09 G5 oil recommendations?

[skip029]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
A friend has a 09 Pontiac G5 with a 2.2L ???? Ecotec. Sorry my gm knowledge is lacking. She has a 70mile round trip commute. It only gets 24mpg avg. She Runs AC/ Cruise set at 70mph. Its ALL hiway. Could I use 0w20 or 5w20? I know GM says 5w30 for the car but I want to help her fuel milage. ALSO, the dealer set her tires at 27.5psi..seems low, tire sidewall says 35psi MAX. I was looking at 32psi to help boost it as well, is that ok ????
Please Help,
Dusty
Car: 09 Pontiac G5, Auto, 50k miles, dealer serviced currently.


For all that you said above it sounds like 24 MPG is about right. There are minor things you can do that will definitely help MPG (that have been proven).

1 - Higher tire PSI, I think its 40-45+ PSI. Mythbusters proved this to be true but dangerous.

2 - Acetone added to your fuel tank. Not recommended at all. But it does help with MPG.

Last but not least, the best way to improve MPG, is to drive slower. I believe there were some numbers out there to prove that drag on a car gets worse for every 5 MPH you go and it gets dramatically worse over 55 MPH.

I didn't really believe that going 55 MPH vs going 65 MPH on a highway for long periods could result in HUGE increase in MPG. I put it to test one day a few summers ago in my 2003 Saturn Vue V6 AWD.

I live about an hour and a half from St. Paul, MN. Filled to full, reset the trip odometer and set the cruise to 65 MPH. I got my regular 27 MPG on the highway.

On the return trip I did the same at 55 MPH and got 35 MPG.

Yes, it took longer to get back home, about 20 minutes more.

Yes, people passed me on the highway (they prolly thinking, [censored] Asians.... lol).

But #1 way to improve MPG, driving slower.

 

[johnachak]

Fill the tires to 33-34 psi, use 89 octane. My daughters Cobalt with the 2.2 and a round trip of just short of 70 miles gets around 32 mpg. How about the air filter? We Only use 5w 30 M1 or Kendall full syn. Delco pF 457 g filter. That car does NOT like 87 octane.

 

[jkhawaii]

your factory recommended inflation pressure is listed on a sticker, on the drivers side door jam (32 I believe). as for oil gm recommends any SM/SN oil 5w30. I have gone till the oil reminder came on with regular GM goodwrench 5w30 and the oil tested ok by Blackstone. I would recommend using a Dexos oil such as Mobil one, AC Delco synblend, penzoil platinum. or any SN would be OK as well

 

[chet2]

my 09 G5 is getting 33.3 mpg (on DIC) w/ goodyear fuelmax tires and G oil and it would probably be getting 34 mpg if my wife hadnt put in fg diesel 2 months ago...my 5 speed focus gets 37 mpg so i am surprised you getting only 24 mpg...my old 2.2 cavalier got 35mpg (5 speed)...these estimates are pretty accurate going by amt of fuel i buy and 60 mile RT to work

 

[steve20]

how a bout terying to measure MPG over at least a 1 thousand mile interval--just have her write down how many gallons she puts in each time. I think you will be surprised at the outcome

 

[DrDusty86]

All good suggestions. Thank you all.
I will let her know to try 89 Octane, I will air the tires up to 34psi, I will get QS UD 5w30 since her husband likes QS. Is that a good oil? Also, what brand filter is good here, and what size are the heads on the oil filter casing cap and drain plug? The car is 3 hours away from me, so I can't look at it.
Dusty

 

[amp]

Something is out-of-whack here. That's some really bad mileage considering the commute is all highway.

I'm driving a 2008 G5 with the pre-VVT L61 Ecotec 2.2l, 4-speed automatic, and original 16" Hankook Optimo H725A all-season tires @ ~30 PSI cold. I use the Hengst-made AC Delco PF457G oil filter and AC Delco A2956C air filters. I use 5w-30 Quaker State Ultimate (synthetic) and change it every six months. The gas in my area is 10% ethanol. I'm @ 49800 miles.

My commute is 60 miles round-trip, and I'd estimate that it's 75% Hwy, 25% city. I consistently get ~30mpg in the summer months and ~27mpg in the winter. The computer is actually pretty accurate for me: it's within 1mpg of my weekly manual calculations. Also, during my commute, I drive as fast as rush hour allows for: usually @ 75mph.

I guess I don't have any recommendations - as you can see, I'm not doing anything special yet I'm getting decent mileage. I just wish the tranny had an extra gear!

 

[amp]

The oil filter cap uses a 32mm socket ( I use a Lisle 14700 low-profile socket.) The drain plug is 15mm.

I've used QS UD 5w-30 in my G5 at ~7500mile OCI's since it was new with no complaints. The computer would likely take me to 10,000 mile OCI's, but I stick to six-month changes to avoid a mid-winter (no garage!) change. I never bothered with a UOA.

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
CP3,
I wouldn't say she drives like a granny. Getting up to speed it shifts about 4k, redlining when she enters an onramp to get up with the flow of traffic and not being a rolling road block like they are here where I live.
On the G5 are the plugs only good for 50k?
So:
Inflate tires, change to AFE 0w30, add Techron concentrate

off topic rant: [censored] do people think it is ok to enter the Interstate at 35-50mph, when traffic is going 70-75 on the interstate...MORONS..fricken HAMMER DOWN!!!!!! They should have failed the driving test INSTANTLY with this stunt.


Interval for the plugs should be 100k miles. I just did mine today at 120k km (about 75k miles) but I have a miss at idle with the air on and thought this might be the problem as I had them out last summer and didn't like the look of them.

Definitely make sure the tires are at least up to factory spec.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
A friend has a 09 Pontiac G5 with a 2.2L ???? Ecotec. Sorry my gm knowledge is lacking. She has a 70mile round trip commute. It only gets 24mpg avg. She Runs AC/ Cruise set at 70mph. Its ALL hiway. Could I use 0w20 or 5w20? I know GM says 5w30 for the car but I want to help her fuel milage. ALSO, the dealer set her tires at 27.5psi..seems low, tire sidewall says 35psi MAX. I was looking at 32psi to help boost it as well, is that ok ????
Please Help,
Dusty
Car: 09 Pontiac G5, Auto, 50k miles, dealer serviced currently.


DrDusty86,

I would stick using the 5W-30 oil and switch over to a syntnetic. Keep her air intake flter fresh as much a possible and remove her spare tire. Alot of GM cars have no spare tire anymore to save space and improve MPG. Also I would look at her plate on the door and see what the recommended tire pressure is..... If it's low then reset it for her accordingly. Lastly keep her car clean and have it waxed AND ask if she can keep the AC off! That one item is killing her mileage big time. Everything else will help but her problem is the AC.

Durango

 

[skip029]

Originally Posted By: Durango
Everything else will help but her problem is the AC.

Durango


Not true. Mythbusters did an episode on this and there have been many other tests out there to prove that using the A/C at/over certain speeds is a MPG gain vs having the windows down (due to the amount of drag).

Of course, if you don't need A/C don't try to use it. I would still recommend for her to drive slower. Not to slow that she interrupts traffic and causes accidents.

 

[daves87rs]

My Cobalt is pulling 29 in just city driving! I:

run 89 octane now
run Sumi HTR T4 tires at 35psi
using a delco oil/fram air filter
using Napa synthetic 5w30


I'm thinking it might be the tires....

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: skip029
Originally Posted By: Durango
Everything else will help but her problem is the AC.

Durango


Not true. Mythbusters did an episode on this and there have been many other tests out there to prove that using the A/C at/over certain speeds is a MPG gain vs having the windows down (due to the amount of drag).

Of course, if you don't need A/C don't try to use it. I would still recommend for her to drive slower. Not to slow that she interrupts traffic and causes accidents.


If you are talking about the Mythbusters test with the Expeditions, the one with the A/C on ran out of gas, whilst the one with the windows open kept going and going and going.....