GC in Honda B Series?

[racin4ds]

Hi guys, long time lurker.. wanted to share that I finally got my hands on some GC 0w30 and decided to put it in my 94 Integra with the B20 engine (CRV Swap) this is a relatively low mileage engine and since I've owned it has had Pennzoil yellow in it with the occasional Rotella 10w30 OCI.

What I got was the new GC, it was gold, not green. Paid $8.79 per QT for it! Overall the little honda engine seems to run pretty smooth on it but I did notice slightly more audible valvetrain noise, especially while in a drive-thru... anyone else try this in a Honda? Any other feedback is appreciated.

 

[Lead Shoes]

I have never really heard a big buzz about GC on the Honda forums, mostly because Honda's in general burn a bit of oil so it goes to a what ever is cheapest mentality, but if your B20 is not burning oil I would treat it with the best, and GC is one of them.

I would not pay 8 dollars a quart for it though, try running some m1 0w30 if you like 0w oil, otherwise what ever 5w30 synthetic is cheapest will do fine.

 

[racin4ds]

This one amazingly doesn't burn any oil, I guess with it not being a VTEC engine and the fact that I don't rev it to death helps... however it did just recently develop a small leak down by the oil pan that I have to tend to...

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: Brenden

try running some m1 0w30 if you like 0w oil, otherwise what ever 5w30 synthetic is cheapest will do fine.

You can't compare oils based on their 0W rating.
M1 AFE 0W-30 (HTHSV 3.0cP) is a light 30wt while GC (HTHSV 3.5cP) is a very heavy 30wt oil.
But I do agree any 5W-30 syn' which are all generally light would be fine in the B20 engine.

 

[Quattro Pete]

If my memory isn't failing me, I remember back in the day of GC's popularity (some 5-7 years ago) that many BITOGers didn't like how this oil performed in Honda/Toyota engines. Mainly comments about engines not sounding good, being sluggish, consuming more fuel. Nothing particularly scientific though. Just your standard butt-dyno type observations, although I can certainly understand the sluggish and poor fuel economy comments based on GC's fairly high HT/HS.

 

[OceanDoctor]

despite it's sae rating GC seems a little 'draggy' for a Honda engine imo. I remember it seeming to sap a bit more mechnical energy to get out of it's own way within the crankcase (I call it oil intuition - oil whispering if you will lol) Also, in my ex. the valvetrain noise seems to be affected most by an oils friction modification. I'm totally on this moly bandwagon right now

to the point where I would speculate that, say, one of the OEM 0w20's with huge moly would see your valvetrain quieter than a higher HTHS, lower fric. mod. fluid like GC, despite the logic going against SAE rating logic. It's a strange world! So when are you going to slap a VTEC head on that B20?

 

[racin4ds]

I don't really notice a "sluggish" feeling at all, overall it seems to run really well on it. I just don't care for the extra valvetrain noise... sounds like a VW quiet diesel when in between some buildings with the echo. And after spending ~$40 on 4 qts I can't bring myself to do a short OCI..

I have the VTEC head setting in the shop now, its getting freshened up and some light porting before it goes on! Still gotta find some cams too.

 

[fdcg27]

I've used GC for a couple of runs each in both of our current Hondas, one of which has VTEC.
Each car had a winter and a summer on the oil.
I thought it was a pretty smooth and quiet oil for the cars.
I didn't notice any loss of willingness to rev or reduced fuel economy with either car on GC.
Incidentally, we've has six Hondas, two of which had VTEC, and I never saw much oil consumption. The '97 is currently using a quart every 4K
It now has 197K.