0W-40 or 5W-40 only

Sucks cafe pushed them to do this. They had bulletproof engines before all the cylinder deactivation and thin oils came.
Mazda started pushing out cylinder deactivation across the line up a few years ago and I fear what will become of those engines in the future. I can't think of a case where cylinder deactivation tech has not hurt longevity/reliability; the Honda J35 (one of the greatest mainstream V6s to be made, IMO) has suffered long term issues bc of their VCM nonsense.
 
Not exactly.

Anybody remember low tension piston rings on the 5.3 V8s back in the 2000’s and 2010’s?

Those engines drink oil like crazy.
Like I said prior to 07 when cylinder deactivation came the LS/vortec truck engines were stout. If you need examples go to YouTube and you see hundreds vehicles making big power with junkyard LS family engines. Specifically Gen 4 truck engines. Some used a little oil but it never phased them in the end. I can deal with adding oil, blowing engines up on the other hand sucks.
 
The oil really has nothing to do with failed lifters on the DOD/AFM engines. They will eventually fail; does not matter what oil you use.
It is how the lifter functions that causes the failure. The best way to fix it is a cam swap. That is what I did with the Caprice. Having said that I know DOD Caprice ex cop cars with 10,000 to 15,000 hours on them with the original drive train. It really is hit and miss.

The early LS engines 99-07 you can run about anything and burning an oil wasn't really an issue in them. To be honest all the way up to the L96 it wasn't an issue. The L96 was produced until 2019 (6.0 VVT was LS based). The LT stuff hit the market in 2014. The 6.6 (2020 to current) trucks don't have the problems of the 6.2. I don't think thicker oil is going to fix the problem. Now that I think about the 5.3 does not have the same problem as the 6.2 either.

The lifter issue is not the same thing.

The 6.2 is totally separate issue and is probably a clearance or material issue.
 
Not exactly.

Anybody remember low tension piston rings on the 5.3 V8s back in the 2000’s and 2010’s?

Those engines drink oil like crazy.
No. I have had a few also would not explain why the 4.8 and 6.0 didn't have the same problem. The LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4 were also stout without the problem you speak of here. Now if you had said 07 and up? I would agree lots of those use oil.
 
I have been humming and hawing on going thicker for a long time. A little while back I decided to rid my garage of the 0W20 and went 5W30 because I was burning oil. Today I learned that GM has ended all debate on the topic by telling us to use 0W40 in an engine they were initially saying to use 0W20. I also learned that GM has on record 30,000 failed 6.2 liter engines because of 0W20.

So going forward it will be either 0W40 or 5W40 in my garage. Whether it be Ford.or GM it will be getting a 40 weight oil. The only question now is which brand exactly? Mobil? Castrol?
Run anything MB229.5! It doesn’t even have to be XW40. It could be XW30, but MB229.5 is a gold standard of approvals and it means minimum HTHS of 3.5cP (which is actually what matters).
If you are set on XW40 I would add Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W40 and Motul X-Cess 5W40 GEN2 to choices.
Avoid Castrol Edge 5W40 not bcs. it is bad oil (it is mediocreamong these choices) but for the same money you can get better stuff (Mobil1 0W40, Castrol 0W40, PPE 5W40). Also, add to your list of choices Quaker State Euro 5W40 which is repackaged PPE5W40 and goes $22 in Wal Mart for 5Qt.
 
Mazda started pushing out cylinder deactivation across the line up a few years ago and I fear what will become of those engines in the future. I can't think of a case where cylinder deactivation tech has not hurt longevity/reliability; the Honda J35 (one of the greatest mainstream V6s to be made, IMO) has suffered long term issues bc of their VCM nonsense.
There are no issues with MDS on the HEMI's, though they have had materials issues with the lifters, but that's unrelated.
 
Run anything MB229.5! It doesn’t even have to be XW40. It could be XW30, but MB229.5 is a gold standard of approvals and it means minimum HTHS of 3.5cP (which is actually what matters).
If you are set on XW40 I would add Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W40 and Motul X-Cess 5W40 GEN2 to choices.
Avoid Castrol Edge 5W40 not bcs. it is bad oil (it is mediocreamong these choices) but for the same money you can get better stuff (Mobil1 0W40, Castrol 0W40, PPE 5W40). Also, add to your list of choices Quaker State Euro 5W40 which is repackaged PPE5W40 and goes $22 in Wal Mart for 5Qt.
I've never really understood the "Avoid Castrol 5w40" sentiment.

If MB 229.5 is the "gold standard" and Castrol 5w40 meets it... 🤷‍♂️
 
I've never really understood the "Avoid Castrol 5w40" sentiment.

If MB 229.5 is the "gold standard" and Castrol 5w40 meets it... 🤷‍♂️
Avoid, bcs. better oils are available at the same price.
MB229.5 sets minimum requirements, not the maximum. Edge 5W40 was always Castrol's "we can get away with it" oil.
Castrol Edge 0W30 and 0W40 are their premier, top of the line products.
 
Avoid, bcs. better oils are available at the same price.
MB229.5 sets minimum requirements, not the maximum. Edge 5W40 was always Castrol's "we can get away with it" oil.
Castrol Edge 0W30 and 0W40 are their premier, top of the line products.

And yet, I've never seen a bad UOA with the oil. Even in vehicles where people were throwing WAY too much fuel at it and short tripping it, it barely sheared out of grade.

I'm just not following the logic of something that can be both "we can get away with it" and "the gold standard" at the same time.
 
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Avoid, bcs. better oils are available at the same price.
MB229.5 sets minimum requirements, not the maximum. Edge 5W40 was always Castrol's "we can get away with it" oil.
Castrol Edge 0W30 and 0W40 are their premier, top of the line products.
Still, no reason to avoid it. It's 229.5 approved!
Are there better formulated oils at Wally? Yes, but the expected, measurable performance for a daily driver will be similar and the engine won't notice it unless you push it to the limit :)
 
And yet, I've never seen a bad UOA with the oil. Even in vehicles where people were throwing WAY too much fuel at it and short tripping it, it barely sheared out of grade.

I'm just not following the logic of something that can be both "we can get away with it" and "the gold standard" at the same time.
Again, it sets minimum requirements. Would I use Castrol Edge 5W40 if no other oils were available? yes!
But I am buying BMW M3 for the price of Mitsubishi Mirage. Both have 4 wheels and meet safety standards.
 
Still, no reason to avoid it. It's 229.5 approved!
Are there better formulated oils at Wally? Yes, but the expected, measurable performance for a daily driver will be similar and the engine won't notice it unless you push it to the limit :)
Listen, as far as I am concerned, people can use Extra Virgin olive oil in their engines.
Their car, their money.
I get that people need to defend their choice, bcs. they need to prove something to themselves, but Castrol Edge 5W40 was always 2nd tier oil in their lineup.
 
Listen, as far as I am concerned, people can use Extra Virgin olive oil in their engines.
Their car, their money.
I get that people need to defend their choice, bcs. they need to prove something to themselves, but Castrol Edge 5W40 was always 2nd tier oil in their lineup.
Listen, Castrol Edge 5W-40 is not Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's a motor oil that carries the industry's most stringent approvals. Far more stringent that the API 0W-20 recommended oil for the OP's engine. Having a similarly approved, "better" formulated oil in the same Walmart aisle, it's not a reason to avoid it. As far as wear is concerned, it will be a far better alternative than the 20 grade Dexos. And equal to those better formulated oils.

We are talking about a GM 6.2 daily driver, not an M3 on the track. So, no need to prove anything to yourself.
 
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Listen, Castrol Edge 5W-40 is not Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's a motor oil that carries the industry's most stringent approvals. Far more stringent that the API 0W-20 recommended oil for the OP's engine. Having a similarly approved, "better" formulated oil in the same Walmart aisle, it's not a reason to avoid it. As far as wear is concerned, it will be a far better alternative than the 20 grade Dexos. And equal to those better formulated oils.

We are talking about a GM 6.2 daily driver, not an M3 on the track. So, no need to prove something to yourself.
1. There is no need for quotations there. They are better oils.
2. I seriously don;t understand this argument. You can get better oil for same price, but you will go to inferior oil? Just because?
I mean I like this debate between Castrol Edge 5W40 that has this:
Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy paraffinic: ≥50 - ≤75

And Mobil1 0W40FS:
severely hydrotreated heavy paraffinic distillate: ≤5

Bu hey, some people would pay same amount of money for McDonalds burger and Michelin 3 stars burger.
 
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