam and lifters.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted by Hitman70
My car is relatively new because it has only 27'000 km now, so I thought going to synthetic oil could preserve the engine for it last longer.

I drive a lot and I want to go with longer intervals too. Because since my last lil change 2 month ago, I already have 10'000 km and I use Pennzoil YB…

The user guide says it can go up to 16'000 km but with conventional or synthetic? I think it's factory filled with Pennzoil YB, si I thought it could last up to 16'000 with this oil…

Previously, I always had german cars with up to 2 years / 30'000 km oil change intervals, so of course, 8'000 km interval seems incredibly low to me, lol…

I'll change my oil soon and see. It's hard to get Chrysler spec 5W20 oil here in Europe, that's why I asked if non Chrysler approved is OK.

I found another one, very expensive, but Chrysler spec certified 5W20 full synth oil. It's Liqui Moli Special Tec AA 5W20. I can maybe buy this if it's better.


My numbers were arrived at on the fly and with aide of a miles-to-km calculator. Where they diverge from your owners manual or other reputable source's recommended OCI number, please favor the other source over mine.

I would not worry about the full synthetic if I were you, and trying to find an oil that carries the spec is likely more trouble than it is worth too. It sounds like you will be fine with a good conventional oil, but do maintain records and receipts of those maintenance events. Having proof you kept the oil changed will probably be much more important than proving the oil you used carried that spec, should a warranty claim have complications.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Why do you want to use "energy conserving" oil in an 5.7 V8 engine? Whats the point? One way or another it will never consume less then 14++++ L/100km

Get ultra 5w40 instead...its easier to get....and it protects better....


Exactly! +1