GM approved synthetic

[JackB1]

I have a new Cadillac CTS and it looks like they have a marketing agreement with Mobil 1 what with the Mobil 1 symbol on the oil fill cap.
In the owners manual it says to be sure to use a synthetic that has the GM approved symbol listed. I was just at Walmart and did purchase Mobil 1 which says on the label that it meets GM required specifications. Since I have formally used Walmarts SuperTech synthetic oil I looked at the label to see if it mentioned these GM specs. I could not find anything. Just what are these GM specs and why would not SuperTech meet them as well as Mobil 1?

 

[lonestar]

Do you have the 3.6 DI V6 or V8? Does it call for GM spec 4718M or 6094M? I beleive the 3.6 DI V6 would require 6094M while the V8 would call for the 4718M (that too can be used in the 3.6 DI V6).

I suspect that either SuperTech does not make the grade with current formulation or has not been certified as yet as making the grade. I did however think that SuperTech was 6094M certified but if it does not state so on the product I would not assume it does.

 

[2003f7]

check this http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/environment/maintenance/gm_approved_engine_oils.pdf

 

[Captain_Klink]

when you buy a Cadillac, that is a signal that you have an over abundance of wealth, and tiny expenses like Mobil synthetic should not even enter your thought process. If it does, then you bought the wrong car.

 

[Herz]

Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
when you buy a Cadillac, that is a signal that you have an over abundance of wealth, and tiny expenses like Mobil synthetic should not even enter your thought process. If it does, then you bought the wrong car.


+1

 

[rszappa1]

Goverment Motors....

 

[JustinH]

If you look at that list that was posted, at the regular motor oils, several are chinese only motor oils.

That must be the factory fill for the equinox motors and other motors made for GM in China.

 

[3putter]

If it came with M1 from the factory, you can bet it must meet the 4718m spec. Others have posted the link that lists the oils that meet the spec. Notably, Castrol Syntec, Kendall and Shell Syn do not meet the requirements. 4718m is all about high temp performance. Same oil as required in Corvette's. Stick with the M1 or Penz Plat and you'll be a happy camper.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
If you look at that list that was posted, at the regular motor oils, several are chinese only motor oils.


Yeah, I gotta get me some of that Sinopec Great Wall Polar Star.

 

[el_zorro]

Originally Posted By: G-MAN
Originally Posted By: JustinH
If you look at that list that was posted, at the regular motor oils, several are chinese only motor oils.


Yeah, I gotta get me some of that Sinopec Great Wall Polar Star.

I think the reason the Chinese oils are on there is that GM is selling a lot of vehicles in China. I was there a couple of weeks ago and saw mostly GM cars on the road. GM sold more Buicks in China last year than in the US.

 

[Nickdfresh]

My brother was in China recently, and said it seemed like every other car was a Buick. He also said the Honda Pilot over there was essentially an Acura RDX.

As for the thread, the latest incarnations of Supertech (in the clear bottles and probably the same as Warren's MAG1 synthetic oils) meet the GM4718 spec...

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: JackB1
I have a new Cadillac CTS and it looks like they have a marketing agreement with Mobil 1 what with the Mobil 1 symbol on the oil fill cap.
In the owners manual it says to be sure to use a synthetic that has the GM approved symbol listed. I was just at Walmart and did purchase Mobil 1 which says on the label that it meets GM required specifications. Since I have formally used Walmarts SuperTech synthetic oil I looked at the label to see if it mentioned these GM specs. I could not find anything. Just what are these GM specs and why would not SuperTech meet them as well as Mobil 1?


Jack,

My brother has an 08' Caddy CTS and the dealership uses Castrol "Syntec" instead of the standard Mobil 1. Why I can't figure out. Anyway as long as it meets the GM specs one can use any synthetic of their choosing.

Durango

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: 3putter
If it came with M1 from the factory, you can bet it must meet the 4718m spec. Others have posted the link that lists the oils that meet the spec. Notably, Castrol Syntec, Kendall and Shell Syn do not meet the requirements. 4718m is all about high temp performance. Same oil as required in Corvette's. Stick with the M1 or Penz Plat and you'll be a happy camper.


Ah, you might want to look again because Kendall GT1 Full Synthetic is GM4718M certified and is on the list in the link.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: G-MAN
Originally Posted By: JustinH
If you look at that list that was posted, at the regular motor oils, several are chinese only motor oils.


Yeah, I gotta get me some of that Sinopec Great Wall Polar Star.

Their sites actually kind of cool. They even have a 0W-50 synthetic.

 

[daman]

Just use the approved M1 and call her a day....

 

[Superbuick96]

Agreed. A $22.00 jug of oil for a $65,000 car seems reasonable enough...
Originally Posted By: daman
Just use the approved M1 and call her a day....

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Durango
Originally Posted By: JackB1
I have a new Cadillac CTS and it looks like they have a marketing agreement with Mobil 1 what with the Mobil 1 symbol on the oil fill cap.
In the owners manual it says to be sure to use a synthetic that has the GM approved symbol listed. I was just at Walmart and did purchase Mobil 1 which says on the label that it meets GM required specifications. Since I have formally used Walmarts SuperTech synthetic oil I looked at the label to see if it mentioned these GM specs. I could not find anything. Just what are these GM specs and why would not SuperTech meet them as well as Mobil 1?


Jack,

My brother has an 08' Caddy CTS and the dealership uses Castrol "Syntec" instead of the standard Mobil 1. Why I can't figure out. Anyway as long as it meets the GM specs one can use any synthetic of their choosing.

Durango

My guess is that the dealer can buy Castrol Syntec for less $$$ than Mobil1.

 

[Spykem4e]

JackB1, congrats for the purchase and nice to meet another CTS owner!

I have the 05 with the 3.6l vvt. Is yours DI or non-DI and what year?

BTW, the oil has to meet gm 4718m specs. just like its written up there, with the price of M1 for the 5qt, buy it and call it a day! Thats what I do!

 

[JackB1]

I appreciate all the replies [well at least most of them], especially the list of GM qualified oils. As to some of the questions received along the way.....my CTS is not as someone alluded a $65,000 car but a $40,000 car. It is the V-6 300HP DI model. As far as the individual that thinks a Cadillac owner is one who throws money around and should not worry about the costs of oil, I would reply that the reason this is my 11th Cadillac is because of just the opposite. Frugality actually enables the purchase. I used Supertech in my other cars with fine results and after looking at the GM spec list see no reason that it will not perform fine in this CTS.[I have never had an engine failure due to an oil related problem.] I have not seen any of the clear Supertech bottles, mentioned in one of the posts, in the Ocean City, Md. area. I will be doing a couple of oil changes with Mobil 1 however. In my former Cadillac DHS with the Northstar it was a natural oil burner [qt every 1K] and more than a few bucks were saved using Supertech during its 145k.
The only question that remains is why Walmart does not state on their label that it its supertech synthetic meets GM specs. Perhaps they are just running out old inventory containers.

 

[daves87rs]

Should work just fine..