Oil and filter recommendation for L98 engine

[bonehead]

Hello, i have been searching a good oil and filter for -92 L98 engine, i would like to keep using the same oil as the previous owner did, synthetic blend 5w30, but of course im open for recommendations, whether if the oil should be 10w30 or thicker, and if i should keep using the blend, or go full synth.
I just don't want to risk the chance of leaks, that's why i feel if im better off just keep using the blend, at least for now.

When i did an oil change a while back, all i could find really quick was shell helix oil, 10w40, i believe its a blend, (hx7), and since its winter, and im in EU, i poured one quart of shell helix ultra 5w40 full synth, just as a extra measure, to help protect the engine during cold starts since full synthetic flows better, supposedly.

For filter i used a Wix oil filter. But for my next oil chance, i feel like i want to go back to 5w30 weight, since the car has relatively low miles, uses no oil, so far, and the oil pressure is the same, tho with the 40 weight oil, it takes longer for the oil pressure to drop down to around 30 PSI at idle when the engine is warm, and i nodest that there's a cold start up rattle just a second or two, so perhaps the 30 weight oil would be more suitable for the engine, alltho could the oil filter be the cause of the rattle, do black wix filters have an anti drain back valve?
And also, if longer oil filter would be better to use than the short one, im thinking to do an oil change once a year since i don't drive thousands of miles a year.

Anyway, i would much appreciate recommendation of the appropriate oil weight, brand, specially a good blend brand, and recommendation oil filter wise, with part number, specially if its better to use the longer oil filters, since parts lookup pages usually just shows the part number for short filters, and i have no experience with the taller oil filters. It should be a oil filter with an antidrain back valve?
Some pages shows filters with and without the valve, and i dont know whether i should pick one with or without the anti drainback valve, what about the bypass valve, or is it irrelevant since if the L98 engines have the bypass valve on the thing where the oil filter is mounted on?

I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but if i may, i would like to stay away from e-core oil filters, tho they according to Google, have improved over time, and i like acdelco filters, just not the e-core, because i personally wouldn't feel at ease using a e-core oil filter, and not knowing if the filter is a improved one or not, and whether if its going to function well or not, and the white K&N filters with the welded nut,
i would like to stay away from those also, because i have read stories online, about some of them starting to leak over time, from the welded nut.

Also if i may, i would like to ask oil recommendation as what dexron oil is suitable for th700 transmission these days, in my time, it was dexron2, is it dexron6 these days? and is it full synthetic these days, or should i just try to find dexron3? Probably AcDelco transmission dexron oil is a safe bet?

Thanks in advance.

 

[kschachn]

Where in the EU are you?

 

[Zaedock]

Make / Model? EU is also a big place.

We don't need to keep the bonehead comments to a minimum this time.

 

[Astro14]

I see at least half a dozen questions in the original post.

Which one would you like answered?

 

[DGXR]

It is more important to change the oil & filter *regularly* and less important what brand / flavor of oil you are using. Having said that...
If the previous owner used synthetic blend and the engine still runs strong, keep it simple and stick with a syn blend, they are good oils. Synthetic oils do not cause leaks, but they can expose an existing weakness or issue that would have leaked eventually, regardless of the oil. If you run the engine hard or have other conditions that torture the oil, you might consider using a full synthetic, or just change the syn blend oil more often. Oil is cheap, good engines are not.
Wix standard filters are good quality. The presence of an anti-drainback valve depends the specific filter model / number for your application. Not all filters from a certain brand will include an ADBV. See Rock Auto for guidance on economy oil filters vs standard vs high performance.
Hope this helps you.

 

[wpod]

0W-40 A3/B4 oil. that would cover cold starts from close to -40 degrees to over 40*C, but then they are not picky on oil engines, a 30 or 40 would work. How cold are the starting temps where you live? Any filter from a major oil filter company would work fine.

 

[nthach]

GM in the US calls for 10W-30 or 5W-30 for that engine and while they prefer ACDelco, any good filter does work - there’s countless millions of these engines back at their peak serving in a work truck seeing nothing but cheap mineral 10W-30 and a “jobber” filter from a quick lube. Unless it’s the Corvette/Camaro TPI version of this.

My pick would be 5W-30/5W-40 ACEA A3/B3 or C3 or an “American” 10W-30(Opel/Vauxhall was a part of GM - I would wager it might be available in the EU). For filters, if you can find an American import of a ACDelco or Fram, fine. Else, if Mahle/Mann/Purflux makes a filter that fit that, those are solid picks.

 

[ripcord]

These engines are not hard on oil and will give good service with any modern conventional or synthetic 30 or 40 weight oil as wpod mentioned. 10w40 oil, while not the most ideal for winter temperatures, will be fine down to at least minus 25C.

 

[Duffyjr]

I wouldn't be sleeping very well with 10w40 in their, we've already had several days below 0f.

 

[ripcord]

I wouldn't be sleeping very well with 10w40 in their, we've already had several days below 0f.

The OP is in Europe so we don't know what kind of temps he sees. Assuming his starter and battery are strong enough, 10wX oil is fine down to at least -25C or -13f.

 

[V70tdi]

Low price oil that working good in my older Chevys 5W30 Dexos 1 gen 2 easy to order from Germany for us who lives in EU
Filters i use is AC Delco PFxx when its easy to order and sometimes i found WIX at the local low pride store Biltema here in Sweden but its a long time since i saw them at the shelfs.

 

[bonehead]

Hello again and thanks for the quick replies. I apologize if my first post sounds a bit messy, i have been reading about engine oils and filters to the point where i feel like im getting a headache, so much info

To answer few of the questions, it doesn't get very cold in here, so i think 10w-xx oil should be no problem.

The availability of oils and filters are no big problem, there's always online vendors where to purchase/order oil and filter.

I have been trying to find a non E-core acdelco oil filter, but no such luck yet, are they all E-core design these days?

The engine is 1991 or 1992 350 TPI with an oil cooler.

 

[71Chevyguy]

Those engines weren't really picky about oil and weren't hard on oil either. You have the advantage of having an oil cooler as well. I would suggest any A3/B4 oil in 5w30/5w40 or even 0w40 for your application. You have better oils in Europe anyway so just about anything you can find in the correct viscosity is probably fine.

Not sure I would want 10w40 in there if you are getting startup noises. Try something thinner next time around. If you find that it is exactly the same on a 5w30 then you know that is just the way it is going to be. Here in the states I would suggest Mobil1 0w40 since it shears down do a heavy 30 weight after a few miles. Not sure what the equivalent would be there.

But honestly just about anything would be fine in that engine, they really don't care what is in there as long as it is replaced once in a while. I just don't suggest doing super long intervals. Most of the older American engines preferred even cheap oil, replaced more often than a very expensive oil run for a long time.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

It sounds like you will not drive the car very much, and you don't mention any hard use like racing. That suggests a 5W-30 blend would work fine for your driving conditions and will be more economical than synthetic at one-year intervals.

As far as I can tell, the L98 was available only in Camaros and Firebirds in 1992. Searching Rockauto (linked in a post above) for a 1992 Camaro shows some oil filters with and some without the anti-drainback valve. One that has it is the Bosch 3322. Wix 51069 does not list an ADBV, but it is a bit longer than the Bosch. If you can tell us the vehicle model or the filter number, someone might be able to give more definite filter suggestions.

There is a thread going about ATF right now: Pick My ATF

If this were my car, considering the age of the 700R4, I would use a synthetic fluid with Dexron III viscosity specifications instead of a Dexron VI viscosity. Delvac 1 and Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF are both mentioned in the thread above, although I don't know if they are available in your location.

 

[bonehead]

It's an 1991 or 1992 F-body.

I found few places that probably have the acdelco duraguard filter in stock, both pf454 and pf25, weren't the pf25 the original size/part number for these cars before it was changed to pf454? If they both are a non E-core design, should i get the pf454 or the pf25?

Thanks for the ATF info, I'll check it out.
Yes, i have seen the Mobil 1 synthetic ATF somewhere.

 

[LDM]

I have an 89 IROCZ 350 L98, I typically use 5w30 in mine. 10W30 will be fine as well. As for filters, I usually just use whatever filter I can find at a reasonable price. My 94 LT1 also takes the same filter so I usually buy multiples at a time. I typically change the oil every 2 years in both cars as they only see maybe 1000 miles a year anymore as they are never driven in winter and only on nice days.

As for the 700R4, I put Maxlife Dex3 in mine the last time I did a fluid exchange and filter swap. Not sure if that is an option for you over in the EU but Mobil 1 ATF is probably just as good too, although I've never used it.

 

[bonehead]

I did a quick search on Amazon and eBay, there is dexron 3 and dexron 2, one place has for example Phillips 66 Super ATF, so no problem finding dexron3 for example.
The problem for me is that I don't know whether i should use synthetic or dino ATF, i could choose dexron3 dino oil if its safe to use, because I don't want the risk of the transmission starting to leak, specially if dexron6 wouldn't be advisable over dino oil dexron3.

 

[kschachn]

I did a quick search on Amazon and eBay, there is dexron 3 and dexron 2, one place has for example Phillips 66 Super ATF, so no problem finding dexron3 for example.
The problem for me is that I don't know whether i should use synthetic or dino ATF, i could choose dexron3 dino oil if its safe to use, because I don't want the risk of the transmission starting to leak, specially if dexron6 wouldn't be advisable over dino oil dexron3.

There is really no DEXRON-II nor DEXRON-III fluids since those licenses expired years ago. The current license is DEXRON-VI and this fluid supersedes all previous automatic transmission uses of the previous licenses. DEXRON-VI is a superior fluid in all respects compared to previous fluids. It’s irrelevant what the base stock composition is for your application.

 

[nthach]

Low price oil that working good in my older Chevys 5W30 Dexos 1 gen 2 easy to order from Germany for us who lives in EU
Filters i use is AC Delco PFxx when its easy to order and sometimes i found WIX at the local low pride store Biltema here in Sweden but its a long time since i saw them at the shelfs.

Now that you say it, dexos2 wouldn’t be a bad

I have been trying to find a non E-core acdelco oil filter, but no such luck yet, are they all E-core design these days?

The engine is 1991 or 1992 350 TPI with an oil cooler.

Only filters made by Champion Labs(OE Ford USA, ACDelco, Champ/Service Champ, Mighty, SuperTech[Walmart USA, not their former Asda UK] to name a few) are mostly E-Core but now that Champion Labs is again a Fram subsidiary expect to see either a “hybrid” of the E-Core design with a Fram tapping plate or a replacement all together with the Fram “cardboard” end cap design except with a nitrile ADBV across the line.

I see no problem running E-Cores or the much poo-pooed Fram “cardboard” capped filters. If GM trusts the E-Core design for aftermarket service filters, and every Honda and Subaru built in the US comes from the factory with a Fram, it’s good enough for me given reasonable filter change intervals. Back when GM offered this engine in the US, there are countless work trucks or personal cars that saw either a Fram orange filter and whatever 10W-30 the auto parts store had on sale or went to an oil change shop(like Jiffy Lube) with a branded Fram or Champ filter and bulk oil and were worked hard on the job.

 

[bonehead]

I forgot to mention earlier that I'd prefer using dino ATF in the transmission, not just that if it would or wouldn't start to leak with full synthetic dexron6, but also that it wouldn't start to slip cuz of if full synthetic dexron6, alltho i assume the dexron6 has formulated so that it wouldn't slip in older transmissions.

I have been searching online different dexron fluids, Amalie has synthetic blend Mercon V that says dexron3H on the bottle, I've also seen Kendall classic ATF with dexron3 as well as good old yellow bottle Pennzoil with dexron3 markings on the bottle as well as Wolf's Head and Mannol, some bottles say not to use on newer transmissions where dexron6 is required, so i assume safe bet would be using in my situation, dexron3 oil, tho if you guys say dexron6 is "better", thats an option as well.
Btw, does it matter whether some dexron oil is plain dexron or dexron H or G, etc, is dexron3 the same as dexron3H, for example.