With its smooth ride and capable, eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2018 Ram 1500 is one the best pick-up trucks available in its class. But to keep this powerful pick-up truck in top condition, you’ll need to know its engine oil capacity, which is either 6, 7, or 10 quarts, depending on the engine in your Ram.

Owning and maintaining a pick-up truck can get expensive, with the wear-and-tear that comes from construction to regular maintenance and pricey insurance. But if you own a 2018 Ram 1500, you can save money by changing your truck’s oil at home—just be sure to check your owner’s manual first to make sure you have the correct oil type and capacity for your Ram’s model and engine type.

If you can’t seem to find the manual, or just want to know more about the 2018 Ram 1500’s oil capacity, you’re right where you need to be.

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2018 Ram 1500 engine oil capacity

Let’s get right to the big question: just how much engine oil does a 2018 Ram 1500 need?

Well, that depends on what engine you have in your 2018 Ram 1500.

According to the Ram owner’s manual, for the standard 2018 Ram 1500 with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine, the oil capacity is 6 quarts or 5.6 liters.

For 1500 models with the upgraded 5.7-liter V-8 engine, the engine oil capacity is 7 quarts or 6.6 liters, and for the 2018 Ram 1500 models with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 engine, the oil capacity is a whopping 10.5 quarts or 9.9 liters.

Be careful not to mistake your 1500’s engine displacement—the 3.6, 5.7, or 3.0 liters of volume its cylinders occupy—with its oil capacity, which is the amount of oil needed for an oil change. Engine displacement and oil capacity are not interchangeable terms, avoid making this mistake to save both time and money.

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What kind of oil does a 2018 Ram 1500 need?

Now that we know how much oil your Ram 1500 needs, it’s time to talk about oil type. That’s right—when it comes to oil your Ram’s engine has a type! So instead of just getting the cheapest bottle of motor oil on the shelf, be sure you get the recommended oil type for your Ram’s engine.

If you are driving a Ram 1500 with either the 3.6-liter V-6 engine or the 5.7-liter V-8 engine, make sure you grab an API Certified, SAE 5W-20 motor oil. If you have the EcoDiesel 1500 then you need to grab a bottle of 5W-40 synthetic blend motor oil. The brands the Ram recommends for your 1500 are Pennzoil, Mopar, or Shell Helix. Synthetic oil isn’t required but Ram recommends it for your 1500’s engine life.

Those are a lot of numbers and letters to dissect so let’s break it down bit by bit.

The numbers in the oil grade refer to the level of the viscosity—or how thick it is—and the “W” stands for winter. So in the case of both kinds of oil—the 5 right before the “W” means that both motor oils have a low viscosity grade at 0°F. The number 20 means that the 5W-20 oil is relatively thin at scorching at your engine’s regular operating temperature whereas the number 40 in the 5W-40 oil means that this oil is slightly thicker at that temperature.

SAE stands for the Society of Automotive Engineers, the group that grades viscosity for motor oils, and API stands for American Petroleum Institute, which grades the service rating of motor oils to make sure they pass a level of quality for use.

So basically, the oil you want in your Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter or 5.7-liter engines are quality motor oils that can perform under cold weather conditions. As for the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine, the motor oil needed is 5W-40 which is better for diesel engines. Diesel engines need thicker oils to preserve film strength and oil pressure at high temperatures and pressure loads.

How often to change the oil on a 2018 Ram 1500

Now that you know both the oil type and amount needed for an oil change, it’s time to get under your Ram 1500’s hood and

change your oil

! Or is it?

Ram is actually very clear in their manual about when you should change your 1500’s oil.

According to Ram you should, under no circumstance, go 12 months, drive 10,000 miles, or accumulate 350 hours of engine run time—without changing the oil.

10,000 miles, a calendar year, and 350 hours of engine run time are pretty big markers to hit.

So to keep your Ram 1500 in tip-top shape it is smart to check your oil on a regular basis (either once a month or every other refuel) and to be on the lookout for the following indicators that the oil on your Ram 1500 needs to be changed:

Your Ram 1500’s motor oil is dark black (clean oil is amber like tea)

The motor oil feels coarse or chunky.

Your engine is making unfamiliar noises

Your engine is making new smells like smoke or burning

Your Ram’s performance has changed or the mileage has gone down

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How to change your oil and oil filter

When the time or miles come to change your oil, first gather your materials. You’ll need both a 24mm and 13mm socket wrench as well as a drain pan. You will also need a replacement oil and filter. The recommended replacement filter is the

STP Extended Life Oil Filter S11665XL.

First, make sure your 1500 is parked on a flat service, then run your 1500 until the truck reaches operating temperature—this should take about five minutes. Then turn off the engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps:

Remove the oil filter cap by rotating the cap using your 24 mm socket wrench.

Remove the oil filter from the housing compartment then remove both the old filter and O-ring.

Slide a drain pan underneath the drain plug.

Loosen the drain plug with the 13 mm socket wrench and drain the oil pan completely

Wipe excess oil off of the drain plug or oil pan.

Reinsert the drain plug on the oil pan and tighten it to 20 ft-lbs.

Replace the filter and o-ring and reinsert the filter cap into the housing compartment.

Once secure, tighten the cap to 18 ft-lbs.

Remove the oil fill cap and fill your Ram with the preferred type and amount of oil.

Put the cap back on.

Start the engine and check your Ram for leaks. If there are no leaks then turn off your Ram and use a dipstick to make sure that you’ve added enough oil to your engine, if necessary top it off.

To reset your oil change indicator cycle, the ignition needs to be in the on position without pressing the brake pedal—don’t start the engine though. If your Ram has a push-button ignition. press the start-stop button without pressing the brake pedal and again—don’t start the engine.

Press the down arrow on your steering wheel to access the vehicle info screen on the dashboard. Press the right arrow to access the oil life section. Press and hold the right button for one second to select oil-life reset. Select okay and you’re all set except for the last step—disposal.

Don’t dump the dirty oil out on the ground or just throw it in the garbage bin. Be sure to place it in a sealed container and dispose of it at your local recycling center.

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