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GM Dexos1 cleaned out the sludge from my 08 Impala SS in 1 year! Stopped the excessive oil consumption and the lifter rattle in 4 cylinder mode. I'm hooked. Used to use Mobil 1 religiously till I noticed almost all of my Mobil 1 customers had noisy lifters in their GM products. Coincidence?
And if I'm not mistaken, Dexos oil is cheaper then Mobil One! Another bonus.
Thats the rub on "oil''....its like everything else auto related youll find different groups of auto enthusiasts who like one over another and swear by it, Ive used what the car came out of the gate with Mobil 1 but lately am curious about trying something else..AHH HAA but which one?...One claims to do this...the other that..? As far as oil consumption in my SS...its near zilch...nada...I am however one of the unfortumate LS owners that got a "piston slapped'' LS motor ,,,bugged the hell out of me for years..until i got LT`s and turn up the radio..viola!! sound inaudible...:lol: Thats said it still pisses me off that GM let those motors roll off the line and then told all of its dealerships to ignore customer conplaints!!! I wonder if a different oil would quiet the slapping?
I have never heard of an oil that will alleviate the start up noise our engines make. It is a combination of short skirt pistons and thermal expansion delay that results in "piston slap".
Ive been told that this isnt harmful to the engine...true? Also its funny how some have it and others dont..Of course NOT funny to us that have them!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by pajeff02
Apparently it isn't too bad for them -- lots of these engines are alive and heading to 200,000 miles these days. That being said, I always allow ours to warm up before putting any load on it.
Piston slap is just one of those operating characteristics of an LS-based engine. Yes, it seems (and is) a little undesirable. But looking at it realistically, there isn't really a possiblity of engine harm from this "knock". The piston skirt is short...yes. But its really well designed and reinforced. So there isn't really much worry about piston skirt collapse. And as time has marched on, its clear that the cylinder isn't getting any damage or wear from the knocking either. These engines are lasting well even with the 10 to 20 second piston knock at cold start up.
Good to hear!! I have 67,000 miles so far and the engine runs strong and hard, Im the original owner and ordered it up in `01, got it with a mere 10 miles on the OD-and have maintained it religiously.So im hoping it will last quite a while plus yes its an LS motor which seems to have admireres attention they know what an LS is capable of for sure!! Thanks-------------
I have noticed much lower engine noise after switching to mobile 0w40
145k miles to boot
Any particular reason for the switch?
That result isn't unheard of considering you went to a thicker 40wt from what I'd guess was a 30wt you used before.Quote:
Originally Posted by Falco78
A while back I also went to a 40wt in the LS engine, from the 30wt I had run for years. Not because I thought the engine needed it, it was more of a decision to get all the cars on the same oil, so I could one....rid my shelf of various makes and viscosities, two...much easier for me to remember what is in each car if I keep them the same :D Sucks getting old.
For the record, mine never has had the piston slap or any other noise, so I noticed no difference when I changed the weight of the oil other than the oil pressure might be a tick higher when it's hot.
Here's a piece of interesting information pulled from a synthetic oil website. Hope you guys that love using their Mobil 1 are at least using the Extended Performance version of that oil. Because apparently Mobil 1 has decided to increase profits by dropping their other synthetics down to a lesser group 3 base stock that doesn't perform as well, especially when you start spreading the viscosity ratings further apart.
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As more and more large oil companies switched their "synthetic" motor oils to the less expensive/more profitable Group III (3) base stocks it has become much easier to identify which are PAO based true synthetic. Of the large oil companies, only Mobil 1 Extended Performance, as of this writing (12-16-2012), is still a PAO based true synthetic. The rest, including regular Mobil 1 and Castrol Edge have switched to the cheaper/more profitable Group III (3) petroleum based "synthetic" motor oil. AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils are PAO based true synthetic motor oils with the exception of the short oil drain OE and XL synthetic motor oils sold at some Auto Parts Stores and Quick Oil Change Centers. This leaves more than 20 PAO based true synthetic motor oils manufactured and marketed by AMSOIL with only a few Group III (3) based synthetic motor oils identified by the "OE" and "XL" product name.
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And here is an explaination of what happens to the oil. With the additive package necessary for multi-viscosity, you need to run a group 4 synthetic oil, otherwise you run the risk of shear in high heat conditions, break down, and eventually an oil that no longer resists thinning, the wider the muti-viscosity spread, the worse the conditions because it has more of those viscosity additives in it. Interesting stuff....
Drawbacks of Viscosity Improving additives
Multi-grade motor oils perform a great service not being too thick at cold startup to prevent engine wear by providing more instantaneous oil flow to critical engine parts. However, there is a draw back. These additives shear back in high heat or during high shear force operation and break down causing some sludging. What's worse is once the additive begins to be depleted the motor oil no long resists thinning so now you have a thinner motor oil at 210 degrees. Your 10W-30 motor oil can easily become a 10W-20 or even a SAE 10 (10W-10) motor oil. I don't have to tell you why that is bad. The more VI additives the worse the problem which is why auto manufacturers decided to steer car owners away from motor oils loaded with VI additives like the 10W-40 and 20W-50 viscosities.
The less change a motor oil has from high to low temperatures gives it a high Viscosity Index. Synthetic motor oils that are made from Group IV (4) PAO base stocks have Viscosity Indexes of more than 150 because they are manufactured to be a lubricant and don't have the paraffin that causes the thickening as they cool. But petroleum based motor oils (Group I (1) & II (2)) usually have Viscosity Indexes of less than 140 because they tend to thicken more at the colder temperature due to the paraffin despite the addition of Viscosity Improving additives. The higher the Viscosity Index number the less thinning and thickening the motor oil has. In other words, high number good, low number bad. Low numbers thicken more as they cool and thin more hot. You see these Viscosity Index ratings posted on data sheets of motor oils provided by the manufacturer.
As already mentioned, VI improving additives can shear back under pressure and high heat conditions leaving the motor oil unable to protect the engine properly under high heat conditions and cause sludging. Also there is a limit to how much viscosity improving additives can be added without affecting the rest of the motor oil's chemistry. Auto manufacturers have moved away from some motor oils that require a lot of viscosity improving additives, like the 10W-40 and 20W-50 motor oils, to blends that require less viscosity additives like the 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30 motor oils. Because stress loads on multi viscosity motor oils can also cause thinning many racers choose to use a straight weight petroleum racing motor oil or a PAO based Synthetic which do not have the VI additives. But only the Group IV (4) PAO based synthetics generally don't need VI additives. Read on to learn why:
Thanks for the article it is definitely something I will consider on next oil change
Any word on the recent changes to Penzoil Platinum?
I've been trying to do some digging and so far that's all I've found. Oil companies seem to be elusive about their changes, especially when it's for the worse or their own profit gain.
However that first statement I posted, second sentence, spooked me. It's basically saying all synthetics have switched to a lesser group 3 base stock including all Mobil 1 (accept extended performance) which has always been in high regard for many years. The only true group 4 synthetics left that don't need all those additives to make multiviscosity work, according to that statement as of 2012, is Amsoil (with acception to OE and XL lines) and the Mobil 1 Extended Performance.
The OE and XL lines of Amsoil synthetic are of course cheaper (about $6 a QT) but they are recommended for short oil change intervals. Which explains that link perfectly, since a group 3 oil which has all those parrafins and other additives to make those multi-viscosities work also break down sooner.
I'm sure the Mobil 1 Extended Performance is also more expensive than the regular Mobil 1. I'd also bet that's how Mobil 1 gave it the name "extended performance" because it's a group 4 base stock that doesn't use the same additive package in multi-viscosity that causes the early break down of the group 3 stuff, hence it's capable of longer oil change intervals.
Since I was already running Amsoil high zinc stuff in my classic cars, and also made the switch to Amsoil in my Duramax, I figured it was time to put the LS engines on it as well and give them the same treatment. To keep my amsoil stock the same brand of high zinc stuff on my shelf, I went with their 10w-40 as that is the thinnest they have in the high zinc premium protection line that I like to use. I also figured since I live in the hot desert the 40 WT was a good idea over the 30 that I was using. Ironically the 10W Amsoil has a lower cold pour rating than any of the other 10W's on the market so I also improved the cold startup as well at the same time.
If it makes you feel better Jeff, Pennzoil Platinum was always a good group 4 base stock in the past, and I used it in my LS engines for years right up until recently. Now with that statement I found that I posted above, I'm not so sure anymore. Since I was already using Amsoil in some other stuff it made my decision easier, so I just simply made the switch.
I was thinking of using Valvoline VR1 I wonder if their synthetic version has changed the base stock to as you stated FBJ? I have been trying to decide between it and Amsoil Dominator Racing Oil.
I can't be sure but I would take that statement I posted above as a yes, most likely. Again, I think these oil companies are being elusive and this isn't the kind of information they want out in the public. However I'm not the best internet surfer, maybe others with more computer skill would have more luck?? Sarge was always good at digging this stuff up...Quote:
Originally Posted by 98TransAmWs-6
I used Valvoline VR1 conventional for years in some classics, and sometimes the synthetic. Matter of fact still have my old truck full of conventional VR1 because it's what Scoggin/Dickey recommended I break that GM crate motor in with a couple years ago. Haven't really driven it much at all so it's not due for it's next change for quite a while. But I had planned to swap that over to Amsoil when I do. Right now it's doing alot of sitting so not concerned with it at the moment.
Honestly I don't think you can do any better than the Amsoil line of the Dominator oil, Premuim Protection, or the Z-rod stuff. But if you're looking to save a few bucks it wouldn't bother me to use the VR1, I'd just probably shorten up my oil change intervals. Best way to tell how things are doing would be a couple of oil annalys with each oil and compare, might be interesting.
The car only gets driven maybe 1000 miles a year so I guess it wouldn't really matter between the two. My engine builder suggested vr1 but they said there is nothing wrong with amsoil either. I was also looking at the racing version of vr1 as well. I think I may do conventional vr1 racing oil for break in and amsoil dominator after that.
With only 1,000 miles a year, with probably oil changes every season, I likely wouldn't worry too much what oil is used. The VR1 would work fine. Definately conventional for break in, and then what ever synthetic you choose after that. You could always do an oil annalys once in a while and see what things look like with either oil. Maybe one sample after a season of VR1 and the following year do one with Amsoil and see if things are any different. That would be a solid way of knowing which oil is working well enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by 98TransAmWs-6
Jeff...that's also what I would do with your Pennzoil if you're thinking of changing. I know you keep good care of the car and it's seldom driven. I'm betting the Pennzoil is probably serving you just fine. An oil annalys would tell. Might be worth the trouble before spending more money on different oil.
Like I said, I changed from the Pennzoil in the LS engines only because I was already using high zinc Amsoil in the other older cars which out number anything new that I have. I couldn't seen keeping Pennzoil on the shelf just for 2 cars and Amsoil for 10 others. So I consolidated, and didn't do any oil annalys with the Pennzoil before I switched. I'm sure the Pennzoil was doing just fine, I have no complaints. Just easier for me to use one oil.
That is a good idea FBJ. I don't know why I didn't think of that lol. Now I just need to figure out what weight oil to use. If I should stick with stock or go a different route.
Thanks, FBJ. I will ponder this for a bit and maybe do some intrawebs sleuthing as well.
Continue to take good care of it and you'll enjoy many, many more miles of that impressively capable LS. I have 177k miles on mine. I, too, am the original owner and got it with just 7 miles on back in May 2000.Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperSSguy
That is my question. I had been using Penzoil Platinum for several years after getting all that good research information from Sarge on it (being a great 'bang for the buck' synthetic).Quote:
Originally Posted by pajeff02
Alot has changed in the last 9 years since Sarge first started posting information about that stuff.
According to what I found and posted about back on page 66 of this thread, all your synthetics (except your Amsoils and Mobil1 extended performance) have switched over to a lesser performing group III base stock.
Well, since companies don't outright divulge formulation, it's all speculative by the consumer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Firebirdjones
Amsoil OE and XL product lines are Group III
Amsoil Signature Series is likely a Group IV/V
Some speculate that Mobil 1 is a Group III/IV/V blend with Extended Performance leaning more towards IV/V
As I recall, the older formula Pennzoil Platinum was formulated with Shell's XHVI base oil which was considered Group III+
Now Pennzoil Platinum is made with Shell's new Gas To Liquid (GTL) technology otherwise known as PurePlus which is still considered to be Group III+
I have to admit that the performance gap is further closing between Group III and Group IV synthetics as technology advances. This after seeing the recent numbers published on the new Pennzoil Platinum PurePlus formulation by the Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) as seen here - Pennzoil Platinum PurePlus - link
When one can walk into Walmart and buy a 5-quart jug of Pennzoil Platinum PurePlus for $22.66 and get $10 dollars back with mail-in rebate, that's phenomenal value-per-dollar. As an Amsoil Dealer, kind of weird for me to be saying that.
This is what I was referring to in my question regarding the recent changes to Penzoil Platinum (not changes from 9 years ago), specifically the new GTL PurePlus vs the previous XHVI base oil. I knew the XHVI was considered a Group III+, but wondered if the new PurePlus was considered to be on par or had followed the trend of most synthetics and stepped down to Group III level or lower. Glad to see it has remained at its Group III+ level.Quote:
Originally Posted by CompSyn
For sure, just from a cost/benefit standpoint, that deal on PP remains incredible; even more so with that mail-in rebate. Certainly, I prefer the Amsoil Signature Series since it is definitely better. I just wish I could get a similar rebate for it.
Thank you to all of you for your good information.
Thank you for the clarification. If I understand this correctly, Group II is a better base stock, but none of the companies utilize this anymore? Mobil1?
I assume you meant to say Group IV Jeff. The only Mobil 1 Synthetic that is using Group IV base stocks now is the Mobil 1 Extended Performance line of oils. The other Mobil Synthetics dropped to a group III base stock as well as all other brand synthetics that I can find. So it's either Mobil 1 Extended Performance or Amsoil if you want a group IV base stock.
Now this group III+ thing that Comp Syn Mentioned just sounds to me like another way of manipulating words to make the Pensoil Platinum sound better. In a nut shell, it's still not base IV stock which according to what I read is what's needed to make these multi-viscosity oils perform properly. I have yet to find anything anywhere that contradicts what the link I provided is saying. Still digging, but nothing yet.
Here at the Walmarts around our area it's nearly $24 for a 1 gallon (4 QT) jug plus 10% tax. You may as well say over $6 a quart. Being an Amsoil preferred customer I'm paying less than a dollar more per QT and that's with tax and shipping figured in, AND I'm getting a better oil with very high Zinc content, and it's delivered right to my door. I switched all 9 vehicles over to it and extended my oil change intervals as well. I'm actually saving money in the long run.
The stuff I'm using in my Duramax is supposed to be a 25,000 mile oil or up to 1 year. Now granted I'll never rack up that many miles in a years time, but since this thing holds 10 quarts it's a huge savings for me with a "once a year" oil change interval. In that time I'll likely only rack up 4-5,000 miles, so I was throwing money away running a lesser oil and changing it more frequently Not only that but it now has an oil in it with better protection and properties that have been taken out of the other diesel oils . This is just one example of many that I have.
So the higher the group number, the better the base? I guess I had it backwards.
Yep, group IV being the highest rating that I know of and the best out of the bunch. With only 2 oils using it.Quote:
Originally Posted by pajeff02
Mobil used to use the group IV in all their synthetics, and then dropped to a group III in everything except the extended performance line, and of course didn't tell anyone. Obviously in an attempt to manufacture oil cheaper and fatten their pockets.
Amsoil seems to be the only company to be forthcoming on this information and putting it out there for the public to read (as they should) while the other oil companies are keeping quiet.
May sound like bias information for Amsoil to do that but when you can't find any info from the other companies that contradict it, you have to wonder. Amsoil did however report of the one line of Mobil still using group IV base stock, so it doesn't seem to me that they are trying to slander the oil companies, but rather provide information they have found.
To add to that, Amsoil also has a line of oil that uses a group III base stock that they sell cheaper than the rest of the Amsoil line, and they are very upfront about it, not trying to hide it. Funny how Mobil didn't mention their switch to group III and even more interesting that none of their prices dropped either.
Looks like Im switching to Amsoil... I remember when I switched to to Mobil 1 in 2010 from dino oil... made a noticable difference in the smoothness of operation...
where is Sarge?
Sarge has decided to take some time off. Not sure when he'll be back.
depends on the car
Quote:
Originally Posted by Julie13
Totally agree, although I find that I am running Penzoil Platinum in most of our cars these days.
Signed up for amsoil preferred customer program and ordered their signature series for the T/A. Can't wait to try it out. They give you 2 options preferred customer for $10 for 6 months or 20 for a year which gets you 25% off or you get free shipping over a 100 if you don't want to pay for the preferred customer program. Preferred is the way to go even with the $10 I came out $15 cheaper.
You can buy by the quart or gallon or you can buy by the case 12 quarts or 4 gallons.
Yeah I became a preferred customer, actually have to renew again next month. I found that even with shipping charges, and a sales tax they charge, it was still about $1 cheaper a quart than if I were to buy it off the shelf at the local Napa.
That's if I buy it in the gallon jugs straight from Amsoil.
I've been running Valvoline MaxLife Synthetic lately :dunno:
To you guys who are running Amsoil, how long are you waiting to change your oil? With Mobil 1 and a Wix filter I'm changing it every 5,000 miles but I can't fathom going farther than that and definitely not 25,000 on Amsoil...
I'll give amsoil one thing they ship incredibly fast only took two days for me to get it.
I would probably still stick with an annual oil change on the low mile cars and go 7,500 miles on the daily drivers with Amsoil. :dunno:
5W-30 Mobil 1
That's what I do Jeff. Much easier to keep track of, less oil changes needed. I have way too many "low mile" cars that are driven for pleasure. They get changed once a year in the spring and then I just don't have to worry about it all year.Quote:
Originally Posted by pajeff02
Only 2 driven daily at the moment. Right now I'm on 6,000 mile intervals with those, and an oil annalys coming up to see if I can extend them longer.
Even though the Amsoil appears more expensive, it's really not once you are a preferred customer. Also with the extended service times I'm doing now it's actually saving me quite a bit of money. The once a year change in the spring hits a little hard all at once with so many pleasure cars, but it's actually cheaper in the long run. The biggest reason I went with Amsoil was to use their high Zinc content oil, plus their thicker oils have better pour ratings than alot of the thinner stuff on the market.
Sean put the high zinc stuff in my car when he did the recent build. Gonna have to order some for myself now and do the changes in my garage.
factory recommended oil when bought new .. if I rebuild it straight rotella 30 for 6k miles .... every thing else gets 10w30 royal purple . sold 02 gmc 2500 8.1 bought new with 309k miles lastyr fac engine trans rearend
Generally speaking, zinc content is a requirement for old school flat tappet cams. As our cars are all equipped with roller cams, zinc is not generally a necessary additive. However, there is no harm in utilizing it from what I have read.Quote:
Originally Posted by Naaman
Still plan on using Pennzoil Platinum Plus. Don't really think using a grade IV oil will benefit me only going 1000-2000 miles roughly between oil changes.
That was my understanding, as well. But for now, until I have researched it to my own satisfaction, I'm gonna just trust the guy who did my build. He explained to me why he used that oil, but I forgot the explanation. It may have had something to do with the valve train... or maybe that the bottom end was still stock... but I can't remember for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by pajeff02
I also use the high zinc content in all the cars here, even the roller cam cars. You still have very high friction contact points in the engine that can benefit from the lubricity that zinc/phosphorous provides like piston skirts, rocker arms and pushrods also have alot of stress on them considering the spring rates required to control these roller cams.Quote:
Originally Posted by Naaman
So despite what some critics say, I still see a need for zinc in all engines. Extra lubricity is certainly not a bad thing. The only reason it has been depleted is because it's been found to coat cat converters to a point that they won't function properly, and to these people, emmissions is more important than the longevity of your engine.
That's also why zinc was drastically lowered in your diesel oils too, because starting in about 2004 or 2005 cat converters were mandated for the diesel trucks, consequently diesel oil zinc ppm count dropped making it no longer suitable for the "go to" oil for the classic car guys.
I can say however I've run high zinc content oil in a cat converter car for several years and never experienced any issues with the converters as far as drivability was concerned. I never had to put it on a sniffer though so I can't say if converter efficiency dropped, but it always ran like a top.
This is my first post after reading about 1/2 of the Oil thread started by Sarge. I bought an 04 GTO this past summer w/ 18k on the motor. The previous owner didnt know the specifics of the mods done to the motor but Ive found some things out. The head is a 706, 5.3 liter ported job with a "West Coast Racing Cylinder Heads" stamp on it. I contacted Richard Reyman at WCRCH and this was his explanation:
Wow! We did those heads over ten years ago! We haven’t run that CNC program since 2005. It’s a Stage 2 LS1 program we made to convert 5.3l heads to upgrade airflow and raise compression on a 5.7l engine. I think we made several hundred sets of them over a two year period. I wouldn’t have any record of what specific work was done to that pair however we typically set them up with 2.02”/1.57” valve sizes. The chambers with minimum surfacing ended up at 64cc. It usually resulted in a compression ratio increase of approx.. ½ a point. Additional milling could take the compression ratio to over 11:1. Sorry I can’t be of more help with this…….
Im currently running M1 5-30 synthetic and have read enough to know that its not optimal. I dont drive the car in the winters in NY, too much salt on the roads, come spring I plan to switch to PP 10-30, as opposed to a 0-30, primarily because discussions Ive had with a gearhead friend of mine have centered around the idea that 10-30 provides better coating of engine parts between driving, despite the higher viscosity at startup compared to a 0-30 such as Amsoil. And I plan to do a UOA after I switch over to the PP 10-30.
I guess I have two questions. The first, I have not been able to verify that there was a cam swap done in conjunction with the Stage 2 port mentioned above, would a cam swap be a necessary upgrade for a Stage 2 port mod? Or is it conceivable that the stock cam is still running? Im a novice in the area of heads and cams and thus Im looking for info in that regard.
Second question which I guess I already have the answer for is my above described plan for the oil change in the spring and my plan to determine whether the PP 10-30 will end up being optimal for my driving habits, environment etc? Ive read enough of the thread to know you gotta test to find the right solution so Im really more interested in getting answers to my first question.
One other thing, being I have a lack of knowledge about what was previously done to the engine, do people recommend a tune for this engine to get optimal A/F mixture? I am not a track guy, I like to drive fast but Im not looking to race this car. Also I have read the Srage's Catch/Can, PCV thread and am wondering if venting the crank the way he describes is appropriate for all GTO's or only t6hose GTO's that are up the horsepower ladder moreso than me, Im guessing that Im running somewhere in the 400-425 HP range.
Thanks for the help fellas....great forum.
Couple things,
Since you plan to do a UOA that will answer all the questions you need about the oil you're using and tell you when to change it. Then you can make an educated decision from there and decide the direction you want to go.
On the tune, I would suspect someone has tuned the car since they went through the trouble to install ported heads. But that doesn't mean it's tuned, just a good guess on my part. It would be odd to dig that deep into the engine and not have it tuned when done in my opinion, but people do strange things.
However that extensive of a change would require tuning in my book to optimize the combo, whether it has a cam swap or not.
Seems that they would have installed a cam as well with all the work required to swap out the heads. I agree that it most likely has been tuned, but as FBJ mentioned, hard to tell. People do a lot of weird things when they work on cars. Investing in a good set of gauges - including a wideband A/F, fuel pressure, and whatever else you desire, is a good idea. The wideband would then give you a good idea of what your A/F is doing throughout the engine's load range.
This being said, an old school check is simply to pull a couple of spark plugs and see what they look like. You want to see a light tan color on the electrode and such. Generally speaking, black is rich, white or white with speckling is lean, and oily is something amiss. On installation, the plugs only get twisted to about 11 lb.ft., so don't overdo it. It is also a good idea to squirt a dab of dielectric grease into the boots before re-installing them.
I'm using Amsoil brand synthetics.
Can't go wrong there. :thumbup:
Have you checked the oil level?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Could try checking the plug that goes into the pan I suppose. It's a cheap fix if it's broke. My starter caught the wires ones and ripped them out of the plug.Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshuaMah
Hey guys....hope everyone is doing well.
Just wanted to update a little here on my "oil experiences".
The GTO has 17K on her now. Pristine. Runs like a top and is shining like a diamond in a goats ass.
Still run 2 stroke oil in the gas and Kendall GT1 5-30 full synthetic.
Been using that oil for awhile now. UOA's are absolutely perfect as I think I can get.
My Silverado finally had some lifter issues @ 195K miles. So I am having Allen Nelson put a new cam/lifters et al in.
Not a big deal. Only other issue I have had with that truck was the oil pump. Replaced it and timing chain etc. few thousand miles ago. Same thing in the truck. Kendall GT1. 2Stroke oil in the gas. On the gas note I left the NGK plugs in for over 100K and when I replaced them they still were in good shape. Still has the original fuel pump and injectors.
Thought about a rebuilt motor or a 6.0L but this motor burns no oil and is smooth. So we decided just to do the cam/lifters etc. and keep the 5.3L. Bottom end looks and sounds excellent even after almost 200K miles.
Been using Fram Ultras for the filters for awhile now.
Hope everyone stays healthy and have a great year guys.
Good to have Sarge back on the forum. How are things on the Goat farm, Sarge?
All good here. More gray hair. Had to loosen my belt another notch. I dont care. More lap for them Grandbabies :)
I'm betting all us GTO owners are curious about the black beast...
A/K/A "Oprah" if I recall.
Pristine. I only drive her about 1 a month now. She has 17K original miles.
My 04 is a Hurst GTO, Only has 23k on the chassis, the engine less than 4k, a new built 383 stroker eagle, Trickflow Heads, American Racing Headers, New Kevlar Clutch, Hurst Shifter. Im gonna put the Fast 92/92mm Intake/TB Combo on there, Dewitts Rad with built in oil cooler, and Id like to get a 1 piece driveshaft in there. Ill prolly throw the Trickflow/KN CAI on there as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarge
Would love to do Harrop Diff Cover as well and Brakes....
I have 1 piece DS and Harrop and Porsche axles. Koni adjustable on and on. Pedders bushings tightened things up nicely.
Welcome back Sarge!!
What do you guys think of Valvoline synpower 5w30 for the ls1?
Have not looked into it. Been running Penzoil Platinum for the last several years now.
How is the valve train noise with the Pennzoil Platinum?
I have used Pennzoil Platinum for the last 16 years I have owned my 2002 Camaro SS. Zero issues.
Nothing over and above the inherent noise characteristics of an LS engine.Quote:
Originally Posted by 02nhrals1
I’m not sure if this is where to post a question about oil, if not, the mod can delete it.
For 15 years of owning my WS6 and having the oil changed, it's always been filled with Pennzoil full synthetic oil and a filter good for 15k miles, even though I never wait that long. I had it changed the other day and found out the mechanic didn’t use synthetic oil. Some people are telling me it has to be changed asap or it can can mess up the engine. Is it true once synthetic is used you can’t have regular oil used?
You kind of answered your own question..If for 15 years you had the oil changed and used the synthetic oil then I would stick with that!!...Why did they use non synth oil? Did you request this? If not I would have asked them to replace it free of charge..unless you did not discuss it with them but in any case the shop in question is not very trustworthy as they should have known that that car should have synthetic!!As far as "messing up the engine" Im sure there will be varying answers and opinions soon to be here! But MOST cars engines were tested and designed to run on a certain type and viscosity of oil to get the most life and less wear on them. So if your engine came from the factory using say Mobil one 5-30 synthetic..I would not think that another brand with the same viscosity (weight) would do much harm if any at all! The main thing is to stick with the type and weight that the manufactures suggested and that is in your cars manual...There are exceptions like if you live in the desert or sub freezing arctic...LOL...But Id stick with what the manufactures suggest! I really doubt ( In fact it wont!) Immediately implode or explode but me personally would NOT have that nasty dino oil in my ride...LOL...Quote:
Originally Posted by shelly
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperSSguy
It was very clear that I wanted full synthetic oil used, especially since I bought the filter good for 15k miles and had the Pennzoil Full Synthetic Oil in my car for the mechanic to use and I was only paying him labor to change it.
The only reason of having him change it is since he was changing the fuel filter.
The oil filter they used is a cheap 3k filter, they stole $30 wipers out of my car and charged me $14 labor for wipers. When calling to ask what that was about, they said the Rain-X wipers I had didn't have clips so they couldn't use them. I said the wipers were in a bag that was tied closed with a sweatshirt covering it along with a windshield sun shade over it and they had no right taking them out of my car and keeping them, like I wouldn't notice they were gone. They say they forgot to put them back and if I really want them, I can come pick them up. My friend who told me about this mechanic went to the shop when telling him that day what happened. The oil filter was on the work bench still in the box, the oil was not opened and the wipers were sitting there unopened, so not sure how they could say the clips were missing when they didn't open the package. I ended up paying $75 for an oil change ($59 oil & filter, $16 labor) when it was a cheap filter and oil that I could have gone elsewhere and paid $20 for that crappy service.
Sorry to hear. They jacked you over good on that one. To answer your question, conventional oil is not going to hurt anything. Pull the dipstick though and make sure that it is in fact "new oil" in your engine. You can either run what is in it for 3,000 miles, or change the oil again and install the filter and oil that you normally utilize. I also utilize Penzoil Platinum in our cars.
Thanks for the reply pajeff02. I feel better now knowing the oil will be ok for at least 3,000 miles but it'll be changed sooner. Didn't really want to go buy the $60 oil and filter to have it done right away if it didn't need to be. It is new oil, already checked that.
Just keep an eye on things since they half-assed the job. You may want to check both the filter and drain plug bolt for tightness...
Countless stories like this (and some worse) are why I do all of my own maintenance. Even on my 2016, I had 2 free oil changes from the dealership that I opted out of because I didn't want some yayhoo screwing things up on my car...Quote:
Originally Posted by shelly
I only take my car in for warranty work, and that still makes me shudder in fear of what they could do wrong.
I'm sorry you had to go through this, I hope you can find a reputable shop in the future.
Changing my oil is kind of a pain in the butt for me anymore. So, I take my oil and filter down, hand them over and stand there and watch. I never drop my car off. It's sad, but that's the way you have to do it.
Can't tell you how many times I've seen stories of people with 6th gen camaros being shorted on oil at the dealership.Quote:
Originally Posted by Y2KArcticSSCountless stories like this (and some worse) are why I do all of my own maintenance. Even on my 2016, I had 2 free oil changes from the dealership that I opted out of because I didn't want some yayhoo screwing things up on my car...Quote:
Originally Posted by shelly
I only take my car in for warranty work, and that still makes me shudder in fear of what they could do wrong.
I'm sorry you had to go through this, I hope you can find a reputable shop in the future.
The trans am I do myself but since I drive it so little I use aimsoil 25k or 1 year synthetic oil. I may put 2 to 3k on it a year now. The focus I let my buddy who owns a shop change. Don't feel like dealing with it and i trust him. Pay a little more the a quick lube shop but I dont have to worry about it.
I use Amsoil in both cars. It'll last a year in her WS6...about 4 - 6 months in mine :lol: I'm sitting at 44k right now on the 2016, I put the miles on quick.Quote:
Originally Posted by raynor139
Damn that's a good bit. Half the reason I've held off on a 6th gen is I just don't want to deal with the cost associated with how much i drive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Y2KArcticSSI use Amsoil in both cars. It'll last a year in her WS6...about 4 - 6 months in mine :lol: I'm sitting at 44k right now on the 2016, I put the miles on quick.Quote:
Originally Posted by raynor139
That's understandable. I would have a hard time justifying the purchase if it sat in a garage 90% of the time. I'm just not at a point in my life where I could make a car payment on a lawn ornament :DQuote:
Originally Posted by raynor139
My cars get driven, and I'm ok with that. If I ever get a ZL1 I might try and cut the miles down, but I will probably fail :lol:
Been using 0w40 M1 ever since about 70k miles. My oil pressure was very low with 5w30 so I switched to 0w40 and now it is like 50 cold start 35-40 warm and 55-60 WOT. To each their own.
Edit: I am now at 111k miles.