'06 Monte SS - use Synthetic Oil (Mobil-1) ??

[06MonteSS]

Hi all! I just joined the site and am new to this group... and am new to the "sports/performance car" arena...

I bought a brand new 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS with the 5.3L V8, and I've got around 2,100 miles on it. So, I haven't gotten it's first oil change yet.

I have all of my services and oil changes done at my highly-reputable dealer's service shop - so my question is this: should I buy and have them use Mobil-1 Synthetic 5W-30 in it for the oil changes from the start..., or is the standard "bulk" oil they use good enough?

I usually go by the "Oil Life Indicator" in the car's computer, as to when to have the oil changed... normally when it gets down to around 35%-40%, -- so then I bring it in to the dealer to have the oil/filter changed and any other service work done.

So again, my question is -- should I, or would it be worth it to, buy Mobil-1 Synthetic Oil - and have the dealer use that for when they do the oil change in my 2006 Monte Carlo SS??

Thanks in advance for any and all info provided!!
--Lew

 

[The Critic]

No, not unless its your car requires a 4718M approved synthetic oil. The synthetic oil really isn't necessary as the OLM is calibrated for conventional oil, as most are. (only a selective few require synthetic)

Just use their bulk 5w-30 and AC Delco Filter and change it per the OLM. Just make sure you keep the oil level checked regularly and you'll be fine. Run an oil sample or two if you're curious.

 

[Islandvic]

I have never understood people who bring their own oil to a mechanic. They usually charge you the same price for an oil change for the labor.

Most Chevy dealers carry synthetic for the Corvettes. M1 is factory fill. Your dealer should be no different.

While under warranty, follow the OLM and use their bulk oil and filter.

I'm sure they charge over $60 for a M1 oil change.

GM's OLM is very good. Go down to 5-10%. The 35-40% mark you mention is to soon.

GM knows what they are doing.

Go with M1 after the warranty is over for extended drain intervals.

Welcome to BITOG.

 

[06MonteSS]

ok - thanks for the info all...

so even being that it's a brand new '06 Monte Carlo SS, should I wait until the 15%-20% OLM or over 3K miles to have the oil/filter changed, or should I have it done then???

Any recommendations??!!

How long/low should I be able to let the OLM get before requiring an oil change and service take place?? 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, ????


Thanks!!

 

[Mike_dup1]

How long do you plan to keep it?

If you are going to trade it away in a few years, follow the OLM and use the cheapest oil you can find. Save your money and let the next owner worry about it.

If on the other hand you plan to keep it till if falls apart change to synthetic after about 2500 miles, reset the OLM and then only change when the OLM tells you to, you could even go longer using Amsoil but something tells me you very hesitant to even go past 3000 miles.

Synthetic oil is nothing new, it been proven for over 34 yrs by Amsoil and Mobil 1. Yet people are still caught in the quick lube marketing scheme of 3000 miles or 3 month oil change fiasco. By pushing this oil change interval they created a market for thier business.

And before you rag on me for that, I have over 30 yrs of using synthetic oil in GM vehicles and not some inexperienced driver. I speak from many many miles of driving with synthetic oils since 1975. The first time I used Asmsoil was in a new 1977 Monte Carlo 350 V8 (never was back to dealer for anything wrong), I ran that car for over 100,000 miles in 4 yrs on Asmoil going 25,000 miles between changes. Engine was in perfect shape when I sold car to coworkers friend in 1980 who kept it many years till it rusted away.

[ January 04, 2006, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Mike ]

 

[06MonteSS]

thanks for the info Mike! I plan on keeping the car for a while - 5+ years... no, I'm not hesitant to go past 3K miles... by the time the OLM gets down to 35% or so when I finally do an oil change, I've gone over 4600+ miles.

switching to synthetic, I would do an oil change around 20%, so a little longer and more miles in between than I do now - but the synthetic would protect the engine better, right?

Being as it's new, and I've only got about 2,100 miles on it, is there a certain amount of time or miles I should wait for before switching to synthetic, or is it ok to switch to it with the first oil change?

I've seen stories on here and other sites about people saying that after they've switched to synthetic oil, they developed oil leaks - and I know I don't want that LOL

any and all info/advice you all can give me is appreciated! Just want to protect my new toy for as long and as best as possible...

thanks!

 

[06MonteSS]

don't run it that hard... just get on it a little now and then, but nothing crazy - nothing over 4000 rpm... (yet ;-) ) I plan on having it for at least 4-5 years... and yes, it DOES go!!

thanks for all the feedback everyone - it's much appreciated!!

 

[Mike_dup1]

I ran the oem Mobil 1 in my 2005 Cadillac CTS for nealy 7,100 miles with oil life remaining in the mid 40's % range. I only changed it out because I was storing the car till next May and wanted clean oil in the there for the 6 months. I can fire it up in May and drive till November before I change again. BTW-I put in Amsoil 5W-30 ASL. I even had a free Mobil 1 oil change coming from the Cadi dealer but would rather pay for the Amsoil then get any other oil for free.

 

[Sylquest]

I OWN A TOYOTA Camry 92 235000 kms, I swiched to synthetic (Red line)- engine began making noise that sounded like pinging - I though it was a gas related problem but when I switched back to Toyota dino oil, the problem when away....I am afraid to go back to synthetic now even thouth I know synthetic is better. What should I do?

 

[Mike_dup1]

235,000 is when you switched over? Thats 146,022 miles if I computed right?

I would not put any Gr. IV synthetic in an engine with that many miles. Lets face it, no matter how good you feel the engine is, it has many miles on and it will have wear. Its too late for that engine as far as synthetic oil is concerned.

 

[Islandvic]

I have switched a '96 Crown Vic 4.6 to Synthetic at 139k miles and a '95 GMC K1500 350 TBI to Synthetic at around 159k miles. The Vic always had dino OCI's at 3-4k miles and the K1500 always had dino OCI's between 4-5k miles.

The Vic consumes less oil now and the 350 had no change in consumtion (had minimal to begin with). No leaks at all.

If you use conventional oil from the dealer at oil changes recommended by the OLM, you can switch to Syn whenever you want because the engine should be clean with the OLM/dealer change routine.

Switching to Syn in a neglected very high milage engine may be another story. Stories about "I switched to Syn and it caused leaks" is misleading. The history of the engine is not usually mentioned with the claims.

You can run the OLM down to 10% using dealer bulk oil with no worries.

My '00 Silverado 5.3 has 24k miles on the odo. It has always received oil changes when the OLM lights up or 1/yr, which ever is 1st. It is the first OLM in GM's trucks, so there is no "% left" like the newer GM models.

The OLM takes info such as hours used, milage, # of starts, # of revolutions, etc etc and runs it through an algorithm. It's not a magic number, but something GM spent a lot of money and time on engineering.

Does your dealer offer M1? If so, go for it and run the OLM to 0% with zero worries.

 

[Matt89]

06MonteSS;

With Mobil1 you could likely go significantly longer than '0%' on the OLM. If you are concerned about warrantee issues, then change Mobil1 5W-30 as soon as it reaches 0%. Or maybe 1%

 

[JohnnyO]

My system in recent years has been to change the oil first at 2500 miles with conventional oil then at 5000 and every 5000 after with synthetic.
On a new vehicle synthetic oil will not cause any leaks.
On my dad's '04 Cadillac we ran the oil life monitor down to 4% the last time with Mobil 1 in it, about 11,200 miles, I sent the used oil to a lab and the test results were very good.

 

[Winston]

Just so you know, with certain driving styles, the GM OLM might not call for an oil change even at 10k miles.

The key here, as Mike stated, is how long you intend to keep your car. The current API SM dino oils are excellent. Synthetic oils mainly allow you to extend your oil change interval, but some think they also keep your engine cleaner (my personal belief).

I think a good middle position for you (since you do not intend to keep the car forever) is to let have your dealer do synthetic oil changes when the OLM hits 0%.

Synthetic oil will not cause leaks in your engine.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

The GM Oil Life Monitor system was tested and validated using conventional motor oil. You can use conventional oil and run the OLM to 0% and the chances are extremely small that you will ever suffer engine failure due to insufficient oil changes, even if you keep the car until the wheels fall off. Synthetics are really just buying you a psychological benefit. There is little chance you will ever get your money back out of using synthetics. When was the last time you heard of somebody having an engine failure that was attributable to following the advice of the Oil Life Monitor system, at any mileage? I've never heard of one. Run it to 0% and use what the dealer puts in it. When the warranty's up, use a good quality conventional and a good filter and donate the money you saved to a worthy charity.

 

[edvanp]

How hard are you going to run this car? With 303hp, it's made to go! That said, the new SM Dinos are very good. IF it were my car and I'm thinking of getting a Pontiac GXP later in the year, I'd dump the orginal oil at 2,500 miles, run another dino run to 5k, then go Synthetic for 6k runs, but that's me. A synthetic Blend wouldn't be bad either, but if you plan on babying the car, Dino would be fine too.

 

[Mike_dup1]

I have 2 GM vehicle with the OLM, 04 GMC and 05 Cadi CTS. If the oil lights come on before the year is up, I reset it. I have been changing only once per year for over 30 yrs and use nothing but synthetics.

 

[williar]

I understand that the GM OLM system is very good, but at the same time I'd personally run a group IV/V synthetic oil rather than dino, unless I planned to trade the car before 100K miles. Running a synthetic for, say, 10K miles or whenever the OLM goes to 0% will definately get your money's worth out of the synthetic oil, IMHO.

 

[06MonteSS]

yeah, after thinking about it, with that DOD on my new 5.3L engine, I wonder how synthetic would effect that, if at all - since the DOD works on oil/oil pressure....

Hmmm....

 

[AndyH]

DOD?

Nevermind, I found some info online...Displacement on Demand (DoD):
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/11/gm_expands_depl.html