Before ordering replacement parts or starting your repair, review the factory torque specifications, required tools, and critical vehicle gotchas below.
Factory Specifications & Torque Ratings
Component / Parameter
Factory Specification
DIY Relevance
Filter Tightening Spec
18 ft-lbs (25 Nm) cap or 3/4 turn past contact
Coat new rubber O-ring seal with fresh engine oil prior to install
Oil Drain Plug Torque
20 - 25 ft-lbs
Install new crush washer gasket to prevent slow oil pan seep
Engine Oil Viscosity
5W-20 (5.7L HEMI V8 - required for MDS system) or 0W-20 (3.6L Pentastar V6)
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Step-by-Step DIY Summary
Position Drain Pan: Slide drain pan directly underneath oil filter mounting location.
Remove Filter: Use filter wrench to loosen counter-clockwise. Once loose, spin off by hand and dump remaining oil into drain pan.
Inspect Mounting Surface: Wipe the engine filter mating flange with a clean rag. Verify the old rubber gasket did NOT stick to the engine.
Lubricate New O-Ring: Dip your clean finger in fresh engine oil and coat the rubber O-ring gasket of the new filter.
Install Hand-Tight: Spin the new filter on until the rubber gasket touches the engine flange. From that contact point, tighten an additional 3/4 turn BY HAND ONLY. Do not over-tighten with a wrench.
2018 Ram 1500 Oil Filter Installation Video
Pro Tip: Watch the full video before starting your 2018 Ram 1500 installation.
2018 RAM 1500 Oil Filter Specifications
Change Interval: Every 3,000 - 7,500 miles
Types: Standard, High-Mileage, Synthetic
DIY Difficulty: Easy (15-30 minutes)
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