Dodge Ram Care and Maintenance

brnzbk

How many RAM owners out there have switched to synthetic engine oil? I just had a oil change at 3100 and I am considering going to synthetic, but I would like to hear some opinions from experienced owners.

inukeu2

After 3k I changed to mobil1 10W30. It's only been one tank since and I have noticed marginal change in engine performance (02 QC SB 4.7L 4x4 5sp). I have in the last few tanks seen the mileage steadily increasing. I changed for the long term benefit. It has increased the oil pressure and decreased the engine temp from the dash gauges. I tend not to put too much stock in those kinds of measurements the accuracy is in question. So I'll look for long term differences. I did switch to a better filter ($12 Fram X2) and the oil at the warehouse club comes in a box of six for $22 (The exact amount that the owner's manual calls for). So for a grand total of $34 dollars I'm good for the next 5k miles. I'm sold. Good Luck

konaschultz

I have used Mobil1 synthetic oil in all my vehicles for years. I was sold in it when my 1987 Jeep wrangler (47K miles) broke a wrist pin and upon disassembly, the engine was so clean, it looked like chrome. The mechanic was impressed, and so was I. My ram has used Mobil1 since new, and it runs great. I highly recommend it.

langorin

I have been using syntheic for 5 years and never had a problem. You will see a perfomance increase and better gas milege. I have tried different oils and best one yet is Royal Purple. It's expencive but well worth it. It's designed for racing and keeps your engine temperature down by 20-50 degrees.

utlogger

I have a 2001 Cummins powered 2500 Dodge Ram and have only one complaint - the incredibly easy to scratch exterior paint. Any suggestions about a wax or other product to help protect the cheap paint? My dealer says that the durability of the paint has dropped due to EPA restrictions on the volatile paint solvents in new vehicle paint. I question the accuracy of that answer because the paint on my otherwise wretched 2001 Outback wagon looked like new when I sold it recently. The Subaru Outback is built in Indiana and is subject to the same EPA restrictions.

Other than the paint, my Dodge Ram is a real jewel and has become my everyday vehicle in spite of the fact that I bought it mainly as a business truck to move mobile labs in the oil field. Mileage is always over 20 MPG and recently has increased to 22 MPG. Absolutely incredible for a 3 1/2 ton truck!! If only DC could do something to improve the quality of the paint, they would have the perfect truck in my opinion.

pavery1

My 1996 dodge ram 4x4 laramie ext.cab full size in my opinion is costing me far too much in maintenance from: front end track bar to fifth gear trans. failure to heater/ac. module failure and other misc.repairs to the tune of $5000 in one calendar year
I purchased this vehicle Sept/2001 mileage 60000 mi. currently 75000 mi.
I am asking other owners for their input as to if this is normal and what I may expect inthe future?

mralan

Does synthetic oil affect the warranty? Anyone get synthetic oil changes from a national chain, e.g. Walmart or PepBoys? How much is it? What kind of gas mileage improvement can I expect?

inukeu2

Synthetic oil will not void your warranty. It meets and exceeds minimum standards specified by the manufacturer. Lube shops will use synthetic if you request it but you will pay quite a bit more $6/qt. Off the shelf it runs $4-5/qt. for Mobil 1 or Quaker State or Castrol. I think royal purple is a little more expensive but users swear by it. I've saved money by purchasing at a warehouse like Sams or Costco. A 6qt. case goes for $3.50/qt. and 6 qts is exactly what the manual calls for. I've had good luck with synthetics ever since I started using them. Don't expect noticable changes in mileage or horsepower but rather expect long term results that will require less repairs at less expense. Now that's not to say that I can't tell I'm using synthetics. It runs smoother and I haven't had any of the idling problems that others have posted about. Startups is probably where I notice the biggest difference. They are smoooooth.

mralan

Is there any suspension/tire modifications that I can do to my 03 Ram 1500 to give it a softer ride?

I do very little hauling, no towing, and use it as a car 99.9% of the time.

bstennett

It depends on the type of wheels you have. If you bought your truck with 20" wheels you'll enjoy the great look of the truck but suffer a stiffer ride. The 20's have a low profile/short side wall. This means the sidewall cannot flex as much as regular tires and you get a stiffer ride. With 17's my truck rides like a Cadillac. If you have 17's and the ride seems abnormally rough take it back to the dealership and have them check it out.

mralan

Mine has 17 inch wheels. It's a short bed regular cab, so I'm sure the short wheelbase contributes to the hard ride.

Was just curious if they had "softer" shocks available.

mralan

@980 miles I changed to Mobil 1 and a Mobil 1 oil filter.

My trucks' owners manual calls for 6.0 qts., but it actually used closer to 6.5 qts. I guess the Mobil one filter held a little more.

How often do other Mobil 1 users change their oil?

officeroz

You might lower the airpressure a bit to try and take some of the harshness out. Shocks generally don't affect ride as much as they do bounce, or damping effect. I'm surprised the 1500 with 17 inch tires would ride that rough, but the short wheel base could certainly have an effect, especially in terms of porpoising on uneven highways.
officeroz

officeroz

Mralan, I have used mobil one in all my vehicles for the past 15 years or so, and change oil and filer on the average of every 5,000 miles. Used to do it myself till it became so difficult to dispose of used oil, so now I take all except the RV to Walmart stores where I am allowed to watch them change oil and lube the chassis. They perform this service for under 30 dollars. To do it myself costs me nearly 25 for a 6pk case of mobil 1, plus the cost of oil filter. Never had a problem in the past 3 years letting them perform this service...and I don't have to dispose of the oil/filter.
officeroz

mralan

Yeah, my M1 oil change and M1 filter cost $61.00 with tax. I was looking to decrease that a little by going with a less expensive filter next time. What brand filter did Walmart use with your M1 oil change?

My truck is running a little softer now. The dealer had over 45PSI air in my tires. Now I'm experimenting with 33 PSI from and 30 PSI rear.

mfreed1

My 2000 RAM 2500 V10 calls for Mopar ATF+3 transmission fluid. Does anyone know if ATF+4 is okay to use, my 2002 Neon uses this and is it just a newer version of the same fluid?

wwhite2

What is the story with the 7/70 powertrain warranty on the 03 2500 heavy duty Rams . I heard there ia a deductible what is it ? and what does it cover ? Thanks

amorales

I just purchased a '03 Ram 1500 HEMI-EXPRESS Laramie quad cab with the ground effects and 20 in tires. I got the 70,000 mi warranty and the deductible is $100. Covers powertrain. Need to re-check warranty info. Love the truck. Have 220 miles so far. Am debating which synthetic to use, Pennzoil/Pennzane or Mobil 1. I live in Calif near desert where temps reach 105 deg. May start off with 10w-30 for summer and then switch to 5w-30 in winter....

Regards to all truck loving people

ANDY
Babyboomer hot rodder since 1961

pizza442

Is what I read in the owners manual true ('03 SC 2wd short bed 3.7 V6 5spdM); factory fill and recommendation is 5W-30?!
Jay

dustyk

Yes. The factory service manual recommends 5W-30 as well.

Regards,
Dusty

pizza442

Wow, I remember when GM tried doing that on cars for a year or two around '90 and then went back. I think it had something to do with complaints in the east about cold starting and I know it was an attempt to squeeze a little more in the was of mileage for CAFE. Trouble is 5w30 turns to water out here in the West. Would I be ok going to 10w30 in my 3.7? It won't see a temp below 60* until next October! I see that it lists 10w30 in the comparison charts in the owners manual, but only mentions actually using 5w30. If I am stuck, I will use a synthetic blend at least; just can't stand the thought of 5w30 in 90*+ weather on a 300 mile trip to Las Vegas!

dustyk

The SAE temperature range specifications indicate that the maximum ambient temperature for 5W-30 use is 100 degrees F, while 10W-30 max is 120 F and the actual max temperature will vary from one manufacturers oil to another. The question is, is that a big difference.

The real question should be, what is the actual viscosity at given temperature? It should not be assumed that any or all 10W-30 motor oils will have greater high temperature viscosity characteristics than a 5W-30.

Example: using ASTM test method D445, the Quaker State "Higher Mileage Engine Motor Oil" in 5W-30 is rated at 12.20 centistokes at 212 degrees F, while the 10W-30 Mobil 1 Full Synthetic is only 10.0 centistokes at the same temperature. In fact, the Quaker State 5W-30 meets or exceeds any other 10W-30.

Regards,
Dusty

gmcbob

I'm trying to help my friend change the oil on his 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 w/the 5.9 liter V8. The new Fram filter (3rd one this time) keeps leaking oil after we run the engine. Has anyone out there encountered a similar problem w/this motor after a new Fram has been put on?? We're going crazy as we've already got the driveway completely soaked in oil stains.

loncray

I've read a lot about not allowing Fram filters anyplace near a Ram truck - they're supposed to be junk. If the Frams are all from the same batch, maybe they're all bent? You ARE oiling the gasket when you put it on, aren't you? You also want to clean the mating surface on the engine really well - make sure there's nothing there to let oil out. Maybe just maybe that surface has gotten bent somehow?

dodger54

I just got a Ram 3500 4x4 with the Cummins Diesel 4 dr shortbox. I want to lower it by 4 inches so I can fit into underground parking lots. I dpn;t really carry heavy loads but I do pull a 5,000 pound boat and trailer. Any ideas for where to go for lowering kits? Thanks

loncray

Best way to lower a Ram is to sell it and buy a 4x2.

iowabigguy

I found this on a Dodge Truck newsgroup. It has a parts of a 2004 shop manual online as well as other interesting info for the Dodge Truck Line of Products. http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/2004/intro.pdf

Paste this URL into your internet browser and take a look. Rick

p100

I tow a 5000 lb trailer/boat with a 95 Nissan 4X4 V6 pickup (only a few miles to the boat ramp, but it does fine and pulling the boat out is a breeze thanks to the low range 4WD, which doubles the torque at the rear wheels.)

You definitely do not need this huge truck (Ram 3500) to tow a 5000 lb boat unless you tow it cross country. Seems to me that any Dodge 2WD full size truck with anti-spin rear differnetial would do really well with a 5000 lb trailer/boat load.
You would have to replace the springs to lower your truck and I would not recommend this becuase you would ruin its resale value. Most of the 4WD crowd wants their truck to sit high off the ground. It is true that many people buy full size 4WD trucks only because they sit higher than 2wd ones. This is becoming quite fashionable trend here in central Florida where you really do not need a 4WD vehicle. I see people tow 16 ft boats with 4X4 crew cab diesel duallys, which is a joke. I happen to own a deuce and half Army 6X6 truck - maybe I should start towing my boat with it to make sure I can handle the load and be the attention gvetter at the boat ramp.

mettech

I change oil every 5K.. Used 5W-30 M1, but switched to 0W-40 yesterday. I "think" the 5.7 is quieter.

UPDATE: My 03, 2500, 4X4, SLT, 5.7, 3.73, 5-speed auto has 21K miles.. Had a transmission flash upgrade 3K ago. It does not downshift as much now. Had truck weighed last month.. 6637 lbs!!!!.. Only thing in truck was a 5th wheel hitch.. Seems like a lot of weight for a 3/4 ton truck..

My RAM is still the best new truck I have owned.. No problems as all.. Do wish I got the 4.10... $2K seems too much to change gears..

Need more people to post reports

roper2

I have 61k on this truck and a dodge extended warranty for 70k.Does dodge offer a warranty over 70k and beyond? thanks

iowabigguy

I bought a 7 year 100,000 Dodge Maximum Care warranty for my wife's 2002 Neon R/T.

bodine007

Hey all. I noticed something strange early this week, and no one has been able to explain it to me yet. I'm new to this forum, but i hope someone can help me anyway. I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, with 5.9L engine and HD tranny with about 135k miles on it. I don't normally haul anything in the truck except the tool box, which weighs a few hundred lbs. Monday, i had to carry approximately 1000 to 1500 lbs of equipment from Austin to Dallas (I never did weigh it, so this is a guess). After the first time i hit the brakes, i figured out i had better shut the OD off. I don't think i have ever gone any significant distance with the OD off before, so i was watching everything like a hawk. Oil pressure and temp looked a hair higher than usual, but that could have been my paranoia acting up. But what was funny was that the mileage looked WAY too high. I have one of those overhead consoles that keeps track of that stuff for you. For the trip up, i reset the economy meter while i was on the highway, and set the cruise control to exactly the speed limit. I was running about 3000 RPM @ 70. When I exited the freeway, i had 15.2 MPG. On the way back, i was unladen, i let the OD come on, and i reset the economy meter while i was on the freeway again, and i once again set the cruise control to exactly the speed limit. When i finally got off the freeway, i had an average of 14.1 MPG. This time, i was running about 2100 RPM @ 70 MPH (which is normal).

So anyway, I cannot figure out why i got better mileage with the heavy load and the OD off. Has anyone else experienced this? This sure seems like something i should be worried about, but I don't know exactly what I'm worried about!

Next week, I'm going to run some 'tests' to see how it reacts on my normal commute with the OD on vs the OD off.

Any insight yall have will be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure if there is a way for yall to find my email address and/or send replies directly to it ... but if you can, DONT do that. The email address i first used to sign up here is no longer valid. Please just post responses to the board.

thanks
-jeff

dustyk

The difference is what is called throttle pressure. At higher RPMs the engine sees a decreased load, all other things being equal. Depending on the load, RPM, and speed, your scenario is very possible.

With the difference between 2100 and 3000 RPM, however, I'm surprised that you saw an increase with the overdrive off, especially with such a light load.

Best regards,
Dusty

bodine007

Throttle pressure? I did a quick search, and found instructions for changing the throttle pressure. Do you think I should adjust it a little?

I don't understand how the engine see's a decreased load at higher RPM, do you have a link that explains this more fully? Maybe i just dont understand what a 'load' is in this context.

And finally, is 1000-1500 lbs light for a half ton truck? I thought a ton was 2000 lbs. That would mean i was at or over its nominal rating. Although, i think the sticker on the driver-side door lists a gvwr of like 1700 lbs. The GVWR is the actual rating for how much weight i can put into the bed of the truck, right?

thanks
-jeff

dustyk

In this instance I used the term "throttle pressure" to describe the inductive force of the air-fuel charge upon the cylinder. As the throttle is opened on a reciprocating piston engine the pressure of this charge increases.

In the case of load an engine can see the work-taxing effects of load differently when operated through a gear train. The "load" in this case is your 1000 pounds. Moving it across the ground (work) represents a fixed load to the vehicle platform, but can be a variable or changing load to the engine or any component in the drive train.

At lower RPM the engine produces a relative amount of power, but in most automotive engines that power increases as RPM is increased...within certain limits, of course. Assuming the vehicle is in top or high gearing, at 1500 RPM the load factor on the engine is x and the throttle is opened at x. In this scenario the amount of throttle opening -- or throttle pressure -- will generally be more than the amount necessary to keep the engine at the same RPM without a load.

Even though the actual weight being moved has not changed, at increased RPM the engine's increased power allows the throttle to be close/closer to the momentum speed of the engine, meaning closer to the same relative throttle position that maintains the same RPM without a load.

For this reason it is normal to see a condition(s) where for any given weight being moved by the engine, an increased RPM range will actually be more efficient and hence expending less fuel. Typically this comparison occurs more dramatically at lower vehicle ground speeds, but there is no perfect way to predict this since the combination of weight, speed, gearing are highly variable and a number of engine dynamics will not be very well known.

As to the fact that you have a half-ton pick-up, that delineation is the vehicle platform rating in the form of suspension, braking, and drivetrain ability, much less so the engine's rated power. Most half-ton pick-ups will be rated to tow in excess of 4000 pounds. The Dodge Dakota, for example can be rated to tow as much as 6600 pounds, even though it is only rated to carry 1460 pounds in the bed.

Best regards,
Dusty

bodine007

Thanks for the lesson. So if i am getting better mileage driving around everyday with the OD off (and it looks like i am, regardless of the load), should i just always drive that way? What is the drawback to not using overdrive? Will i shorten my engine or transmission life if i don't use it?

As for the load, if i understand you right, you meant that the load was light from the engines point of view (I'm assuming that to the engine, pulling 2000 lbs is practically the same as putting 2000 lbs in the bed). Because the rating for the bed (that is the GVWR, right?) is really the limits of the suspension and braking system? Thats good to know. Next time i get a heavy load in it, I won't worry about the engine so much.

dustyk

Bo,

If you're getting better mileage, then maybe you should drive that way. There's no injury to the transmission, in fact higher RPMs in third gear direct offer higher pump pressures that ensure transmission lubrication. The only disadvantage is increased wear on some engine components that -- theoretically at least -- shorten engine life. I'd experiment a while before you decide that driving without overdrive is actually giving you better mileage, though.

Yes, weight to the engine is irrespective of where its at, either in the bed or on the rear bumper pulling something.

Good luck.

Best regards,
Dusty

matt395

Hello i am new here and need some help ya know in the winter time when you start your car up and it takes it a bit to startup after you have turned the key? or smthing like that well my dodge ram 1500 is doing the same thing but only its summer time i didnt know if this was a problem or not.

matt395

Hello again could someone plz explain to em what overdive is and if i should have it on or off and why cause i ahve od on my ram and its currently off and thtas how i have been driving it thanks.

dustyk

Matt, overdrive is a higher gear ratio. It's referred to as "overdrive" when the transmission ratio in any gear is less 1.00. High gear on many three and four speeeds years ago was one-to-one at the output shaft. This meant that the output shaft of the transmission was rotating at the same RPM as the engine.

In recent times many transmissions actually have forward speed ratios that produce faster output shaft speeds than the engine speed. This is a overdrive.

Most vehicles today utilize at least one overdrive as a final ratio. This reduces engine RPM and for most driving reduces fuel consumption. It is part of the normal sequential shift pattern on almost all automatics, and especially so on Chryslers.

The "normal" driving method is with the overdrive engaged. When towing higher than average weights, driving in city traffic or hilly country, it is often recommened to disengage the overdrive.

Best regards,
Dusty

jcasper

I was just getting ready to go out and change the oil on my NV5600 6 speed. I looked under there and didn't see a drain plug. Where do you drain this oil at. The Manual says that you don't need to regularly change it, but I can't see never changing the oil in something. I bought the Mopar oil for it since amsoil said they didn't have anything available. What is everyone else using for oil. I would be interested in knowing for the next time I change it.

mettech

Has anyone heard anything about this?
This was found at: Allpar.com

http://www.allpar.com/

Thanks to KerrymanMopar for this information (it is quoted from an unnamed source within Chrysler, it’s by no means official).

“Over the past five years, warranty costs have been reduced by over 40%, and we have had13 straight years of double-digit quality improvements at the Chrysler group. As the overall quality of our products continues to improve, an extended powertrain warranty has become less important to our customers. Ownership trading cycles are decreasing - Chrysler Group research reveals that the average length of new car ownership is 3.5 years. Despite our heavy promotion of 7/70 since 2002, less than 10% of consumers know that we have an extended powertrain warranty. That is why it has not become the traffic driving tool we had hoped. Consumers want new products and new features. What they truly value are our nine new products in 2004 and the many new products in 2005-2006. This is where we want to invest our money. We have decided to eliminate the 7/70 powertrain warranty effective on '06 MY vehicles. The 3/36 will remain in place.

Service Contracts has already developed new programs that reflect these changes and continues to offer an array of products that range in age/mileage coverage and deductible amounts; which allows dealers the ability to customize the contract to meet customer's needs. These plans can be found starting on Page 10 in the pricing and eligibility guide under New Vehicle Plans 3/36 Basic Warranty tab. Our 3/36 warranty coverage is competitive with General Motors, Ford, and Honda.”

jamer1

I am thinking about buying an 06 1-ton with the cummings diesel. Could someone tell me what the average maintenance cost run, what kind of fuel milage I can expect, and what seems to be the major problems with engine,tranny,rear-end, and electronics. Thanks, Jamer1

loncray

Well, I've got an '03 2500 4x4 - not precisely what you're looking at but close. I'm getting between 14 and 16 mpg right now - and that's city stop-and-go traffic, with a 4x4, BFG AT tires (I lost almost 2 mpg from the stock Michelins), a high cap and a lead foot. On the highway, I usually get 18 - 20 mpg (I don't tow anything). My maintenance costs have consisted of getting the oil and filter changed every 5000 miles or so, plus the new tires at 45,000 miles, a new pair of windshield wipers, and a new parking brake pedal (which also fell off). I have had no other problems outside of one incident of fuel gelling in just about 49,000 miles so far. Seriously, maybe I'm just lucky, but my truck has been pretty well flawless in 2.5 years. I take care of my truck but I don't baby it; I've been a little ways offroad but I'm not a rockcrawler, and I put over 5200 miles on it in one cross-country trip. Oh, and I drove from Kansas City MO to Washington DC (1900 miles) in one day - my truck is very comfortable too. You're going to love your CTD!

mxhauler

I recently bought a 1996 diesel dually with 125k miles to haul my 26ft toyhauler.
I bought the truck after buying the trailer to ensure I have enough truck. But soon as I got the truck re-wired for the new plug away I went to the races, Only to find out that something does not seem right. Ok your not supposed to tow a load (trailer loaded near 4tons) in over-drive so I turned off the over-drive but there is no way I can go past 45mph since the engine is revved nears 2700+rpm. Now this is not a safe speed for long trips (rpm/mph) so I turned the overdrive on thinking maybe it is geared really low, but then its like it has no power and takes a while to get from 45 to 55 and any incline in the freeway even small overpasses bogs the motor down to what i seem to think is a treable engine lug and as soon as it recovers from that another small incline repeat process.....i take it in they say seems fine its the motor....ok......I tke it in the adjust the waste gate turbo injector pump and says seems fine.....So hear i am what to do....Truck seems fine empty around town freeway its just with the trailer in that window of speed to do the speed limit without overreving the engine or lugging it in o/d

Any suggestions or answers? I dont know the gear ratio I can give the vin# if you have a way to find out.

mxracer

br_brian

I'm the new owner of a 4.7 Ram 1500, and was wondering if it is worthwhile to ask for Mobil 1 or one of the other synthetic oils at the next oil change? I know that the synthetics allow you to go longer between oil changes, but I have to change oil every 3,000 miles to maintain warranty. Are there any other benefits to using synthetics that justify the increased cost?

mrbill

I thought I'd add some activity here so this is an update on my Ram just to give an 8 month 14500 mile report card.
Bought Sep 04 with 8 miles on the odometer: Hemi, Laramie edition, including NAV - IMHO, WORTH THE COST! Mine is the CD version - text/icon direction (4aDodge site shows a DVD version with actual maps displayed, but I didnt see it as a Ram option). The NAV works great if you program the destination correctly, as I found out. Compared to a mapquest printout, it gave almost an exact route match and I have relied on it several times when I needed to find an alternate address while traveling, leather, dual climate (wife appreciates that), heated seats (a leather option MUST), 4 wheel ALB, security, Towing Package/HD cooling, Sport appearance (Graphite), 17 in aluminum wheels.
I do my own oil changes, Mobile1 synthetic, and rotated the tires at 10000 miles.
Extras added, K&N filter and Extang full-tilt soft tonneau.
Current MPG with mixed 75 percent hwy/25 city commute: 18.5 average mpg, trip cpmputer still shows approx 20 during full highway trips.
Noises, a minor/random metalic "tick" somewhere around the rear paggenger slider window.. cant isolate, and its infrequent, possibly a loose seam or joint?? Seats, interior trim, no rattles or problems. Dash tight, cupholder has slight bind when being fully lowered, but it's so minor I dont even think about it.
Wind noise, still well within reason IMHO, but a quirk: when the AC fan is off, a noticable wind noise is heard on passenger outside air inlet screen. Turn fan on and it stops.
Engine idle good but can be slightly rough on occasion when stopped in park (tac often shows approx 600-650 rpm) when stopped, but in gear, it usually stays at 500 rpm. I'm wondering if this needs addressing, and I will ask dealer next week when i go in for the one issue I want checked:
Front anti-sway bar endlink has developed a vertical slop, where I hear it popping on bumps at low speed. I can manually push the sway bar up and down next to the endlink bushings and recreate the slop and sound. To me its a loose lower joint. The passenger side it tight.
Overal impression is very good, excellent looks, more than enough power and ride/handling is as comfortable and responsive as I can ask for .. :shades:
ahasher

zstonecld2

i am in the process of changing the drum brakes on my 2001 dodge ram 1500. i ordered a set of satisfied brake shoes. i left the right side as a reference and using that and my haynes maunual i have the left side put back together and everything looks right but when i went to put the drum back on it won't even fit over the shoes. i did not get the drums turned and i have the shoes adjusted all the way in. any advice would be much appreciated.

bluegrassjack

Hey Dustyk, does this explanation abt using OD also apply to diesel engines? I pull a 10K pound 5th wheel rv, would I be better off not using OD?
Thanks

dustyk

Yes, my comments were generic, although the impacts to fuel consumption might be different since a diesel produces higher torque (higher torque-to-engine speed) than a gas motor. Experimentation is recommended.

As to reducing the strain on the engine and drive train, locking out the overdrive in certain scenarios is recommended whether diesel or gas.

Best regards,
Dusty

bbqguide

A leading consumer magazine did extensive comparative tests with synthetic verses non-synthetic motor oils. Their advice? Not worth the extra money. Plainly put!