GC 0w30 (green), 6000 miles, 98 Corvette

[Patman]

Here are my latest oil analysis results from my 98 Corvette


6000 miles on oil
Jan 15 to June 3 (4.5 months)
66,000 miles on the car
German Castrol Syntec 0w30 (M03 batch)
K&N HP1007 oil filter
Vararam cold air kit (with a cotton gauze filter)
LS1 5.7L V8 engine
Daily driver with a lot of rush hour traffic
10 quarter mile runs, 4 dyno runs
7L oil capacity
No oil added (none was needed!)
Oil life monitor was at 16%
Analysis by Wearcheck Canada


Iron 10
Lead 3
Aluminum 3
Copper 2
Chromium 0
Tin 1
Silver 0
Titanium 0
Nickel 0
Silicon 11
Potassium 0
Sodium 0
Boron 0
Barium 0
Calcium 2919
Magnesium 133
Moly 3
Phosphorus 846
Zinc 922
Fuel 0
Glycol 0
Water 0
Oxidation 56%
Nitration 53%
Sulfation 47%
Viscosity 12.3 cst at 100c
TAN 3.46
TBN 4.09


Just before the start of this interval I had a Vararam ram air kit installed, which has a cotton gauze filter similar to the K&N in it. So that's why I only did a 6k interval, as I wanted to see how much silicon it let in. It seems to be ok, although my previous run of 9k also showed 11ppm of silicon. But that number will probably drop as the filter gets dirtier, since these types of oiled filters get better with age.

Now I'm confident to go back to my longer intervals. I will change the oil next when I hit either 10,000 miles or December 1st, whichever comes first.

I've now used up all my M03 GC and am now using the M04 batch of GC.

I've got enough of a supply of the green to last for all of my family's cars until the middle of next year, then I'll switch everyone over to the gold.

 

[Al]

That's pretty nice patman.

 

[buster]

Doesn't get better than that Patman. Incredible results. Pat, being your Vette doesn't use any oil, it would seem to me that you have great piston/ring seal causing no contamination from blow by. So the oil is staying very clean. Engine was probably broken in very well.

 

[ekpolk]

You need to get that OLM recalibrated!!!

Maybe you could shave off a few ppm of Si with a more restrictive filter, but hey, at this level, you've certainly got nothing to really worry about. We'll have to compare notes at 500k miles. . .

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ekpolk:
You need to get that OLM recalibrated!!!

Maybe you could shave off a few ppm of Si with a more restrictive filter, but hey, at this level, you've certainly got nothing to really worry about. We'll have to compare notes at 500k miles. . .

---

It's too bad I couldn't get the software revised for my OLM in order for it to be like the 2001-2004 C5. In 2001 they changed the oil change interval from 10k to 15k, so the OLM is adjusted accordingly. On the previous two oil changes I just let the OLM count down to zero, then reset it again and kept going.

I don't think I'll still have this car at 500k, or even at 200k. I'm very anxious to get a C6, and am hoping to get one in about 5 or 6 years at the latest.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:
Doesn't get better than that Patman. Incredible results. Pat, being your Vette doesn't use any oil, it would seem to me that you have great piston/ring seal causing no contamination from blow by. So the oil is staying very clean. Engine was probably broken in very well.

---

I'd love to talk to the original owner sometime and find out exactly how he did break it in. I wonder if his break in procedure is responsible for the tightness of this engine, or if it's just a really well built one. It's extremely rare to have a hard driven LS1 that does not burn any oil at all like this, or have any hint of piston slap. I just hope it stays this way for me and doesn't begin burning oil at some point. (although if it does I can use that as an excuse to get a C6!)

 

[oilyriser]

You should have taken it 6666 miles, and then the car would have 66,666 miles, with the report posted on 06/06/06, around 6:00 pm. Other than that it's perfect.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by oilyriser:
You should have taken it 6666 miles, and then the car would have 66,666 miles, with the report posted on 06/06/06, around 6:00 pm. Other than that it's perfect.

---

That would've been scary!

 

[Mr Nice]

Any (ET/MPH) difference with the ram air ?

 

[Pablo]

Where's Bill from Utah???

Awesome results. Very clean engine.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
Any (ET/MPH) difference with the ram air ?

---

My previous best mph before the Vararam was 106.0 on a very cold day and after the Vararam my best is 108.2, on a slightly warmer day too. I have only slightly bettered my ET so far (13.15 now versus 13.17) however I'm now running consistent 13.1s, where before I ran mostly 13.3s and 13.4s, with only that one 13.17 on a perfect launch on a very cold day. With an absolute perfect launch this car is capable of 12.99 or better for sure. I've only made 10 quarter mile runs since getting it put on, and both days I was at the track it was too crowded to fine tune my launches since track conditions changed too much in the long wait between runs. I'm sure I'll get a 12.9 this fall when I go on a day that isn't so busy. I'll be happy with that, considering that the car has only two modifications, the Vararam and dyno tuning.

 

[tdimaniac]

quote:

---

Originally posted by oilyriser:
You should have taken it 6666 miles, and then the car would have 66,666 miles, with the report posted on 06/06/06, around 6:00 pm. Other than that it's perfect.

---

damien, put the oil bottle down now.

 

[SSDude]

GC is king. If this doesn't prove it nothing will.

 

[buster]

....by far the greatest and most consistant oil overall I've ever seen. I wonder if Castrol even realizes how good this oil really is?!

 

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pablo:
Where's Bill from Utah???

Awesome results. Very clean engine.

---

IF I had a Vette (I'd love to have one)

I'd run Syn in it since thats what it states in the manual and cost is part of vette owndership.

My truck has close to the same engine as a vette!

And my last UOA was pretty good too! (and the engine is very clean thank you!)

Very nice UOA Patman.

Take care, Bill

 

[SSDude]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:
Doesn't get better than that Patman. Incredible results. Pat, being your Vette doesn't use any oil, it would seem to me that you have great piston/ring seal causing no contamination from blow by. So the oil is staying very clean. Engine was probably broken in very well.

---

I'd love to talk to the original owner sometime and find out exactly how he did break it in. I wonder if his break in procedure is responsible for the tightness of this engine, or if it's just a really well built one. It's extremely rare to have a hard driven LS1 that does not burn any oil at all like this, or have any hint of piston slap. I just hope it stays this way for me and doesn't begin burning oil at some point. (although if it does I can use that as an excuse to get a C6!)

---

Patman,

I believe that one of the reasons that your car does not consume oil is because it is not modded. When I bought my car new, I used M1 exclusively. It did not use one drop of oil. However, after I modded my car it began to consume about 1/2 quart every 3,000-5,000 miles. I have never seen a modded LS engine that does not consume a little oil.

 

[Patman]

I don't really think that modded vs unmodded has a huge effect on whether or not the engine burns oil though. There are a lot of 100% bone stock LS1s out there that use a lot of oil, as well there are a lot of guys with mods who burn hardly any oil too.

 

[OriginHacker21]

Very nice! As stated above, you should be able to go 500k if you drove it enough! GC Green is a great oil. I might save my stock of GC Green for my future Corvette in 3-4 years.