Can't Use 10W-40 in a 2002 cavalier?

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I'm sure someone with this engine in Frostbite Falls, ND is seeing much higher than 5w-30 at some point in their driving event ..even if they're using 0w-20.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: bountyh
Originally Posted By: JustinH
In the california heat, a 10w30 or 10w40 would be fine with that motor.

I wouldn't put it in a 03 cavalier however..

Honestly, no matter what grade oil you put in that 02 cavalier, it isn't going to matter.


I gotta ask: why different between an 02 and an 03 cavalier?


In 2003, GM discontnued using the 2.2 OHV engine in the J-body, and started using the 2.2L, DOHC 'Ecotec' 4-cylinder in them. You want a thinner oil in a DOHC engine to reach the cams faster. Also, some would say higher-revving DOHC engines get 'sluggish' with heavier oils in them; less so than a OHV engine.


My 02 Cavalier has the Ecotec engine. The older 2.2 was the base engine with the Ecotec replacing the 2.4 early in the model year.

Maybe you can get away with 10W-40 in California, but I as sticking to the factory 5W-30.
 
My friend idles at 17psi with 0W-30 GC in his 2.2. He's going 0W-40 M1 next. These cars aren't going to explode with a thicker oil, they about need one when the miles get racked up. And, it won't go passed 40psi at redline. Quiet engine, though. Just saying... not trying to prove anything, just showing what I've seen.
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: Jaymus
Nothing wrong with 10W-40 in that engine.




Nope.

x3..i have 10w30HM in my '00 sunfire to clean it up a bit before the green cap goes in,you'll be fine.
 
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: bountyh
Originally Posted By: JustinH
In the california heat, a 10w30 or 10w40 would be fine with that motor.

I wouldn't put it in a 03 cavalier however..

Honestly, no matter what grade oil you put in that 02 cavalier, it isn't going to matter.


I gotta ask: why different between an 02 and an 03 cavalier?


In 2003, GM discontnued using the 2.2 OHV engine in the J-body, and started using the 2.2L, DOHC 'Ecotec' 4-cylinder in them. You want a thinner oil in a DOHC engine to reach the cams faster. Also, some would say higher-revving DOHC engines get 'sluggish' with heavier oils in them; less so than a OHV engine.


My 02 Cavalier has the Ecotec engine. The older 2.2 was the base engine with the Ecotec replacing the 2.4 early in the model year.

Maybe you can get away with 10W-40 in California, but I as sticking to the factory 5W-30.



LS Sport? (Z24 in canada)
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted By: daves87rs



And you can run thicker oils in the Ecotec...I know someone who is running 10w30 now...cars still runs great....


Most 10W-30 datsheet I've reviewed show a LOWER 100deg CsT than their 5w's. So its actually less viscous at temp.
IYou would have to also consider that if [1f] the the 10w-30 has less VIs the film strenght should be higher .
 
G.M. had a problem in the 70s with engines sticking oil control rings from the viscosity improvers. I worked at a shop at the time so we fixed many engines . Most of the engines were clean inside and ran fine except used oil ,so you would clean the ring groves and problem solved.
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: bountyh
Originally Posted By: JustinH
In the california heat, a 10w30 or 10w40 would be fine with that motor.

I wouldn't put it in a 03 cavalier however..

Honestly, no matter what grade oil you put in that 02 cavalier, it isn't going to matter.


I gotta ask: why different between an 02 and an 03 cavalier?


In 2003, GM discontnued using the 2.2 OHV engine in the J-body, and started using the 2.2L, DOHC 'Ecotec' 4-cylinder in them. You want a thinner oil in a DOHC engine to reach the cams faster. Also, some would say higher-revving DOHC engines get 'sluggish' with heavier oils in them; less so than a OHV engine.


My 02 Cavalier has the Ecotec engine. The older 2.2 was the base engine with the Ecotec replacing the 2.4 early in the model year.

Maybe you can get away with 10W-40 in California, but I as sticking to the factory 5W-30.



LS Sport? (Z24 in canada)


Complete with a 5 speed. A real step down from my 92 Grand Am with the HO quad 4 and 5 speed.
 
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: bountyh
Originally Posted By: JustinH
In the california heat, a 10w30 or 10w40 would be fine with that motor.

I wouldn't put it in a 03 cavalier however..

Honestly, no matter what grade oil you put in that 02 cavalier, it isn't going to matter.


I gotta ask: why different between an 02 and an 03 cavalier?


In 2003, GM discontnued using the 2.2 OHV engine in the J-body, and started using the 2.2L, DOHC 'Ecotec' 4-cylinder in them. You want a thinner oil in a DOHC engine to reach the cams faster. Also, some would say higher-revving DOHC engines get 'sluggish' with heavier oils in them; less so than a OHV engine.


My 02 Cavalier has the Ecotec engine. The older 2.2 was the base engine with the Ecotec replacing the 2.4 early in the model year.

Maybe you can get away with 10W-40 in California, but I as sticking to the factory 5W-30.



LS Sport? (Z24 in canada)


Complete with a 5 speed. A real step down from my 92 Grand Am with the HO quad 4 and 5 speed.



That bad?


Have you considered upgrading?
 
Those 2.2 push-rod engines actually used roller tappet cams - not flat ones. GM changed to that design years earlier on virtually all of their engines. Even the 2.5 I took apart in my wife's '88 Celebrity had a roller cam.

The '02 Sunfire 2.2 I had seemed to prefer lighter oils - at least at startup. It was always noisy - but more with conventional 5W30's versus any synthetic or 0W30 I used. It's still going strong at nearly 250,000km for my brother-in-law right now - never having anything heavier than 5W30 in the crankcase. I even towed my boat for thousands of kilometers and had no failures. Still no oil consumption or leakage either.

In a warmer climate, it probably wouldn't matter much what you put in there - although it probably wouldn't really "like" 20W50.

John
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: bountyh
Originally Posted By: JustinH
In the california heat, a 10w30 or 10w40 would be fine with that motor.

I wouldn't put it in a 03 cavalier however..

Honestly, no matter what grade oil you put in that 02 cavalier, it isn't going to matter.


I gotta ask: why different between an 02 and an 03 cavalier?




In 2003, GM discontnued using the 2.2 OHV engine in the J-body, and started using the 2.2L, DOHC 'Ecotec' 4-cylinder in them. You want a thinner oil in a DOHC engine to reach the cams faster. Also, some would say higher-revving DOHC engines get 'sluggish' with heavier oils in them; less so than a OHV engine.


My 02 Cavalier has the Ecotec engine. The older 2.2 was the base engine with the Ecotec replacing the 2.4 early in the model year.

Maybe you can get away with 10W-40 in California, but I as sticking to the factory 5W-30.



LS Sport? (Z24 in canada)


Complete with a 5 speed. A real step down from my 92 Grand Am with the HO quad 4 and 5 speed.



That bad?


Have you considered upgrading?


Not really. I can get along without being able to lay rubber at 70 mph when you catch third gear.
 
I think 10W-40 is probably a good choice in a 2.4. They often tend to be noisy, and they start to consume oil as the miles get up there, so a thicker oil will help with both of these issues.

Ecotec's don't tend to have these issues - they are fairly quiet, and usually have very low oil consumption.
 
Originally Posted By: Jaymus
We still talking about 4 bangers lmao?


Yes, in 1992 the Grand AM with the HO Quad 4 was a bad, evil car. My insurance company jacked up my rates although when I was shopping for cars, they said I could have anything under the hood I wanted as long as it had 4 doors.
 
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