Best high mileage oil for 3800

[TmanP]

I posted about a 2006 Buick Lacrosse (3800 series 3) that is has consumed just under a quart of Mobil 1 5w30 in 3k miles. The thread got sort of sidetracked. It was my first oil change with the car and I don't think it ever saw synthetic till now. I'm going to get that changed out with a High Mileage oil. Which High mileage 5w30 would you recommend in a 3800 Series 3 (with 140,000 miles). There are no leaks on the ground, and there's no smoke coming from the exhaust. I don't want to fix it, as 1 qt/3000 miles is perfectly fine, and oil is cheap. So:

-Valvoline Maxlife
-Pennzoil high mileage
-Mobil Super high mileage
-Mobil 1 high mileage

Thanks a ton!

 

[sciphi]

Maxlife or Mobil 1 HM. If that car only saw dino oil for 10 years, it's going to consume some synthetic at first.

 

[bullwinkle]

They'll all work fine, but I personally use Valvoline MaxLife 5W30 full synthetic in the Cherokee in my sig, at 221K it leaks & burns nothing and is fairly cheap too.

 

[crazyoildude]

just use pyb for 2 oci's and see if it slows the oil consumption down a bit then in the spring use high mileage pennzoil if it does not slow down
5w30

 

[BigD1]

I have used or using all those execept the Mobil 1 high mileage. Did not like the Mobil Super HM because for some reason or another my GM 3.1 engine sounds louder with it. Just drained Pennzoil HM Vehicle today, and filled with Valvoline MaxLife synthetic blend. The Pennzoil is loaded with moly, and the engine sounded fine to me. Surprisingly, my engine sounds the same with Valvoline MaxLife as it did with the Pennzoil HM. The reason I bought the Valvoline was because I got a $20 rebate from a couple months ago, so it's a free jug.

I also starting using Quaker State Defy synthetic blend in my old Volvo the other week, so I don't have a long term report, but the engine does sound good with it. Price of QS is pretty dang good I think.

Walmart coupons has a $10 off coupon for MaxLife if you buy two 5 quart jugs. You can print it, and have it scanned right at the register. Walmart coupons click automotive.

 

[gallydif]

Tried maxlife but my car didn't like it. Sounded louder and didn't stop consumption at all. Mobil super high mileage has been great. Quiet and lowered consumption. +1 for MSHM

 

[aquariuscsm]

I'd try Pennzoil HM 10W30.

 

[TmanP]

Wow awesome all the replies already! Will the synthetic consumption stabilize or is it better just to go back to conventional or a blend at most?

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: gallydif
Tried maxlife but my car didn't like it. Sounded louder and didn't stop consumption at all. Mobil super high mileage has been great. Quiet and lowered consumption. +1 for MSHM
Fram filters aren't garbage.

 

[Merkava_4]

Drain the Mobil 1 5W-30 out. Problem solved.

 

[Justin251]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: gallydif
Tried maxlife but my car didn't like it. Sounded louder and didn't stop consumption at all. Mobil super high mileage has been great. Quiet and lowered consumption. +1 for MSHM
Fram filters aren't garbage.


Fram extra? Extragaurd? I was under the assumption that only the base model orange cans were lowly though of. But the extra and ultra guards were pretty good.

In fact I know ultra is good.

 

[Ga129]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
just use pyb for 2 oci's and see if it slows the oil consumption down a bit then in the spring use high mileage pennzoil if it does not slow down
5w30


+1 This is what I would do. I've come to learn from everyone here that it's easier to use a good, but cheaper oil if you're going to see it be consumed and have to top off. Plus PHM is a great oil!

 

[Branson304]

MaxLife.

Mobil 1 High Mileage likely doesn't meet specs for your vehicle, it's rated API SL for vehicles 2004 & older. But check your Owner's Manual & confirm.

 

[Jake777]

i switched a old van just recently to pennzoil platinum and it started leaking and consuming it fast... faster than the leak. Anyway I switched to Pennzoil High Mileage and it cut the drip down by half and slowed the consumption as well. its most likely just the conventional oil slowing down the leak that pennzoil platinum uncovered by removing junk that was holding something back. van had long OCI for years with conventional oil Valvoline. Not that VWB is bad just not packed with the same amount of detergent as others. Any way PHM gets my vote. Also if you look at the CCS and MRV or whatever the other cold test is called you will find the values are better I.E Lower than all of the others you mention. This is another reason I think its not a conventional oil they just choose not to advertise it as a blend. Perhaps not to step on Pennzoil golds space. In fact if you look at the PDS sheets for PYB, PGB, PHM you will find they are almost identical in every way. Likely same oil just with different ad packs. Its likely most SN oil these days are a blend to some extent and its just marketing that decides what they want to claim and don't to differentiate the various versions they sell so don't get to caught up on blend vs conventional.

http://theoilnet.com/Atlantic-States-Lubricants/pdf/Vehicle-Lubricants/Pennzoil-HMV.pdf
http://theoilnet.com/Atlantic-States-Lubricants/pdf/Vehicle-Lubricants/Pennzoil-Gold.pdf
http://content.valvoline.com/pdf/maxlife.pdf
https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-super/mobil-super-high-mileage

 

[TmanP]

Just out of curiosity, why did you say that? Do you think M1 is overhyped? I was just wondering, especially since the car seemed quieter on bulk dino oil than M1. I bought it just because it's what we have used in our other cars, but now that you say that...

 

[Rolla07]

I disagree with all above. I say keep using M1 5w30 for 2 more oil changes and see if consumption slows. If on the 3rd OC you still see usage, then re-evaluate. When I first switched I experienced similar, albeit less consumption but it now doesnt use much if any at all. I get consumption when switching brands also..but im sticking to full syn.

 

[gallydif]

Originally Posted By: Justin251
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: gallydif
Tried maxlife but my car didn't like it. Sounded louder and didn't stop consumption at all. Mobil super high mileage has been great. Quiet and lowered consumption. +1 for MSHM
Fram filters aren't garbage.


Fram extra? Extragaurd? I was under the assumption that only the base model orange cans were lowly though of. But the extra and ultra guards were pretty good.

In fact I know ultra is good.

The extraguards are garbage. The only exception to frams that aren't is the ultra.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: TmanP
Just out of curiosity, why did you say that?


It's the most problematic oil ever discussed on this forum.

Mobil 1 Noise

Mobil 1 Consumption

 

[Hollow]

Before it went kaboom, the Series I 3800 in my Olds was more smooth and quiet on Pennzoil HM 5w30 than anything else.

 

[KCJeep]

Our high mileage GM product was crazy quiet and smooth on Castrol HM of all things. I know you didn't mention it.

Maxlife is "da bomb" but is not as quiet for us but it has been a real favorite for my fleet over the years anyway.

Since you have some consumption, if you are going to use a HM oil I'd suggest one of the thick for grade offerings, which would be Castrol HM or Pennzoil HM.