Help me choose the right oil

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I was wondering what would be the best oil to run in my 1998 Cheverolet S10 2.2L 4cly. Its getting ready to turn over to 90K miles in a day or so.
 
I have a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier with the 2.2L engine. I bought it new in December of 1998. I drove it home, while still hot I drained the factory oil and replaced it with Mobil 1 15W-50 and a Wix filter. It has had nothing else other than M1 15W-50 and now has 209,700 miles on it, doesn't use oil, leak oil, seep oil, and gets better than the EPA estimates. Obviously I like the M1 15W-50.

I lived in Pulaski Va for 10 years, Tazewell for 4 years, and Castlewood for 5 so I know the weather there. No problem with M1 15W-50.

This is my experience with this oil in this engine. You must decide and will likely get much more information.
 
I used M1 15W50 for a long time and it`s an excellent oil. I used it year round,from when the temp outside was in the lower 30s to the summers where it got to 108.

Frank,do you use the gold cap or silver cap? I always used the silver cap once it came out. What I wonder,is the silver cap 15W50 a clone of the old red cap 15W50?
 
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I use the silver cap, not the EP. I think the silver cap with 1200 ZDDP is a little less than the older red cap.
 
I was thinking about using the M1 HM 10w-30 I was wondering why it isnt SM rated and I doesnt have the starburst
 
My dad had a 1997 Chevy S10 5speed w/ the 2.2L. He used Formula Shell regular oil in it and the engine had 160k miles on it until it was totaled in an accident a few months back. It did start to consume a bit later in its life but the engine was still strong.

Watch out for the valve cover working itself loose. My dad discovered his valve cover really loose one day and leaking oil. After it was tightened the problem was solved.
 
yeah mines starting to seap a little bit of oil from the valve cover.
I have a few have some Castrol GTX 5w30 laying around would it be a good oil to put in
 
Originally Posted By: crazycrak
I was thinking about using the M1 HM 10w-30 I was wondering why it isnt SM rated and I doesnt have the starburst


I have the same engine as was thinking of using the same oil this summer...

It doesn't have the "Starburst" because M1 10W-30 HM is not considered an energy conserving oil, and I assume the add pack uses zinc over moly. It is rated for the tough Euro ACEA A3 (performance) spec and has a very low pour point of -54C and runs pretty thick for a 30 weight oil at operating temp...
 
Originally Posted By: crazycrak
I was thinking about using the M1 HM 10w-30 I was wondering why it isnt SM rated and I doesnt have the starburst


It doesn't have the energy conserving starburst because it has a heavy base oil with a HTHS of 3.66. That is up there with some 40 grade oils HTHS.
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It has a ZDDP of 1000 and I think the SM limit for 30 grade is something like 800-830.
 
Incidentally, I currently have MaxLife 5W-30 in it, and previously used Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 and have been happy with both fills. But since I fixed the upper valve cover leak yesterday, I might forgo high mileage oils altogether for a while and just use synthetics on sale, or giving rebates, to extend the OCI...
 
Originally Posted By: crazycrak
yeah mines starting to seap a little bit of oil from the valve cover.
I have a few have some Castrol GTX 5w30 laying around would it be a good oil to put in


Try tightening the bolts. It seems to have worked for me.
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One of the bolts was barely finger-tight...
 
holy [censored] lol whats good to clean up the oil of the head after I fix the leak..

what do you guys think of GTX for my engine
 
GTX is an excellent oil. I got very low consumption using it in my 2002 2.2 Cavalier.

The 2.2's OHV's are tough little engines - will take a lot of abuse and just keep going. They are noisy and coarse, and on most you will have moderate amounts of 'piston slap' noise - don't know if yours does that.

The engines are very easy on oil, so whatever oil you can get on sale will work fine in them - 5W-30, 10W-30, HM...pretty well whatever you want to run. Viscosity doesn't make a noticeable difference in the way they run.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
GTX is an excellent oil. I got very low consumption using it in my 2002 2.2 Cavalier.

The 2.2's OHV's are tough little engines - will take a lot of abuse and just keep going. They are noisy and coarse, and on most you will have moderate amounts of 'piston slap' noise - don't know if yours does that.

The engines are very easy on oil, so whatever oil you can get on sale will work fine in them - 5W-30, 10W-30, HM...pretty well whatever you want to run. Viscosity doesn't make a noticeable difference in the way they run.


Good to know just went and picked up another qrt. and oil filter
 
Originally Posted By: crazycrak
holy [censored] lol whats good to clean up the oil of the head after I fix the leak..

what do you guys think of GTX for my engine


Gunk Foamy Engine Brite...follow the directions...

And as said before, any good 5W-30 or 10W-30 will work well as this engine isn't picky...
 
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