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.
Mine is the Z24 which had a different engine: it's either 2.4L or 2.6L, can't remember which but it puts out more horses than the standard Cav engine in all other models. It is DOHC, EFI and I think it's 160 HP, and it goes like a missile. It tachs up so fast and pulls so strong to redline that it feels like about 4000 RPM when it is really at 6000 RPM. It hit the rev limiter a couple of times when I first bought it because if I jumped on it in first gear, it hit redline before I knew it.