Help a newb, Green vs Gold?

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I'm looking for a heavier weight oil for my car (Lexus SC300) and came across this site. M1 is way too thin. Started using Royal Purple, now hearing about GC. I want to try 5W-40. How can you differentiate between green and gold? Can you just tell by looking at the bottle? Thanks.
 
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GC comes in only one weight - 0w30 (it's a thick 30, almost 40), being distributed exclusively through the AutoZone chain.
The bottle must read "made in Germany" just above the bar code.
It is very easy to tell Green GC from Gold by reading the batch number which includes the date of production.
You can determine the date of manufacture by locating the fill code (batch number) on the bottom of the bottle.
For example, if you have M04023...., the "M" would represent the plant location.
The five digits '04023' represent the date of production.
The number 04 represents the last digit of the year (2004) and the '023' represents the day of the year, based on 365 calendar days, on which it was produced (January 23).

Therefore Batch # M040236ATW2418346 16:38
was manufactured on January 23rd of 2004.

The Green has stayed in production for several years - up until the very beginning of 2005.
The last known Green batch is M05010........
Everything newer (e.g. M05027......) is Gold.

Here is a good picture of the Green batch #:

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[ October 30, 2005, 01:46 AM: Message edited by: vad ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by t0ked:
I'm looking for a heavier weight oil for my car (Lexus SC300) and came across this site. M1 is way too thin. Started using Royal Purple, now hearing about GC. I want to try 5W-40. How can you differentiate between green and gold? Can you just tell by looking at the bottle? Thanks.

Vad's description of the ins-and-outs of GC is correct. And our Toyotas have liked GC. That said, I think your concern about M1 being "thin" is misplaced, unless your SC is already burning oil. I ran M1 before GC in my former car (a V-6 Camry) and in my wife's vehicle, a Sequoia. Our UOA on both vehicles showed almost non-existent wear over intervals as short as 5k miles and much as 7.5k. If your Lex has started to burn, then I think that either TSUV (5w-40) or GC (thick 30) would be good options to try.
 
quote:

Originally posted by t0ked:
...I get a lot of valve noise when using M1. Has been there the longest, didn't know oil could make a difference until I tried some Maxlife and engine got very quiet.

M1 is pretty notorious for making engines noisy. My Grand Am sounded like a diesel with M1....is near silent with GC.
 
Thanks for the responses. Good to know. I looked at the 5W-40 and it states made in Belgium. I say M1 is thin not due to oil consumption, just that I get a lot of valve noise when using M1. Has been there the longest, didn't know oil could make a difference until I tried some Maxlife and engine got very quiet. I've read older 2JZ engines like a thicker oil so thought I might try this. Thanks.
 
Ok, so I think I will try GC this winter. Thanks for all the responses. Now to get me up to speed, where does the "green" or "gold" terminology come from?
 
quote:

Originally posted by bighead:

quote:

Originally posted by t0ked:
...I get a lot of valve noise when using M1. Has been there the longest, didn't know oil could make a difference until I tried some Maxlife and engine got very quiet.

M1 is pretty notorious for making engines noisy. My Grand Am sounded like a diesel with M1....is near silent with GC.


Having followed this product pretty closely (actually, both GC and M1), I'm convinced it's just a "right oil -- right engine" thing. Even the legendary GC is not right for all engines, some (a few) don't seem to react well to it (high strung 4 cyls come to mind). Anyway, from my own long M1 experience, our 1MZs and single 2UZ (the 4.7L V-8) sound like muffled sewing machines on M1. Clearly, other engines don't react the same way. I should add that I have no 2JZ experience of my own. Anyone who does not like the way their engine sounds on any oil should try other options to see if they can isolate an oil that works well for them.
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EDIT: and if it is a thick - thin thing, and your engine wants thicker, GC is probably just what the doctor ordered. Most M1 xW-30 oils are aroun 10 cSt vis hot, whereas the GC tests anywhere from 12.0 - 12.5 cSt, substantially thicker, almost a 40 itself.
 
Yes, muffled sewing machine is the perfect example of the sound my engine makes with M1. It became much quieter with Maxlife and RP both at 10W-30. I stopped by my local AZ and wouldn't you know it, they had the 0W-30 Syntec with numbers ranging from M03 to M04! I opened one up just to be sure and it was green! I ended up getting 12 quarts (2 cases). I guess I got caught up in the whole oil thing... you guys are making me into an oil horder, and I don't even know if GC will be good in my engine! They still had a lot of single bottles in the rack. If anyone is interested, it is the AZ in New Rochelle, NY on Main Street.
 
ahh...New Rochelle, NY...the home of Rob and Laura Petrie...sigh...many of you are probably too young to remember the **** Van Dyke show...
 
quote:

Having followed this product pretty closely (actually, both GC and M1), I'm convinced it's just a "right oil -- right engine" thing. Even the legendary GC is not right for all engines, some (a few) don't seem to react well to it (high strung 4 cyls come to mind). Anyway, from my own long M1 experience, our 1MZs and single 2UZ (the 4.7L V-8) sound like muffled sewing machines on M1. Clearly, other engines don't react the same way. I should add that I have no 2JZ experience of my own. Anyone who does not like the way their engine sounds on any oil should try other options to see if they can isolate an oil that works well for them.

I totally agree, but My 1.6 4-cyl in My Miata (doesn't get much more high strung than that) Loves the GC! Pumps up the lifters nice and quick and keeps them quiet. This is what's making the Lex engine sound loud, and have that sewing machine sound. Your lifters are probably dirty on the inside which adds to the sound. Try the Auto-Rx treatment as well, if the GC doesn't solve the problem on it's own. Frequent oil changes (read Clean oil) and a GOOD filter help keep lifters quiet.

Unless by high strung you meant like Bike engines...or S2K engine.
 
Well, I just dumped 3100 mile old M1 10W-30 after my recent road trip to Washington DC. Just filled up with some good old GC. On the drive back from my place in Queens to my place in Westchester, I must say the engine is a lot smoother. At idle the car is much quieter and at WOT, I hear the quiet roar of my exhaust. NICE! I'm thoroughly convinced now that M1 is just a tad thin for the engine. Would anyone think GC 0w-30 would be more comparable to M1 0W-40? I know, I know, dare I say such things, but just a thought... I hope I didn't offend the elves...
 
...shudder...fortunately the Elves are kind...just don't say things like that TOO MANY times...
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Okay, so I am sure no one has cornered the green GC here. Anyone been using it in iVtecs? I've got an 02 Cr-v that comes to mind. Well, my 9-5 would probably like it, too. I used it by accident once before I knew what it was b/c it was cheaper than M1 and don't recall any increase/reduction in noise comapred to the M1 0W20/5W30 I normally use, but who knows?
 
a_g,

Does a live-in Hispanic maid and a bullfighter wannabe boyfriend stir any recollections?........................wow, discussions about GC and the **** Van Dyke show all in one forum...is the Elvish village special or what?
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