GM4718M Specification

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Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Another question that might come in to play is what is the vehicle and what is the use profile?


The vehicle(s) I'm currently considering are 2008-2009 Cadillac STSs and DTSs. It will be my daily driver, and also used for long trips. Almost all of the miles will be highway miles.


Originally Posted By: JHZR2
End of the day, I doubt that $2/qt, which is maybe $10/OCI is going to have a major effect on lifecycle cost given that it's the equivalent of burning maybe four gallons of fuel over an OCI.


True, to an extent. But I try to cover all the bases and get a solid handle on the cost of ownership so I know what to expect and plan for. It's part of the due diligence that any owner should do before making a purchase. Especially since we're judicious with our finances and know where pretty much every dollar goes.


So it appears that dexos 1 supersedes the 4718m spec as well as others, such as the LL-025-A spec that my Saab requires. Looks like 4718 was primarily related to volatility and oxidative thickening, though it's not clear if these are more or less stringent in dexos 1 vs 4718.

I'll say this, for my Saab, which does two year, 15k mile OCIs by design, and required the LL-A-025 spec, I've stayed running M1 0w-40 over dexos 1, simply because Mobil recommends that oil for Saab and it retains plenty of other rigorous specs. I would suspect that given the focus on turbocharged, long life extended drains, that the ability to combat oxidative thickening (like 4718) would be there. So you might want to consider an oil like the M1 0w-40.

That said, dexos 1 is claimed by gm to be a suitable replacement for the 4718 spec, and you have a car with a fairly big and powerful v8, which though on a heavy car, is probably rather under-stressed in the rather benign highway use you mention. So any cheap(ish) dexos 1 oil would probably do just fine.

But I still suspect that fuel and other costs are going to so dwarf the delta in oil prices that trying to get your pencil sharp enough to eek out the small delta in cost is going to create a situation where "perfect is the enemy of good enough", and you'll just be wasting time. If being judicious with the finances is a big deal, your old Elantra is probably a far better lifecycle cost choice, as compared to a big V8 luxury/performance sedan. 25 MPG is roughly 10c/mile. A $10 difference in oil prices over a 3k mile oci is only 0.3c/mile, and I suspect your OCIs are longer than 3k...


Which is why I've already said that I plan to use Mobil 1.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI


I am with you. GM4718M was developed for a very specific reason( heat/thermal breakdown )and was a synthetic only spec. I know GM says Dexos1 supersedes it now but I would want to know the application before I used anything but a full synthetic.



Do you have the GM4718M spec or an SAE paper that shows GM4718M requires a synthetic composition?
 
Car and Driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/columns/pat-...tandards-page-2

"Most synthetics mention GM 4718M in their list of claims; that's the unique spec created by General Motors for Corvette oil. It's a high-temperature requirement that tolerates less oxidation (thickening) and volatility (boil-off) on a standard engine test called Sequence IIIE, according to engineer Bob Olree of GM Powertrain."
 
Not only synthetic but 9 qts of oil as well. So if you do it your self it will run close to 100.00 to change oil.
 
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Mobil 1 is less than $24.00 for a 5 quart jug at Walmart. 10 quarts would be less than $50.00. Add in your oil filter costs and that's really it. 9 quarts of Amsoil may run you close to $100.00, but not Mobil 1 if you get it from Walmart.
 
Originally Posted By: tiger862
Not only synthetic but 9 qts of oil as well. So if you do it your self it will run close to 100.00 to change oil.


If you're referring to the vehicles that I mentioned, the 2008 STS with the 3.6 takes 6 quarts, not 9. I can purchase Mobil 1 at the local farm store for about $25/5 quarts, an oil change would be around $35 including the filter.
 
Also consider that oil has gotten a lot better, particularly in the SN era.

At the time 4718M was first developed, only full synthetics could meet those standards. But with the advent of dexos, along with years of R&D, it is possible for today's syn blends to meet and even surpass the performance of full synthetics from 5-10 years ago.

And if you're still not convinced, then you can simply get a full synthetic dexos
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI


I am with you. GM4718M was developed for a very specific reason( heat/thermal breakdown )and was a synthetic only spec. I know GM says Dexos1 supersedes it now but I would want to know the application before I used anything but a full synthetic.




Do you have the GM4718M spec or an SAE paper that shows GM4718M requires a synthetic composition?


I don't have any documents sorry. Others have posted links just after your post to me though that may show it. I have never seen any oil except a full synthetic claim to meet it or be certified as meeting it either.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: tiger862
Not only synthetic but 9 qts of oil as well. So if you do it your self it will run close to 100.00 to change oil.


If you're referring to the vehicles that I mentioned, the 2008 STS with the 3.6 takes 6 quarts, not 9. I can purchase Mobil 1 at the local farm store for about $25/5 quarts, an oil change would be around $35 including the filter.


He was thinking of the Northstar. Which takes 8qts in both the FWD DTS and the RWD STS.
 
I am not aware of any specifications that mandate a given base oil or formulation style. GM4718M certainly doesn't. However if a certain type of base oil or additive gives a benefit to achieve the performance demanded then formulators will naturally gravitate towards that solution.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Because our needs have changed, we've been doing some vehicle shuffling. One of the vehicles we are considering purchasing requires oil that meets GM4718M. Am I correct in assuming that this is only a synthetic specification? Or are there conventional oils that meet this specification?

I'm working the numbers for the total cost of ownership over the time we plan to keep our next vehicle purchase, and I'm adding up the potential maintenance costs. I'd like to get an accurate number for the oil costs.

Thank you.


Hey Pop_Rivit – you are correct, the GM 4718M is a unique oil specification created by General Motors for their engines that require synthetic motor oils. With that said, Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic motor oil with PurePlus Technology meets the GM4718M specification, and would be an excellent choice for your GM application which requires this type of oil! - The Pennzoil Team
 
Originally Posted By: GenaFishbeck
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Because our needs have changed, we've been doing some vehicle shuffling. One of the vehicles we are considering purchasing requires oil that meets GM4718M. Am I correct in assuming that this is only a synthetic specification? Or are there conventional oils that meet this specification?

I'm working the numbers for the total cost of ownership over the time we plan to keep our next vehicle purchase, and I'm adding up the potential maintenance costs. I'd like to get an accurate number for the oil costs.

Thank you.


Hey Pop_Rivit – you are correct, the GM 4718M is a unique oil specification created by General Motors for their engines that require synthetic motor oils. With that said, Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic motor oil with PurePlus Technology meets the GM4718M specification, and would be an excellent choice for your GM application which requires this type of oil! - The Pennzoil Team



Wasn't that superseded with the dexos spec.

Not trying to be rude gena,it's just that you and your compadres answers seem like you copied them from some kind of " corporate approved answers" page.
So rigid. No thinking outside the box or anything.
Know what I mean?
And please if I've offended you I'm sorry. That's not what I was trying to do.
I just get tired of these answers that seem like they came direct from the website and there wasn't any real consideration given to the application,and cost.
For example your partner commented in a thread about hdeo vs pmco in small outdoor power equipment but his answer was referring to diesels and DPF's and whatever.
I have to wonder if he even read the question.
Or how many of us use rotella in our motorcycles. You guys won't touch that with a 10 foot pole yet we see fantastic results in regards to shear resistance and tbn retention and because of no friction modifiers(or very little) they work great in a shared sump bike,but we get referred to a bike oil from you guys.
Heck I use it in my primary and engine on a built harley and my stock clutch holds 115tq no problem with rotella,at less than half the cost of a dedicated bike oil.
I know you have to tow the line so you recommend what's certified blah blah blah but you've gotta see that the spirit of BITOG is more than that.
We share info and use products in different applications so it feels like we've one upped someone somewhere when we save a buck feel like we've done our equipment a favour by learning on a deeper level about lubes and kinda custom tailoring our choices.
I'm sure I'm not explaining this right. But it's like riding a harley bid I have to explain you wouldn't get it.
 
^ I don't see why you are complaining.

Pop asked a straightforward question and got a straightforward answer to his question.

We're lucky to have folks from Shell take the time to answer individual questions. Let's not put them off from doing so.
 
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