Red Eye/ Hellcat Oil Capacity and observasions.

[coolblue]

Yesterday I did the first oil change on my Red eye at 577mi. Was waiting to break 500mi to do first oil change even though most go 1000 or more and oil life was reading 91%. I'm old school, I always change oil on a fresh engine at 500mi. Started yesterday off at 479 and when I got home it was 577 so I just changed it. I've been looking at oil capacitates for Hellcats and again nothing but confusion and no definitive answers. Some say 7 (with oil filter change), some say 7.5 with cooler, and some say 6 (because I believe even Mopar made a mistake and printed it wrong one year in the owners manuals) AND there were 2 different oil dipsticks made also over the years . Thanks Mopar!
Well all I can say is what I found when I did it.
1) Oil capacity is DEFINETLY 7 quarts for just motor with oil filter change. I decided to go with the standard MO-899 filter because that's what was on the car and on factory Demons and has big round feed holes into the filter media. I have an SRT filter (MO-041) on my other 6.1 SRT8 at last oil change because supposedly it has a stronger relief spring and other improvements but when it was revealed by @BULL that some of the feed holes to the filter media were squished kinda flat and didn't look all to promising for flow I said "screw it" and went with the good old standard.
2) Some say the oil cooler only holds a few ounces and it's not worth draining. I found mine had at least nine. I drained it directly into an empty oil can and then put that amount into an empty oil quart container and recorded the amount. It was then that when I went to fix 'a problem' some slightly more had drained out and on the ground.
SIDE NOTE (the problem): When I removed the oil cooler bolt it was barely torqued down at all and had 'drag' on it the whole way out. Came to discover the bolt had bad flat spots on the threads and was binding/scoring the aluminum threads into the cooler housing. Thank god no cross threads. I filed the bolt threads with a micro file at flat spots and cleaned with a brass then stainless wire brush and came like knew. I recorded some of what I pulled out of the cooler threads also. Put bolt back in on cooler and pan and torqued both to 20 ft. lbs.

NO ONE AT A DEALERSHIP/STATION WOULD EVER TAKE THE CARE TO FIX/CLEAN/MEASURE ANY OF THIS. SO I STRONGLY ADVISE IF YOU'RE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE...…..DO YOUR OWN OIL CHANGES!

Sooooo , in summary, I found motor, filter, and cooler drain require 7 quarts 9 ounces to be completely drained and filled correctly. How do I know? When I checked dipstick this morning (with cross hatch on stick FACING THE CRANK) it was exactly at the full mark at the top of cross hatch and just touching the hole above it. Just the way it came from the factory first day I got it. Hope this helps someone.

 

[RedEye19FL]

Great info. Thanks. Just checked my dipstick and oil level is right at the half-way mark between the cross hatches. Would that mean I'm about one quart low?

 

[motorhead]

Nice. FWIW, my car came with an extra litre of oil (aka overfilled) off the assembly line. I let FCA know, and it is captured in a long list of deficiencies submitted in an open case. Check your oil before taking possession following purchase/service, folks.

 

[coolblue]

That's a definite put in as needed till' full scenario. I don't know the oil capacity to cross hatch correlation but I would think it's not a full quart. I would add 1/2 quart and wait a few minutes and check. Then add little increments till' your there. In the old days on Chevy's it was easy. The bottom of the cross hatch meant add one full quart and 1/2 way up 1/2 quart and so on. But it seams these days nothing is any easy correlation any more. Lol.

 

[moparjim]

Great info. Thanks. Just checked my dipstick and oil level is right at the half-way mark between the cross hatches. Would that mean I'm about one quart low?

Roughly a 1/2 qt low Ken.

 

[hellno]

I’m lazy I guess I just change oil and I do use the m099 filter but o have never. Drain the the oil cooler in 22,000 hard miles but because I race it a lot I change my oil anywhere from 1000 to 1500 intervals but after reading this next time I change it I might just do the oil cooler for kicks

 

[coolblue]

I’m lazy I guess I just change oil and I do use the m099 filter but o have never. Drain the the oil cooler in 22,000 hard miles but because I race it a lot I change my oil anywhere from 1000 to 1500 intervals but after reading this next time I change it I might just do the oil cooler for kicks

Thing is, I'm just saying the assembly line tactics of a factory show some callus and non caring attitudes and sloppy work.(and potentially dangerous i.e., engine damage from filings). If your putting a bolt in and it's binding don't you stop and look? I'm just beginning to touch this car, but you've been up and down and all around yours, you probably found some stuff not up to spec.

 

[RedEye19FL]

Roughly a 1/2 qt low Ken.

Thanks for the info you guys!

 

[hellno]

Also I’m actually amazed that the fact that I run it so hard it never has used any oil even to this date and when I was pushing 17 lbs of boost and an oil catch can even the oil catch only barely got a coating of oil in , now I don’t run a catch can at 18-19 lbs of boost

 

[coolblue]

Also I’m actually amazed that the fact that I run it so hard it never has used any oil even to this date and when I was pushing 17 lbs of boost and an oil catch can even the oil catch only barely got a coating of oil in , now I don’t run a catch can at 18-19 lbs of boost

That's a testament to Curt's tune I guess. That means no detonation rattling the rings and pressure passing the rings into the crankcase and out the valve covers. I'm simply amazed your on original short block.

 

[Jungle Cat]

I don’t think you need that extra 9 ounces. That’s figured in with the 7 quart capacity after a change. Many of us with earlier cars ran with factory 6 quart fill with no issues. I updated to the 7 quart stick so that’s what I use. Mine reads full with 7 quarts. I wait until the next day after a change after some driving around the day before. I think the next morning before you start the car gives the most accurate readings. Everyone is still over thinking this. Just follow your owners manual. What do the newer cars manual say? Is it still 7 quarts?

 

[coolblue]

I don’t think you need that extra 9 ounces. That’s figured in with the 7 quart capacity after a change. Many of us with earlier cars ran with factory 6 quart fill with no issues. I updated to the 7 quart stick so that’s what I use. Mine reads full with 7 quarts. I wait until the next day after a change after some driving around the day before. I think the next morning before you start the car gives the most accurate readings. Everyone is still over thinking this. Just follow your owners manual. What do the newer cars manual say? Is it still 7 quarts?

Yes owners manual is still 7 quarts. If you drain engine and change filter then add 7 quarts, yes you will read full. But the 9 ounces in the cooler will not be changed. Two things: 1) IMHO the 9 ounces is a pretty good amount of oil, I wouldn't want that much contaminated oil mixed with the fresh 7 quarts. 2) They put that drain plug in there for a reason.
It's not life or death, or the end of the world if you don't change the cooler oil, but as an enthusiast you try to go the extra to make things right/better. Also if you put a big rock in the bottom of your oil pan it would do no damage. It wouldn't get sucked up into the filter or hurt anything. But it's the little micro bits of metal that come with wear that will get up into things and score bearings etc. Why not try to get out all you can? Just my .02.
P.S. I'm also run a filter mag. LOL.

 

[stonewall]

When I did my first oil change on the Cat, the cooler drain plug was not even torqued. it was finger tight at best. The o ring was all that was keeping it from backing out. New cars need to be checked, It appears.

 

[45-70govt]

Also don't forget to hold the accelerator to the floor and hit the starter button. That will turn her over for 10 seconds to get the slick stuff flowing before you put a load to the bearings.

 

[Jungle Cat]

Yes owners manual is still 7 quarts. If you drain engine and change filter then add 7 quarts, yes you will read full. But the 9 ounces in the cooler will not be changed. Two things: 1) IMHO the 9 ounces is a pretty good amount of oil, I wouldn't want that much contaminated oil mixed with the fresh 7 quarts. 2) They put that drain plug in there for a reason.
It's not life or death, or the end of the world if you don't change the cooler oil, but as an enthusiast you try to go the extra to make things right/better. Also if you put a big rock in the bottom of your oil pan it would do no damage. It wouldn't get sucked up into the filter or hurt anything. But it's the little micro bits of metal that come with wear that will get up into things and score bearings etc. Why not try to get out all you can? Just my .02.
P.S. I'm also run a filter mag. LOL.

I believe the cooler drain is factored into the 7 quarts. It tells you to drain the cooler in the manual. It does not make sense to add extra because they would have said so. I always drain my cooler. I get around 12 ounces. We all keep trying to over engineer the engineers. I think you are over thinking it.

 

[Jungle Cat]

When I did my first oil change on the Cat, the cooler drain plug was not even torqued. it was finger tight at best. The o ring was all that was keeping it from backing out. New cars need to be checked, It appears.

Funny, when new my oil pan plug was like Hercules put it on. My cooler plug was not as loose as some of you guys but it wasn’t very tight. I never torque either of these. After hundreds of oil changes in your life you should know the feel of how tight they should be. You will never find a mechanic that torques them.

 

[coolblue]

I believe the cooler drain is factored into the 7 quarts. It tells you to drain the cooler in the manual. It does not make sense to add extra because they would have said so. I always drain my cooler. I get around 12 ounces. We all keep trying to over engineer the engineers. I think you are over thinking it.

Just went through entire manual. No where in the manual (at least on my 2019 3.6,5.7 / 6.2,6.4 SRT version) does it state to drain engine oil cooler or reference. It show's with clear pics how to install child safety seat, and how to change spare tire (safety issues) but shows nothing on where or how to change oil. It merely states to change oil when life indicator tells you to, or every 6 months no matter the mileage. Only other reference is capacities which they state as simply engine and oil filter. Then they give you a recommended maintenance plan and what to check at each mileage interval (again no reference to engine oil cooler anywhere). When I drained the 7 quartz 9 ounces out, that's exactly what I put back in. It came right up to the mark on the stick at the exact full mark (after running and driving and letting sit over night).Exactly how it came from dealer. If it was just a 7 quart fill (with cooler included) she would've shown over on the stick, no?

 

[Jungle Cat]

They must have changed the owners manual. It’s in the 2016 and it says to drain the cooler.

 

[Jungle Cat]

Here is the 2016 manual. Clearly stated to drain the cooler. Pay very close attention to the note at the bottom. I believe you are over filling your engine.

 

[coolblue]

Yea, I got nothing like that in my manual. No info, just capacities and change intervals. But they do show pics of the gas cap and what it looks like open so you know where to put gas if you dare to do it yourself. In fact the manual, reference guide and a few skinny supplement guides all came in a cheesy red nylon bag. The manual on my '09 SRT8 came in a leather bound holder with a chrome clasp and real nice stitching!