Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 5w- 40?

[eastfork]

Should I be using 5w-40 full synthetic in my 2002 Ram 2500 24 valve with 230,000 miles on it? Winters are very cold and I imagined it might make starts easier.

 

[Signal73]

That would be a good selection in my opinion. Just make sure it has a diesel rating.

 

[AH64ID]

Yes, that or a full synthetic 15w-40 depending on how cold and the oil ratings.

 

[petersonj]

Yup.

- John

 

[Cummins12V98]

I run the non LE 15-40 AMZ/OIL Diesel and Marine. My son runs it with good Blackstone reports on his deleted 15 at 25k and no filter change.

Not sure how cold it's good to???

 

[AH64ID]

I run the non LE 15-40 AMZ/OIL Diesel and Marine. My son runs it with good Blackstone reports on his deleted 15 at 25k and no filter change.

Not sure how cold it's good to???

It has a pour point of -36°F, vs -45°F for the current 5w-40 Signature Series. So unless you’re getting below -25°F I wouldn’t worry about it.

I’m surprised you’re still running the AME since the DME is a cheaper and better oil. I just noticed today that AME even says to try DME for a “serious upgrade” on its product page.

 

[SAndreasen]

Should I be using 5w-40 full synthetic in my 2002 Ram 2500 24 valve with 230,000 miles on it? Winters are very cold and I imagined it might make starts easier.

I ran 0w 40 synthetic for a lot of years

 

[eastfork]

Thanks all. Believe I will stick with the 5w full Synthetic going forward, and assess results. -20° to -35° F can be expected.

 

[Cummins12V98]

It has a pour point of -36°F, vs -45°F for the current 5w-40 Signature Series. So unless you’re getting below -25°F I wouldn’t worry about it.

I’m surprised you’re still running the AME since the DME is a cheaper and better oil. I just noticed today that AME even says to try DME for a “serious upgrade” on its product page.

I did not make MY portion of the comment correct. I use the AME in my 01 and DME in the 15. The boy likes it I guess in his 15 without sum parts.

 

[AH64ID]

I did not make MY portion of the comment correct. I use the AME in my 01 and DME in the 15. The boy likes it I guess in his 15 without sum parts.

I got that, can’t use AME with the 15. Just pointing out that even Amsoil says that DME is better for the 01 and the lightened 15. It’s got a better additive package and is formulated for ULSD, and it’s a little cheaper.

When I switched my 05 to DME it didn’t get as hot while towing, which means it held better pressure on long grades.

 

[gtwitch]

I have used Rotella 15W 40 full syn along with fleet guard microgard filter on my 1999 2500 since I became 2nd owner at 87 K almost 20 years now with no problems, I did replace the VP 44 at about 140K along with the RV injectors and this is all I have done , I did replace the NV4500 trans at 165 K as I put the wrong oil in it ( my bad). It is my daily driver for any type of driving and when I tow the fuel mileage goes down as expected but most of the driving if in town and local 50 mile trips is about 17mpg and on the road not towing 21+ mpg and it uses about a quart of oil in about 4000 miles so I add a quart at that time and change oil usually at 7500 to 8k. It was my first diesel PU and is a great truck still is, but very rusty!!!
gtwitch in wyoming

 

[AH64ID]

I have used Rotella 15W 40 full syn along with fleet guard microgard filter on my 1999 2500 since I became 2nd owner at 87 K almost 20 years now with no problems, I did replace the VP 44 at about 140K along with the RV injectors and this is all I have done , I did replace the NV4500 trans at 165 K as I put the wrong oil in it ( my bad). It is my daily driver for any type of driving and when I tow the fuel mileage goes down as expected but most of the driving if in town and local 50 mile trips is about 17mpg and on the road not towing 21+ mpg and it uses about a quart of oil in about 4000 miles so I add a quart at that time and change oil usually at 7500 to 8k. It was my first diesel PU and is a great truck still is, but very rusty!!!
gtwitch in wyoming

What did you put in the NV4500?

 

[gtwitch]

I put AMZOIL Severe Gear 70-90 and trans got hot and locked up in 4th gear pulling toyhauller and crawled under and could barely hole hand on transmission, sat for 45 min at 28* f and trans freed up so could drive after after cooling down, Got back and into my shop and called AMZOIL and they said WRONG oil and if you read the info on the fill port on the side of the trans , use only oil made by CASTROIL labeled by GM and Dodge and AMZOIL makes a replacement Syn gear lube, so after replaceing that trans because all of the syncronizers were trash I used the AMZOIL replacement API GL4 and no problems.

 

[Ozymandias]

Just to Note, you can't touch any metal surface above 50°C.
So, almost any part of the driveline is to hot to touch.

 

[LorenStrodtman]

even Amsoil says that DME is better for the 01

I see between the AME and DEO that the NOAK volatility is much different. It's 4.2% for the AME, and 10.1% on the DEO (and the 15W-40 DME, as well).
Wouldn't that mean that the oil's characteristics change more in the DEO, and probably not for the better? I don't drive my 01 as much as I used to since I got a TDI as my daily driver, but previously would use the AME warmer months, and T6 5W-40 in the winter (I had stockpiled when I could get it for under $3 per quart in 2018).

 

[AH64ID]

I see between the AME and DEO that the NOAK volatility is much different. It's 4.2% for the AME, and 10.1% on the DEO (and the 15W-40 DME, as well).
Wouldn't that mean that the oil's characteristics change more in the DEO, and probably not for the better? I don't drive my 01 as much as I used to since I got a TDI as my daily driver, but previously would use the AME warmer months, and T6 5W-40 in the winter (I had stockpiled when I could get it for under $3 per quart in 2018).

I am not sure what you looked at for NOAK but DEO is 9.2% and DME is 5.1%.

All multigrade oils with a large separation between the viscosity ratings have a higher NOAK volatility, but that test is conducted at 250°C for 60 minutes and the highest we should ever see our oil is around 120°C and that's likely for much less time than 60 minutes. So the potential for evaporation is there, but it's not an issue under normal operating conditions. I just changed my oil after 12 months and 10K miles in my '22 and there was zero loss even with the ADO having a 9.2% NOAK rating and the 6.7 likely running higher oil temps than my 05 with AME ever ran (coolant is higher when towing so oil temps should be too).

AME is perfectly acceptable in all but the coldest of climates with its -36°F pour point. I ran it in some -25°F weather an oil pressure didn't build appreciably slower than 20°F.

I really don't see any reason to run AME over DME unless the fuel has more than 15ppm sulfur.

 

[LorenStrodtman]

You're right! Apparently I can't read straight across on the chart; I was looking at the TBN!

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Ran 15-40 for many miles, but in last couple years went to 5-40 full synthetic, previously used Valvoline, but now am running Shaffer's. Diffs, transmission, transfer case and now engine are all Shaffer's, 342K miles. I am using about a quart every 2500 miles now, up until about 300K, it was a quart per 10,000 miles. I don't like the oil consumption, however I have convinced myself adding oil, even expensive oil is still cheaper than a rebuild, for now at least since it runs good and still seems to have decent power. Probably eventually going to have to drop some serious cash into a rebuild, but my usage may not warrant that since it is maybe only a gallon of oil a year these days.