Any personal favorite oil for GM 3800 V6 Series 2?

[Benzadmiral]

My '03 Buick Park Avenue, non-supercharged, had that same series of 3800 engine. I bought the car at 44K, ran it to over 100K, and it was still doing great when I traded it. I used several different oils, Chevron and PP, then tried Castrol Edge which gave it a bad consumption problem. Castrol GTX for a while, then I settled on QS Defy, which cut the consumption down to about 1 qt. in 4500 miles (which was my OCI -- easy to remember, 6 months, though the OLM was still saying I had 40% left). I used Wix filters mostly, I think.

The oil level sensor is sensitive; when you park on an incline with the passenger side lower, the low oil message in the Driver's Info Center (if you have that) may come on before you really need to add oil. But you'll need to soon.

 

[Lex94]

Why not.....

http://www.pqiamerica.com/June%202014/ACdelco.htm?utm_source=July+3%2C+2014&utm_campaign=7-3-2014&utm_medium=email

If not then PYB 10w30

 

[capn233]

I just ran PYB 10W-30 in my 3.8L when I had it (~7 years).

 

[artificialist]

Sometimes with the 3800, the manifold gasket fails, but antifreeze gets leaked externally. I would suggest carefully washing the engine carefully, letting it dry, then check to see an external leak has happened.

Replace your radiator cap if it is old. If the cooling system isn't pressurized properly, a leak might not always be visible.

I'm more used to seeing antifreeze leak internally on the 3100/3400 and the Vortec 4.3.

 

[bigt61]

My 94 Bonneville has had many different brands and weights run through it including some 20 year old PYB 20W-50. It really doesn't care and will run fine on anything. It always used about 1 quart every 5k miles. I'd throw some Bars Leak tablets in the cooling system and not worry about the IM gasket. When mine started leaking 10 years ago, that's what I did. No problems since.

 

[Ponch]

UPDATE to my original post... I ended up choosing pennzoil platinum 10w30 and a fram "tough guard" filter for my first oil change. I want to run this to around 10,000 miles and then will UOA. This thing runs like brand new with 162,000 miles on the clock! Great MPG also. Thanks everybody.

 

[3800Series]

Any oil works if con. 5k if synthetic 7.5k

Theses are some good engines and personally I'm a fan. I get 32mph in mine

 

[Bryankkkk]

Originally Posted By: 3800Series
Any oil works if con. 5k if synthetic 7.5k

Theses are some good engines and personally I'm a fan. I get 32mph in mine

Thats all? Your trans only gets up to 2nd gear or what?

 

[3800Series]

Not saying Bar doesn't work (iv used it with success) but iv seen someone who used this stuff. They cut open the radiated when they replaced it and I can tell you 90% of the stuff was at the top of the radiated just sticking to the roof.

On a side note a 94 Bonneville shouldn't have a 3.8 series 2. I believe (and I can be wrong) that the 94 Bonneville got the series 1 which intake manifold and gasket failers are very rare.

The 95 Bonneville gets the series 2 I believe.

 

[3800Series]

I would like to see you get better with a 20 year old GM V6.

The car isn't a little paper weight Honda its 2.5 tons and 20 years old.

 

[3800Series]

My bad man. Meant to say 32 mpg

 

[ThirdeYe]

The best I've seen in mine is 30mpg with the A/C on 50% of the trip, going 75mph. That's with wider tires, too. I only get 21-23 in mixed driving, though.

 

[killswitch83]

Just got rid of my GT today (I had a couple of cars lol), 241K+ miles and still running strong. I would be wary about the tranny though, a few friends of mine who owned them had issues, oh and like they've been saying, the LIM gasket, coolant elbow, and sometimes the MAF sensor gets cranky and you might need to use some CRC MAF sensor cleaner on it (you'll know when it's going nuts, you'll get crazy idles and potential stalling idling in traffic). Otherwise though, a good car, and I got 31 MPG on a trip to TN, not running the A/C though.

 

[Boss302fan]

I have used Mobil 1 EP, Mobil 1, PP, Ultra, PYB and also QS Defy 5W30 in my son's 2003 Monte Carlo SS with the 3.8 V6. It now runs on QS Defy and I really believe this is the best oil I have run in the car. Very quiet and smooth with great gas mileage and does not use any oil(well maybe around 1/4 quart in 5K miles). I have been doing 5K OCI's and will stay with Defy. The car now has 93K total miles.

 

[3putter]

I've had three different Buicks with the 3.8, and ran all three for well over 100k on Havoline 5w30 or 10w30. No difference in performance. Why? Because there is a Havoline Quick Lube place right near my office that did oil changes for $19.95. Nice diversion over lunch hour. After all, "You can trust your car to the man who wears the star".

 

[Ponch]

Just today I set cruise at 72 on a 10 mile stretch after filling up...with A/C on and instant MPG read about 31-32 mpg...of course I had semi trucks tail-gaiting me at that SLOW speed!

 

[ElastoHydro]

Before you go getting too excited about the old GM Buick 3800 V6, remember the current GM 3.6L 24-valve V6 gets 312 hp in 2011 Camaros, and 323 hp in 2014's. The Camaro is heavy at 3800 lbs, the same weight as a 2000 Buick Park Avenue, and the Camaro gets better MPG with much more hp than the old 3.8L ever did.

The 3800 all-iron pushrod V6 is simpler and very rugged, and it would be the kind of engine I'd want if I lived in a 3rd world country with fewer options to fix an engine.

 

[Smokescreen]

I am glad I chose the 3800 then, it already has way more power than I need or use. Rugged simplicity is a trait I look for in vehicles.

 

[zppeterson]

I'm running Parts Master 5W30 in my Olds 88 with a parts master filter and it seems to do fine with that