Not Confident with AC Delco Oil (GM)

[3putter]

1) The OLM is accurate. Accept it.
2) If you like Syn, use it. $21.57 Quaker State Ultimate Durability at Wal Mart is a steal.
3) Pennzoil Synthetic Blend is a robust, Dexos Licenced alternative for you .

 

[wag123]

I think that GM is once again having a problem with bad (improperly hardened) camshafts. Improperly hardened camshafts are destined to fail when they leave the factory, it doesn't have anything to do with the brand of oil used or how often it is changed. Camshaft problems have plagued GM (off and on) for MANY years, since at least the early 70s.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
It's a 5, and no, it changes various shades of amber. Right now it's pretty dark, about the same as Vermont Grade C maple syrup... no idea how it tastes, though.

I don't like wasting money so I change oil slightly before it's necessary (in the Golf) and according to the owner's manual (in the 5). But it's your car and your money, you are absolutely free to do with either as you see fit.

At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with changing the oil because you feel like it as long as you don't attempt to claim otherwise! It's dishonest and disingenuous to personify the engine in an attempt to mask your actual reasons.


Keep Assuming all you want on what was said and what wasn't. Hey, it's gotten you this far, so it must be working for you.

 

[KrisZ]

Take internet horror stories with some distance as there is an incredible amount if blowing stuff out of proportion that usually goes on the internet.

For example, according to various Mazda forums, mazda 3 is prone to drop engines on the fly. Yet, my MZ3 with close to 110k miles and 8k kilometres, or slightly longer OCIs done mostly on conventional is just fine with absolutely no oil consumption. But how many people will actually mention it? Instead they just go on with their lives as usual and you never hear of them.
It's the people with problems, often times caused by their neglect, which is never mentioned, that are the vocal ones.

 

[daves87rs]

Since you have the 1.8, and not the turbo, The Delco branded blend would be fine...that engine is not hard on oil.

That said, I'm not thrilled with the Delco blend at all. It comes off as weak, which considering it is a mobil oil, kinda sad...it comes off to me as no more than a 3-4k oil in anything GM has that is DI'ed or turbo'd.. The only blends for these engines I would personally used would be the Pennzoil Dexos blend, or the GTX synblend. Waiting for a co worker to do a used oil analysis on his Cruze eco, as he runs the GTX blend right now...


I'd still keep it cheap and simple, and go with pretty any synthetic on sale...from M1, Napa, Quaker State Ultimate Durability, even house branded syns, and so on and so on.....

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: wolf_06
Would this be overkill? or safe?

Overkill is safe in this case.

KCJeep's suggestion of Pennzoil Gold dexos1 is an option. Do you have the Real Canadian Wholesale Club in your province? If so, it's available there at a very good price.

Or, check at a distributor for Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum or Quaker State Ultimate Durability or Petro-Canada Supreme Synthetic 5w30. There are lots of options.

Still, 13,000 km isn't much of a stretch at all. Of course, we don't know what truly caused the problem. But we do know that one can use M1 for 10,000 miles on just about any application, let alone 13,000 km.

 

[2KBMW]

That said, I'm not thrilled with the Delco blend at all. It comes off as weak, which considering it is a mobil oil, kinda sad...it comes off to me as no more than a 3-4k oil in anything GM has that is DI'ed or turbo'd..

In Canada, the GM oil is made by Shell. So why is this oil not holding up then
when Pennzoil and Quaker State (made by the same company) is so much better ?

 

[wolf_06]

Originally Posted By: 3putter
1) The OLM is accurate. Accept it.
2) If you like Syn, use it. $21.57 Quaker State Ultimate Durability at Wal Mart is a steal.
3) Pennzoil Synthetic Blend is a robust, Dexos Licenced alternative for you .


No, not accurate a all for most people on here, won't accept to ruin an engine for stupid OLM.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Keep Assuming all you want on what was said and what wasn't. Hey, it's gotten you this far, so it must be working for you.


All I can go on is what has been posted; I'm not a mind reader.

A basis in science, statistics and specifically statistical process control would be a great start to making informed decisions on things such as appropriate oil change intervals (and yes, it has been working for me - I make a nice living with such tools at my disposal).

Or determine that oil changes will be done on emotion, feelings & handwaving. Nothing wrong with that either, as long as you're willing to admit it.

 

[99Saturn]

FWIW, on our Cruze (LS but 2013) the OLM goes to ~7,500 miles. Trip it pretty much sees is 50 miles twice a day in mixed driving.

I posted a filter I took out at the last oil change and there was some talk in the post that I made that the OLM may be scaled down in later models of the Cruze compared to the '11s (and possibly '12s).

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
So, does oil color have anything to do with oil condition or not? (hint: it doesn't)

Not having jet black oil is a condition to investigate!


You just contradicted yourself there.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: scurvy
So, does oil color have anything to do with oil condition or not? (hint: it doesn't)

Not having jet black oil is a condition to investigate!


You just contradicted yourself there.


Your misquote could make it seem that way to the casual observer, but no.

The oil being jet black or not jet black has nothing to do with its suitability for use; not having jet black oil is indicative of an underfueling issue.

Any other straw skeletons in that closet of yours?