all year round oil?

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Is it a bad idea to run the same weight oil year round? im asking because im using Mobil 1 5-30 in my LT1 with 6k mile OCI, and I only put around 3-4k a year... the oil im using is said to be a little too thin for my motor. Btw im doing an oil change soon would Mobil 1 0w-40 be better or..... Mobil 1 10w-30 ...which is the same 30 weight 5w-30 is when its warmed up right?
 
lococrazy,

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What does your owner's manual say? If it gives you a temperature range for 5W30 that covers all the temps you will face in a year (e.g. -25 to 100) then use it year 'round. If one mulitgrade doesn't cover it, then switch when the seasons change. Don't go with what you hear, go with what is recommended, UNLESS what you hear is from a GM tech who works with these engines regularly and knows that a tech manual update is coming out that modifies viscosity recommendations or who from his or her own experience knows a little thicker is better with a particular engine. You are always going to find "experts." Don't listen to them unless they have experience or credentials that validate that they really are an expert. BOTTOM LINE: if the owner's manual viscosity chart says you can go year round with a particular XW-XX then use it and relax.

PS Always go with the lowest W grade your owners manual recommends for any temperature range. Without trying to sound like a Castrol commercial, kill that startup wear!
 
I'd say 5W-40 is as close to the perfect 4-seasons viscosiy as you can get. Unless you live in an extreme climate, 5W-40 will do well.
 
quote:

Originally posted by pscholte:

PS Always go with the lowest W grade your owners manual recommends for any temperature range. Without trying to sound like a Castrol commercial, kill that startup wear!


Sounds like some good reasoning/advice to me
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I see you're in IL, not far from me. I've run 5W-30 dino in my car all year round with no problems... it's going on 8 years and 129k miles now.
 
Why not a high quality xW-30 that is on the thick end of the spectrum compared to Mobil 1 like the German Castrol Syntec 0W-30? It would in my opinion also be better for annual drains than Mobil 1 5W-30. I know Patman was very happy with it in his LT1.

Gene
 
quote:

Originally posted by pscholte:
Without trying to sound like a Castrol commercial, kill that startup wear!

Maybe, with an ester fortified oil (maybe there is enough in Castrol's new Start Up) startup wear would be reduced using a 10wXX as much as a non-ester 5wXX. If so, we could have our cake and eat it to--do a degree anyway (still have to consider winter starts).
 
quote:

Originally posted by lococrazy:
Is it a bad idea to run the same weight oil year round? im asking because im using Mobil 1 5-30 in my LT1 with 6k mile OCI, and I only put around 3-4k a year... the oil im using is said to be a little too thin for my motor. Btw im doing an oil change soon would Mobil 1 0w-40 be better or..... Mobil 1 10w-30 ...which is the same 30 weight 5w-30 is when its warmed up right?

Mobil 1 0W40 changed each fall seems like a good choice to me being that you only drive 3-4K a year.
 
quote:

Originally posted by pscholte:
Always go with the lowest W grade your owners manual recommends for any temperature range.

What if your manual states that the highest W grade is preferable for any temperature range given?
 
I used the Mobil-1 0W40 last winter here in colorado and it seemed to take longer getting up into my engine. Engine just felt noisy or rather not smooth at startup on those below zero mornings.

That's really something I don't get because the 5W30 seems to get up in there quicker dispite the 5W compared to the 0W in the 40 weight. I think there is a little more going on than meets the eye with the W ratings.

I even used Mobil-1 10W30 last winter before changeing to the 0W40 and the 10W30 seemed to lube quicker. Engine not as slugish and noisy right at startup. Honda Accord V6

I decided to stick with the 0W30 or 5W30 weights for winter and closer to the 40 weights for summer.
 
I was thinking of going with something besides "5w30 CAFE"(what the oil fill cap says) because when I start my Caprice(99k miles) the LT1 engine is noisy for a few minutes, then its quiete. I was thinking this might be due to the M1 beeing a thinner 5w30... how would 10w30 M1 do? its synthetic anyways right? I can try Amsoil but I would really prefer something decent that my friend at autozone can hook me up with. **** chicago weather.

[ August 09, 2004, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: lococrazy ]
 
The M1 0w-40 brackets the 5w-30 and is likely a great choice.

In a N/A engine it makes a fine year around oil, as does the GC.

Fred..
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