If you're already running a catch can and the Range device, you’re on the right track for keeping that L84 healthy long-term. I've seen too many people trust those free dealer oil changes only to have a tech strip the drain plug or use the wrong weight. Stick with your own 5,000-mile interval if you want it to last.
2025 5.3/L84 Advice
- Thread starter parsmith
- Start date
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
i dump FF immediately and go to HPL PCEO 5w-40 and run 12k intervals. used to fill with 5w-30 and run 6k miles. i don’t even know how many newer 5.3l trucks we have anymore, but not a single one has needed an engine repair outside of a water pump. industrial service with idle time, towing heavy and fleet drivers.
why not go to Walmart and get some 5w-30 like Valvoline Extended Protection or Pennzoil ultra platinum and Fram ultra filter and change on 5k,you wil not have any problems at all, or go with AMSOIL Signature Series 5w30 and change at a conservative 10k. no reason to use a 0w or 5w-40 oil.
Thanks for the reassurance!
Wow, that’s very reassuring! What made you land on the 5w-40 if you don’t mind me asking? And what oil filter? I’m really in between 0w-30 and 0w-40 I think, but my mind is not totally made up. I know my plan of 5k mile OCI is overkill….
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BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
HPL PCEO 5w-40 has a HTHS >4.0. studies show wear decreases with higher HTHS. 5w-40 makes the 5.3 and 6.2l engines scarily quiet, almost can’t hear them running anymore. i run Carquest premium and Extended protection. look up my many “carquest premium 84502 c&p”’s.
I have many L84 and L83 running on Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 Euro with great results. Engines are very quiet. I am up in Western NY where we see everything from -5 and teens to 95 (if not hotter) summer days.
For what its worth, the LT1 in the Camaro spec's 0W-40 meeting DexosR as the recommended fill. Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 Euro gained a DexosR approval this past summer. Right around the time a whole bunch of L87 Escalade/Yukon owners were about to be told they needed a 0W-40 with DexosR. Makes me think the approval could have always been there but not wanting to shock/scare 100k truck owners into a >$10 quart boutique oil "massaged" some of the internal GM CAFE thoughts.
0W-20 is for CAFE only. L84/L84 and LT1 are not much different.
As others have said, a higher HTHS oil, whether thats a 0/5W-30 Low-SAPS Euro formula, or a 0W/5W-40 Mid/High-SAPS Euro formula would be great choices. I have ran the L84 and L83 on Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 and also had great results.
For what its worth, the LT1 in the Camaro spec's 0W-40 meeting DexosR as the recommended fill. Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 Euro gained a DexosR approval this past summer. Right around the time a whole bunch of L87 Escalade/Yukon owners were about to be told they needed a 0W-40 with DexosR. Makes me think the approval could have always been there but not wanting to shock/scare 100k truck owners into a >$10 quart boutique oil "massaged" some of the internal GM CAFE thoughts.
0W-20 is for CAFE only. L84/L84 and LT1 are not much different.
As others have said, a higher HTHS oil, whether thats a 0/5W-30 Low-SAPS Euro formula, or a 0W/5W-40 Mid/High-SAPS Euro formula would be great choices. I have ran the L84 and L83 on Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 and also had great results.
Are there any reports of the 5.3 having a problem with running the 0w20? I thought that was nearly exclusive to the 6.2. If for some freak reason the thing grenades and all the receipts say 0w40 or anything except 0w20 isn’t there likely going to be a problem?
Currently running this oil in my ‘ 12 F150 with the 3.7 Cyclone with 317k miles. Engine is absolutely silent with this oil and runs great
You’ll get a lot of opinions on it. Are they OK on it, sure. But there a whole lot quieter on a higher HTHS lube.
If you keep detailed enough logs and or actually maintain the engine. Seriously doubt GM will ever deny a warranty claim. If you have logs you changed it and they pull a valve cover or timing cover and see it’s clean, end of story.
