Good winter oil Buick Regal GS

[Slippery_Pete]

Hey first post here.
I'm looking for a good 0w30 oil for winter GM recommends 5w30 for this engine L67 (3800 series 2 supercharged) where I live there could potentially be some -30 or colder starts. My car has about 110k miles. What would you recommend? And what OCI should I use? I have changed to oil twice since I got the car and don't put more than 3k miles between changes. I drive under what I would call severe conditions (< 3 mile trips etc.)
Also what's a good filter? Only local parts store is a napa

 

[PT1]

Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 from Walmart and a Napa Gold filter will do fine.

BTW

 

[LS2JSTS]

First welcome to the Forum!!

I have used the Castrol 0w30 or the Mobil 1 0w40 in the winter for years. Both have provided great service and will suit your needs very well. Even with your severe service either oil should be good for at least a 5,000 mile OCI.

The Napa Gold is a good filter made by Wix. Many here use it and like it. If you venture to another town(store) you may like the Purolator Pure One, it filters slightly better than the Napa/Wix and is only marginally more expensive.

 

[Slippery_Pete]

I got the car in august
The manual seems to be pretty strict about the 30 weight part. I noticed M1 doesn't make a 0w30 Is 0w 40 good or should i stick to the 30 weight?
BTW I drive fairly hard to, but always let it warm up first.

 

[Drew99GT]

I'd use a 5w30 synthetic (did I just say that

) at a minimum with -30 degree starting conditions, and would lean heavily towards a 0w30 synthetic of your choosing.

I'd also be as concerned or more concerned with the condition of the antifreeze and the battery!

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: Slippery_Pete
I got the car in august
The manual seems to be pretty strict about the 30 weight part. I noticed M1 doesn't make a 0w30 Is 0w 40 good or should i stick to the 30 weight?
BTW I drive fairly hard to, but always let it warm up first.


If you're going to use synthetic I'd go with a 0W30 as long as the car is not leaking. Mobil 1 makes 0W20, 0W30, and 0W40. Happy motoring, and welcome to Bitog.

 

[pbm]

Walmart carries Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30 down here in the states. Esso XD-3 is a Full Synthetic 0w30 available up there. At those temps I'd look for a 0W30.

 

[Tucson Five-O]

Slippery_Pete, Mobil 1 does indeed make a 0W-30, it's their 0W-30AFE. And it's been said that Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 could pass the cold pumping tests for 0W-30, but is labelled 5w30 for marketing purposes, although the -39 pour point might be a little close for comfort in your neck of the woods.

Mobil 1 0w30 has a -54 (can't remember if that's C or F). Another great choice would be Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30 which has a -48 pour point. Although I am not partial to Mobil 1 in most cars where they really shine is low temperature performance and high temperature deposit resistance.

Hopefully these recommendations will prove helpful.

Take care,
Gary

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Slippery_Pete
... I drive under what I would call severe conditions (< 3 mile trips etc.)
...


For mostly short trips in Canadian winter, I would go with 0W20. Even with trips up to 10 miles in winter, the temperature never went to 80-90C and 0W20 is still very thick.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: Slippery_Pete
I got the car in august
The manual seems to be pretty strict about the 30 weight part. I noticed M1 doesn't make a 0w30 Is 0w 40 good or should i stick to the 30 weight?
BTW I drive fairly hard to, but always let it warm up first.


Mobil does make a 0w30 but it shears down to a 20 weight rather quickly. The 0w40 weight Mobil is also a lighter weight 40 weight compared to other 40 weights. If you did use the M1 40 weight you would be fine. But if you want to stick with a 30 weight then the German Castrol Syntec 0w30 is a great oil for you, it is a slightly heavy 30 weight that is very shear stable.

 

[Tucson Five-O]

LS2JSTS,

For all of the criticism over Mobil 1 and high Fe readings, particularly when using their "regular" 5w30, all the formulations (with the acception of 0W-40, and I'm sure by design) are very stable and shear resistant, in no small part due to their excellent base stocks, whether they be group III or not.

And I agree with HTSS_TR in principle concerning using 0W-20 in a Canadian winter. GC 0w30 and Mobil 1 0W-40 sound great, but I would think cold engine response and gas mileage would really suffer.

There is a big difference between using oils with HT/HS >3.5 than say, Mobil 1 0W-30AFE with an HTHS of 2.99 in very cold weather. Now if the OP was in Miami that would be a different story. I would choose between Mobil 1 0w30 and Pennzoil Platinum 5w30.

Just my .02.

Take care,
Gary

 

[ryan2022]

I live not too far from you.

I'm in Peterborough, and we get slightly milder weather, but still similar.

Mobil synthetic in any xw30 flavour would work well for you, and its easy to find.

Mobil 1 pours well, even in 10w30 its goo until -47 or so.

Their 5w30 would work great in that car. Also, Napa filters are great. Theyre made by WIX I beleive.

 

[HyperJinx]

Welcome to the site and I also agree with the 5w30 and purolator filter.

 

[addyguy]

Wal-Mart Supertech Synthetic 0W-30.
Petro-Canada Synthetic 0W-30.

Couple of good, inexpensive ones.

 

[lewdwig]

Originally Posted By: ryan2022
its goo until -47 or so.


Is this a good selling point?

 

[ls1mike]

I have owned two supercharged 3800 Series II motors.
How cold does it get by you?

In my 01 GTP I just ran Mobil 1 10w30 for 230,000 miles. I sold it after that.

My current car is a 98 Regal GS and I am running Valvoline
10w30 conventional. I am at 66,000 miles. I think I will shift to PP. I will still run 10w30. The guys I race with who have 3800 cars,usually run the 10w30, but it really dosen't get super cold here.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS

Mobil does make a 0w30 but it shears down to a 20 weight rather quickly.

Where did you see this happen? can you post up some used oil analysis showing this???

 

[Kaboomba]

Howdy,

Congrats on the sweet ride!

If I were in your position I would buy a FleetGuard LF3554 from Ryder.com and any good synthetic 0w30 (Mobil 1, Castrol Syntec, or other--I use AMSOIL Signature Series 0w30), and then just maintain the oil level between now and May. My rationale:

1. I live in WI, and I have had excellent starting and noticably improved gas mileage with the 0w30 in very cold (routinely below zero) weather. After using Mobil 1 5w30 and AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-30, I think the 0w30 is uniquely suited to short trips in cold weather. Faster starting and better (+ 1-3) MPG.

2. My opinion is that the 3800 should have the large oil filter (spec'd for the 4.3L V6 used in GM trucks) for cold weather. I noticed erratic and low (but not dangerously low) oil pressure during the first 15 minutes after startup while using spec-size filters and/or PureOne oversized (i.e. PL24011 rather than PL10111). My impression is that the restriction of the oil filter can interfere with efficient pumping, or proper relief valve operation, or both. I switched to the FleetGuard LF3554 and these issues went away--I now have good, steady oil pressure.

I hope this helps!

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: Kaboomba
2. My opinion is that the 3800 should have the large oil filter (spec'd for the 4.3L V6 used in GM trucks) for cold weather. I noticed erratic and low (but not dangerously low) oil pressure during the first 15 minutes after startup while using spec-size filters and/or PureOne oversized (i.e. PL24011 rather than PL10111). My impression is that the restriction of the oil filter can interfere with efficient pumping, or proper relief valve operation, or both. I switched to the FleetGuard LF3554 and these issues went away--I now have good, steady oil pressure.

I hope this helps!


You wouldn't think using a speced sized filter or a high efficency filter Pureone would make a difference because the bypass is on the filter mount. Plus you'd think if anything the silicon ADBV and smaller filter volume would fill quicker. I think you could use a larger PF53 size. The filter is almost vertical so drainbraink and filter filling shouldn't be much of an issue. It's just a little tight fit getting it in and out.

 

[Slippery_Pete]

I'm surprised there is no mention of amsoil.
No good in cold?