Oil change question..

[Trypt]

This is more for the tech savvy engineers I guess.

My first oil change is coming up in my 2020 JGC Altitude.

It's amazing how hard it is to find info on the exact oil type, but the manual does have it of course.

My question is simply what is different about the 2020 that requires this weird 0w20 oil as opposed to all the Pentastar V6s that came before, which all took 5w30 from I can remember. From what I can tell there is nothing different from the 2017 engine to the 2020 engine, yet the oil type viscosity requirement has changed.

I'm at 5500km right now (around 3500 miles), and was going to do a change now, but I checked the oil and it looks brand new still, level perfect, and the computer says I have 58% oil life left. I won't wait until 0% but I'm thinking 10000km (6000miles) is a good change interval, what you think?

 

[JPNinPA]

Usually 5k miles or 6 months whatever comes first. Just be sure you use the synthetic only if that is what it calls for. Tends to not break down as fast.

The thinner oil is just that, thinner. The thinner oil is part of how they are getting higher mpg. If you think of pumping and scraping the oil as a load to the engine. The load is lower on the thinner. Plus they may have changed oil ports and other aspects that look the same but perform differently.

Be cautious. If you put 5W30 in a vehicle asking for 0W20 you will lessen the life of the engine.
The same the opposite way plus you are likely to develop leaks. Like at the rear main seal.


Sent from my iPhone using Jeepz.com mobile app

 

[Trypt]

Um, ok. No, of course I'll put 0W20, but if anything, shouldn't the 5W30 cause less leaks and increase the life of the engine, at the expense of MPG?

I'll do my first change at 5000miles then, at that point the onboard system should say oil still has 30% life left, but that's ok.

 

[JPNinPA]

5w30 wont cause leaks. It will not increase the life otherwise all vehicles would run 90 w oil.

If you like to know more there is a website ‘ bob the oil guy’. Loads of info on oil and fluids.



Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson

 

[mark sr]

Modern day engines have closer tolerances than the older engines did. I'd stick with the factory recommendation and would only consider using a thicker oil when the engine is about worn out.

 

[Trypt]

I am only asking because I live in Canada and we do get colder winters than most of the US (not all not all but most). Then again, 0w20 seems pretty thin already so if it is made to run in the hot with that oil, it's also able to withstand the cold. Usually I'd put thinner in the winter and normal in the summer, but there is no thinner than this and I wouldn't be comfortable doing that anyway.

 

[mark sr]

0w20 ought to be fine in the cold. Today's oils aren't the same as those from yesteryear.

 

[carlojeep]

Just follow what is stated on the manual and your rig will be fine.